JERUSALEM THE GOLDEN

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160723, 9 August 1920, Page 7

JERUSALEM THE GOLDEN

NO FOX TROT FOR THE PROMISED LAND, For the past 1800 years or so one had only to say “Jerusalem” to a Jew for his melancholy brown eyes to light up with patriotic longing, as— he breathed something that sounded like manucha shiddach yohoi,” which one naturally translated as “Qh, happy country of mine, when shall I return to you?” In reality it probably means; ”'Jhanks very much: but I prefer Loudon”—or Pans or Amsterdam. Put, then, one still believed the Jews to be an exiled race, longing to return to the land of Canaan and Die simple pastoral habits of their forefathers; -.and we pitied them intensely 4 for bcing doomed to the barren deserts of Park Lane, Maidenhead, and Monte Carlo. When, therefore, as a result of the war, it was at last formally announced that Palestine was to be given back to the Jews, and that Israel was to be a nation again, one thought. “Well, at least some thousands are happy among the millions who are miser-" able.” ' I wonder. . . , Let ns for a moment look-st Palestine, newly populated by returned exiles. All those dear familiar faces that used to flash ingratiating W'hite teeth at us over their solid mahogany desks in Jertnyn street—(‘T am not a money leader. Ido not want any security. I merely want to help you. Let me lend you any sum from £5 to .£SOOO on note of hand alone. Strictest secrecy. Angus McPherson,' 50,762 Jermyn Street, W.”) — have partially disguised themselves with flowing white beards. TO YOUR TENT’S, 0 ISRAEL. There is a iortuuc awaiting the investor of a balm that will, cause the patriarchal beard to flow within a fqft night from Ihe olive face hitherto clean shaven a 1’ Anglais. c With benign interest we fancy them, robed in white bath towels, parting the curtains of their tents and gazing at their flocks that graze on the slopes of the hills of Judea. Life for them nov? is simple, yet dignified, lacking the fever and competition of yore. No longer do they blithely hail each othei as Ikey mcl Solly or Jos; Isaac, Solomen. anfl Joseph are more solemn and fitting titles lor the patriarchs of an ancient race. I am not sure, by the way, what becomes of the skittish young Israelites in their pre-patriarch stages. I suppose you must lie at least 02 before you're a patriarch. THE PICTURE POST CARD TOUCH. Meanwhile the matrons and maidens who form the “households’’—observe, I put it discreetly—of Solomon, Isaac and Joseph, may be seen walking, lissom and barefooted, from the well; pitchers full to -he brim with water balanced without the slightest difficulty on their heads. ' * It is only when you look very closely that a slender franc" of wire-work may ho discerned lor the modern Jewish ladies are not used to these little excursions, and dare not yet trust themselves with an unsupported pitcher. They are practising hard, though, in private, villi a spec.al line of unsmashable crockery. Into these pleasant rural scenes throw a camel or two, a very bright blue sky, a handful of dates, and a sixpence-half-penny bazaar, at which may be purchased anklets, nose-rings, ephods, icjiabods, messes of pottage, handbooks of ancient Jewish customs, and souvenirs of Brighton (the former Jewish capital of the Jews), and you have my idea of prcsenl-day Palestine restored to its old vcgirac. NO TAKERS. But I was fated to disappointment. There was no rush for berths on the good ship Schlamozzfl, bound for Zion. The Land of Promise was all right in theory, but , , , there was a je no

sail" quoi about the capitals of Europe which was fatally lacking in the prospect of the land flowing with milk and noney. Milk and honey were excellent .flings in their way, but not a patch on champagne and caviare. 'ihe River Jordan might be picturesque enough; but so was Boulter’s Lock, especially on Ascot Sunday; and to dwell a Jew among Jews was a glorious dream, but to dwell a Jew among Gentiles was a soundly paying reality. Jerusalem for the Jews bad its points certainly; but—‘T meant the other Jews l ”—wailed each separate scion of the race of Abraham. THE LURE AT LAST. It soon became obvious that if wa wanted to restore Jerusalem to the Jews it would first be necessary to employ a press gang to restore the Jews to Jerusalem. But suddenly their listless apathy was changed to eager animation. First-class passage to Jerusalemr certainly; the quicker the better, North, south, east, and west the Jews wpre, so to speak, packing their trunks. They almost foxtrotted 5 down tire gangways. But thero was a jubilant glitter m their usually inscrutable eyes, and an even more acquisitive hook to the Semitic noses, that puzzled me. . • • And then I saw just a small paragraph tucked away in an obscure comer of the paper: “It is reported that a gold reef has been discovered in Jerusalem. Cheat excitement prevails in the city.’—Geoffrey Holdsworth in the Sunday Chronicle