Mage...x
1
THE DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
PACE F.IGHT
NATHAN STRAUS TELLS
OF PALESTINE WORK
said, the Health Bureau treated 441,-
ed them from the rest of the popula-
874 cases, and an attempt was made
tion; even in Vienna one could see
to examine the eyes of all children
every day thousands of Polish Jews
who could be reached so as to identify
in their gaberdines, their side locks,
that disease, which was prevalent in
and their peculiar gesticulations, not Report. to Zionists in London on Re-
l'alestine. A hospital for eye diseases
to mention their speech. Furthermore
sults Reached by His Health
was opened and the campaign was
the ruling class of Austria consisted
Bureau.
extended into the towns and colonies
of bigoted Roman Catholics for
outside of Jerusalem, nurses being
whom anti-Semitism was a convenient
LONDON, July 4.—Nathan Straus sent to various places. Aid was also
History is full of examples of im- that the awakening of the non-Ger- met hod to strengthen their influence.
of New York told the International given to refugees when the Jewish
man
nationalities,
supported
by
cler-
Finally
the
emancipation
of
the
Jews
portant conversions. Folk lore usu-
Zionist Conference here today t hat population was expelled from Jaffa.
ally added some romantic features to ical aspirations and backed by the was of recent date. It had not be-
Mr. Straus said the Health Bureau
the Straus Health Bureau in l'ales-
it. Within the field of religion these anti-Semitic moventent which orig- come law until 1867.
bad proved its efficacy and he hoped
So the hope was justified that the tine had supplied a need that had
conversions assumed a romantic char- to explain the various causes for the
been ignored for hundreds of years its services would increase and be-
inated
in
Germany
in
I878,
produced
people
will
become
more
enlightened
acter. Christian legend tells us that
by a "criminally indifferent Govern- come greater in the rehabilitation of
the Apostle Paul was a fanatic Phari- this change. Still in 1879 this change in their religion. Let the Jew share
ment" and that it had become a the Holy Land, a blessing to the peo-
see and a disciple of Rabban Game- was believed to be a passing phase. his peculiarities, and let the people
"stronghold in the life of the Holy ple, irrespective of race, color or re-
liel until by a vision he suddenly The University of Vienna was still gain time to forget their inherited
liberal.
It
means
that
both
profes-
prejudices. Unfortunately in France Land." The bureau was established ligion.
turned a Christian. Some change
by Mr. Straus in 1912.
from one extreme to another are sors and students believed Austria these expectations were not fulfilled.
The only problem which took prece-
often found in the history of religions. was to be ruled by the German ele- The Jew's were not very numerous,
dence over the health question was
ment
and
by
middle
class
liberals.
The
they
did
not
speak
a
language
of
their
While Zionism is not exactly a re-
the
feeding of the hungry, for which,
students,
believing
in
this
idea,
were
own, they did not dress differently
ligious movement it undoubtedly has
largely represented in the Akade• front their neighbors, they were lib- he said, lie established a free soup
a religious feature. We may, there-
mische Lesehalle. There I met Herzl, erals in religion, the leaders in French kitchen in Jerusalem, which up to now
fore, (lase the conversion of Theo.
has been feeding 700 to 1,000 persons
Warsaw—The International Social-
Bore Ilerzl from what is usually a tall, handsome young man of very politics were free-thinkers, and the
daily. Members of committees re- ist Organization appointed a com-
called an assimilated Jew into a pleasing personality. Unfortunately law giving the Jews equality, was a
I did not keep a diary at that time, hundred years old, and yet anti-Semi- turning from Palestine, lie said, had mittee to investigate the anti-Jewish
strong nationalist among these re-
told hint that his soup kitchen was pogroms in Poland. The members
markable conversions. Zionism just- but I remember distinctly that he tism gained popularity every day.
When Dreyfus was arrested under "the brightest spot in the Holy City." of this commission are all non-Jews .
ly regards Theodore Hail as its spoke of Judaism as a matter which
The Health Bureau, Mr. Straus said,
The Italian Government in a publiv
founder, although as in all similar was indifferent to him. Ile believed, the charge of high treason, lierzl
as did most of his contemporaries, conceived the plan of the 'New was established to improve health statement declared that it would also
cases the main idea which he
conditions generally and particularly send representatives to inquire into
preached, had been expressed by that the Jews were slowly being ab- Ghetto," although the scene was laid
to eradicate malaria and trachoma, massacres of the Jews in Poland.
others before. It is to be acknowl- sorbed by their environment when in Vienna in the environment which
the two diseases which were endemic
All the Polish newspapers are pro-
edged with gratitude that Zionists prejudice, which was merely a sur- Ilerzl knew quite well. The main
there. It was intended to serve all testing against these proposed inves-
vival
of
medieval
bigotry,
would
dis-
have repeatedly tried to give us the
idea is that anti-Semitism instead of
inhabitants of l'alestine, irrespective tigations and are appealing to the
appear.
history of this remarkable man's life.
disappearing becomes stronger as the
Kellner's book shows us this fact. Jew sheds his Jewish peculiarities and of creed, race or color, and, since the governhsent not to admit these com-
The charge of writing a complete
Jews number less than one-sixth of missions.
biography of Theodore Ilerzl was in- Ilerzl was a member of a student becomes the competitor of his fellow
the total population, its work had ac-
trusted to his friend, Leon Kellner, fraternity (Burschenschaft) whico citizens in every walk of life. The
crued largely to the benefit of non-
was one of those organizations
Poultry farming, according to an
until lately professor of English liter-
play ends in a questionmark. The
English expert, will be an important
ature in the University of Czernowitz. formed after the Napoleonic wars to hero of the tragedy in Isis dying mo- Jews.
Mr. Straus reviewed the fight con- industry in Palcssine.
foster
the
German
spirit.
They
wore
Kellner, in the preface of this recently
tnent merely appeals to his fellow
ducted against malaria by the Health
published book, "Theodore lierzl's a special costume of their own, a sash Jews to leave the ghetto, but he does
Bureau in and around Jerusalem in
Lehrjahre," Vienna. 1920, gives us the in German colors, and the highest not say how.
1916 and 1917, which he said "nipped
life of Ilerzl up to the moment when ambition was to fight a duel on some
This play, written in October, 1894, the cholera epidemic in the bud."
Abraham Cooper
silly ground with a member of an-
he turned a Zionist.
just at the time when Dreyfus was
Clinics were opened in five districts
To begin with criticism first, the other organization bearing different arrested, was followed by the epoch
and injections of ant-malaria lymph
colors.
The
first
intimation
that
this
author failed to show to the actual
making pamphlet, "The Jewish State,"
were given to all comers, while school
cause which produced the change in idea of Germans of Jewish persuasion published in February, 1896. In this
children were inoculated by nurses
the conception of the brilliant young was not tenable came to Ilerzl its pamphlet an answer is given to the
sent by the Health Bureau into dis-
1883.
Then
the
fraternity
to
which
2219 Dime Bank
writer on his relations to Judaism.
question with which the "New
tricts. In all, 30,750 persons were
he belonged took part in an anti-
We are, however, able to follow his
as a Ghetto" closed. What had occurred given preventive injections against
ticrzl,
Semitic
demonstration.
the
cause
development and to guess
in the meantime? Herzl lived in
cholera. Typhus lymph also was pre-
of his change of mind with fair ac- self-respecting Jew, offered his resig- Paris all the time during the excite-
Fire
pared and adtninistered.
nation. It was not accepted. He was
Curacy.
ment of the Dreyfus affair. Follow-
Plate Glass
More than 38,000 persons were ex-
Theodore Ilerzl was born in Buda- informed that his name was stricken ing it up as a journalist he saw how
amined to ascertain if they were af-
Automobile
from
the
roster
of
members.
He
evi-
' pest, in 1860, of a well-to-do middle
the Jew was made the victim of cor-
class Jewish family. There seems to dently still believed in his German rupt politics, and as a thinker he said fected with malaria, and where the
be nothing remarkable in his ante- nationality for he laid stress on hav- to himself this could not be the case reaction was positive quinine was
given free of cost. The water in
cedents. There were, undoubtedly, ing his resignation accepted.
if the masses were not filled with in-
cisterns used for drinking purposes
Yet he continued to work for his
thousands of Jewish boys raised in
eradicable hatred of the Jews. There
was examined and a museum of hy-
future
career
as
a
German
author.
lime
under
like
the mane
Budapest
was no chance of ever seeing the hope
conditions. The Jewish side of his The only incident which shows a cer- realized that the J ew would be ac- giene was established.
In combatting trachoma, Mr. Straus
tain
Jewish
pride
is
his
refusal
to
is
youth
environment id his early
cepted as an equal by his neighbors.
easily understood'. The grandfather adopt a pseudonym instead of his dis- He will never use a normal life un-
tinctly
Jewish
name
for
his
literaty
was an old-fashioned observant Jew
less he throws off the mask which he
who considered it a great privilege to contributions to the Vienna press. It wears, and ceases to snake himself
sound the shofar on New Year's day, is quite interesting to learn that this believe that the neighbors take it for
although he had brothers who became suggestion was made by the Jewish his true face. lie must be an out-
apostates. The father, Jacob Herz!, publisher, Baron Kolisch. It is not spoken Jew. This he cannot be un-
was evidently a Jew of average type certain, however, that it was Jewish less he is in a country of his own.
who grew up with the teachings of sentiment which moved Herzl. He I stated before that this idea was not
political and religious liberalism un- may have been guided by filial devo- a new one. Moritz Hess had present-
der the influence of the events of 1848. tion, which is indeed a noble feature ed it in 1862, and remarkably enough
He gave his children a German edu- of his fine character.
he also wrote in Paris. Twenty years
Kellner shows us that even after
cation, although he lived in Hungary.
later the Russian physician, Dr. Leo
Ile also had them instructed in He- Herzl had the unpleasant experience Pinsker, expressed the same idea,
brew, more as a matter of habit than with the fraternity he still remained when the first pogroms disillusioned
of conviction. However, he person- a liberal in the local understanding those who believed in a better under-
ally said his prayers every day with of the term, and manifested an un- standing between Russian and Jew.
tallith and tefillin. He had his son sympathetic attitude to his co-re- Ilerzl, however, may claim the merit
Theodore prepared for bar mitzvah, ligionists even to the point of avoid- that he aroused the attention of the
presumably in the usual form, having ing contact with them in fashionable world to this scheme.
him drilled to read the Haftarah, no health resorts. In 1885 lie read an
His close associates, the members
doubt the last effort of this kind that anti-Semitic book by the Berlin Pro- of the staff of the Ncue Freie l'resse,
the boy ever made in his life. The fessor Eugene Duehring, and was would not countenance him. They
very
much
provoked
at
this
expres-
friends of the family were invited to
continued to wear the mask, ignoring
the "Confirmation.", on which occa- sion of hatred of the Jews. but he Zionism completely. Even after
sion the boy delivered a speech in saw in it merely jealousy. This Was flerzl's premature death the obituary
which he vowed to be faithful to just ten years before the change in notice in his own paper knew noth-
Judaism, a story which his uncle his life took place. It may have been ing of the activity which made hull a
afterwards turned into a romance, at that time that he was eager to world figure. The editor of another
telling us that the Chief Rabbi Meysel escape from Judaism and was not Vienna paper, Alexander Scharf, also
who was present shed tears when he quite averse to enter the church. lie a Jew, when asked to contribute to
heard it. 'The old gentleman was believed that anti-Semitism was some-
the Zionist cause, said, he would not
somewhat angry at me because I thing accidental, that must pass away give a cent to Zionism, but he would
proved that this Chief Rabbi had died and future generations would live to
gladly pay the expense of having
six years previously and consequently see better days. This was Beret's
Hetet put into an insane asylum. The
could have shed tears only in his idea as pointed out before in 1885.
fact that Herzl could become a Zion-
sec
him.
Ten
years
later
he
writes
to
his
grave where nobody meld
ist
in such an environment proves him
This little incident is merely qeoted friend Heinrich Teweles, manager of
to have been a great titan.
to show that fiction will unconscious- the German theatre in Prague, to
whom he offers the "New Ghetto,"
ly creep into a biography.
We return to Beret's youth. He that the highest aim of his life is the
was sent first to the Realschule, a solution of the Jewish question. What
science high school, because he was had happened between 1885 and 1895,
supposed to enter a business career, or to be more exact, October, 1894,
but afterwards changed (or the classi- when the "New Ghetto" was written,
cal high school (gymnasium). lie was to produce this change in Herds
Made Necessary by Expansion in Mid-
never a brilliant student. It is sad to views?
Kellner does not answer it. I be-
admit that such is almost regularly
dle West States; Rabbi Philip A.
the case with brilliant boys. They do lieve to be in a position to offer the
Langh in Charge.
not submit to the straight jacket of solution and it is a matter of great
our school methods. At the same satisfaction to me to point out how
CHICAGO—Expansion of the work
time in these early days he had al- wild our guesses are, in the true in-
ready laid out the plans of his future terpretation of Talmudic history, be- of the United Synagogue of America
cause
we
do
not
know
the
events
is
indicated by opening of headquar-
life. lie would he an author, and a
German author, although he studied which transpired at every period of ters for the states of the Middle West
the
life
of
an
author.
Beret's
great
at
610 Ashland Mock, Chicago, III.
in Budapest. his parents, subse-
quently, moved to Vienna where the ambition, as was said before, was to In charge of work is Rabbi l'hilip A.
Neu!
Freie
the
enter
the
statf
of
Laugh.
young man entered the University to
souls law. This again is a common- l'resse. This leading Vienna paper
An active branch of the United
of
place career. A Jewish boy would as was founded by Jews as an organ
Synagogue and of the Woolens'
a rule choose one of the Iwo profes- German liberalism. Most of the League has been organized at Chi•
sions which would allow him a chance founders were Jews, some what is caws wills the affiliation of the large
called professing Jews, others were conservative and modern orthodox
for competition. Ile would study
of medicine. Ile may then have felt baptized, but all of them officially congregations. Officers elected of the
that he would take up the legal pro- wanted to be nothing but German Chicago branch are:
fession only as an opportunity to liberals. Herein lay a fallacy which
For the United Synagogue—Her-
man like Ilerzl could easily observe
make a livelihood until lie should
man Spivak, Preside•t; Robert S.
have established a name for himself on the Inside. His ambition was real- Nathan, Vice-President; S. 11. Platt,
in literature and become a profes- ized. The editor of the l'resse en- Vice-President; Charles Ticktin, Vice-
sional author In this case we need gaged hint its 1891 as Paris corre- President; Rabbi 1. A.
Lassen, Secre-
spondent. Herzl arrived in Paris
no romance for his biography.
tary; Dr. lsaak Minute, Correspond-
A young man of Ilerzls inclinations about the time when the anti-Semitic ing Secretary; Alex A. Bernstein,
living in Vienna at that time had two publisher, Edward Drumont, was at Financial Secretary; Joseph Fienberg,
ambitions. Ile desired to become a the height of his glory. A few months Treasurer; Isidore Cohen, Chairman
regular contributor to the leading after IterzIS arrival Uruniont began Executive Council.
Vienna daily, the Neue Freie Nesse, to publish the daily paper, "La Libre
For the 1Vomen's I.eague—M rs.
and to write a play which would be l'arolc" as the organ of anti-Semitism.
pioduced at the Burg Theatre, the One of its main features was the at- Benjamin Davis, lion. Prt sident; Mrs.
leading German stage. If he should tack upon Jewish army officers, which Leon Waldman, President; Mrs.
succeed in realizing these ambitions led to a duel in which the Jewish cap- Joshua Ginsburg, Vice-President; Mrs.
his career was made. Let us say from tain. Armand Meyer, was killed J. Glasser, Treasurer; Mrs. David Al-
the beginning that he succeeded in (1892). This was the introduction to mond, Secretary.
the Dreyfus affair. As in the case of
InStillation of these officer's took
both.
At that time he could not have had ritual murder charge it was consider- place on the 30th of June at the Mor-
ed
insufficient
to
make
a
general
any desire or inclination to think of
rison Hotel, and amid impressive cere-
his Judaism in any other way except statement that the Jews were disloyal. monies Dr. Elias Solomon of New
that it was a handicap in his career- It was necessary to have a real fact, York, President of the United Syna-
I knew him at that time, being a stu- and this fact presented itself in the gogue of America and Professor of
dent of the University of Vienna. and case of Captain Dreyfus, who would the Teachers' Institute of the Jewish
only a little older than he. If we never have been indicted upon such Theological Seminary, New York, de-
wish to understand Ilerzl at that pe- flimsy evidence, had hr not been a livered an eloquent installation ad-
riod, we must east a glance at the Jew. The indictment took place in dress. Mr. Max Shulman spoke in
history of Austria then. In 1848 an the fall of 1094. Then Betel wrote behalf of the Chicago community,
awakening had come over the people the "New Ghetto."
Due to the efforts and the inspira-
In the absence of documents, dated tion of the director of the United
of this polyglot country, governed by
the most stupid reactionaries that ever in detail, we can understand the Synagogue, there was recently organ-
misruled a country in need of genu- change in Beret's life quite easily on ized in Chicago a Young Israel, which
ine statesmen. With the awakening psychological ground. Nurtured in is a congregation of young men and
of liberalism the German element middle class liberalism he had be- women with services along strict tra-
came to the forefront. It was short tiered that anti-Semitism was only a ditional lines and with full decorum
dream that lasted barely a year. Then trick of bigotry and autocracy. It and congregational singing. This
a period of reaction followed until was bound to disappear. In Austria Young Israel is along the lines of the
this system collapsed in the war of one might understand why this dis- Young Israel congregations so well
1866, and a new period of liberalism appearance progressed so slowly. The established in New York and enjoy-
came. This lasted until 1879. Jews were too numerous to be easily ing the active patronage of men such
.1t would require too much space absorbed. They were too conspicu- as Professor Israel Friedland, Dr.
new tutu of affairs. Suffice it bossy , ous in their habits, which distinguish- Judah Magnes.
HOW THEODORE HERZI,
BECAME A ZIONIST
By PROF. GOTTHARD DEUTSCI I
ITALIAN SOCIALISTS
AND GOVERNMENT TO
INVESTIGATE POGROMS
SULPHUR MINERAL WATER
Th....... Mt. Omani
In Detroit At Wayne Datts House
But
End and Front SIN, adj. Wayne Hotel
Departments for Ladles and
Gentlemen
Open Day and Night
Sleeping Acoommonation. for
Gentlemen
Alineral•TurkIsh•Tobic and Electric
Baths
Local and General Swedish Massage
Electrical Treatments. Including Vi-
bratory, With Frequency and Violet
Rays for Colds. itheumatism. Neu-
ralgia. Neuritis. Nervousness. Obesity,
Stomach, Kidney and Liver Coin-
i■ laint and all forms of Skin
, Cherry 4754
oubles
r
J. Si. HAYES, l'rop, and Mgr.
it. 0. IRWIN, Supt.
T
David Cooper
COOPER INSURANCE AGENCY
Cadillac
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