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4
Friday, September
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE and The Legal Chronicle
15 1 944
,
We Hitch-Hiked Through Eretz Israel and Saw a
Sturdy People Reclaiming Its Homeland
What Two British Soldiers on Leave Saw
and Experienced in Palestine's
Agricultural Settlements
By N. POWER and M. RIVLIN
EDITOR'S NOTE:—The following article was written jointly by
two British soldiers who utilized their leave to hitch-hike
through the agricultural settlements on the land of the Jewish
National Fund in Palestine. One of the authors is a Christian
and the other a British Jew who, prior to their visit to Eretz
Israel, had no contact with or knowledge of the Zionist move-
ment and the realities of Palestine. It was the former who is
mainly responsible for the contents of the article, who sub-
mitted the manuscript to the Jewish National Fund and sug-
gested its publication for the enlightenment of Jews and Chris-
tians alike.
We decided to "hitch-hike" our
way through Palestine—two Eng-
lish soldiers on leave. Much has
been written and spoken about
this country by those whose lives
and interests are bound with its
destiny. Our attitude was en-
tirely objective. Something new
was occurring in Palestine, the
revitalization of an old nation.
We came to see this, not know-
'
1
Le Shono Tovo Tikosevu!
Greetings of the Season!
•
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The following day we began stables, cowshed, fields and orch- efficiency necessary; a zeal and
our explorations. Our guide, a ards. Farming is a science here. love for the earth itself was w ow-
sturdy pioneer, formerly of Rus- We were laymen and town lay- en with their ability. Every far
m
sia, introduced us to the life of men at that. But we could see
the settlement. We anticipated in the many acres of growing worker would talk to us with
in these remote parts a certain crops, the orchards and the dairy- enthusiasm of his horse, or new.
absence of the modern amenities
found in the outside world. We work, that not only was skill and See ERETZ ISRAEL—Pag e 13
were show n chromium-fitted
shower baths, electric plant in-
stallations, refrigerators, swim-
ming pools, which quickly dis-
illusioned us on that point. It
was striking evidence of indus-
triousness and of a determination
to keep abreast of the times,
despite, or perhaps because of,
the obstacles that existed. "Much
was yet to be done" our guide
remarked, "but the spade work
in all directions had prepared
a lasting foundation for the com-
ing generation."
To All Our Friends Everywhere and to All
With this thought in our minds,
Mankind, We Extend Our Sincerest Wishes
we arrived at the children's quar-
ters. Any nation's continuity as
for a Happy New Year, Victory and Peace
a healthy, active race depends
upon the physique of its young
Throughout the World
children. Here, that fact is clear-
ly understood. Every device that
can be applied to assist and en-
sure the health of the children
is adopted. By experience they
have chosen the creche system,
with variations in different col-
onies, as being most suitable to
the communal mode of living. It .7±..
is an experiment with which we
are not generally familiar, and F_-- -
is, of course, open to criticism.
It was in the final analysis, how- 2=2
ever, • that proof of its success
could be found. In their teens,
these children, perhaps born when
their colony was born, reared and
tended even as the soil of their gm- -
homeland, come to a perfection
of physical development unsur-
passed by any average chill
"Not all will be able to pay for cruisers or
reared outside the creche. It was M..-
very interesting to see the two p_
battleships, but all can buy implements of
and four-year-old infants seated
war according to their abilities, from the great
around their communal dining-
table. Gaily colored clothes, cups
battleship down to the humble but mightily
and saucers with floral designs,
useful jeep. All of these are tools of freedom.
all to catch their eyes. Each
group of ages in a different
So are dollars tools of freedom. The dollars
room. At an early age they arc
you save and turn over to the use of your
introduced to farm life, and in
tending their stripling tree, chic-
government today are fighting dollars . . . We
ken, or little garden plot, their
have a job to do and we are all called for
-ZS
joy is manifest.
In every settlement we visited,
service to our country. Our dollars are called
we inquired as to the culutral
to service, too. Let us ask ourselves, 'Shall we
facilities available. One of the LA
first items shown us was the
be more tender with our dollars than with the
open-air stage and cinema. Here
lives of our sons?' "—Secretary Morgenthau.
the Palestine Symphony Orches-
tra and the Habimah players
come to entertain the people.
Do your part, buy more War Bonds. Re-
Each colony has a library, one
indeed, with 12,000 books. Folk-
member our fighting men. They give their lives
dancing, concerts, poetry read-
—you lend your money.
ing, studying music, all had their
place in the life of these work- ff-
ers. It was evident that the
tempo of living was adjusted to
harmonize work and leisure, but
—
work was the first concern.
So we moved amongst these
people, during their toil and play.
Many pertinent questions were
asked and answered. Introduc-
tions produced information. Hos-
pitality was a marked trait n3
much between the people them • —_
selves as toward visitors.
On other days we explored the
FREEDOM— JUSTICE
PEACE—SECURITY
7705-1944
ing in the wider sense what was
to be seen.
We realized that a country,
so evolving, depends largely for
its progress upon a special agar-
um policy. Such a policy, we
were told, was implemented
through a system of colonization
on the land of the Jewish Na-
tional Fund. The Land of Israel,
with all its potentialities, was
being harnessed and developed
by a chain of communal settle-
ments.
We clearly remember the first
of such colonies we visited. Ap-
proaching it in the final "hitch"
of a very hot day, up, over and
down a chain of wild hills. With
sharp suddenness the country
underwent a metamorphosis; for-
est land appeared, patches of
vegetation became more prolific,
shaped and geometrical. We both
felt and knew we were entering
land settled by the Jewish pio-
neers. The contrast was amaz-
ing. The barren hillsides and
plains were here transformed
into forest land, into acres of
golden corn and plantations of
orchards. Eagerly we contem-
plated this changed vista of quiet
beauty; the oranges and grape-
fruits relieving the vivid green
with spheres of Van Gough yel-
low. Turning to our new-found
friends we saw them smile, as
one remarked, "I remember when
this was all swamp-land." A
phrase we were to hear many
times!
The land was being re-born.
What was once an ideal or a
fantastic prayer through many
ages was now spread before us
tri achievement. The distant red-
roofed cottages, housing those
who held fast to this idea, dotted
the horizon. Men and women,
motivated not by personal inter-
ests but by a spiritual ideology
that has preserved the Jewish
people as a race since the dawn
of time, were at work.
For years this land had been
despoiled; even the rain exacted
its toll in sweeping away any
remaining sub-soil. The ardors
of pioneer work were easily con-
ceived. How imaginative and
brave in spirit must Theodor
Herzl have been: An agricultural
home visualized for his people
amidst barrenness and desola-
tion!
Very soon we were entering
the gates of the colony itself,
our home for the next few days.
Driving straight to the dairy,
one of the hands greeted us with
a "Shalom" and glasses of ice- I
cold foaming milk; we looked Le Shono Tovo Tikosevu
very dusty and were very thirsty.
HOLLAND
HAS GONE TO WAR!
WAYNE COUNTY TREASURER
Joins the Jewish members of his staff in wishing
all their friends
A Happy New Year
Frank Bosley
Jacob Cohn
David Gordon
Morris Hersh
Coleman Kovan
Sidney Mayer
Ethel Rubiner
Leo Schwartz
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Rosh Hashonah Greetings and Best Wishes to All
HEARTIEST GREETINGS FOR ROSH HASHONAH
nits
g.
AMERICAN
VAN SERVICE
HOGARTH
Th:
60
Fighting Dollars
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
To All Our Friends!
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fro:
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Ku'
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UNITED MU
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