THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, July 3, 1981 21
Moses Montefiore Pre-Herzl Zionist and Active Jewish Leader
JERUSALEM — Israel
has issued a commemora-
tive stamp honoring Jewish
leader Moses Montefiore.
Of Moses Montefiore it
was said "He loved the
people, and his people loved
him." In whichever city or
country Jews were at-
tacked, victimized or
abused in the course of the
19th Century, there on the
scene was "the Squire" per-
sonally intervening to pro-
tect them against their rul-
ers or the mob; having
harsh decrees annulled; re-
futing libels against them;
protecting their rights and
improving their religious,
civic and economic situation
in his own generous fashion.
Not all his efforts were
successful, but never did he
give up for a moment or
spare any effort to lift the
spirits of his fellow Jews.
He was always there to
share his noble Jewish
pride with the inhabi-
tants of the ghettoes of
Eastern Europe or North
Africa, pressing for equal
rights for the deprived
and strenuously oppos-
ing the attacks of reli-
gious reform and assimi-
lation on Jewish faith
and tradition.
His
devotion
to
Judaism and Jewry was
equalled only by his love
of the Land of Israel. He
visited the country for
the first time in 1827 and
returned six more times
— the last time at the ripe
old age of 90.
Moses Montefiore was
born in 1784 in Leghorn,
Italy, to a distinguished
Sephardic family living in
London. He achieved fame
in Victorian England where
he spent most of his active
life which ended at the ven-
erable age of 101.
He made most Of his
wealth on the London Stock
Exchange thanks, in the
main, to his connections
with the Rothschilds. By the
time he was 40, he had es-
tablished himself as a weal-
thy English gentleman,
which permitted him to
take up office in a country
whose drawing-rooms,
municipal and government
offices were being thrown
open to distinguished Jews,
while he simultaneously
held the position of
president of the Board of
Deputies of British Jews.
Montefiore was the
first English Jew to be
knighted and within a
short time he became the
"uncrowned king" of the
Jewish people through-
out the world.
but decided to take vigorous
steps to increase the Jewish
population and enable it to
become economically self-
supporting.
As early as 1839 he
realized the possibilities
of developing the Galilee
area and submitted plans
to the Egyptian and Tur-
kish authorities and then
w2.80
Jr<iw
began to support families
in Tiberias and Safed.
He longed to see
Jerusalem restored to its
1784-1885
former glory and there he
rinifIrl-n-npnn
bought land, set up medical,
religious and social institu-
tions including lodgings for
He interceded personally the poor known as the
on behalf of the Jews of "Peaceful Dwellings."
Turkey and Morocco, Rus-
The first Jewish residen-
sia and Georgia, Hungary tial area outside the walls of
and Persia, Italy and Syria. the Old City was built at his
Wherever he went, he initiative and was later
was accorded respect by the called "Yemin- Moshe" in his
authorities and the op- honor. He was also respon-
pressed Jewish masses sible for the famous
made him into a living
windmill, which has since
legend. In his life he com- been converted into his
bined messianic vision with memorial in reunited
Zionist action decades be- Jerusalem.
fore the Zionist movement
He was a man of many
was founded.
plans, not all of which came
On the occasion of his to fruition in his time, in-
seven journeys to the Holy cluding the provision of a re-
Land he was distressed to liable water-supply system
find there only a poor, in- and railway to Jerusalem.
significant community res-
igned to their lot. Following
his second visit, he did not
stop at distributing charity
,
1e0 , 0)tr) ■ iwn
He did, however, live to see
the first six Jewish colonies
established and thus "the
Squire" became the
standard-bearer of the "Re-
turn to Zion" and the his-
toric Katowitz Conference
of the Hibbat Zion Move-
ment was held on his 100th
birthday.
He spent the last years
of his active life in the
English town of
Ramsgate, where he built
a synagogue and yeshiva.
Although he had no pre-
tentions to distinction as
Hebrew scholar, he had an
unshakable belief in a mer-
ciful God who would restore
His long-suffering people to
Zion.
LARRY FREEDMAN
Orchestra and Entertainment
647-2367
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SIDEWALK SALES July 16, 17 and 18
Haifa U. Serves the Community
By CHANI LEVENE
World Zionist Press Service
Zionism, the university
runs day seminars on the
history of Israel and
Zionism for military units
stationed in the north.
One of the most unique
services the university of-
fers the community is its
HAIFA — Like its build-
ings which blend into their
natural surroundings atop
Mt. Carmel, Haifa Univer-
sity shapes itself to the
specific needs of northern
Israel. Yet, like its tall
Eshkol Tower, it tends to
dominate the area by virtue
of its academic achieve-
ments and many services to
the community.
Some 5,700 students are
enrolled in the university's
24 departments. In addi-
tion, 670 students study at
the three university-
affiliated institutions:
"Oranim," the School of
Education of the kibutz
movement; the Tel Hai Col-
lege in Kiryat Shmona; and
"Ohel Sarah" in the Jezreel
Valley. All these are mak-
ing a real effort to bring
higher education to the
countryside and to the ag-
ricultural settlements.
The university sponsors
international senior man-
agement seminars on topics
such as "Management of
Projects in Neighborhood
Rehabilitation."
In yet another social-
minded program, Haifa
University is allowing
senior citizens to attend
various courses as au- Breaks Tradition
ditors. Within the
DALLAS (JTA) — A new
framework of its Chair of Conservative congregation
broke two precedents a year
Habib Is Home
ago when it not only elected
WASHINGTON (JTA) — three presidents but chose a
Special Mideast envoy woman to be one of the
Philip Habib returned to presidents.
Washington last week from
Mrs. Gail Weiner, the
the Middle East. He is ex- first woman president of
pected to return to the area
Anshei Emet, said that the
now that Israel's election is presidency is rotated every
over.
other month.
mobile social work labora-
tory. This brings to indi-
viduals and communities in
outlying areas the person-
nel, equipment and
technology needed to im-
prove the level of social
services abavilable.
WEST BLOOMFIELD PLAZA
Orchard Lake Rd. just south of Maple (15 Mile)
Presents
To The Las Vegas Prize Winners
GRAND PRIZE
Weekend for Two
Air-Hotel
Plus
35 Other Prizes
Biased Volume
CAIRO (ZINS) — An
anti-Semitic book, "Jews,
History and Religion" by
Dr. Hamel Seplean, was re-
cently published in Egypt.
The book resorts to the
blood libel and even claims
that the Hebrew slaves in
Egypt at the time of Moses
were agents of colonialism
trying to destroy Egypt's
economy.
Get tickets at participating merchants
(no purchase necessary)
WHEN? July 16, 17 and 18 during Sidewalk Sale Days
Grand Prize Drawing, July 18th
Daily Drawings for other prizes.
WHERE? West Bloomfield Plaza
Results of drawing will be published in
the Birmingham Eccentric one week after the drawing
No West Bloomfield Plaza employees
may participate.