but was disappointed. Subse-
quently, he turned more and
more to poetry and to secular
literature.
By the age of 20, Bialik was
moving toward a • national-
istic, Zionist ideal. For Bialik
national independence seem-
ed necesary for self defense,
especially wit the mass
slaughterings and destruc-
tion of the pogroms which'
were becoming commonplace.
He joined the secret society,
Nezah Israel, which combin-
ed Jewish nationalism with
traditional religion, and, then
moved to Odessa, a dynamic
center of Jewish secular in-
tellectual life.
One of the greatest early in-
fluences on Bialik was Ahad
Ha'am, the great Zionist
philosopher. In an impassion-
ed poem, Bialik wrote of him
"Receive our blessing for each
seed of . . idea/That you have
sown . . . in our desolute
hearts."
In 1892 Bialik returned to
the Ukraine to see his dying
grandfather. He married and
began working in the timber
trade. In "Return;' he wrote
bitterly about the stifling life
he found there:
"Once more, Look: a spent old
scarecrow
shrivelled face/straw-dry
shadow
swaying like a leaf
bending and swaying over
books.
Five years later he became
a teacher, and began writing
admired poems many of
which chastised Jews for their
indifference to the national
movement. Bialik, the Zionist
was more a cultural
philosopher than a political -
activist. He actually mocked
Herzl's plitical Zionism and
the First Zionist Congress,
which he saw as inferior to
Ahad Ha'am's more spiritual
ideological approach.
Bialik returned to Odessa
in 1900 and stayed for 21
years except for a year in War-
saw. As he gained notoriety,
he came to know a circle of
writers and Zionist leaders in-
cluding Mendele Mocher
Sfarim. His first book of
poems was published in 1901,
and he was praised as a poet
of the national renaissance.
In 1924 he moved to man-
dated Palestine, settling in
Aviv. Passionately en-
thusiastic about the place
from the start, he praised the
building of "earthly
Jerusalem," and enthused,
"The angels are building the
land overnight." His literary
work in Israel included com-
piling poetry of Jewish poets
of Spain and collecting
legends of the Agadah. He
helped found the Hebrew
University.
To All Our
Relatives
and Friends,
Our wish for a
year filled with
happiness,
health and prosperity.
GEORGE, ROSA, MARK &
ELANA CHESSLER
May the coming
May the coming
year be filled
year be filled
with health and
with health and
happiness for
happiness for
all our family
all our • family
and friends.
and friends.
MARION & MAX SCHAFER
ELISE & SCOTT SMALL
May the coming
May the coming
year be filled
year be filled
with health and
with health and
happiness for
happiness for
all our family
all our family
and friends.
and friends.
SIMON & ESTHER TABACHNIK
THE UNGERS RICK, RENEE, BRIAN,
SCOTT, MICHELLE & SAMANTHA
May the New Year Bring
To All Our Friends
and Family — Health,
Joy, Prosperity
and Everything
Good in Life.
.
MADELON, LOU, MELISSA &
ADRIANNE SELIGMAN
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
LISA, DAVID & HAILEE GOLDENBERG
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
vann 111W. ruml
lainn inns intn
to all
our friends
and relatives.
to all
our friends
and relatives.
LeROY & BRENDA NEUMANN
& FAMILY
SYLVIA & JACK TAYLOR
Best wishes for a
happy, healthy
New Year.
Best wishes for a
happy, healthy
New Year.
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
ANNE NORBER
PHYLLIS & REVA SAMET
MAGENE & SAM RICHMAN
Best wishes for a
happy, healthy
New Year.
Best wishes for a
happy, healthy
New Year.
YETTA, HERMAN OPATOWSKI
& FAMILY
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
JOAN (PEVEN) & HARRY B. SMITH
ROSE -& HARRY SCHLOMPER
Coconut Grove, Florida
MANFRED & HELEN MOSER
We wish our family and friends a
very healthy, happy and prosperous
New Year
RICHARD & HELEN PERGAMENT
❑
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
97