Jews -- Periodicals; Jews -- United States -- Periodicals
Contemporary with the unsuccessful attempt at clearing up the Jewish
_position_ in western Europe, palliative measures were undertaken to
solve the _problem_ in eastern Europe. In 1860 the Alliance Israelite
Universelle was founded at Paris with the following purposes in
chief:[26]
1. To work everywhere for the emancipation and moral
progress of the Jew.
2. To give effectual support to those who are
suffering persecution because they are Jews.
The Alliance began by distributing pamphlets and calling the attention
of western governments to eastern injustice; it gradually, however,
undertook practical work. Influenced by Rabbi Kalischer, religious
enthusiast, a farm school (Mikveh Israel) was established at Jaffa;
and after the Russian persecutions of 1880-82, active colonization for
the relief of refugees became the chief work, in which the Alliance
received substantial aid from Baron de Rothschild. Meanwhile Baron de
Hirsch, another philanthropist of international proportions, dedicated
millions to the foundation of colonies in Argentine and Palestine. In
the latter place the Hirsch activities were incorporated under the
title of the Jewish Colonization Association ("IKA", 1891), working in
harmony of aim with the Alliance and with still a third movement--one
more of the people--styled Chovevei-Zion (Lovers of Zion). The only
activities of the Chovevei-Zion, a general term attached to small and
ardent semi-affiliated societies throughout Europe and America, with
which we are here concerned are the philanthropic; and their services
in this respect were haphazard and negligible.[27]
To cast up briefly the sum of practical work accomplished by 1898: 94
schools in Asia and Africa,[28] and 25 colonies in Palestine
supporting 5,000 Jews.[29] Such philanthropy is to be considered an
attempt, however valiant and noble, to empty the sea with a pail--with
a leaking pail.
Thus, upon a review of the situation, three alternatives present
themselves: (1) Maintenance of the _status quo_ with its dull round of
persecution and degradation on one hand, and the soul-destroying life
in the Fool's Paradise of Reform Judaism on the other; (2)
Amalgamation with the surrounding peoples--a grim race-suicide; (3)
Re-establishment of a national center where, perhaps not the entire
people, but a remnant can be saved.
(_To be concluded_)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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