THE ZIONIST CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1896, 3 November 1913, Page 5

THE ZIONIST CONGRESS.

PROGRESS OF JEWISH NATIONALISM-

A UNIVERSITY FOR JERUSALEM,

Tho eleventh Zionist Congress wjis the most imposing public demonstration of the Jewish national movement since its foundation seventeen years ago (writes the Vienna correspondent of tlio "Morning Post")- The main reason that induced tho executive of the Zionist organisation to hold a congress hero was to enable tho thousands of sympafchisers in Eastern Europe, whose means would not permit them to mnko too long a journey, to participate in the proceedings of the Jewish national convontion. Tho result was seen in the attendance of over 4000 visitors, bosides 500 delegates, who hailed from all parts of tho world, from Turkestan to Amsterdam, from Warsaw to San Francisco'.

A Momorable Proposal. The congress will in all probability be best remembored in the future by reason of tho tact that it resolved in principle upon the establishmeij; of a Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and appointed a commission to attend to the preparatory steps. It is difficult to describo tho enthusiasm with which tho resolution was adopted j tho crowded floor of delegates and the galleries thronged with guests cheered . lustily and incessantly, and waved handkerchiefs and hats, as though in their fervid vision they could already perceive the stately walls of the university in tho Holy City. Tho question- of a national Jewish University in Palestine has frequeutiv litvu Mi.sri during the past twenty years, and has received support even from non-Zionisfc circles, For tho Zionist such a scat of learning would form tho stronghold of tho Jewish national genius, tho guide and guardian of tho new intellectual life in modern Judaea; for tho noilZionist it would form tv shrine where the history, literature, and traditions of Israel could best be apart from the political and economic considerations that, justify the realisation of the Zionist .ideal. The arguments in favour of such a foundation are Btrongor to-day than they wore some j'cars ago, for not only aro Jewish students excluded from the universities in Russia, except for an insignificant percentage, but those same studonts, forcod to migrate to Germany for a higher cdu cation, have been threatened in that country with similar restrictions, which have already been enforced at Munich, Leipzig, and other centres. The enthusiasm on behalf of a Jewish University in Jerusalem, where all subjects— science and philosophy, history, and literature —are to bo taught in Hebrew, is so keen that 400,000 francs have already boen subscribed for. the purpose, even before any extensive campaign of propaganda has boen started.

Wide Scopo of the Gorigross,

The Congress was so full of interest, even for tho onlooker, that it is impossible to attempt a detailed adcount of the manifold proceedings. The foremost impression conveyed was that it all aspects of Jewish life and endeavour. For, apart from the deliberations in tho Congress Hall upon questions of organisation and propaganda, colonisation and culture, politics and finance, tlicro wero a number of outside conferences devoted to. special objects, such as tho strengthening of tho movement among Jewish women, the advancement of Hebrew as a liviSg language, the improvement of the sanitary conditions of Palestine, and the betterment of the conditions of Jewish emigration. There were dramatio performances in Hebrew, concerts in which tho works of Jewish composers, such as Mendelssohn, Bruch, and Sulzer, and Hebrew and Yiddish folk-songs—wero beautifully rendered, and, also an instructive locturo on Jewish/art by M. Pilichowski. _ Then there was an interesting exhibition of the products, of tho Bazalet School of Arts alid Crafts ol Jerusalem—handsome carpets, finely-patterned laoo. and filigree ornaments, and a largo took store containing all books of Jewish interest in a dozen different languages, written during the last twenty _ years. But tho really modern note in this Jewish national revival was struck by tho magnificont gymnastic display on tho Vienna Sport Platz, in .which about 1400 young men and women took* part. Zionism lays stress upon the healthy development of tho body as much as upon that of tho mind, and tho result could bo scon in tho artistic exercises of theso gymnasts, who had como together from forty different societies from Berlin to Beyrout, and whoso fathers, or at least grandfathers, had walked about with stooping backs in the Ghetto.

The Central Executive was able to record a groat deal of work in the direction of organisation and propaganda during the last two years, and likewise an appreciable measure of progress in the oolonisation of Palestine. The movement has been strengthened in various countries, such as Scandinavia and Australia, in. which its adherents were formerly fow in number, and the executive had an income of about £17,000 for administrative, political, and cultural purposes during its two years of offioe. The printed report is a most interesting record of tho work carried on by a do7/en different institutionns and of the loeal propaganda in some twenty-fivo countries. It is pathetic to read of the housesearclnngs and imprisonment to which the Jews in Russia are subjected simply because of their adhesion to a movement which can in no way be regarded as affecting the interests of tho Russian Empire, and which would, indeed, relieve it of a question it caJfnot solve itself. But these penalties are readily borne by tho true Zionist. The 'attachment to tho national idoa was most strikingly manifested by the Bulgarian Jewish soldiers, who, after helping their country to capture the cities of Thrace, proceeded to win over Turkish co-religionists to the oause whiah should find for them ' both a legally-secured home in Palestine. Tho closing session of tho congress was in every way most impressivo, and the tense feelings of the crowded assembly wero wrought up to white-hot passion when a solemn protest against the ritual murder accusation in Russia was adopted. But a more cheorful mood was nroatod by tho_ inspiriting address of the Jowish national. poet, Bialick, and after the president, Herr WolfFsohn, declared tho eleventh congress closed, there was n repeatod singing of the Zionist "Song of Hope" in swilling chorus, which was taken up by crowds in tho street, where delegates from different lands took lenvo of one another on tho stroke of midnight and dispersed in a thousand directions.