THE STIMULUS OF ZIONISM

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 139, 1 March 1918, Page 8

THE STIMULUS OF ZIONISM

TO THE JEWISH FAITH

BACK-TO-PALESTINE MOVEMENT

(By Israel Friedlacnder, in t the New

York "Evening Post'.")

Among the many romuutio events accompanying the tortnous course of the world war, none perhaps is more romantic than, the recent declaration of the British Government offering its co-operation to the Zionists in the establishment of a national homo for tho Jewish people upon its ancieut soil in Palestine. Bridging the chasm of twenty-five centuries, it connects directly with the famous edict of Cyrus who, on entering Babylon hi 538 8.C., "made a declaration throughout all .his kingdom, and put it also in writ ing, saying: 'Who is thero among yon of all His people? His God be wifii him, and let him go up to Jerusalem which is in Judahl" , (Ezra I, 1-3.)' Already, then, tho romanticism of a nation rising from its grave was fully appreciated both by Jews and non-Jews. "When the Lord turned again tho captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream," and "then said they among the heathen, the Lord hath done great ,things for them." (Pβ. exxn, 1-2.). And ito-day, 'with our knowledge of the unique record of Jewish martyrdom and dispersion for the last two thousand years, the sight of a nation, rising from political death, to receive the, reward for its unparalleled loyalty, must fill the heart of Jew and Gentile alike with sentiments of aw« and silent wonderment.

The possibilities of a Jewish resettlement of Palestine, the land which forms a connecting link between three continents and three religions, are incalculable, whether looked at from the political, .economic, or religions point of view. To those Jews who arc deeply rooted in Jewish tradition and believe that Judaism has a religious > message to the world—and to those Christians who share or qpprecintp thpse sentiments—the latter asnect will appear of paramount; consideration.' ' Inseparable Connection. The religion of Judaism is indissolubly bound up with the* homeland of the Jewish people in Palestine. This inseparable connection is the fundamental premise not only of Biblical Judaism, which views the entire history of the Jewish race in the light •. the Divine pledge to its ancestor, Abraham, buti also of the entire postBiblical tradition of Judaism. Until the middle of the nineteenth century, when, catering to the desire for civil and political emancipation, some modern Jewish rabbis began to preach dispersion as the 'final aspiration of the Jewish people, not a single Jew ever idoubted that the restoration of Israel to its ancient soil was aii, indispensable condition for the realisation of the religious mission of Judaism.

To some this inseparable connection of the Jewish religion with "a little corner in Western Asia" may appear narrow, but it only does so because the motive underlying this view is entirely misunderstood. Judaism, as formulated and_ preached by its greatest religious geniuses, is not merely a religion in the accepted sense of the word, a hody of abstract ideas about the Invisible, but rather the embody ment of these abstract ideas, cr ideals, in concrete human institutions, in a nation, a Commonwealth, a State.. The fundamental ideal of Jewish prophecy, justice and righteousness, presupposes a definite social order, such as can only be realised in a body politic. Essentially Universal. - But while in its form religious, Judaism is thus circumscribed within national and territorial limits, its motives and are essentially universal. Israel's devout consummation is to he a servant of hu.manity, and Zion is conceived as the place whence in an ideal future the ''Word of the Lord"'.will proceed to the rest of the world. At no time in Jewish history, even when the black clouds of hatred and persecution seemed to swallow this bright star of a general human hope, was the Jew oblivious of this universal aspect of his religion. But in serving humanity, Israel did not wish to become the salt of the eartli, which, after being dissolved in the whirlpool of nations, was bound to lose its saltness. It rather hoped to become "a light to the Gentiles"; to be useful to the world by retaining and developing its separate individuality. The great prophet of the Babylonian Captivity, who is the most eloquent -spokesman of Israel's religious mission to the world, is at the same time .'the most fervent advocate of Jewish national restoration: He hails Cyrus, the heather king of Persia, as "the anointed one of the Lord," and calls with clarion tones upon his fellowJews in. Babylon "to go'up to Jerusalem which is.in Judah."

Now the most enthusiastic adherent of religious Judaism, unless he be deliberately blind to the plainest .facts of reality and experience, can have the courage to maintain that modern Israel has been the carrier of a specific religious message to,the world. The accomplishments of individual modern Jews as part and parcel of their respective nations have -undoubtedly been very great, in fact, much greater than the world'realises—largely for tho reason that many of these Jews have discarded the label of Judaism, resembling tlie tribe of the Azra "who ,die when they love." But whatever their accomplishments, they certainly are to be found in tho sphere of religion. Modern Jewry has. distinguished itself in 'commerce, in industry, in art, in literature, in politics, nay, recently in athletics—in everything, except , in tho domain "of religion which is , the sum and substance of Jewish existence. Without Effect Outside. To be sure, during their confinement in the Ghetto the Jews have developed an extraordinary rich and intense religious life, but that life has been without effect upon tho outside, world, and has scarcely excited its notice. As for emancipated Jewry which has left tho Ghetto, its religious development is at u standstill. Its religious practice has almost been crushed beneath the pressure of economic and social ambitions, and its religious thought, as far as it is not a mere aftor-glow of tho religious intensity of the Ghetto, is an adaptation, and not always a successful adaptation, of the religious ideas of the environment. Thus, the Jew who , believes in tho religious message of Judaism and harks back to tho.traditions of the ages, who shudders at tho prospect of the "Peoplo of the Book-," making way for the "People of the Ledger," cannot but look forward to the resettlement of tho Jews in Palestine, as the only hope of reviving and realising tho teligious aspirations of the Jewish peonlo. Assembled on its hallowed soil, where every footstep re-echoes the religious messages of its ancient loaders, neither cut off from the rest of tho world by the cramniiin walls of the Ghetto, nor yet crushed and disintegrated, by .the tremendous compact of conflicting infleuces, Israel may work out its own destiny and may become again a potent faetor'ln the religious life of humanity.

Appeal of Zionism. This hope- is in no way dimmed by the fact that, for a variety of reasons which caunot be considered herej Zion-

ism Las also a strong appeal to many Jotvs who, under the influence of ■ then environment, have been detached from the religious moorings of Judaism. Whatever be the motive of their allegiance to the movement, the effect! of their strivings can be nothing but of benefit to the future of the Jewish religion. For every endeavour towards a Jewish centre in Palestine is helping to create normal conditions of development for the religious genius of Judaism.

Zionism, in a spirit of perfect toleration, makes room on its platform for Jews of every shade of religious opinion and practice, and it does so consistently, because it units them all in one common goal; the establishment of a political, economic, and social substructure for the untrammelled unfold-i inent of Jewish spiritual life, even though the nature and direction of that life may bo differently conceived by tho different sections of Jewry. Those who believe in the historic continuity of tho. Jewish peoplo ,and look upon religion as a genuine manifestation of its national genius are firmly of tho conviction that) in its projrcr Betting,' the religious ideal of Judaism is bound to triumph over the conflicting tendencies which at present may Bcem to obscure- it. Rejuvenated Zion, by gathering the scattered energies of Israel, will prove again a great spiritual focus which will send out its vivifying rays to tho stiffening limbs of the Jewish national organism throughout tho Diaspora, and will make Judaism shine forth onco more as the luminous bearer of a religious message to humanity.