A VISITOR FROM PALESTINE

Kumara Times, Issue 463, 21 March 1878, Page 2

A VISITOR FROM PALESTINE

The Rabbi Jonas VVnoif 'Mendle-jion is at preseur'staymg^' Ho i.s.fcravelliug,tlie Press states,through the Australian , C olonies as ( the accredited agent of the Rabbis the Communities' bf Sephardinl and Ashkenazim, at Hebron, in Palestine, where hundreds o> Hebrew families are homeless and starving. To a greater or less extent, dire distress has prevailed throughout the whole bf Palestine, but in Hebron, which to. .the Jews has so many sacred associations, the bitterness of the struggle against- distress and persecution has' been' 'peciiliary felt. Both the British and American consuls in Palestine have attested under thieir respective seals; to jgenuine character

of tins letter which the ‘Rabbi' bears, and to-the fdctthat the Jewish! seals attached are those of tie commdnities in question. The following passage occurs in the letter, which we' ha.ye jjad ah opportunity of -reading: - “ Therefore we, the heads of the Saphardim and Ashkenazim congregations, haveassemsembldd; together and chpzen a righteous man, whom we have appointed to deliver our message in your distant country. In his hands we have placed this woful letter, and the accompanying book wherein all benevolent persons mdy write down their donations, in order that their names shall be forever blessed in the holy city, Hebron. We fuither beg to say that upon the succor afforded by you depend the lives of your poor co-religionists and fellow creatures, ,tbose who guard the. walls of the caves of Machpelah, and who preserve from decay the tent of Abraham, ; dwelling-place of Isaac, and the house of Jacob, our ancestors, who for evei’ strive to defend their descendants in every place and at all times.” The Rabbi, who is a man well advanced in years, has ■ the reputation of being a distinguished Hebrew scholar, and his venerable appearance is heightened by the turban and' flowing .garment which he wears. ,