Page 4 Advertisements Column 3

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 213, 7 February 1866, Page 4

Notice. DISTRESS IN THE HOLY LAND, _,HE following communi^tions' have been reL ceived by the Jewish Congregation, Dunedin, from the Board bf Deputies of British Jews, London:— London, August 24th, 5625. ; To Joseph Mayer Montefiore, Es'q., the Presijdent," (pro tem.) : and to the Committee of Deputies of British Jews. Gentlemen, — A cry of anguish, a tale of woe, has reached' biir ears from tiie Holy Land, and filled our hearts with' deep sorrow and commisera*tion'. "Judah mourneth, ahd the gates thereof languish ; the lament of Jerusalem is gone up." Our' fears have, alas been but too fdithfiuly realised. The accompanying letter, received from Jerusalem (a translation of which is subjoined) gives a harrowing .picture of the distress that uiihappily prevails in the Holy City. No words bf ours can add force j ; tb the plaint, which a succession of dire calamities has wrung from our brethren. : Intellif gence has also reached us that the other cities of the Holy Land are under trouble and aflliction. j When the drought and the locusts visited the land, .they held their peace. But now "two things have come unto them — desolation and Aestruction," the consuming famine and the plague that wasteth at noonday. v Can we, dare we, lend a deaf ear to the !wail that has been pressed forth from "Zion — Zionj the afflicted, tempestrtossed, that had no comfort.?? " She looked for peace, and no good came: and for the time bf healing, and behold, terror !" Now, when our brethren cry unto us that we may help them to save life, must not all our feel-i ings of humanity respond to the appeal? It is surely the holiest duty of our brethren in a happier land, who have hearts full" of kindness and sympathy, to come forward to the help of the distressed that dwell on the hallowed soil, with wliich our past history and future glory are so in-j separably connected. We therefore ask for your powerful co-opera-: tion, that' this : aid may be tendered efficiently and without delay. We venture to suggest, that you weuld issue an Appeal' to all 1 the Congregations in the British* Empire, calling upon the men and women of Israel; to' come forward with feeling hearts; and ; helping hands L to the succour of their Brethren in the! Holy Land. * ! v You. may rely upon our most gladly, assisting! ybu in any measure which your wisdom mayj devise in promoting the fulfilment Of this most; •urgent and sacred duty. '.'"'"'! * We have the honour to remain,' Gentlemen, Yours very faithfully, n:adler,db. - moses montefiore. [Translation.] Jerusalem, the 10th of Ab — Aug. 2, 5.625. " The daughter of Zibn ' is wailing, spreads j forth her hands in supphcation, and laments amid' her sufferings!" To the Heads op Israel, who seek the welfare of the City of God, and mourn for her desd- j lation ; to the Rev. the Chief Rabbi. Dr. Adler ; and the illustrious baronet, Sir Moses i Montefiore. The covenant of life and peace ; be with them. Hearken unto us, our brethren ; listen to our plaint ye that are merciful ! This is the cry and supplication of all the Congregations of Jerusa- : lem, both of the Sephardim and Ashkenazim. We are all, our women and children, in sore dis- : tress and grievous afflction. Behold ! when the heavens were shut up in the winter, and there was no rain, the provisions became dear, and water scarce. Then there, came locusts. : which laia waote tne lana, so tliat the harvest of the field perished. And then there came a famine. And the famine was sore in the land, so that we said, -How shall we have strength to bear the infliction of this grievous scourge ! And now woe unto us, there is death ! for the anger of the Lord has been kindled, and a fearful epidemic of Cholera is raging in all the towns and villages around us most -terribly. The fatal disease commenced its ravages on the coast of Egypt, raged furiously in Alexandria and other cities; multitudes has the destruction that wasteth atnoonday cast down — yea, niany strong men have been slain by it. After that it advanced with intense virulence to the city Of Jaffa, ahd devastated her ;- all her gates are desolate, her inhabitants afflicted? The corpses of the dead are lying in'the streets unburied, and the living flee on every side, so that there is terror and sdence in the noisy harborcity. The disease is advancing with intense rage to the towns and villages situated between Jaffa and Jerusalem. The gates of Jerusalem are closed ; none can go out and none come in ; the city is in a state of siege. The inspectors of Quarantine surround it. We do not groan for the disease of provisions nor for the grievous famine, but we supplicate you to aid and help us in saving lives. Unhappily, the disease has reached us ; there is great terror and fear in the Holy City. We are obliged to appoint men in every street, provided with the needful medicaments against the epidemic. The men who are charged with this duty act very diligently, and have, thanks to the Almighty, been enabled to restore to health all that were attacked by this malady. But in order to save lives we were obliged to act regardless of expense. Whence, however, have we the means to employ these precautions ? And, besides, there are so many poor and indigent who need bread, without anyone to deal it unto them. Shall they be allowed to be in want at such a time as this, when it iB danger of death to go about weak and hungering ? Alas ! it is a time of great calamity for Jerusalem. We therefore, feel emboldened to lift up our voice and to pray to you to go forth to the help ; of your people, your brethren. It is not the time to be silent. We implore you to assemble your Congregations, and to speak to their hearts, that they may aid those that are afflicted by famine lest, God forbid Behold, our strength faileth us to cry unto you ; if we had the power, we would call to you with words that could move the whole world, for we are in great distress. Oh, arise and mercy upon Zion ! Those that have compassion upon her will meet with compassion from the Most High. The humble prayer of the heads and Rabbis of the Congregation of Sephardim andaAshkenazim, in the Holy City of Jerusalem. David Chasan (Haham Bashi). Samuel Salant. Meyeb Auebbaoh. Joseph Sundel Salant. Jacob Teomin. Jacob Berlin. Benjamin David, of Willna. Moses Leb Mebel. Meyeb Maniesoht. Meyeb Batz. Nissan DBuoKEBk Selig- Hansdoep, Elbazab Noach. - r y yy SUBSCRIPTIONS in AID 0$ THE ABOVE will be thankfully received hy the Mowing gentlevneu j— HBBTRY E4RT, Staffor&fsfcreefc, Chairman A« MYERS, PrinQea-street, Ho», Treasurer 8, ft SWEQfI» #*■% ®mfQswi&®y,twi 4-ad^%s^wahwa <tf t&e Qw&a&ittwi