Sir Hall Caine Dead: Investigated Pogroms in Russia in 1891 and Was Keen Supporter of Jewish Work in

Sir Hall Caine, the famous novelist, who has just died, was always very much interested in Jewish questions, and in 1891, when the pogroms broke out in Russia, he went out at the request of the Russo-Jewish Committee, and conducted an exhaustive investigation into the Jewish persecutions under the Czarist Government, writing a series of articles on his impressions in the London “Times”.

Sir Hall Caine was also greatly interested in the Zionist movement and many times expressed his sympathy for the Jewish upbuilding work in Palestine. He visited Palestine three times, in search for local olour for his big work on the life of Christ, which he left uncompleted, and while there, he also made himself acquainted with the Jewish work in Palestine.

Jewish questions also interested him in his writings, and “The Manxman” was started as a book about Russian Jews. He also drew on biblical narrative for his novels. “The Manxman” is based upon the story of David and Uriah, “The Eternal City” upon the story of Samson and Delilah, and “The Bondman” on the story of Jacob and Esau.