Digest of Public Opinion on Jewish Matters

[The purpose of the Digest is informative: Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval.–Editor.]

A new interpretation of the old legend, popular in the folklore of East-European Jews, regarding the Jewish settlement “on the other side of the Sambatian,” or the empire of the “blond Jews,” as folklore terms it, is rendered by Dr. Isaac Schipper, Deputy in the Polish Sejm and authority on the history of the Jews in Eastern Europe. In an article appearing in “Der Moment” (Dec. 10) of Warsaw, Dr. Schipper points out that the “blond Jews” of the legend were none other than the Khazars, the Tartar-Finnish tribe which lived along the Dnieper River regions from the sixth to the tenth century and which somewhere around 750 adopted Judaism. The writer tells us, on the authority of several historians and his own researches, that the Dnieper River running through the territory occupied by the Khazars was called by Greek and Arab chroniclers and geographers “Sabataion,” which is derived from “Sabatos” (meaning Sabbath) as Kiev was known in the early centuries of the Middle Ages.

An interesting parallel between the present Jewish colonization movement in Russia and the old Khazar settlement, which existed in the very same regions where the Jews are now being settled, occurred to Dr. Schipper during a conversation with Dr. Wishnitzer, Jewish historian, who at the time had just returned from Moscow where he attended the Ozet land settlement conference. Dr. Schipper asked Dr. Wishnitzer whether the leaders of the Russian colonization movement were planning to create in the Jewish settlements conditions conducive to the development of Jewish culture, a point on which, Dr. Schipper pointed out, the reports in the “Emes”, organ of the Jewish Communists in Russia, had not been clear. Whereupon Dr. Wishnitzer showed him a copy of the Russian paper “Izvestia,” containing some characteristic points of Kalinin’s address at the Ozet conference. Dr. Schipper then records the following conversation:

“That is something different,” I said. “Here I can see the essential points. The Russian speaks with disgust regarding Jewish assimilation, he understands the significance of national characteristics for the general culture of mankind and he does not want to weaken them. On the contrary, he desires to create more favorable conditions for those characteristics in order that they may blossom forth and develop. That is a different language! But tell me: is it true that, as I read between the lines, they want to create a Jewish republic to embrace large sections of Caucasus, Crimea and Kherson?

“That is right,” Dr. Wishnitzer declared.

“If so,” Dr. Schipper replied, “we are witnesses to a wonderful play of historical developments! Does it not occur to you that a unique chapter of Jewish history unfolded itself approximately between 750 and 969 in the same regions of Caucasus, Crimea and the Ukraine?

“How do you mean that?”

“On the other side of Sambatian.”

“On the other side of Sambatian! I understand you.”

Dr. Schipper then reviews the history of the Khazars, quoting Abraham Harkavy and other historians to prove that the legend of the Jewish settlement “on the other side of the Sambatian” refers explicitly to the empire of the Khazars. He concludes:

“Since the time when the Khazars left the regions ‘on the other side of the Sambatian’ some 1000 years have passed. Of their story only some yellow musty leaves from Jewish, Arab and Russian geographers and chroniclers remain and the no less musty ‘Khazar letters.’ But now they are acquiring a new glory, a new breath animates them, for in the olden possessions of the Khazars, in the Caucasus, Crimea and Ukraine, a new movement is stirring. A new life is unfolding itself ‘on the other side of the Sambatian.'”

CORRECTS REPORT ON PHILADELPHIA YIDDISH CULTURAL CONFERENCE

Sir:

In the “Jewish Daily Bulletin” of this morning I notice a story, carrying a Philadelphia date line, with the heading “Plan Popular ‘Yiddish’ University in Philadelphia.”

I want to take this opportunity of stating that the information contained therein and purporting to come from the Cultural Conference is absolutely without foundation in fact.

As Permanent Chairman of the Cultural Committee, I am in a position to inform you that the Cultural Conference has no such program as outlined on its agenda. At our initial conference held in Philadelphia on December 19th, it was mentioned that the ultimate goal of the cultural program would be the establishment of a Folk University. There was no discussion of a program whatsoever. The idea is absolutely nebulous. If at all it was to have been the climax of a program which has not even yet been begun, and which is to have its first appearance in the Jewish organizations of this city.

M. KATZ, Chairman, Cultural Committee. Philadelphia, Pa., Dec. 28, 1926.