Palestine Seen As Israel’s Workshop, Which American Jews Watch with Interest

(Jewish Daily Bulletin)

Present day Palestine, in the light of the effort to rebuild the Jewish National Home there, is “Israel’s workshop” in which American Jews who feel the inadequacy of their religions life must have an interest and a hope.

This view is expressed by James Marshall, son of Louis Marshall, in an article in the current issue of “The Menorah Journal” James Marshall visited Palestine last year.

Observing that “the first thing that impresses one in Palestine today is that the land is arid,” Mr. Marshall summarizes the Zionist work that has been done there, and declares the beginnings to be hopeful. He writes:

“From a Jewish standpoint these beginnings of a new Zion are so hopeful that it is agonizing to witness in Palestine the waste of fine humanity and limited funds. There is no excuse for not having planned for the economic growth and employment of the urban population; nor is there any excuse for having delayed the funding of agricultural loans by the Keren Hayesod. There is little reason for permitting the duplication of medical agencies and for growing grain in competition with the limitless expanses of Russia and Australia instead of raising poultry and cattle to meet domestic needs and developing specialties for the European market.

“Nevertheless, the concrete accomplishments in Palestine are considerable. With sufficient capital and scientific direction, the abandonment of absentee Zionist administration and the adoption of budgets and the expenditure of funds with an eve to actual collections rather than in reliance upon promises and propaganda, these achievements should be made selfsufficient and enduring.

“Thus far, however, it is the spiritual vitality and the imponderable beginnings of a new era for Judaism which are precious. A disillusioned world, discomfited and ailing in its old faith, disquieted by its undigested science, may well treasure this rare combination of an ageless people on the soil they love, filled with spiritual power, surrounded by reminders of a tradition which they reverence, approaching life with an inquiring spirit. In the years since the Second Temple was destroyed and the Diaspora began, Jewish ideals, borrowed and transformed by other peoples and religions, have exercized immeasurable influence in the civilization of a barbarian world; and one can hope that if Israel can again become integrated and spiritually at rest by creating for itself a new way of life, it may this time offer to the world redemption from some of the spiritual ailments of eivilization.

“And the American Jew, harassed by conflicting cultures and sensitive to the inadequacy of his religious residue, may well watch with interest and hope his brothers who are laboring in the old workshop of Israel in search of the modern word which will renew the vigor of the ancient faith.”