Redeeming the Land

In the course of its progress the Zionist cause has gradually crystalized a whole series of institutions and organizations. The ancient ideal of the Jewish people first found practical expression in the 1880s through the establishment of Russian Jews in Palestinian colonies. The Central Committee of the Chovevei Zion was the organ through which this work of colonization was carried on. In 1890, with the sanction of the Russian government, this committee took official form as the Odessa Palestine Committee.

The ancient idea of Zion was ever finding new outlets, and in 1897 it took a second colossal step — clothing itself in congresses and a world organization to guide the destinies of the whole Jewish people. In the two years that followed, Zionism took on ever larger scope, and new adherents attached themselves day after day. It became necessary, therefore, to create a great financial instrument which, as a judicial organ, would be able to carry the idea into practice. To this end a Jewish colonial bank (the Jewish Colonial Trust, Ltd.) was established. The Zionist movement soon reached a point in its growth where it needed an institution to serve not on’y the interests of the whole people, but one that would also become the possession of the whole people. The Fifth Zionist Congress therefore created the Jewish National Fund.

SCHAPIRA CONCEIVED NATIONAL FUND

The idea of a national fund was conceived by Herman Schapira, professor of mathematies at the University of Heidelberg, who made the proposal at the very first Zionist Congress. But four full years were to pass before the idea could take firm root. In those four years Zionist forces grew, the national consciousness came even more to the surface, we grew politically more mature. The fifth Congress found matters at such a juncture that it could proceed to establish the National Fund. That Congress laid down the two {SPAN}#asi#{/SPAN} principles of the Fund, which are for ever unalterable:

(a) The monies of the National Fund are to be devoted to the purchase of land in Palestine.

(b) The land so acquired is to remain for all time the possession of the Jewish people as a whole.

We shall now proceed to elucidate these principles.

The greatest danger that threatens the Jewish renaissance is that we may arrive in Palestine too late Neither political complie###ions nor Jewish indifference nor party strife are so dangerous to the cause as delay, for with time and unremitting labor they will be overcome. But the Holy Land, precious as it is in ##r sight, is not large. It could easily and quickly be lost to us. If, owing to our historical and political shortsightedness and our party quarrels we were to lose our ancient homeland, we should be irrevocably disgraced. We dare not permit this to occur under any circumstances.

NEED FOR LAND FUND RECOGNIZED EARLY

There can be no doubt at all that any Jew who gives thought to the matter will hasten to offer his share for the “redemption of the soil.” Whence shall we derive our funds? The general income of the Zionist Organization does not suffice, being allocated to other phases of colonization. A special land fund had, therefore, to be set up. And this was done by the Fifth Zionist Congress when it created the Jewish National Fund.

Moses, our great Lawgiver, foresaw with his prophetic eye that economic prosperity in the Jewish land would depend upon ordinances for land tenure whereby the soil would not be marked off into great estates worked by hired labor, or withheld altogether from a proletariat. He wished to forestall an evil which now, in the early part of the twentieth century, still devours the organism of the whole civilized world — an evil that is particularly striking in Ireland. There was to be no injustice in the social order of the Jewish people. Therefore the Lawgiver proclaimed the principle of “Ki li kol haaretz,” “The Land is Mine, saith the Lord,” For the practical application of this principle, Moses instituted the jubilee year. Right of possession in land could be transferred for only fifty years, after which it must revert to the original owners or his heirs. The equality of the holdings in the original allotments was thus restored every half century.

There was also another characteristic statute; Whereas, in ancient times, the priesthood—in civilized and barbarian countries alike—were the richest owners of land and real property, the Jewish Cohanim and Levites were allowed no foot of land of their own, and had to depend for their livelihood, like the widows and orphans, upon benevolence. It is admitted that the spiritual and temporal powers dealt otherwise in later times, but for this the Lawgiver and his loyal disciples were least of all to blame. Assimilation with other peoples is the historic evil of the Jew.

SHOULD FOLLOW STEPS OF MOSES

Now that we have assumed the task of restoring our land, we ought to follow in the footsteps of the incomparable Moses. It is for us to take such measures in advance that we shall have no agrarian question in Palestine. The soil of Palestine must belong to the whole people and not to individuals, and then the fateful question of the “nationalization of the soil” which occupies the best thinkers of Europe and America will be solved. The solution of the agrarian question will bring with it the beginning of the solution of many other burning questions which vex modern men.

Do we not wish to migrate to the Orient, and there, from Zion’s heights, to proclaim a new world to the troubled West which is searching for truth? The soil of Palestine must be a national possession, to be leased to Jews for cultivation. For the present, only the principle is established. The immediate fure must be devoted to practical work for the acquisition of national property; that is, to work for the National Fund.

LAND MUST BELONG TO WHOLE PEOPLE

Since the land bought with the monies of the National Fund belongs to the whole people and not to individual Jews, it follows naturally that the means for the purchase of this land must be gathered not only from the capitalists, large or small, but from the whole people—man for man, head for head, including the poorest of the poor. Else, the Jewish soil would be a gift to the people from its wealthy sons, not self-earned with the contributions of the masses. That which is easily gotten does not endure. Therefore, manifold ways have been devised whereby every Jew may have frequent occasion {SPAN}###o{/SPAN} participate in the “redemption of the soil” with his gifts.

Our fellow-Jews are called to a new and prolonged activity, which opens large perspectives of human and historic Jewish values. The ancient people is steadily being restored to its land, but the redemption of the ancient land is still lagging dangerously behind.