With the passing of Israel Unterberg, American Jewry loses a quiet, lovable, modest and devoted personality whose sincerity and generosity made themselves felt in American Jewish life. One of the finest types of the Russian Jewish immigrant, he achieved genuine distinction by aiding and inspiring the work of Jewish education in this country. With Professor Mordecai M. Kaplan, he was one of the founders and main supporters of the Society for the Advancement of Judaism. He contributed most generously and unostentatiously to various Jewish philanthropies and relief work. But his whole-hearted devotion to the cause of Jewish education was his crowning achievement.
A ZIONIST MASTER BUILDER
This evening fitting tribute will be paid to Menahem Mendel Ussishkin at a testimonial dinner on the occasion of his seventieth birthday anniversary. A new colony, to be known as Kfar Ussishkin, is to be established in Palestine in honor of the man who had the vision to organize, maintain and develop the Keren Kayemeth, the Jewish National Fund. With unparalleled perseverance and energy, he devoted his life to the creation of the most constructive institution among Zionist activities. Called the “Iron Man” of Zionism, Ussisnkin has been uncompromising in his practical idealism. One of the foremost Russian Jewish intellectuals and Zionist leaders, he brought into the movement a discipline that is rare among idealists and visionaries. And at the time Ussishkin became one of the influential leaders of the Zionist movement in Russia, Zionist were regarded as deluded idealists and visionaries.
Ussishkin was more farsighted than most of his associates. He realized that the settlement of Jews in Palestine through the instrumentality and with the aid of a Jewish National Fund would prove the wiset and most practicable policy of Jewish rehabilitation in Palestine. There were many Zionists who at first doubted the importance of his project. Ussishkin fought all opposition with his characteristic vigor. Events have now confirmed his views, and his contributions to the upbuilding or Eretz Israel are of great, last value to the Jewish people.
Ussishkin is one of the real master rebuilders of the new Zion. But in building the new Palestine. he realizes that some of the finer and nobler traditions of the old Palestine must be retained. For, as he said on one occasion, without the old Palestine there would be no new Palestine; without our past in Palestine, there would be no sense in building the present and the future of the Jewish people in Palestine.
Oscar Leonard has translated several fragments from Ussishkin’s forthcoming book, “Sefer Ussishkin.” Two brief extracts from these fragments illustrate effectively his conceptions of the new and the old in Palestine.
Ussishkin describes a conversation he had with a young woman who had come to live in Palestine. When he asked her for her impressions of Jerusalem, she replied:
“But I have not been in Jerusalem.”
“How is that possible?” wondered Ussishkin.
“It’s very simple,” answered the girl. “I am not interested in ruins whether they are of buildings or human beings. We are confronting new life. The colonies and our labor-these are our holy of holies. These are our life. For others, the past. For us, the future. Devotion, sacrifice for the future-yes. And only for the future.”
And Ussishkin comments:
“She spoke with enthusiasm, with certainly and indomitable courage. Then, silence. I did not speak. I did not answer her. I rose and walked over to the train window. I looked out upon the passing fields, rapidly covering with night.”
Several days later he met on the streets of Tel Aviv the daughter of a friend of his from Southern Russia. The girl had been a student of natural science. She had left Russia a year before and came direct to Palestine.
When, in the course of conversation, he asked her how she liked Jerusalem, the girl replied:
“I am ashamed to say I do not know Jerusalem as yet.”
“You too? Why?” asked Ussishkin.
She remained silent for a few moments and then said in a voice trembling with emotion:
“I am not yet worthy of the immeasurable joy of seeing the Capital of our Homeland. Jerusalem, the city which has spread its light and its law over all the peoples-What have I done for my people and my homeland that I should be worthy of such privilege? I am preparing myself for a life that shall be dedicated to our people and our land. I must learn, learn much. I must work, work very hard. If I succeed in helping, if I can add one brick to the great sacred structure, then I shall make a pilgrimage on foot to Jerusalem and kiss its pavements.”
Because Ussishkin has understood and felt the emotions of the various practical idealists coming from many lands to rebuild Eretz Israel, he worked indefatigably and energetically to translate the dream of ages into living reality.
And now Kfar Ussishkin is to be established in Palestine by the Jews of the world. The Jews of Belgium, Great Britain, France, Poland, Lithuania, Rumania, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria, Greece and even Germany are doing their share to honor Ussishkin by contributing toward the fund for the establishment of the new settlement in his honor. The Jews of America will undoubtedly participate in this magnificent tribute to Ussishkin in their characteristically generous manner.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
