Religion: Palestine Boom

Many a sentimental Gentile supposes Zionism to be a great pious urge to return the Jews of the world to the land of Abraham and Moses. Actually, as most Zionists know, it is no such thing. Of the world’s 16,000,000 Jews only 175,000 live in Palestine.* In ratio to 750,000 Moslems they are a definite minority and many a Jew believes that Great Britain, despite past promises, intends to keep them a minority.†Furthermore Zionism’s case is made no better for having long been rent not only by schisms but by schisms within schisms. Yet last week there was apparent a distinct trend toward peace & plenty in Zionism. Examples:

¶ U. S. Zionists are organizing a special, non-partisan “roll call” to gain 250,000 new supporters at $1 each before Palestine Day (Jan. 20)—a new day for U. S. Jews to observe.

¶ A truce has been negotiated between the World Zionist Executive and its most rambunctious hecklers, the semi-Fascist Zionist-Revisionists led by the fiery Russian poet Vladimir Jabotinsky.

¶ The Municipal Council of the new, white all-Jewish City Tel Aviv (pop.: 105,000) took to rent-fixing to curb speculation. In New York U. S. Zionist Louis Lipsky said: “Palestine is building itself up and has all the symptoms of a boom.” Begging for more idealism in Zionism, he reported seeing in Tel Aviv and elsewhere the same Jewish “brokers, speculators and profiteers that used to be seen in The Bronx during the building boom.”

¶The Jewish Daily Bulletin jubilantly announced that Haifa is becoming “the Pittsburgh of Palestine,” chiefly because of the new Palestine Foundries & Metal Works which will employ 350 men.

¶Dr. George Landauer and Dr. Martin Rosenblueth announced that Palestine can absorb 40,000 German Jews a year if enough money is raised. On file are applications from 5,000 German families who wish to settle there during the next six months.

¶In Jerusalem it was reported that immigration is to be restricted in the “capitalist” class—family men over 35 with $5,000. Last month 1,000 “capitalists” were admitted to Palestine. In the past five years $100,000,000 has been invested in Palestine by Jewish “capitalists” and the revenue produced by taxing them piled up a $20,000,000 surplus for the Palestine Government.

¶Envious of Palestine’s prosperity, the Syrian Government announced it would welcome Jewish immigrants who renounce Zionism, agree not to buy land near the Palestine border, and bring in enough capital to help revive Syria’s sultry trade.

*In New York City live 1,765,000 Jews more than in all Britain, France and Germany combined.

†Last month world Jewry was titillated with the false rumor that for the first time in nearly 2,000 years, a Jew was to be picked as Mayor of Jerusalem.