Louis A. Freed Delivers "Judea for the Jews" Zionism Address at Temple Beth Israel

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GREAT WORK OF ZIONISTS ADDRESS BY LOUIS A. FREED OF SAN ANTONIO DELIVERED BEFORE A LARGE AUDIENCE AT TEMPLE BETH ISRAEL. JUDEA FOR THE JEWS Principles Involved In the All-Important Movement for Jewish Nationalism on Jewish Soil — Applications for Membership. A large and attentive audience gathered at Temple Beth Israel Sunday night to listen to an interesting address by Louis A. Freed of San Antonio on "The American Jew and Zionism." A. Greenspan presided. Arthur Saft rendered a violin solo, accompanied by his sister. Following the address the local Zionist society held a meeting in the basement of the temple and received a number of applications for membership in the society. Mr. Freed spoke as follows: Ten years ago, just after Theodore Herzl had laid the plan and put into motion the machinery of modern Zionism, and through his wonderful power of organization had enlisted the support of some of the most learned men of Europe, the idea of a Jewish state was considered as an academic question fit only for the discussion of post-graduate students and college professors. But it was found, after a while, to be a practical idea well worth striving for, and a prominent Gentile expressed it thus: "Worth the sweat of the noblest of the race." Today every well-informed man or woman is acquainted with the general principle involved in this all-important movement for Jewish nationalism on Jewish soil. Zionism has passed safely through the formative stage, developed and full grown; it is now well started in its new era of action. It stood the tests of analytical experts, the timidity of unwilling helpers, the antagonism of contented, well-fed assimilators, and the ridicule of ignorant renegades. The Zionists, like all men banded together in a cause for the uplifting and salvation of a people, can well afford to brave the storms of opposition arrayed against it to reach the farthest shore and speak into the ear of a listening world the story of Israel's misery. For it must be remembered that not alone do the persecuted Jews of Russia and Roumania long for the safety of person and property, but for the higher freedom of spirit and equality in all things. This latter denial and depression wrought by anti-Semitism throughout the world has penetrated the circles of those in other countries, those walking in the pleasanter ways of life, and awakened the prejudices heaped upon the Jews everywhere. The alien relation he bears to all society, by reason of his peculiar position, has forced upon the greatest minds the realization that all Jews, whether they come from the hotbeds of persecution or abide in lands of freedom, are brothers and subject to those universal laws bearing upon the whole people. Whether they be orthodox or reform, socialists or monopolists, they are Jews just the same — a separate and distinct people, each held responsible for the other, whether they will it so or not. After all, a nation battling for recognition before the parliaments of the world must do its own fighting first before it can expect allies; and if the Jews have not received recognition in the world in their sore distress, it is because they have for so long hung on to the other fellow's coat-tail without the intrusion of others. The world expects a people, as it expects an individual, to help itself if it would survive and gain respect. Zionists realize that we need philanthropists — men more than money — and that the Jews must first save themselves before trying to follow the foolish example of trying to save the world. Boris Kazmann has said Zionism is not to be judged merely by the number of its adherents, but by the spirit and the ideals that it stands for; and yet today the movement has a larger following than any organization of Jews throughout the world; it is destined to work a revolution in Jewish life and constitute a force which time can only strengthen. Now, what part shall the American Jew play in this cause? The mere fact of enjoying the freedom of this great country and the prosperity of its citizens should make him convert his strength into national assets for his race. If the Jews of persecution, burdened down and hated, can strive for a Jewish cause, as they are doing today in Russia, how much more so should the Jew of America, unhampered and free, lend his aid? If it was right for citizens of this country to assist Cuba to freedom, and if it is right for the Irish Land League of America to work for Erin's blessing, it is certainly in harmony with all American ideals and principles for the Jews of America to assist in the building of a Jewish state — for the home of those Jews who wish to live there, and for the greater number who have to live there. To those Jews in this country who have a love for their people, who are possessed of a race pride and the true dignity which Jewish self-consciousness must bring to every man, the more they study this question and the more they assist in doing their part like men, just in that proportion will they feel the greater happiness and the greater honor of being in the ranks of sympathetic co-workers for a Jewish state. A good Zionist is bound to be a good citizen, because he stands on the higher plane of human rights and looks beyond the mere comforts of the narrow circle of his surroundings; he feels that the welfare and the happiness of the whole people is of far greater importance than the prosperity and contentment of the few. He feels for the other nine-tenths of the Jewish people who do not live in America, more than half of whom are actually suffering. He is willing to make unmeasured sacrifices, and is sorry because he cannot do more to make up for those who do nothing. How much greater he stands out in his willingness to do, even if he cannot do much, than the man who does nothing. After all, you can put it down as a truism which the whole world recognizes, that the Jew who is true to his own people is made of the kind of stuff that makes him equally true to the country of his birth or adoption, and can be counted on. We claim that this question can only be settled in two ways: total assimilation — that is, the real, honest kind: intermarriage, apostasy, the total absorption and blotting out of Jewish identity. Of course, real Jewish people will not do this, for after 2,000 years of dispersion we find they can not or will not assimilate. Some have tried, but the other party to the deal was not satisfied and they were prevented; but the great majority have remained true, and always will. For that reason we hold that the true solution is to concentrate this great strength in one place as a center, and secure the protection and recognition of the last unity of Israel, and raise thereby the standard of Jewish self-respect everywhere. The dispersion of forces has always been fatal — as others have received the glory of Israel's great men, we have been the most reckless and extravagant people on earth in throwing away the greatness of our own for the benefit of others and the destruction of self. Zionism is now correcting these national evils by organizing the people, by education, and by the awakening of national self-consciousness through the establishment of financial institutions, of which there are a number, by encouraging and assisting agriculture and manufacturing by our people in Palestine, by forming syndicates to buy land, by establishing schools reviving the Hebrew language, by supporting the Bezalel school of arts and crafts, by carrying on diplomatic negotiations and soliciting the support of friendly powers — in all, following out a well-defined policy as laid down from time to time. This is the great work for which we are organized into societies, councils, and federations throughout the world, with a central action committee we recognize as the governing power. We solicit the co-operation of all Jews to bring about the realization of our hopes. In our own day and time, let us see an end to the tragedy of the ages. Let the weary and sorrow-burdened children of the centuries again see the light and breathe the air of freedom. Let the songs of Israel again resound through the hills of Judea, and the rose of Sharon bloom, where the happy laughter of childhood mingles with the rustling of the olive trees in the ancient land of our fathers.