On the following Friday evening, the next letter that Mr Jacob chose for
reading to his family and friends was on the way almsgiving, or
charity, was managed in Palestine. Before starting to read, he advised
his hearers not to forget that the Jewish community in Palestine was
very small when this letter was written, and the majority of the people
were very poor. Many had spent most of their money and worldly goods in
the expenses of travelling there, with the object of ending their days
in their beloved land, and being buried with their forefathers.
Mr Jacob then began the letter.
"My dear Millie,--You seem so interested in all I have so far told you
about our life in Palestine, that I think you will like to hear of some
of the ways that our poorer brethren are helped in Palestine.
"Many of the ways will appear strange to you; yet I think some of them
are really better than those adopted by our community in England.
"Here, there is no Board of Guardians, so that the giving of charity, or
a 'helping hand' to the sick or needy, is more of a direct personal
matter. The givers strive to be wise and tactful, so that our people
may not lose their self-respect; for, as a rule, they are naturally very
sensitive, and if self-respect is lost some are encouraged to become
beggars proper.
"Mother tells us that our Jewish ethics teaches 'that true charity, or
almsgiving, is to make personal sacrifices when helping others. There is
no self-sacrifice in giving what you cannot make use of yourself.'
Indeed, one Jewish ethical teacher wrote: 'If one who has lived a
luxurious life becomes sick and in need, we should try to deny
ourselves, in order to give the sick one dainties such as chicken and
wine.'
"Really some of our neighbours here seem to rejoice in giving away not
only all they can spare, but also in making personal sacrifices in
helping to relieve a needy neighbour.
"From early childhood they were trained to give. In every Jewish home in
Palestine we see from two to perhaps more than a dozen boxes placed in
various parts of the house, and written on each is the special charity
to which the box is devoted. Into these boxes even tiny children are
trained to drop a coin at special times, and it is considered a happy
privilege to do so at times of Thanksgiving to God. The coins thus
collected are from time to time distributed amongst the sick and the
needy.
"There is one hospital near us; and, though it is known to be well
managed, very few Jews whom we know go there for treatment, for it is a
Missionary Hospital, and we strongly object to the methods of Christian
missionaries. Instead of many of them as formerly, persecuting us for
clinging to our dearly beloved religion, they now try, by acts of
kindness in times of sickness and poverty, to influence our people in
favour of accepting their religion.
"Indeed, I have heard some of our people say that they would rather go
to the Arabs for treatment than enter the Missionary Hospital! Therefore
those who cannot nurse the sick ones at home take them to the
Bikkur-Holim, which a doctor visits once every few days. A mother, wife,
or father goes with the patients to give them the necessary food and
medicine, for in the Bikkur-Cholem there are no trained nurses. The
relatives also keep the patients clean and tidy; but little cooking is
done there, as the food is generally brought cooked from the patients'
homes.
"I once went to visit the Bikkur-Cholem. One patient I saw had a jug of
cold water brought to her, and, though her own lips were very parched,
she would not take even one sip, but had the water given to those near
her, who, in a very high state of fever, were clamouring for water.
Other patients I saw were cheerfully and willingly sharing their food
with those who had none. Until I had visited that Bikkur-Cholem I had
never realized what real charity meant. For these sufferers, in their
love and thoughtfulness and genuine self-sacrifice towards
fellow-sufferers less fortunate than themselves, were obeying in spirit
as well as in the letter the time-honoured commandment given us 'to love
one's neighbour as oneself.'
"The arrangements in the Bikkur-Cholem are most insanitary;
disinfectants are unheard of; and I greatly pitied the poor unfortunates
that have to go there."
Mr. Jacob was too overcome by his feelings to continue--so for a few
minutes there was a deep silence. Then one of the listeners said: "One
is thankful to remember that this letter was written fifty years ago,
and conditions must have improved since our writer first went to
Palestine."
"Yes, thank God!" replied kind-hearted Mr Jacob; and then he continued
reading the letter.
"Most of the patients die; but a few get cured and leave. If they do, it
is certainly more through faith in God's love and mercy than through the
remedies they receive while there.
"Now, I want to tell you of a voluntary service which respectable,
well-to-do men and women, and even scholars, do, for the poor who die.
These kind folk are called 'the Chevra Kadisha.' No doubt because of the
heat, there is a strict law that no one who dies in Palestine is allowed
to remain unburied long; and it is believed here that the dead continue
to suffer until they are entombed. So the custom is to bury within
twelve hours every one who dies. The Chevra Kadisha look upon such a
deed as a Mitzvoth. If a poor woman dies, one of these kind women at
once goes to wash the corpse and lay it out ready to be put on the
bier--then when all the relatives and friends of the deceased have given
vent to their sorrow by weeping, some men and some scholars belonging to
the Chevra Kadisha voluntarily carry the bier on their shoulders to the
place of burial (which I think is the Mount of Olives), while others dig
the grave and a scholar or two read the Prayers over the Dead.
"By the Chevra Kadisha beggars and tramps are thus washed and buried
when dead, free of expense, by these good, self-sacrificing people, at
all times and in all weathers, as a sign that in death all are equal.
The people who can afford it leave enough money to pay all their own
burial expenses or these are paid for by their relatives.
"Acts of charity towards very poor girls who have no dowry or suitable
wedding-clothes are very touching and generous. It is considered a
disgrace to the community if a poor girl is not given the opportunity to
marry, and a community not only provides a dower, but also seeks for a
bridegroom for her. The housewives willingly and generously prepare the
wedding-feast, for everyone is willing to give something from their
store-room. No shame is attached to poor girls accepting such help; for
it is considered a duty by all our brethren to provide what is necessary
for a bride who has not the means to get things for herself.
"I am sorry that I cannot write more by this mail."
One listener interrupted, saying: "Most of what you have read Mr Jacob
happens in Russia and in other parts of the world where Jews live in
ghettos."
"Quite true," said Mr Jacob, "for wherever Jews live together they keep
up old customs, and all old customs are more or less alike in all
ghettos. It is only when we Jews live outside the ghettos, under
different surroundings, that we are tempted to throw over many religious
customs. The unfortunate thing is, that we are too often inclined to
throw off the really good customs rather than the useless ones, and more
inclined to adopt the bad traits and customs of our neighbours rather
than the good ones amongst whom we live, be it in England, France,
Germany, India, or elsewhere. This is a bad habit, and we must do our
utmost in the future to guard against it; for, if we all made an effort
to retain our own ancient customs that are really good and beneficial to
ourselves and others and adopt only the good and healthy customs of our
neighbours, then, indeed, we might feel we had a right to call ourselves
and be recognized by those we live amongst as 'God's Chosen People.'"