1875.
SEVENTH VOYAGE TO PALESTINE--RECEPTION AT JAFFA--ARRIVAL
IN JERUSALEM.
"It was my intention," he says, "to lose as little time as possible,
and I was fully prepared to leave Dover, _en route_ for Brindisi,
the next day, but a strong gale sprung up which detained us till
Thursday, when, by the blessing of God, a calm sea and a blue sky
made us enjoy one of the finest passages across the Channel.
"The fine weather now accompanied us all along our journey, like the
pillar of cloud during the day and the pillar of fire during the
night in ancient times, and with a heart full of gratitude, I may now
say that during full three months, whether on land or on sea, the
pleasure of the journey was enhanced by the most delightful weather.
"By the advice of my medical attendant I was only permitted to travel
short stages, but I endeavoured at all places where I had to stop on
the road, to confer with the Jewish communities, where such existed,
and to ascertain their intentions regarding Jerusalem.
"It was in the ancient Hebrew community of Venice that a subject
closely connected with the interests of the Holy Land was first
broached to me. Signora F. C. S. Randegger-Friedenberg, the authoress
of a work entitled 'Strenna Israelitica,' had an idea of establishing
a female agricultural school in the Holy Land, at an annual outlay
of thirty thousand Austrian florins, and I promised to put her in
communication with those most interested in promoting industrial
schemes.
"I presented my letter of introduction to the Vice-Admiral, the Hon.
Sir James Drummond, who assured me of his willingness to do anything
I might require for facilitating my journey, but informed me at the
same time that the cholera had broken out in Damascus, and that the
spread of that epidemic along the coast was greatly apprehended.
This unexpected news at first somewhat startled me, for I well knew
the danger to which we should be exposed in a hot climate, in the
most unhealthy season, but I soon recovered my former resolution. It
appeared to me that I had a certain duty to perform--a duty owing to
our religion, and to our beloved brethren in the Holy Land. Nothing,
therefore, I made up my mind, should prevent me proceeding on my
journey. I communicated my resolution to the Vice-Admiral, who kindly
expressed his hopes for my safe return.
"Returning to the hotel I heard that the sad news of the cholera
being in Syria, and the necessity of remaining in quarantine on
leaving that country, had also reached my _compagnons de voyage_, and
they all entreated me to give up the idea of going to the Holy Land.
But I would not yield, nay, with every persuasive word of theirs to
make me return, my resolves to proceed became stronger.
"_Thursday evening, July 1st_.--This being the eve of the anniversary
of the opening of my Synagogue in Ramsgate and the laying of the
foundation stone of the College erected to the memory of my lamented
wife, we proceeded to the Synagogue, where we recited the Psalms we
usually read in our own Synagogue and College, at the conclusion of
which Dr Loewe offered up an especial prayer for the occasion.
"I must not here omit to mention a pleasing incident which made me
think of the large hearted benevolence which our ancestors in the
Bevis Marks Synagogue extended even to their brethren in remote
countries. Signor Soave, the professor of a school belonging to the
Spanish congregation of Venice, was engaged in searching for some
ancient Hebrew, Portuguese, and Spanish documents, when he happened
to find a letter addressed to the treasurer of an association known
by the name 'Kuppath Pidyohn Shebuyim,' or 'Fund for the Redemption
of Captives,' instituted by the Portuguese congregation of London. It
is dated the 1st of Iyar 5465 (May 1705), and the treasurer therein
makes a remittance of sixty ducados de Banco towards the assistance
or redemption of three Hebrew slaves brought to Venice in a Maltese
vessel.
"On the 2nd July we went on board the _Geelong_, and after a
delightful sail of six days, touching Ancona and Brindisi, reached
Alexandria on the 8th, where I experienced great kindness at the
hands of Messrs Kataui Bey, Baron Menasce & Sons, Messrs Abraham Piha
and Pariente.
"On the 9th of July we embarked on board the _Ettore_, an Austrian
steamer. As we were steaming out of the harbour my spirits became
buoyant in the extreme. God granted me His special blessing to find
myself again on the road to Jerusalem. The sea was calm as a lake,
not a ripple could be seen on its glowing mirror. The declining sun
reminded me of the approaching Sabbath. That day has always been a
particular object of delight to me. By the kindness and civility
of the people on board I was never interrupted in any way in the
performance of my religious duties. Every Friday as the Sabbath was
about setting in, I could light my Sabbath lamp, which I always
carried with me, and I often had the gratification of seeing the
seven lights (emblems of the six days of creation and the seventh day
of rest) burn as late as midnight, undisturbed by the motion of the
vessel, even when going at the rate of eleven knots an hour.
"On the morning of July the 10th we entered the harbour of Port
Said, and here I am desirous of pointing out the importance of land
in the vicinity of Jaffa to the agriculturist or general trader in
Palestine. The passengers from Europe to India, or from India to
Europe, generally avail themselves of the opportunity to go on shore
after a long and fatiguing journey, and are glad to pay a high price
for a basket of strawberries, pears, or apples, or a bunch of grapes
or vegetables. The stewards of any of those large steamers, I was
told, pay a high price for fruit of the above description. Should it
ever be in the power of the well-wishers of Zion to send a European
gardener to the land they may happen to own in Jaffa, they would
surely find a good market in Port Said.
"While on board the _Ettore_ I had the advantage of making the
acquaintance of Mr Julius Loytved, the Danish Consul at Beyrout, a
gentleman who takes a great interest in the Colonies established by
the Würtemberg people in Khaifa and Jaffa. He gave me a description
of what they have already accomplished, the numerous houses they have
built, and the land which they so successfully cultivated. He also
gave particulars regarding the British Syrian schools, established
at twenty-two different places in Syria, at the cost of £2372, 7s.
5d. per annum, comprising the payment of teachers, pupil teachers,
Bible-women, wages, board, clothing, furniture, rent, travelling,
postage, sundries, and building repairs.
"Hearing from that gentleman how liberally all the institutions for
social improvement in Syria are supported by the English people, it
struck me that if the well-wishers of Zion were to become acquainted
with the zeal and liberality which other nations display towards the
improvement of the condition of the people in Syria, they might be
moved thereby, and well exclaim: 'Are we to stand in the background
neglecting our Talmud-Tora schools, colleges, and benevolent
institutions in the Holy Land, while the adherents of other creeds
are actively bestirring themselves to make every possible sacrifice
for the cause they advocate?'
"At four o'clock P.M. Her Majesty's Vice-Consul at Jaffa (Signor
Amzalak), accompanied by his son, two káwásses, with their official
batons and several attendants, approached our ship. It was a source
of high gratification to me to see one of my brethren, a native of
the Holy Land, filling so high and honourable an office. I knew
his father well. He was one of the most worthy and charitable of
our brethren in Jerusalem, and I was now much pleased to have the
opportunity of evincing my regard for his son, whose abilities and
high character had been so honourably acknowledged by the consular
functions entrusted to him.
"In giving these and other particulars in connection with all my
movements in the Holy Land, my object is not to satisfy any selfish
feeling. I desire only to convey to the friends of Zion an idea of
the kindness and attention which our brethren are ever ready to
bestow on their well-wishers, and the great encouragement the Turkish
Government is always prepared to offer to those who in reality seek
to promote the interests of Jerusalem.
"According to our previous arrangements, we disembarked just before
sunset. The boat was brought quite close to a most convenient
landing, which had been expressly constructed for the Emperor of
Austria when he visited the Holy Land. A detachment of soldiers,
drawn up in two lines, commanded by the Kaimakam, presented arms.
Deputations from the several congregations in Jerusalem, Jaffa, and
Hebron bade me welcome, and tendered their congratulations on my safe
arrival, and a large concourse of people almost overwhelmed me with
their salutations. I entered a comfortable European carriage, which
conveyed me first to the tomb of my much lamented friend, Dr Hodgkin,
then to Signor Amzalak's country house, situate on the high road to
Jerusalem.
"It must have been about seven o'clock in the evening when we
arrived. The lady of the house, surrounded by a most amiable young
family and some friends of the house, gave us a friendly welcome. A
refreshing beverage, consisting of almond and rose water, was handed
round, and ten minutes afterwards a dinner was served in the best
European style. An almost endless variety of dishes, partly Syrian,
partly French, were handed round by waiters dressed in the French
style, who spoke French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Arabic.
All this might have made us forget that we were in the Holy Land
had we not been reminded of it every now and then, either by the
overpowering heat or the bite of an intruding mosquito.
"After having procured statistical accounts from the congregation, my
work at Jaffa was confined to seeing the estate known by the name of
Biárá, which was bought in the year 5615 (1855) for the promotion of
agriculture among our brethren.
"_13th July_.--Though somewhat indisposed, I would not lose the
opportunity of seeing the deputations which arrived from various
parts, and gathering from them as much information as possible. With
regard to the value of land, I learnt, for instance, that some land
outside the walls of Jerusalem, 100 yards in length and 50 yards in
breadth, sold for 25,000 piastres, equal to £207. The remainder of
that property has been sold for building purposes.
"Near this property there is some land, measuring 19,000 square
yards, containing seventy olive trees and five hundred vines; also
three small rooms and a cistern 10 × 16 × 12 yards; the whole being
offered at the price of £1600.
"To prevent the possibility of preparing for my reception at the
Biárá, I requested Dr Loewe to go there the next day at an early
hour, and report to me the state in which he found it.
"When the Biárá was bought in the year 5615 (1855), there were not
less than 1407 trees, bearing oranges, sweet lemons, lemons, citrons,
pomegranates, apples, peaches, almonds, dates, apricots, mulberries,
pears, figs, and bananas, and I was anxious to know how many we have
now in the garden.
"I also begged him to visit the Würtemberg estate, which is only a
very short distance from the Biárá.
"Accordingly he started on the 14th July, at six o'clock in the
morning, for the Biárá, inspected the houses, the garden, and the
adjoining field, examined the well and cistern, and made a rough
sketch of the estate; went to Saroona to inspect some of the houses
and fields, and returned in the afternoon with a most satisfactory
report.
"From statements reported in England I expected not to find a
single tree in the garden, the house in ruins, and the cistern and
water-wheel destroyed, but I was now fortunately able to convince
myself that such was not the case. It was arranged that I should
proceed the next day to the Biárá, accompanied by the English
Vice-Consul and every one of my own party, so as to be enabled to
have a complete inspection of the place.
"_July 19th_.--A deputation from Khaifa came to Jaffa to present
personally the statistical accounts referring to their community
which I had requested them in a special letter to prepare for me.
Towards the afternoon I invited the Khaifa deputation to enter my
room, and I examined the valuable documents they presented to me, and
there was every reason to be satisfied with the work they brought.
"Those gentlemen described the state of their congregation as being
in every respect satisfactory. They have four Synagogues and several
charitable institutions, maintain their poor, and do not partake of
any share of the contributions from abroad. They scouted the idea
that many persons came to Khaifa and Safed to escape military service
in their own country, and to obtain a share of those charitable gifts
which, it is said, are so abundantly offered to them by our European
brethren. The Deputies felt most indignant at such a report, and on
their return home the Elders addressed a letter to me, of which the
following is a short extract:
"'We beg leave to inform you that we all live here, thank God, in
perfect peace and unity; all of us conjointly listen to the voice of
our spiritual guides. We all consider it our utmost duty to observe
the laws of God, and there is no schism whatever in our community.
With regard to your inquiry respecting soldiers who, it was said,
were in the habit of coming to our place to settle among us with a
view of being maintained by the communal charities, allow us, sir, to
assure you that there have never come such persons to our place; any
report to that effect has no foundation in truth. As for ourselves,
we are all, thank God, maintaining our families by the work of our
hands; none of us partake of any charitable gift except the orphan
and the widow, and even these are supported by our own charitable
institutions, not by any charity coming from abroad.'
"Mesrs Jacob ibn Simool and Samkhoon called upon me for further
instructions regarding the Biárá. I repeated to both the assurance of
my satisfaction with their honest work, and promised to communicate
with them on my return to London. Mr Jacob ibn Simool, whom I may
call the father of the poor in Jaffa, called my attention to several
deserving cases of distress in the community, to which I observed,
'Why do the persons in question not work?' My object in putting this
question, I said, was not because I for myself ever doubted their
industrial habits, but to find the opportunity of convincing others
of the truth of my assertions, there being some persons who consider
the Jews in the Holy Land as an idle set of people, preferring the
bread of idleness to that of industry.
"On hearing this he almost burst into tears, denying the truth of
such accusations. 'Well,' I remarked, 'supposing I would offer a
trifle, say sixpence or a shilling, to any poor man to go out into
our Biárá and there fill the large cistern, which, according to Mr
Aikin's calculation, would take fifty-eight hours to fill, would any
of them do it?' 'Ah!' he replied, 'there would be fifty who, without
a moment's hesitation, would proceed at once to do the work.' I took
him at his word, and said, 'Well, let it be done to-day.' It was
about mid-day when this conversation took place. Messrs Simool and
Samkhoon went to town, and I requested Dr Loewe, Mr Aikin, and every
one who was with me, to proceed in the afternoon to the Biárá.
"On their arrival they found the courtyard adjoining the water-wheel
almost crowded by a number of poor, not less than thirty sitting
on the ground, eight of them alternately rising to turn the wheel,
while the others were singing in chorus Psalm cxxviii., in which the
verse, 'Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands, and it shall be
well with thee,' occurs. Presently a number of them took out of their
pockets some little prayer books, and began singing Psalm cxix.; and
there prevailed as much gladness and joy among them, notwithstanding
the perspiration which streamed down their faces whilst they were
running round and round the wheel, as if they had been engaged in the
most easy and entertaining work. As the time drew nigh the evening,
Minha prayers were offered up by all present, and their melodious
voices might almost have been heard by their Würtemberg neighbours
in Sanoora. Subsequently they all dispersed in different corners to
select a place of rest for the night, as they still had to work some
time before the tank would be full of water. The next morning being
fast day (17th of Tamuz), they proposed rising at a very early hour,
so as to be able to do the work before the heat of the day became
too overpowering. Wednesday morning the water that filled the tank
was overflowing and irrigating the garden in all directions. Messrs
Simool and Samkhoon were delighted to have been able to prove the
correctness of their statement. As for myself, I never entertained
a doubt of the persevering industry of my brethren, but my object
was, as has already been stated, to convince others who were of a
different opinion.
"_22nd July_.--At an early hour this morning I ascertained from my
medical attendant that I might now venture, under great care, to
resume my journey. Though I had but little sleep during the night,
and felt very weak, I hastened, nevertheless, to give orders for our
departure.
"As I took my seat in a carriage, a large concourse of people pressed
around us, but the soldiers and káwásses soon cleared the way and
enabled us to proceed.
"We were rather disappointed at the state of the roads, which
appeared to be out of repair, and it took us three hours to reach
Ramlah.
"At about four o'clock in the morning we reached Colonia, almost
exhausted from fatigue, but I remained firm in my resolution, and
after a stay of half-an-hour, without descending from the carriage,
proceeded on my journey.
"At five o'clock in the morning we were already saluted by friends
who had come forward to greet us on our approach, and half-an-hour
afterwards we halted at the spot whence a full view might be had
of the Holy City. There we pronounced the customary blessings,
surrounded by an increasing number of people from all directions."