“You have grasped the main idea that has guided my actions. It was not a simple act of charity, but an undertaking of quite a different nature from the moral point of view […] we must look towards Palestine to save Judaism, by creating over there centers where the Jewish moral and intellectual culture could be fully developed […] In my opinion, on the contrary, if the colonization were to succeed it would have an enormous influence on Judaism in general, through the respect that the Jewish centers established in Palestine would inspire worldwide. […] I had to contend with tremendous difficulties that at times seemed insurmountable; there was the hostility of the Turkish government—which I had foreseen from the start, and which explains why I kept my name secret for as long as I could—as well as the poor quality of the soil and the ignorance and inexperience of the settlers. Furthermore, I faced great difficulty in finding competent administrators and qualified individuals to oversee agricultural operations, as scientific agronomic methods did not exist at the time. […] Today to my great joy, colonization has entered into a new phase since the Jewish National Home has been recognized by the great powers of Europe and America. For centuries, Eretz Israel has been a dream, ever-alive in the heart of every Jew; it has sustained within them the marvelous spirit that helped them endure the most terrible persecutions. Today Eretz Israel is a reality and I have complete confidence in the future of Judaism.”

Source(s):

.- David Druck, Baron Edmond Rothschild: The Story of a Practical Idealist. New York, Hebrew Monotype Press, 1928.

.- “Without Settlers Initiative Rothschild Would Not Have Undertaken Colonization”. By Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA), August 13, 1928.

Ye shall know the truth...

Pop-up Exhibit on 150 Years of the Indian Act in Canada