The Jewish National Fund (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The Jewish National Fund

The first edition of this pamphlet was intended to give an instructive survey of the nature and aims of the Jewish National Fund, and thus to direct the attention of the Jewish public to this important and beneficent institution, which owes its existence to the movement for the revival of Jewish national life. The Jewish National Fund had then just begun to develop a systematic colonising activity in Palestine, and hence it was necessary to discuss at length the general principles that determined the tendency of that activity. Since then this practical work in Palestine has constantly expanded, and in its course not only have many valuable experiences been gathered, but new problems have arisen that demand for their solution a corresponding development of the National Fund.

In the present second edition of this pamphlet, therefore, the parts dealing with the aims and activity of the National Fund have had to be altered in accordance with the changed situation. In its amended form this pamphlet gives a survey of the works hitherto carried out, and shows that they do not - as it might appear to a superficial observer - merely represent a number of varied and even valuable, but disconnected achievements, but that they are all closely connected manifestations of one and the same strict fundamental principle of the National Fund - Jewish labour upon Jewish soil. It is necessary to emphasise this, because, owing to the constant willingness displayed by the National Fund, the disposition has lately prevailed of invoking its aid in every question of Palestinian colonisation that arises. But however gratifying the growth of the resources of this Fund may be. it cannot do everything, but must maintain an attitude of reserve towards many claims made upon it, if it is not to run the danger of being overwhelmed by countless tasks, of allowing its forces to become dissipated, and of being diverted from its principal aim. The…