Page:Jewish Encyclopedia Volume 1.pdf/468

420 THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA

Alliance Israfilite Universello

But at the vcrj- moment when the institution was emerging from its formative stage and commen-

obstacle.

cing to give assured results. Netter sudilenly died, Oct. '!. ISffi. while ou a visit to Jaffa, and was buried in the grounds of the school. The Alliance, in recognition of bis services, has erecteii a tomb to his uemory. On Dec. 31. 1899, there were 210 pupils

^Management and at the Jalia school, all inmates. tuition are entrusted to a professional stafT, composed exclusively of Jews tmined by the Alliance in the agricultunil schools of westeru Europe. The course of instruction embraces all possible bnuiches of agriculture, such as the care of olive-groves, orangeplantations, vineyards, gniin-crops, orchanls, and garden products, stock-breeding, and silkwormraisiug. The receipts from all these sources reached, during the farm-year 1898-99, about 70,700 frs. (§14.140).

of the trade-school became their instructors and advisers. The officials of the Alliance gave them the benefit of their knowledge of land, and appointed graduates of Mikveh Israel to counsel and guide them. The farm-school at Jaffa thus became the foster-mother of the first colonics in Palestine But (see AOHUTLTIUAL CoI.ONIKS IN Palkstink). with all this they could not jiossibly have succeeded had not more powerful aid been I'urthcoming, Baron Edmond de ijolhschild assuincil all the expenses of colonization and support, constructed houses, cleared lands, built wine-cellars, and planted vineyards and olive-groves. While this was happening in Palestine, another iihilanthropist, Baron de llirsch.was settling Jewish colonies in the Argentine Republic. After various unfortunate experiments. Baron de Ilirsch requested the Central Committee to furnish him with

APPRENTICES AT THE FAR.M-SCHOOL

The expenses aggregated a profit of about 24,000

46,000

frs.

(S9,200), leaving

frs. (S4.800).

The question now presented itself whether, after leaving the farm -school, its pupils would become farmers themselves. The Alliance could not afford to establish them as such, while Jewish farm-bands had little prospect of employment with Turkish or Christian proprietors. Still a certain number of these graduates did succeed in finding positions as managers and as gardeners with various Turkish and Arab cultivators, though the demand for trained It was agriculturists was ncccssarih' very limited. at this moment that the great persecutions of 188182 broke out in Russia. Even before that date, thousands of poor Russian Jews, animated Agricul- by the desire of living as colonists in tural Colo Palestine, had emigrated thither with nies in the intention of becoming agriculturPalestine. ists. Other immigrants came from Rumania and Galicia. All these poor people went to Palestine possessed of a sublime faith. Some had means, Imt the majority were very poor. The Alliance assisted the immigrants, and the ollieers

420

I.

DJEDEI (TDNI3).

experienced men to take charge of the colonies. The Alliance placed at his disposal se%'eral excellent directors, among them M. Hirsch. who had long been at the head of the Jaffa farm-school, and who in this capacity was the first friend and counselor of the youthful Palestinian colonies. These men still continue in charge of the Argentine colonies. The Jews of the north of Africa 5Iorocco, Alcomprising a popgeria, Tunis, Tripoli, and Egypt ulation of more than 300,000 souls. Farmremained complete strangers to the School in movement for the cultivation of the Tunis. soil, which for the last decade or so had made itself felt among the Jews. The Alliance conceived it to be its duty to lead their Tunis is cs.sentially a farmtastes in that direction. ing country, and the French protectorate has established a regular government with absolute security it therefore appeared to be a district peculiarly adapted for the experiment. A tract of about 3,0(H) acres, with a river running through it, affording opportunity for various crops and industries, was acquired in 1895 at Djedei, afew miles from Tunis. A

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