CHAPTER VI.1855.
ARRIVAL AT JERUSALEM—MISS ROGER'S DESCRIPTION OF THE JEWISH GIRLS' SCHOOL THERE—SIR MOSES PURCHASES A PIECE OF LAND—ORIENTAL METHODS OF BARGAINING.
ON July 3rd Sir Moses writes: "Mr Pisani informed me he had received the firman for the building of an hospital, and also that for myself, which, according to the usual practice, he had forwarded to the Ambassador for transmission to me; adding in his note, 'I also have the satisfaction to announce to you that the Sultan has been pleased to confer upon you the Medjidjeh of the second class.'
"This distinction will, I hope, convince the people in the East that His Imperial Majesty the Sultan and his Government approve of my efforts for my co-religionists.
"July 4th.—I went with Dr Loewe over the two hospitals at Therapia. They were in perfect order, and most of the inmates were convalescent. We saw some cholera and fever patients, and a number of soldiers, some of them most severely wounded. Later on we walked to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe's. He said my firmans were all ready, and they should be sent to the British Consul at Pera for me, as was usual; I should get them to-morrow morning. At the same time he presented me with the order the Sultan had conferred upon me. He would, he said, inform the British Government of it in his despatches, and would add his wish that Her Majesty the Queen would allow me to wear it, as he knew it would afford the Sultan much pleasure. I presented Dr Loewe to Lord Stratford. On taking leave he wished me again every success."
July 5th.—Sir Moses had now received all the letters and important papers promised to him; and not wishing to lose a day unnecessarily, gave orders for our departure, having previouslyexpressed his warmest thanks to Mr Abraham Camundo for the hospitality he had received at his hands.
We left Constantinople on board theImpératrice, much pleased with the result of our mission, and directed our course towards the Holy Island.
Wherever practicable Sir Moses went on shore to acquaint himself with the state of the Jews in the locality, but where this was impossible, deputations came on board and presented addresses. He thus had ample opportunities to ascertain the exact condition of his brethren in Smyrna, Rhodes, Messina, Scandroon (Alexandretta), Latakia, Cyprus, and Beyrout, and at the proper time Sir Moses availed himself of his information to the advantage of those who stood in need of his intercession with their respective governments.
On July 18th we arrived at Jerusalem. On nearing the spot from which the Holy City is first seen by the traveller, we dismounted as usual for a short prayer, and were met by thousands of people who came to greet Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore. His Excellency Kiamil Pasha, the Governor of Jerusalem, sent an escort of horsemen. The Háhám Báshi, at the head of the members of his ecclesiastical court, the representatives of the congregations, deputations from schools, and the most influential citizens, came to meet the travellers and welcome them to the Holy City. A guard of honour was drawn up by order of the Pasha, and the people generally evinced their pleasure by continually firing off guns and pistols as a sort offeu de joie.
Tents were then pitched outside the city, at the corner of the Máïdân, nearest the walls.
Information having already been given to the authorities in Jerusalem that Sir Moses would be the bearer of important official documents, many persons called to ascertain their nature. To the British Consul, to whom Sir Moses had special letters of introduction from the British Government, he showed the firman he had obtained, by the intercession of Lord Napier, for the rebuilding of an ancient synagogue belonging to the German Hebrew congregation, and also a Vizierial letter, enjoining the Governor of the Holy City to give him every assistance to enable him to carry out his benevolent intentions.
Mr James Finn, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul, presented Sir Moses officially to the Pasha, who received him with great kindness.
In the presence of the Council of the City Effendis the firman was read out. The Pasha and the members of the Council remained standing whilst it was being read.
Many complimentary speeches then followed.
Sir Moses afterwards went to the barracks to see the Mosque of Omar and the adjacent courts and buildings from the roof; and paid a visit to the commandant to thank him for the attentions he had shown to him. On leaving the house a guard of honour was turned out, presenting arms as he passed, the commandant himself walking with him along the street as far as the spot where the sedan chair was waiting for him.
The day following being the anniversary of the destruction of the two temples, was kept by all of us in solemn devotion, attending Divine service, and abstaining from food and drink during four-and-twenty hours, which in the hot weather in Jerusalem requires some resolution.
Neither Sir Moses nor Lady Montefiore showed any sign of faintness or exhaustion, and whilst others hastened to take a glass of water as soon as stars appeared in the sky, they proceeded, but slowly, to prepare for the breaking of the long fast.
July 26th.—They received an invitation from the Pasha to see all the places held in veneration by Moslem, Christian, and Jew.
The Patriarchs of the Greek, Armenian, and Latin convents also invited them to visit their convents. Sir Moses, however, was not able to accept them all; he had but one object in view in coming to Jerusalem, which was to help the poor and destitute, and his attention was entirely directed to that, no time being at his disposal even for subjects which, on other occasions, would have greatly interested him.
"Sir Moses, on his arrival at Jerusalem," as stated by him, subsequently, in the trustees' report to the committee, "had the pain of witnessing the deep distress prevailing in the several communities; and it was an aggravation of his sorrow to find that his presence had long been looked forward to as a panacea for all future suffering, many having supposed that Sir Moses would have had the power to relieve from every ill and to provide for every want.
"The mode of proceeding, however, having been previouslydetermined upon, the greatest energy was devoted to carrying out the settled plans.
"Representatives from the Holy Cities were invited to meet in Jerusalem, each of them to be provided with statistics relating to the general affairs and necessities of their respective congregations, and to be furnished with the number, nature, working, and condition of their various institutions, especially of those recently established by trustees of the Appeal Fund in London.
"The attendance of skilled practical agriculturists was also requested, that they might be consulted as to the practicability of setting on foot an agricultural scheme.
"On the 27th July the first meeting was held with the representatives of Safed.
"The accounts connected with the Free Loan Society, the Lying-in Charity, and the Institution for the Encouragement of Needlewomen and Laundresses,[2]produced by their respective representatives, were minutely examined and found correct; and it was shown that the several committees had faithfully discharged their duties. As there was every reason to be satisfied with the results presented in the working of these institutions, Sir Moses deemed it desirable that the funds should be augmented, to enable the committees to continue their benevolent work.
"The desirability of cultivating land was patiently discussed at this sitting, and the mention of numerous well-authenticated facts raised great hopes of success.
"The views entertained by Sir Moses having been confirmed by the best evidence, a committee of practical agriculturists—men distinguished by their probity, and of acknowledged skill—was, without further delay, appointed, to aid in the selection of land, and to advise as to the fitness of the persons to be employed in its cultivation.
"Assisted by this committee he selected thirty-five families from the Holy City of Safed, provided them with means to commence agricultural pursuits, and also secured for them the protection of the local governors.
"Some orphan lads were also provided for, by being placed under the care of the committee to be trained as agriculturists.
"A district in the vicinity of Safed, called Bokea, havingbeen pointed out as a most desirable spot for agricultural purposes, sufficient means were granted to give employment to fifteen families to be engaged in the cultivation of that fruitful region, the whole of them being placed under the supervision of the agricultural committee at Safed.
"The claims of Tiberias were next considered, and the reports of the working of the several institutions in this Holy City being most satisfactory, the funds of these institutions were also augmented. The claims of all those who petitioned for assistance to enable them to engage in agricultural pursuits were then considered, and means were afforded to thirty families to enable them to realise their wishes.
"It was found necessary here to make some changes in the establishment for weaving, owing to the difficulties experienced by the English instructor, in consequence of his inability to communicate with the young artisans in their own tongue, and, to remedy this defect, Sir Moses made arrangements to engage an intelligent person, qualified in all respects to superintend the establishment.
"He continued, however, to place his entire confidence in the committee for supervising the weaving establishment at Jerusalem, as they had hitherto, in all their proceedings, strictly conformed to the written instructions of the trustees."
With the concurrence of the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore succeeded in founding a girls' school in that city, in which, in addition to other subjects necessary to be taught to the daughters of Israel, instruction in dressmaking, embroidery, and domestic occupations forms a prominent feature of the plan of education. Sir Moses was fortunately enabled to secure for this establishment one of the best houses in the Jewish quarter. The fitting up of the school was entrusted to thirty-five Jewish mechanics, who completed their several contracts in the most satisfactory manner.
They also succeeded in finding adequate instructors for the school among the ladies of the community, and they had the gratification to find that, on the very next day after the establishment of the school had become known in the city, 144 girls attended, and the names of 400 girls, many of them belonging to the best and most pious families, were registered in the school books.
Miss Mary Eliza Roger, in her "Domestic Life in Palestine," gives a full description of that school, from which I here subjoin some portions, to give the reader an idea of its efficient working at the time.
"On Thursday, May 28, 1856," that lady writes, "I was invited to visit the new schools for young Jewesses, established by Sir Moses Montefiore....
"While we waited for admittance, I looked up at the windows. Two were square, unsheltered openings. A third jutted far out from the wall, and through its quaint and fanciful wooden lattice we could see bright and rare flowers. The fourth was a large square oriel window, supported by a stone bracket, and protected by an iron balcony. A crowd of happy-looking children were peeping from it. One dark eyed little creature had a red-cloth tarbush on the back of her head, and a rose in her black hair. The others wore soft muslin kerchiefs of various colours tied tastefully on their heads.
"We entered the door, crossed a small court, and were led up an open staircase on to a terrace, the low, broad walls of which were converted into a garden....
"We were politely received in this court by a Spanish Jewess, who conducted us into a light, cheerful room, containing animated groups of girls, varying in age from seven to fourteen, perhaps. I counted thirty-one children, but the full number usually assembled there was thirty-five.
"Eight forms and a double row of desks gave quite a European character to the room, and the raised pulpit-like seat of the teacher indicated order and authority.
"The girls were nearly all engaged at needlework, and our guide exhibited to us, with evident pride and pleasure, a considerable stock of wearing apparel, the result of one week's work in that room. The simple garments were very nicely made, considering that most of the little workers did not know how to sew six or seven months before. The mistress could not tell us what was done with the work when finished, as it passed from her hands at the end of each week. The children looked busy and bright. Some of them were singularly beautiful. One tall and stately girl, of about fourteen, was acting the part of monitor, and she answered our questions in Arabic with the utmost modesty and self-possession, and glided among her little pupilswith native grace and dignity. All these children were natives of Palestine; they spoke Arabic, and wore the Arab costume....
"After lingering for a short time to enjoy the prospect, we were led to another room equally large, light, and airy. Here we found about thirty children, under the care of two female teachers. One tiny little creature was learning a Hebrew lesson, and carefully spelling words of two letters. Another child of seven or eight was reading, with very little hesitation, some Scripture history. The other children were seated comfortably, and with perfect ease and freedom, yet without disorder, upon mats, or on the deep-carpeted window seat. There I recognised the happy faces which I had seen from the street below. They looked up at me smiling, as much as to say: 'We know you again; we saw you waiting at the door.'
"They were all at needlework, and I could not help observing the extreme delicacy and beauty of their hands. If, as it is said, this is the distinguishing feature of noble birth, then these young daughters of Israel are of princely race. Some of the little hands were stained with henna, and almost all the nails were tinted, and looked like the delicate rose-coloured shells we find on the sands on English shores.
"The children were uniformly neat and clean, and there was a picturesque variety of costume there that struck us pleasantly, contrasting with our recollections of the ugly uniforms in some of our public schools at home and abroad....
"These two rooms were set apart expressly for the children of parents belonging to the Sephardim congregation, consisting of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews settled in Jerusalem.
"We were now led downstairs again to the open court, which we crossed, and, after ascending another stairway, we found ourselves in the school of the Ashkenazi congregation, formed of German, Russian, and Polish Jews. Here there were fifteen children, and they all seemed to be under seven years of age. They were much more fair, though less beautiful, than those in the other rooms. They were sitting very much at their ease, perched upon the sloping desks, with their little feet resting on the forms. How thoughtful and kind it was to allow them this freedom during the hot weather! There was not a sign of fatigue, or any expression of rebellion against restraint, on any of the young faces around us.
"A little girl of five years of age, with pink cheeks, blue eyes, and hair almost white, was reading aloud from some Hebrew volume, and was evidently interested by it. I cautiously inquired whether she knew by heart all that fell so fluently from her lips. I was assured that I was listening to genuine reading.
"We went downstairs to the second German rooms, where most of the girls were between thirteen and fifteen years of age, and the rest younger. We heard two of the eldest read with emphasis several pages from the life of Moses—a book written expressly for the use of women and children. It is a paraphrase of the Bible history of Moses, in a curious harsh dialect, being a compound of Hebrew and German. It is printed in Hebrew characters, and embellished with quaint and curious woodcuts in the style of the followers of Albert Dürer.
"In these rooms fifty-five pupils generally muster."
Turning again to the administration of the Appeal Fund, the reader will learn that, independently of the several grants made to the respective institutions, a considerable sum was entrusted to the elders of the communities, to be distributed among the necessitous poor of Jerusalem, Hebrew, Jaffa, and other congregations.
Having surmounted the difficulties and impediments which he had to encounter, Sir Moses eventually succeeded in purchasing a track of land to the west of the Holy City, adjoining the high road from Jerusalem to Hebron, in a most beautiful and salubrious locality, and within a few minutes' walk from the Jaffa and Zion Gates. Here a considerable number of our co-religionists and others at once found employment on the land, and in the building of the boundary wall.
Sir Moses being the first Englishman to whom the Ottoman Government granted the permission to purchase land, I give some particulars connected with the transaction.
Ahmed Agha Dizdar, who had been Governor of Jerusalem during the reign of Mohhammad Ali, and who since the year 1839 had stood in friendly relations with Sir Moses, was the owner of the land in question. When Sir Moses broached the subject of the purchase to him, his answer was: "You are my friend, my brother, the apple of my eye, take possession of it at once. This land I hold as an heirloom from my ancestors. I would not sell it to any person for thousands of pounds, but toyou I give it without any money: it is yours, take possession of it." "I myself, my wife, and children, we all are yours." And this was his reply to Sir Moses day after day, whenever he was asked the price for which he would sell the said property.
Ultimately, after a whole day's most friendly argument, which almost exhausted all my stock of Arabic phraseology (having acted as interpreter between him and Sir Moses), he said to me: "You are my friend, my brother; by my beard, my head, I declare this is the case. Tell Sir Moses to give me a souvenir of one thousand pounds sterling, and we will go at once to the Ckádee."
The moment I informed him of the Agha's price, Sir Moses lost no time, and counted out one thousand English sovereigns, did them up in a roll, and proceeded to the English Consulate, together with the Agha and his friends, where the sale was effected.
On our arrival at the Máhhkámeh (hall of justice) to have the purchase confirmed, we found all the members of the Meglis assembled, and the Judge, or Ckádee, with his secretaries, present.
Questions were put by the Judge, both to the seller and the purchaser. The purchase money was counted, and the contract of sale was read aloud, and witnessed by all present.
The wording of the document is to the effect that, "By permission of the Sublime Porte and the Imperial Throne, may the Lord of Creation preserve them, and in conformity with the letters on that subject from the Grand Vizier to Sir Moses Montefiore (Baronet), the pride of the people of Moses, the man of prudence, &c., the son of Joseph Eliyahu (here also follow a number of complimentary titles), Sir Moses purchases a piece of land for the purpose of establishing thereon a hospital for the poor of the Israelites who reside in Jerusalem, and does with it as he pleases."
"Sir Moses Montefiore, Baronet," the contract continues, "presented himself as the purchaser before the Legislative Council in presence of the members of the Council of Jerusalem, to purchase the land hereinafter described with his own money, not with that which belongeth to another, from the vendor, Sir Ahmed Agha Eldizdar (the support of the great men), son of Sid Fadh-ed-din Agha."
The contract then defines the exact limits of the property,and the Ckádee attests the correctness of the deed of purchase. Sir Moses returned to his camp, and gave orders to remove his tents to the land which had become his own property, whilst I proceeded to measure it, inscribing the initials of Sir Moses' name in large Hebrew characters on a piece of rock forming the angle of its boundary line upon the road, the right side of which, when coming from the Jaffa Gate, leads to Bet-essefáfa.
August 15th.—In the presence of a numerous concourse of spectators of various religious denominations, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore had the satisfaction and happiness to lay the foundation-stone of the proposed hospital, in the presence of Mr and Mrs Guedalla, Mr Gershon Kursheedt, one of the executors of Juda Touro, the American philanthropist, and myself.
Footnotes[2]All of which had been established by the trustees in the year 1857.
Footnotes[2]All of which had been established by the trustees in the year 1857.
Footnotes
[2]All of which had been established by the trustees in the year 1857.
[2]All of which had been established by the trustees in the year 1857.