The Hebrew Crusading Newspaper

We [of the Polish weekly journal Jutrzenka (Dawn), October 25, 1861] have already had the opportunity to mention a number of periodicals devoted entirely to Jewish affairs. We have also named three similar Hebrew-language journals, among which the oldest is Ha-Magid, published in Elk (no. 4, p. 28).

By and large, we consider Hebrew folk periodicals to be of necessity a temporary measure for Israelites who do not yet have command of the language of the country in which they are citizens. The goals of such journals were outlined almost a century ago by the Mendelssohn school, which in its journal titled Ha-Me’asef (The Collector), published in Hebrew and in German, established a school for reform both inside and outside civilization.

Aside from its religious writing, Ha-Magid offers mainly political news, analyzing it like a born diplomat privy to all-and-any European affairs, and resolves the most burning questions: Roman, American, or Danish; digs up the Isthmus of Suez; dismantles Turkey; and even sets off on expeditions to China and Siam.

In one of these political excursions, mind you, Ha-Magid drops in on Poland, sits in the editor’s chair, and, with no knowledge of our relations in ancient or in contemporary Poland, assumes the amusing role of denunciator, repeating threadbare charges, and, finally, apostrophizing us brethren in Poland, saying: “Who is it that has robbed, killed, tormented us—it is the Poles! . . . Remember this, O my brothers! We have been told in truth, that Poles and Jews have reconciled, but we don’t believe in this love: the age-long mutual hatred betwixt the two nations does not turn into love overnight. A Pole will bond with a Jew only out of self-interest; such is the age-old truth. . . .”

We are not surprised at Ha-Magid’s ignorance of national history and politics, for this often occurs: nor are we surprised that it objects to our reconciliation, which has been rapturously applauded by Jewish journals all over the world, not even excluding the journal Zion, issued in the Russian language in Odessa, since the sobriquet of our people, throughout the ages, states that this people is a magid pesha (fabricator); but what we nonetheless cannot comprehend is how they have so deeply not appreciated the spirit of their readers in Poland. Reconciliation, the effects of which are deservedly feared by Ha-Magid (in respect to itself), is an accomplished fact: blind is he who cannot see it! No solicitation nor endeavor in this world will ever sever the ties of this unity, not betwixt the two nations, as Ha-Magid words it, for nowhere are Jews a nation within a nation (why would the politicizing Ha-Magid not be aware of this truth?) but between the two tribes that now find it so convenient to have concord that they jointly offer thanks to the Eternal God in their temples every day.

Let us avoid further remarks with respect to the sagacious ideas of Polish history as elaborated upon in Ha-Magid, as these fall beyond our weekly’s scope; the political press is capable of defending itself from the slander shamefully cast at our past: we would nevertheless advise Ha-Magid to replace the ha-emet ve-ha-sha-lom (Truth and Peace) as its motto, with ha-sheker ve-ha-medanim (Lies and Dissension), and instead of quoting the prophet Zechariah, may it call upon the false prophets of its prototype, the Crusading Newspaper [Gazeta Krzyzowa]!