LXXVIII.

THE JEWISH COLONIES IN PALESTINE

(The figures are taken mostly from the Report of the Jewish Colonisation Association for 1910.)

Gross Area. Income. Name. │ Year.│ Hect.│ Pop. │ Francs ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── I. JUDEA. │ │ │ │ Mikveh-Israel¹ │ 1870 │ 225 │ 150 │ ―― Mozah │ 1873 │ 59 │ 28 │ ―― ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Petach-Tikvah │ 1878 │ 2275 │ 1500 │ 466,971 Katra │ 1882 │ 500 │ 150 │ 76,415 Rishon-le-Zion │ 1882 │ 1180 │ 1190 │ 121,213 ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Wady-el-Chanin │ 1882 │ 285 │ 200 │ ―― Jehudie │ 1883 │ 12 │ 15 │ ―― Ekron (Mazkeret Mathya) │ 1884 │ 1275 │ 300 │ 144,918 ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Kastinieh │ 1888 │ 550 │ 150 │ ―― Rehobot │ 1890 │ 1300 │ 600 │ 128,415 Artuf │ 1896 │ 460 │ 50 │ ―― ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Ben Shemen │ 1906 │ 210 │ 100 │ ―― Bir Jakob │ 1907 │ 200 │ 70 │ ―― Ain Ganim │ 1908 │ 65 │ 100 │ ―― ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Hulda │ 1909 │ 182 │ 40 │ ―― │ │ │ │ II. SAMARIA. │ │ │ │ Zichron Jacob │ 1882 │ 1850 │ 1000 │ 183,210 ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Um-el-Dschemal │ 1889 │ 253 │ 80 │ ―― Schweja │ 1891 │ 851 │ 50 │ ―― Hedera │ 1891 │ 1750 │ 200 │ 121,915 ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Kefar Saba │ 1894 │ 635 │ 30 │ ―― Atlit │ 1897 │ 460 │ 50 │ 18,950 Hefzi-bah │ 1905 │ 200 │ 8 │ ―― ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Tanturah │ ―― │ 40 │ 16 │ ―― │ │ │ │ III. GALILEE. │ │ │ │ Rosh-Pinah │ 1882 │ 3800 │ 800 │ 48,096 ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Yessod Ha-Maaleh │ 1883 │ 910 │ 300 │ 29,913 Mishmar Ha-Yarden │ 1890 │ 230 │ 100 │ 27,453 Ain-Seitun │ 1891 │ 509 │ 20 │ ―― ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Metula │ 1896 │ 1350 │ 310 │ 69,685 Sedjera │ 1899 │ 1850 │ 200 │ ―― Mahanayim │ 1899 │ 100 │ 100 │ ―― ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Milhamie │ 1902 │ 1350 │ 100 │ 74,100 Mescha │ 1902 │ 900 │ 200 │ 70,122 Yemma │ 1902 │ 2750 │ 400 │ 91,027 ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Kinnereth │ 1908 │ 550 │ 80 │ 13,300 Delaika │ ―― │ ―― │ ―― │ ―― Mizpah │ 1908 │ 360 │ 40 │ ―― ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Dagania │ 1909 │ 320 │ 30 │ ―― Migdal │ 1910 │ 450 │ 100 │ ―― Merchavyah │ 1911 │ 900 │ 100 │ ―― ─────────────────────────┼──────┼──────┼──────┼──────── Poriah │ 1911 │ 350 │ 30 │ ―― │ │ │ │ IV. TRANS-JORDANIA. │ │ │ │ Bene Yehuda │ 1888 │ 315 │ 83 │ ――

¹ The Mikveh Israel Colony is situated outside of Jaffa, to the south. The _Alliance Israélite Universelle_ has here a fine and large agricultural school for Jews. At the time of our visit――in 1914――about 150 pupils were enrolled. Some of them we found in the well-kept garden, weeding and hoeing. Others were engaged in planting through a newly planted vineyard. Still another group were piling brush and rubbish; while a considerable number were in classrooms undergoing just then an examination in the theoretical branches of study. They were a fine and manly-looking lot of young men and boys, mostly Russian-Jews. The glow of health was on their cheeks. They had none of the hunted and depressed look which has been imprinted upon millions of Jews by persecution and oppression. It seemed to us that, in a minor sense, these young Jews were already lifting up their heads because of the drawing nigh of the redemption of their land and their nation. They looked as though it afforded them great satisfaction to till the soil of the land, which some day must be the happy home of their people. There was a quiet modesty, coupled with justifiable pride, in their bearing.

LIST OF COLONIES IN 1913.

│ Year │ Name of the │ of │ # of │ Area in│ Kind of work, colony. │ Start│ Souls│ Dounams│ institutions, etc. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── JUDEA. │ │ │ │ ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Mikveh Israel │ 1870 │ 150 │ 2,612 │ Agricultural School of │ │ │ │ the “Alliance Israélite │ │ │ │ Universelle”; 100 │ │ │ │ pupils, 15 teachers and │ │ │ │ officials. Manager: M. │ │ │ │ Krause. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Rishon le-Zion │ 1882 │ ―― │ ―― │ Plantations. School │ │ │ │ for boys and girls. │ │ │ │ Kindergarten. Religious │ │ │ │ school “Netzah Israel.” │ │ │ │ People’s Hall (Bet Am) │ │ │ │ with library and │ │ │ │ orchestra. Great wine │ │ │ │ cellar and centre of │ │ │ │ the wine trade. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Nachlath Jehuda │ 1913 │ 850 │ 11,402 │ Plantations. Founded in │ │ │ │ commemoration of Dr. │ │ │ │ Leo (Jehuda) Pinsker. │ │ │ │ Dwellings for labourers. │ │ │ │ The colony is situated │ │ │ │ in the neighbourhood │ │ │ │ of Rishon. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Rehobot │ 1890 │ 800 │ 14,193 │ Plantations; vines, │ │ │ │ olives and almonds. │ │ │ │ School for boys and │ │ │ │ girls. Kindergarten. │ │ │ │ Religious school │ │ │ │ “Netzah Israel.” │ │ │ │ Zoological collections │ │ │ │ of Dr. Ah’roni. │ │ │ │ Place of the yearly │ │ │ │ celebration “Chagigah.” ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Wadi el Chanin │ 1882 │ 200 │ 2,793 │ Plantations. School (Ness Ziona) │ │ │ │ for boys and girls. │ │ │ │ Vineyards and gardens │ │ │ │ planted by J.C.A. │ │ │ │ for the labourers │ │ │ │ of the neighbouring │ │ │ │ colonies. Kindergarten. │ │ │ │ Bee-keeping. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Ekron │ 1884 │ 350 │ 12,723 │ Agriculture, Plantations. (Maskeret Batja) │ │ │ │ School for boys and │ │ │ │ girls. Kindergarten. │ │ │ │ Religious school. Most │ │ │ │ of the colonists were │ │ │ │ engaged in agricultural │ │ │ │ work in Russia. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Katrah (Gederah) │ 1884 │ 200 │ 5,632 │ Plantations, Agriculture. │ │ │ │ School for boys and │ │ │ │ girls. Religious school │ │ │ │ “Netzah Israel.” This │ │ │ │ colony was founded by │ │ │ │ the Bilu pioneers. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Kastinie │ 1896 │ 150 │ 5,622 │ Agriculture. Religious (Beer Tobia) │ │ │ │ school “Netzah Israel.” │ │ │ │ This colony was founded │ │ │ │ by the Odessa Chovevé │ │ │ │ Zion. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Dschemama │ 1911 │ 25 │ 6,000 │ In the early stages of (Ruchama) │ │ │ │ colonization. The land │ │ │ │ was bought by two │ │ │ │ companies of Russian │ │ │ │ Jews, and is cultivated │ │ │ │ by a group of labourers. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Bir Jacob │ 1907 │ 25 │ 2,048 │ Colony of labourers. │ │ │ │ Plantations. Was founded │ │ │ │ by Dagestan Jews. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Hulda │ 1909 │ 50 │ 1,890 │ Jewish National Fund │ │ │ │ Domain. In this colony │ │ │ │ the so-called Herzl │ │ │ │ Forest (of olive trees) │ │ │ │ in commemoration of │ │ │ │ Herzl is planted. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Ben Shemen │ 1906 │ 120 │ 2,329 │ J.N.F. Domain and Farm. │ │ │ │ Second part of the │ │ │ │ Herzl Forest. Houses │ │ │ │ for Yemenite Jews. │ │ │ │ Agricultural institu- │ │ │ │ tions and experiments │ │ │ │ (Mr. I. Wilkanski). ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Abu-Shushe │ 1912 │ ―― │ 7,000 │ In the early stages of │ │ │ │ colonization. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Kafruriah │ 1912 │ 20 │ 5,000 │ In the early stages │ │ │ │ of colonization. │ │ │ │ Cultivated by a group │ │ │ │ of labourers. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Artuf │ 1896 │ 70 │ 4,670 │ Agriculture. School │ │ │ │ for boys and girls. │ │ │ │ The first settlers │ │ │ │ were Bulgarian Jews, │ │ │ │ Sephardim. Now property │ │ │ │ of Mr. Isaac Goldberg │ │ │ │ of Wilna. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Mozah │ 1890 │ 40 │ 1,100 │ Agriculture, three- │ │ │ │ quarters of an hour │ │ │ │ from Jerusalem. │ │ │ │ Synagogue. Mill. Vines │ │ │ │ and vegetable-growing. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Dilb │ 1913 │ ―― │ 1,800 │ In the early stages of │ │ │ │ colonization. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Petah-Tikvah │ 1878 │ ―― │ ―― │ Plantations. The largest │ │ │ │ colony in the country. │ │ │ │ Schools for boys and │ │ │ │ girls. Centre of the │ │ │ │ religious schools │ │ │ │ (Dr. Auerbach). Home │ │ │ │ orphans. Soup for │ │ │ │ kitchen for labourers. │ │ │ │ Agricultural school. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Machne Yehouda │ 1913 │2,500 │ 23,837 │ Settlement for Yemenite │ │ │ │ Jews. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Yehoudieh │ ―― │ ―― │ ―― │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Ain Ganim │ 1908 │ ―― │ 762 │ Settlement for labourers. (Fedje) │ │ │ │ Founded by Chovevé Zion │ │ │ │ for the Petah-Tikvah │ │ │ │ labourers (a little │ │ │ │ house and orchard for │ │ │ │ every family). ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Bir Ados │ 1912 │ 40 │ 4,220 │ In the early stages of │ │ │ │ colonization. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Kinnereth Colony │ 1908 │ 25 │ 5,572 │ In the early stages of │ │ │ │ cultivation. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Kinnereth Farm │ 1909 │ 60 │ 3,703 │ Farm of the Jewish │ │ │ │ National Fund. Farm for │ │ │ │ girls of the “Union of │ │ │ │ Women.” ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Dagania │ 1910 │ 45 │ 3,072 │ Farm of the Jewish (Um d’shuni) │ │ │ │ National Fund. Farm for │ │ │ │ girls of the “Union of │ │ │ │ Women.” ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Poriah │ 1911 │ 60 │ 3,703 │ Property of one of │ │ │ │ the American Achuzah │ │ │ │ Companies. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Mispah │ 1908 │ 50 │ 3,420 │ Agriculture. (En Katab) │ │ │ │ ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Hattin │ ―― │ ―― │ 2,000 │ Agriculture. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Lubic │ ―― │ ―― │ 7,082 │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Near Tiberus │ ―― │ ―― │ 830 │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Migdal │ 1910 │ ―― │ 5,000 │ Farms and Plantations │ │ │ │ belonging to a │ │ │ │ Plantation Company. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Jessod Ha-Maaleh │ 1883 │ 225 │ 12,228 │ Agriculture. School for │ │ │ │ boys and girls. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Rosh Pinah │ 1882 │ 650 │ 20,102 │ Agriculture and │ │ │ │ Plantations. School for │ │ │ │ boys and girls. Centre of │ │ │ │ the Baron’s (I.C.A.’s) │ │ │ │ administration for the │ │ │ │ Colonies of Upper Galilee │ │ │ │ (M. Kalvaryjski). ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Machanaim │ ―― │ ―― │ 21,885 │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Ain Zeitun │ 1891 │ ―― │ 6,016 │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Mishmar │ 1884 │ 125 │ 7,596 │ Agriculture. School for Ha-Yarden │ │ │ │ boys and girls. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Metulah │ 1896 │ 325 │ 16,907 │ School for boys and girls. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Bene Yehouda │ ―― │ 50 │ ―― │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── │ │ │ │ JAULAN. │ │ │ │ ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Lands in the │ 1886 │ ―― │ 70,000 │ Belong to the Jewish Jaulan │ │ │ │ Colonization Association │ │ │ │ ――not inhabited. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── │ │ │ │ SAMARIA. │ │ │ │ ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Kafr Saba │ 1892 │ ―― │ 7,321 │ Plantations, mostly │ │ │ │ almonds. Occupied │ │ │ │ by a little group of │ │ │ │ labourers. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Chederah │ ―― │ ―― │ ―― │ Agriculture, Plantations. │ │ │ │ School for boys │ │ │ │ and girls. In the │ │ │ │ neighbourhood of the │ │ │ │ “Garden of Samaria” │ │ │ │ (Mohilewer) ethrogim │ │ │ │ (citrons) and oranges. │ │ │ │ Baron Rothschild’s │ │ │ │ eucalyptus wood, the │ │ │ │ greatest in the country. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Nachliel │ ―― │ 500 │ 31,355 │ Settlement for Yemenites. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Chederan Ann │ ―― │ ―― │ 1,200 │ In the early stages of │ │ │ │ colonization. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Chefzibah │ ―― │ ―― │ 7,000 │ Property of the Company │ │ │ │ “Agudath Netaim.” Olives │ │ │ │ and almonds. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Kerkur and Bedus │ 1912 │ ―― │ 11,400 │ In the early stages of │ │ │ │ colonization. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Zichron Jacob │ 1882 │ ―― │ ―― │ Plantations, Agriculture. (Samarin) │ │ │ │ School for boys and │ │ │ │ girls. Mostly Roumanian │ │ │ │ Jews. Centre of the │ │ │ │ Baron’s (the I.C.A.’s) │ │ │ │ administration with │ │ │ │ beautiful buildings. │ │ │ │ Library. Hospital with │ │ │ │ 20 beds. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Shveia │ 1888 │ ―― │ ―― │ School for boys and girls. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Bath Shlomo │ 1888 │1,150 │ 30,668 │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Marah │ 1907 │ ―― │ ―― │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Herbet Menshie │ 1911 │ ―― │ ―― │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Tantura │ ―― │ ―― │ 300 │ ―― ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Atlit │ 1897 │ 50 │ 6,800 │ Experimental Station. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── │ │ │ │ LOWER AND │ │ │ │ UPPER GALILEE. │ │ │ │ ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Merchavia (Fule) │ 1911 │ 100 │ 9,415 │ Co-operative Labourers. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Sedjera Farm │ 1899 │ 100 │ ―― │ Farm. Co-operative │ │ │ │ Labourers. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Sedjera Colony │ 1900 │ 200 │ 17,717 │ Agriculture. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Mesha │ 1902 │ ―― │ ―― │ Agriculture. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Melhamieh │ 1902 │ 200 │ 16,023 │ Agriculture. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Yemma │ 1902 │ 300 │ 24,422 │ Agriculture. ─────────────────┼──────┼──────┼────────┼─────────────────────────── Bet Jen │ 1904 │ 100 │ 4,549 │ Agriculture. (Bet Gan) │ │ │ │