understood by
non-Jews, and our children would not have suffered as you and many
others also have done, through the ignorant mocking of your Christian
schoolmates.
"I know that in Palestine the Jews, whether old or young, greatly love
to wear their tsitsith, and take a pride in letting them be seen, so
that the Arabs and the Turks look upon the tsitsith as a sacred
garment."
[Illustration: THE FATHER TEACHING THE CHILD THE MEANING OF THE TSITSITH
(SACRED GARMENT)]
UNCLE'S LETTER
"How do you know this, Father?" said Benjamin.
By this time all in the room had dropped their papers and books, and
were listening to their father.
"Well, this is how I know: nearly thirty years ago my uncle and his
family went to live in Jerusalem, and for many years one of my cousins
used to write to me about once a month. His letters were most
interesting. When his letters came I could almost imagine, when reading
them, that I was living in Bible times.
"Have you any of his letters still, Father?" they all exclaimed.
"Yes," said the father, "I have many of them."
"Oh, do read some of them to us!" they pleaded. "All right, I will; and
I will first try to find the one about the tsitsith."
The father went up to his bedroom, and soon came down with a bundle of
letters wrapped in a newspaper. He started looking through them while
all the family stood around him, watching as eagerly as if he were
searching for an heirloom.
"I will choose a very short one," said the father, "for it is on the
subject I have spoken to Benjamin about; but if you like I will make it
a rule every Friday evening, after our Sabbath meal, to read some of the
letters to you."
THE HOLY CITY
When all were quietly and comfortably seated, their father started
reading:
"My dear Cousin,--After a great many adventures and suffering (which I
will write to you about another time) we arrived safely in Jerusalem. To
me, it seemed rather dull after London, but both father and mother shed
tears of joy when they at last arrived in the Holy City. Some people met
us a little way out, for father had written telling them we were coming.
We were almost royally received and heartily welcomed, for very few Jews
come here with their young families.
"We must have looked a sight--you in London could not imagine anything
like our cavalcade! First went Father riding on a mule, with Mother
following on another mule. Mother's saddle was made with pillows, for it
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