or us to be reunited with you in
the Holy City, to bring sacrifices in the Temple of our Holy Land. For
the sake of the love we bear you, send us a message. Peace with you and
all dwelling in the land given by the Lord to Moses on Sinai!"

Filled with the hope of redemption, large numbers of the Falashas, at
their head venerable old men holding aloft banners and singing pious
songs, at that time left their homes. Ignorant of the road to be taken,
they set their faces eastward, hoping to reach the shores of the Red
Sea. The distance was greater than they could travel. At Axum they came
to a stop disabled, and after three years the last man had succumbed to
misery and privation.

The distress of the Falashas is extreme, but they count it sweet
alleviation if their sight is not troubled by missionaries. At a time
when the attention of the civilized world is directed to Africa,
European Jews should not be found wanting in care for their unfortunate
brethren in faith in the "Dark Continent." Abundant reasons recommend
them to our loving-kindness. They are Jews--they would suffer a thousand
deaths rather than renounce the covenant sealed on Sinai. They are
unfortunate; since the civil war, they have suffered severely under all
manner of persecution. Mysticism and ignorance prevail among them--the
whole community possesses a single copy of the Pentateuch. Finally, they
show eager desire for spiritual regeneration. When Halevy took leave of
them, a handsome youth threw himself at his feet, and said: "My lord,
take me with you to the land of the Franks. Gladly will I undergo the
hardships of the journey. I want neither silver nor gold--all I crave
is knowledge!" Halevy brought the young Falasha to Paris, and he proved
an indefatigable student, who acquired a wealth of knowledge before his
early death.

Despite the incubus of African barbarism, this little Jewish tribe on
the banks of the legend-famed Sabbath stream has survived with Jewish
vitality unbroken and purity uncontaminated. With longing the Falashas
are awaiting a future when they will be permitted to join the councils
of their Israelitish brethren in all quarters of the globe, and confess,
in unison with them and all redeemed, enlightened men, that "the Lord is
one, and His name one."

The steadfastness of their faith imposes upon us the obligation to bring
them redemption. We must unbar for them not only Jerusalem, but the
whole world, that they may recognize, as