nationalist theory has only served to throw into
striking relief the essentially economic bases of modern society, while
its political activity has revealed the vulgarity and ignorance which
constitute its main sources of strength. So far from injuring the Jews,
it has really given Jewish racial separatism a new lease of life. Its
extravagant accusations, as in the Tisza Eszlar and Dreyfus cases, have
resulted in the vindication of the Jewish character. Its agitation
generally, coinciding with the revival of interest in Jewish history,
has helped to transfer Jewish solidarity from a religious to a racial
basis. The bond of a common race, vitalized by a new pride in Hebrew
history and spurred on to resistance by the insults of the anti-Semites,
has given a new spirit and a new source of strength to Judaism at a
moment when the approximation of ethical systems and the revolt against
dogma were sapping its essentially religious foundations. In the whole
history of Judaism, perhaps, there have been no more numerous or
remarkable instances of reversions to the faith than in the period in
question. The reply of the Jews to anti-Semitism has taken two
interesting practical forms. In the first place there is the so-called
Zionist movement, which is a kind of Jewish nationalism and is vitiated
by the same errors that distinguish its anti-Semitic analogue (see
ZIONISM). In the second place, there is a movement represented by the
Maccabaeans' Society in London, which seeks to unite the Jewish people
in an effort to raise the Jewish character and to promote a higher
consciousness of the dignity of the race. It lays no stress on
orthodoxy, but welcomes all who strive to render Jewish conduct an
adequate reply to the theories of the anti-Semites. Both these movements
are elements of fresh vitality to Judaism, and they are probably
destined to produce important fruit in future years. A splendid spirit
of generosity has also been displayed by the Jewish community in
assisting and relieving the victims of the Jew-haters. Besides countless
funds raised by public subscription, Baron de Hirsch founded a colossal
scheme for transplanting persecuted Jews to new countries under new
conditions of life, and endowed it with no less a sum than L9,000,000
(see HIRSCH, MAURICE DE).

Though anti-Semitism has been unmasked and discredited, it is to be
feared that its history is not yet at an end. While there remain in
Russia and Rumania over six mil