Zionist library for boys and girls · 1908-01-01 · 5 · p. Seite 3

-3v.rote very well and understood how to influence his readers by his books and articles. Once Smolenskin went to Yienna and lived there for a £#! years, What did he see there? He found a Jewish youth there who knew nothing of the 2,000-year old traditions and history of their people, and who were mostly concerned to throw off all that is Jewish and that might be a hindrance in obtaining complete equality which they so much desired. After seeing this Smolenskin was determined to take u;) the fight against two fronts. Firstly against the fanatic Orthodoxy, for the sake of freedom of mind - and secondly against the -assimilationists (that is those who wanted to shake off all that was Jewish in them in order to live a better and easier life.) And so he v/rites in one of his essays: "Alright let us become like all ^peoples1. Let us become openminded, highly educated, and good citizens...But let us also be equal to them in the pride of our own nationality. Let us be proud of our language, and our national dignity."