On: Monday a very interesting meeting, attended by the Lord
Mayor in state, took place in the City at the New Synagogue, Great St. Helens, that of the Jewish officers and privates in the naval and military service of the Queen. What made the proceedings exceedingly striking—nay, touching— was the fact that the meeting was specially held on the feast- day first established by the Hebrew race to commemorate the victories of the Maccabees,—the Feast of Dedication or :Haancah. We as well as the Jews may be proud of this ceremony. There is no other nation in the world to which the Jews render the sense of patriotism quite freely. We accorded the Jews fair and reasonable treatment from no selfish .or interested motives, and the result has been exceedingly beneficial. The race feel that in these islands, at least, they are treated as equals, and it is a race which is neither un- grateful nor forgetful. Unfortunately the reports do not say how many Jews are to be found in our fighting forces. It is stated, however, that the number of volunteers is remarkable. The Jewish Chaplain to the Forces conducted the ceremony— the fact of there being such an officer shows that there are a considerable number of Jewish privates—part of which con- sisted in singing the Maccabean hymn.
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