At a time when the first followers
of the Zionist movement began streaming into the
Holy Land in large numbers, defiling the holiness
of the land, and by virtue of their idiotic ideas
began to work to expel the Arabs who had been
living there for centuries in order to establish
a Zionist state.
The Zionists first approached the British authorities
by pretending to present themselves as the representatives
of the Jewish nation, who desired to establish
a “national home” without any regard
whatsoever of the fact that the vast majority
of the Jewish People opposed Zionism in those
days. However, through their various contacts,
the Zionists managed to bring about the Balfour
Declaration (known among our rabbis of the time
as the Baal Peor Declaration – a pun referring
to the idolatry mentioned in the Bible), based
on the “right” of the Jews to establish
a state in Palestine, and ultimately the state
itself to our great misfortune.
Good relations existed between the Jewish and
Arab communities, and the leadership of the Orthodox
Jewish community conducted themselves according
to the principles of Judaism, never provoking
their non-Jewish neighbors. The Arabs were very
friendly and neighborly, and a spirit of mutual
respect was typical.
When the winds of Zionism began to blow through
Palestine, the Arabs began to change their attitude
because of the fact that they heard that the “Jews”
wanted to grab the Land from them and expel them.
Of course, they did not distinguish between the
Zionist troublemakers and the members of the loyal
authentic Jewish community that advocated tolerance
and peace. There were outbreaks of violence here
and there, until bloodshed began and many people
died.
However, instead of learning from this experience
that brought suffering upon the Jewish People
in the Holy Land, and ceasing their dangerous
lawless behavior, the Zionists used these events
as “additional proof” for the need
for a state and an army to protect the Jews from
violence. Jewish blood was of no importance to
the Zionists in comparison to their “lofty”
nationalist goals.
It was clear to the leaders of the Orthodox community
that there was an immediate need for an organization
to confront the Zionist organization, and demand
that the British desist from endorsing the idea
of a Zionist state, and resolve Arab-Jewish tensions
peacefully.
A great and unexpected opportunity presented itself
in the form of Dr. Yaakov Yisrael Dehan, who had
embraced Judaism from a life of secularism, and
had made his way to the Orthodox community of
Jerusalem during those difficult days. He sensed
the truth, and from then on never ceased to march
with the great rabbi of Jerusalem, Rabbi Yosef
Chaim Zonnenfeld, who wisely advised Dehan.
Dehan established extensive contacts with many
governmental authorities in Europe, including
the English, and proceeded to carry out his work
immediately. In no time at all he transformed
the loyal Jewish community from a tiny one without
any international recognition to a community standing
up against the Zionist heretics. He and other
members of the community represented the Orthodox
Jews under the name of “Eida Haredis”
(G-d-Fearing Community), and represented the position
of the loyal Jewish community.
It goes without saying that the Eida Haredis was
accepted warmly among non-Jews, much moreso than
was the case with the Zionists – both because
of the fact that the Eida Haredis represented
traditional, authentic Judaism against Zionism
that openly rejected Judaism in its entirety,
and because of the fact that the Orthodox position
made more sense in order to prevent bloodshed
and promote harmony in Palestine.
Dr. Dehan then organized a delegation of Orthodox
leaders to meet with Arab leaders headed by King
Abdullah. The Jewish delegation was headed by
Rabbi Zonnenfeld, and was welcomed by the Arabs
like royalty. The king even gave them expensive
gifts as a sign of his affection. Of course the
Zionists were gritting their teeth when they learned
of this event, and saw the possibility that all
of their projects may end up collapsing in front
of their very eyes. The Zionists began their attacks
against the loyal Jewish community in general,
and against Dr. Dehan in particular. They slandered
him with increasing brutality until they went
so far as to call for his murder.
In those days the G-d-fearing Jews were persecuted
greatly by the Zionists, and whenever they ran
into Dehan in the street they would insult him.
However, Dehan never ceased his holy work on behalf
of our rabbis. When the Zionists realized that
their persecution of Dehan had no effect, they
decided to kill him.
In a plan approved by the leading Haganah Zionists
a number of young Zionists encountered Dr. Dehan
as he left the Shaarei Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem.
The Zionist Avraham Tahomi, may his name be obliterated,
shot Dehan three times in the chest, and shortly
thereafter Dehan expired, returning his soul to
heaven. This murder was carried out with the approval
of the Zionist leadership.
On that fateful day of July 1, 1924, when the
Zionists committed their crime, for which we suffer
to this very day and still do not see the end
in sight, they shot him in his pure heart. But
they did not only shoot him and kill him, but
they shot and killed the entire People, thereby
preventing any plan that did not comply with their
wicked intentions.
Nevertheless, some seventy-eight years after that
horrible day, there is still a community of Jews
following in the authentic path, and refusing
to bow to the Zionist idol. It is in large measure
due to the selfless holy efforts of Yaakov Dehan,
a martyr of his people who paved the way with
self-sacrifice that there are still Jews who refuse
to succumb to the Zionist regime of heretics despite
the fact that the Zionists overpower the authentic
Jews with their laws and power, It is in the merit
of Yaakov Dahan that there are still Jews today
throughout the world who stand and announce unflinchingly
their unswerving loyalty to the countries in which
they live, and that there are still Jews in this
world who declare to the nations of world that
the Zionists and their state has no link with
Judaism or the Jewish People. |