The Pakticipation of the Jews of Feance in the Geeat
THE PAKTICIPATION OF THE JEWS OF FEANCE IN THE GEEAT WAE BY CAPTAIN SYLVAIN HALFF Nothing can show in a more striking manner the diversity as well as the moral strength of the elements which constitute the Jewish family of France than the following fact. In July, 1914, some days before the declaration of war, there took place the final examination at the Ecole Polytechnique, the great national institution which gives to the country its best engineers and its most distinguished artillery officers. The first three on the list of successful candidates were Jews. The first—the "major," as he is called at the school—Sas- portes, was an Algerian; the second, Levy, was a Frenchman of Alsatian origin; the third, Cherechewsky, was a son of Bussia, a naturalized Frenchman. That is, in miniature, the physiognomy of French Jewry. Alsace is the cradle of the greater number of the Jews of France. The decree of October 24, 1870, made French citizens of our coreligionists in Algeria. The exodus from the countries where the Jew is oppressed—Eussia, Eoumania—has brought to France an im- portant contingent of the Jews of these lands. In the atmos- phere of liberty they are gradually becoming fused in the national crucible; this fusion is practically complete as regards those who have had a long sojourn among us, and the example of Cherechewsky is not an isolated one. Others, who are still aliens, will follow that example in time. Already, as will be seen further on, they have endeavored to pay their debt of 2 32 AMERICAN JEWISH YEAR BOOK gratitude to hospitable France by rallying in their thousands to its standard.
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