Judea Rising

[Meshakhad]

Chapter 1: The Sultan

Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
August 12, 1896

Abdul Hamid II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, considered the map before him. On this map, the Ottoman Empire was displayed in dark green. He noted with dismay how small it had become. Egypt was striped in red, indicating British control. The Balkans were a mixture of colors. Once, his family, the Osman Dynasty, had ruled as far west as Algiers, and as far north as Budapest and Crimea. Twice, Ottoman armies had reached the gates of Vienna.

His eye drifted to Palestine. Once near the center of the Empire, now it was the frontier of his power. Given its significance to the Christians, he imagined it would be next to fall. No doubt the British would see themselves as the new Crusaders. He supposed he ought to start preparations. Reinforce it, maybe fortify the border. But Palestine was too sparsely populated. How could it become a fortress to hold off the might of the British Empire? And the British were not the only ones who wanted it. The French would too. Probably the Italians and Russians. Maybe the Germans. No doubt the Khedive would enjoy calling himself King of Jerusalem, even if it meant letting his British masters have real authority there. Even the Jews were now making noises...

A thought struck him. The Jews. Already there had been a rise in Jewish immigration. He had heard somewhere that the city of Jerusalem itself was majority Jewish. But the Jews were persecuted throughout Europe. They didn't quite fit in, no matter how hard they tried. That scandal in France about that Jewish officer had surely proven as much.

He recalled something else. Something one of his tutors had taught him. When the Spanish had expelled their Jews four hundred years ago, many of them had come to the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans had always made a place for Jews in their society. As long as they accepted their dhimmi status and paid the jizya tax, they would be safe. And they were a thrifty and industrious people. Mehmed II, his ancestor, had even remarked, "Why do you call this Philip a wise king, when he impoverishes his kingdom and enriches mine?"

So far, he'd opposed large-scale Jewish settlement in Palestine, even turning down Theodore Herzl's offer of 150 million pounds in return for allowing Jewish settlement, out of fear that they might become a new wedge for European influence. But as a people, the Jews had no attachment to any particular European country, and a lot of reason for resentment. So what if rather than opposing Jewish settlement, he encouraged it? What if he announced to the world that he would welcome the Jews to return to their ancestral homeland? Maybe even give them some kind of special autonomous status? Surely they would repay him with loyalty.

Now that he thought about it, he could see a lot of advantages. Large-scale immigration to Palestine would no doubt revitalize the province, even without the jizya tax. He'd probably need to change how that worked. Maybe he could require whatever Jewish government was formed to pay it instead of each Jew individually. That would also attract Jews from elsewhere in the Empire, further diluting European influence.

Of course, there was still the matter of defending the place. No doubt he would need to deploy additional Ottoman troops there. But now that he thought about it... allowing the Jews to help defend Palestine might not be a horrible idea. Unlike the Christians, they did not seek to spread their faith, merely preserve it. He would have to take measures to ensure that the Jews couldn't rebel, but if they were loyal, a Jewish army in Palestine would surely fight like demons to protect their homeland. Some sort of auxiliary corps, perhaps? That would suit his political goals without threatening the supremacy of Islam he had worked to maintain. After all, he had never sought to make Islam the only religion within the Empire. Surely it would not hurt to have a small Jewish force to fight at the side of the mighty Islamic armies?

There was also the prestige value. No Great Power had offered its support to a Jewish State. He would be casting himself, and the Ottoman Empire, as the protector of the Jews, acting solely out of nobility and compassion! Leaving aside the reaction of the world's Jews (many of whom were quite influential), he would earn quite the reputation in more liberal circles. How delicious it would be to see them citing the Ottomans as an example to be followed!

And it would be an act of compassion, he reminded himself. Charity was one of the five pillars of Islam, and here he would give a part of his empire to one of the most oppressed peoples in history. He'd have to play up that part for domestic consumption. And it would remind the Jews that what he had done was to give them a gift... which he could take away at will. What greater sign of power was there?

The Sultan grabbed a piece of paper and started writing the words that would change history [1].

[1] This is the Point of Divergence (POD). IOTL, Abdul Hamid II consistently opposed large-scale Jewish immigration to Palestine. ITTL, he comes up with the idea that, properly done, such immigration might work to the benefit of the Empire, and decides to implement it.

 

[Unknown]

Good start.

Waiting for more, of course...

 

[Meshakhad]

I'll get an in-universe post explaining the Sultan's plan in detail, but here are the basics:

- He will create a Special Jerusalem Province (basically the pre-existing Jerusalem Province), and make Theodore Herzl the governor.
- He will permit - even encourage - unlimited Jewish emigration to Jerusalem Province.
- The Jewish government will be responsible for collecting the jizya tax on behalf of its Jewish residents (probably with less burden on your average Jew).
- Herzl provides that 150 million quid he offered.
- Once the provincial administration is in place, they will discuss the creation of a local Jewish defense force.

Abdul Hamid II hasn't suddenly become a Judeophile, although he is modifying his definition of Islamic supremacy. He's doing this mostly out of self-interest and trying to play the role of "wise and gracious sultan".

I have a rough outline leading up to and including World War II, but there are some things I could use help with. First, exactly how much Jewish immigration can I get away with? This is going to produce a larger Second Aliyah, but by how much? My goal is to have a Jewish majority by 1914 at the latest.

Second, how might this affect the internal political dynamics of the Ottoman Empire? Can Abdul Hamid II somehow stop the 1907 revolution, or at least stay in power? How will the Young Turks react?

 

[Gog (♀)]

Certainly interesting, one wonders how many would come at this point given the opportunity.

 

[Meshakhad]

Chapter 2: A Gift From The Almighty

(Taken From "A History of Zionism", Devon Harrington, Cambridge University Press, 1970)

By 1896, Theodore Herzl was quite well known in the West, and he had imbued the Zionist movement with real energy. However, outside of the Jewish community, his ideas had gained little traction. Notables mouthed vague statements of support, and many supposed that a Jewish state was a good idea, but it seemed as if none of the Great Powers were willing to get behind it.

So it was a great surprise when, in September of 1896, Sultan Abdul Hamid II made his historic offer. Not only would he allow Jewish settlement in the Holy Land in return for 150 million pounds, he would grant Herzl the position of Governor of the Jerusalem Mutasifarrate [1], which would be endowed with special privileges. In particular, it would be the local government that would choose how to collect the jizya tax from the Jewish populace. That would allow Herzl to calibrate the impact on the Jewish community.

Originally, the Sultan intended to simply give Herzl the existing territory, but Herzl was insistent that Haifa, the Galilee, and especially the Jewish religious center of Tzfat be included. Herzl pointed out that this was the most economically productive region of the Holy Land, and would be essential to strengthening the territory as a whole. The Sultan accepted his argument mostly because with the jizya, he would gain more tax from a Jewish Galilee than a Muslim one [2].

There was, of course, a price to pay. In addition to the 150 million pounds, the Sultan wanted Herzl's allegiance. He had no interest in allowing an independent Jewish state. As much as Herzl dreamed of Jewish sovereignty, he understood that this was a once-in-a-lifetime offer. What he wanted was a place in the world where the Jews would have a home. He had even considered other possible homelands, with the likely result that the resulting Jewish homeland would be under the rule of a non-Jewish power. This arrangement, with what amounted to Jewish self-rule in the Holy Land, was a gift from the Almighty.

He accepted the Sultan's offer, and on November 3, 1896, Theodore Herzl was formally named Governor of the Jerusalem Mutasifarrate. Herzl immediately departed Istanbul for Jerusalem, arriving on November 8. The former Austrian journalist was now a provincial governor of the Ottoman Empire.

The first months of Herzl's administration were chaotic. He had no direct experience with political administration, although he was likely better educated about the current state of affairs in Jerusalem than his predecessor. So he turned to his fellow Zionists for help. Herzl had already been planning a World Zionist Congress for sometime in 1897. He had envisioned that it would be held somewhere in Europe, perhaps Basel or Vienna, or maybe New York. Now, it would be held in Jerusalem [3].

Holding the conference in Jerusalem proved quite the challenge. The city lacked great hotels, casinos, theaters, or opera houses, the sort of buildings normally used to host a conference. A location outside the Ottoman Empire was out for political reasons. Herzl did consider changing the location to Istanbul, but decided against it. Instead, he chose an open air venue: the Mount of Olives. The local climate would be quite suitable, and it offered a wonderful view of the city [4]. he anticipated only a few sessions that would require such a large space. The numerous yeshivot (Jewish religious academies) in the Old City would work fine for the smaller "working groups" that would handle most of the Congress' actual business.

The agenda, of course, was quite different. Instead of trying to win support for the idea of a Jewish state, Herzl needed to assemble both the personnel and the resources to organize his new administration and the settler project. A key objective was recruiting talented individuals to fill government posts, none more important than the Baron Rothschild...




[1] The Jerusalem Mutasifarrate already had a unique structure, established by Abdul Hamid in the 1870s.

[2] For the most part, this corresponds with the borders of the OTL modern State of Israel minus the Golan Heights while including the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. There are a few minor differences in the north, along with one major one: Aqaba is included. The historical Jerusalem Mutasifarrate did not include the Galilee or Haifa.

[3] IOTL, the First World Zionist Congress was held in Basel, Switzerland.

[4] IOTL, the spot Herzl adopted is today a gorgeous lookout point, favored by Jewish tour groups. The famous cemetery lies below the lookout.

 

[Unknown]

Good update, Meshakad; PM Jonathan Edelstein or yboxman about information on the Ottoman Empire at this point in time, BTW.

Waiting for more...

 

[Archangel]

Subscribed, Meshakhad!

 

[bookmark95]

I remember reading that during the first and second aliyah, about 50,000 Jews emigrated.

ITTL, it could 70,000 Jews.

I'm curious as what Britain will do with this "Jewish province" once it creates a mandate in Palestine.

 

[TheScottishMongol]

Jewish Ottoman Palestine? Sign me right up!

 

[mrmandias]

Unusual but plausible. You have my attention.

 

[Zek Sora]

100% subbed. This is pretty damn good so far.

 

[Meshakhad]

I remember reading that during the first and second aliyah, about 50,000 Jews emigrated.

ITTL, it could 70,000 Jews.

It's going to be more. A lot more. I still need to figure out the demographics, but my goal - kinda critical for my outlines - is to get a Jewish majority by 1914. Tall order, I know - we're talking over half a million Jewish immigrants - but the Ottomans are now encouraging Jews to come instead of discouraging them. With the Rothschilds on board, Herzl has access to a lot of money. And in particular, he's in a good position to attract Jews from within the Ottoman Empire, not to mention all those Jews in Poland and Russia.

Mind you, there are going to be potential drawbacks to mass immigration. In particular, much of Governor Herzl's administration (I love saying those three words) will be drawn from the wealthier, educated Jews of Western Europe. But most of the immigrants will be either from Ottoman territories or Eastern Europe. That will have political ramifications down the line.

I'm curious as what Britain will do with this "Jewish province" once it creates a mandate in Palestine.

While they would love nothing better than to do what they did IOTL, there will be certain individuals who object rather strenuously. In particular, a certain infamous French Jew...

 

[English Nationalist]

Loving this so far, plausible and highly entertaining.
Consider me subscribed.

 

[Circonflexe]

It's going to be more. A lot more. I still need to figure out the demographics, but my goal - kinda critical for my outlines - is to get a Jewish majority by 1914. Tall order, I know - we're talking over half a million Jewish immigrants - but the Ottomans are now encouraging Jews to come instead of discouraging them.

I don't know the OTL demographics of Palestine in 1900, but this goal seems a bit far-fetched. You might want to have the Ottoman Empire encourage population exchanges between the Jerusalem province and the remainder of the Empire, moving some Muslims out. You could also make some pogroms a bit nastier, whether in the Ottoman empire itself or abroad.

Two ideas:

- Thessaloniki/Selanik was a majority Jewish city in 1900, right? (Or at least, it had a huge Jewish population). Given the now-good relations between the Jews and the Turks, come 1912 we would expect the local Jewish population to defend the city against the Greek/Bulgars (OTL the city was not much defended, TTL it could have a Jewish militia). When the city is finally taken, cue the Greek reprisals, pogroms and expulsions.

- The other big source would be Russia, and in particular Russian Poland. I was going to write something about « Russian Jews are seen as a fifth column with conflicting loyalties at a time of tensions between Russia and Turkey (but what time is not a time of such tensions?) », Armenian-style; but this would not work, because Poland is too far away from Turkey.

Instead, the Jews could be viewed as disloyal because they a. favour socialism/liberalism (in particular in the 1905 events), or more likely because b. they are allied to the Polish nationalists, who will take the example of Palestine to formulate their own demands for autonomy. Thus, pogroms, emigration.

Also, while I'm writing about Armenians, I would expect the empire to do something about them too. They are definitely going to rise up and demand the same degree of autonomy as the Jews (because they did rise up OTL). On the other hand, Persia is still a worry, because it is both British- and Russian-influenced (Great Game, and even more after the 1901 oil discovery), so an Armenian “march” would be just as useful as a Jewish one. As a repercussion, this would in turn anger the Greeks, etc.

Since such a move is definitely going to anger at least the Russians, and maybe the British too, who would support it? I expect the French to be quite philosemite, but shutting up because of alliances. (Also, they have their own contingent of Sephardic Jews: I don't see these emigrating soon, unless the Dreyfus affair turns bad, which is always a possibility). On the other hand, the Germans would be enchanted, and maybe help with the logistics of emigration?

 

[Meshakhad]

I don't know the OTL demographics of Palestine in 1900

Wikipedia, giving us 600,000 in 1900, 94% of them Arab.

but this goal seems a bit far-fetched.

More or less. It's possible, but a lot of things will have to go right.

You might want to have the Ottoman Empire encourage population exchanges between the Jerusalem province and the remainder of the Empire, moving some Muslims out.

That's reasonable. It would make sense for Hamid, and minimize the problem of an Islamic majority under a Jewish governor. Herzl can kibosh any notion of forced exchanges, and all those Jews in the Empire are going to leave stuff behind. Houses and land if nothing else. Room for the Palestinian Arabs to move into. If we can get 300,000 Arabs to move out and 300,000 Ottoman Jews to move in, then mission accomplished. Of course, that would be a bit implausible, but maybe 100,000 for 100,000? Maybe a bit more?

You could also make some pogroms a bit nastier, whether in the Ottoman empire itself or abroad.

I'm reluctant to do that without a reason stemming from the POD. There might be more of a notion among the bastards behind the pogroms of "send the Jews back to Palestine!"

Two ideas:


- Thessaloniki/Selanik was a majority Jewish city in 1900, right? (Or at least, it had a huge Jewish population). Given the now-good relations between the Jews and the Turks, come 1912 we would expect the local Jewish population to defend the city against the Greek/Bulgars (OTL the city was not much defended, TTL it could have a Jewish militia). When the city is finally taken, cue the Greek reprisals, pogroms and expulsions

Interresant. It was majority Jewish in 1519, apparently. A Jewish militia (or at least a Jewish-majority militia) is not out of the question. For that matter, depending on what happens with the Young Turks and the CUP the city may have a Jewish local government. If the city does resist, I think we could see a Jewish exodus to Palestine. Also, it could be one location for population swaps, planting what amounts to an Arab colony in Greece. And I think the Greek Jews will be a community of note in the future Judea. There might even be a city of "New Selanik".

- The other big source would be Russia, and in particular Russian Poland. I was going to write something about « Russian Jews are seen as a fifth column with conflicting loyalties at a time of tensions between Russia and Turkey (but what time is not a time of such tensions?) », Armenian-style; but this would not work, because Poland is too far away from Turkey.

Instead, the Jews could be viewed as disloyal because they a. favour socialism/liberalism (in particular in the 1905 events), or more likely because b. they are allied to the Polish nationalists, who will take the example of Palestine to formulate their own demands for autonomy. Thus, pogroms, emigration.

I was mostly figuring that there would simply be a lot more Jews voluntarily emigrating than IOTL. The Jews who do emigrate from Russian Poland and Russia proper will be disproportionately young and liberal, rebellious types. Every young Jew in Eastern Europe, and probably in the world, will at least consider going to Palestine. David Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir will be among them. The socialist angle is one I could play.

Also, while I'm writing about Armenians, I would expect the empire to do something about them too. They are definitely going to rise up and demand the same degree of autonomy as the Jews (because they did rise up OTL). On the other hand, Persia is still a worry, because it is both British- and Russian-influenced (Great Game, and even more after the 1901 oil discovery), so an Armenian “march” would be just as useful as a Jewish one. As a repercussion, this would in turn anger the Greeks, etc.

The Armenians are Christian, so to Hamid they pose more of a threat than the Jews. He may decide that an autonomous Armenia would be likely to ally with Russia or Britain. On the other hand, he might figure that they would be loyal if he gave them autonomy.

Since such a move is definitely going to anger at least the Russians, and maybe the British too, who would support it? I expect the French to be quite philosemite, but shutting up because of alliances. (Also, they have their own contingent of Sephardic Jews: I don't see these emigrating soon, unless the Dreyfus affair turns bad, which is always a possibility). On the other hand, the Germans would be enchanted, and maybe help with the logistics of emigration?

If the Russians are smart, they'll support Armenian autonomy, with the hope of bringing it into Russia's sphere of influence. I don't have great faith in the powers of reasoning of Russia of this time, though. The Dreyfus affair will turn out a little differently. The Germans will no doubt help (probably hoping to get influence with Jewish Palestine).

Jewish emigration from just about every source will be increased significantly. Right now, I think we could easily get a doubling of the Second Aliyah (from 50,000 to 100,000) just from having the new Jewish government in Jerusalem. Most of that will be from Eastern Europe, and they'll be disproportionately young. In addition, population exchanges within the Empire could bring in another 100,000 and take out 100,000 Arabs. Roughly estimating the existing Jewish population at 20,000, that puts us at 220,000 Jews vs. 500,000 Arabs. The Jews will also have a temporary advantage in birthrates thanks to the number of young Jews coming in. We're still at basically one Jew for every 2 Arabs. I do think some of the immigration increases could be bigger, but I don't know by how much.

The other possible source for an easy increase would be diverting the Jews who came to the United States. Nearly 3 million Jews came to the US from Eastern Europe during the period from 1880-1924. If just 400,000 of them chose to go to Palestine instead, then we'd get a Jewish majority. I have no idea how plausible that is, though.

All in all, I think we COULD get a Jewish majority by 1914, with a lot of work. While my next chapter will probably focus on the role of the Rothschilds, I think after that we could get one on the Second Aliyah.

 

[EnglishCanuck]

Interesting TL you have here. Subscribed

 

[Isfendil]

The Armenians are Christian, so to Hamid they pose more of a threat than the Jews. He may decide that an autonomous Armenia would be likely to ally with Russia or Britain. On the other hand, he might figure that they would be loyal if he gave them autonomy.

Given his thought processes as you have demonstrated them, I think he may actually do this. He seems to be the sort who wants to do it before anyone else has the chance and thus rightly take all the credit/allegiance.

 

[Meshakhad]

Given his thought processes as you have demonstrated them, I think he may actually do this. He seems to be the sort who wants to do it before anyone else has the chance and thus rightly take all the credit/allegiance.

I'm leaning towards him attempting to implement this among the Armenians a few years down the line. Mind you, it's unlikely that this will prevent the Young Turks from taking over. It could, however, lead to the entire Empire adopting a more federal structure which grants local autonomy. It's also possible that Hamid might keep his throne but be reduced to a figurehead, if the CUP is concerned about the loyalties of the Jews and Armenians.

 

[mikegold]

Reminds me of a TL I started but never finished a loooooong time ago: 2002 from the SHWI archives.

If You Will It, it is not a Dream

Part 1

Constantinople

March 20, 1903

Abdul Hamid II was not a happy man. England was growing stronger in

the Middle East, and the Ottoman Empire was collapsing. And now the

Jews served the very England whose position in Egypt threatened his holdings. Abdul had originally thought of the

Zionist Jews as a potential goldmine. He could milk them for all the

were worth, and give up as little as needed. But the Jewish influx

into Palestine was creating a pro-British dagger at a vital corner of

the Empire.

"Furthermore," he proclaimed to the man from the Zionist congress,

"new waves of your people continue to pour in from Russia every day.

The Sublime Porte hereby decrees that no more Jews of the Russian or

Austrian Empires may henceforth enter my Empire, especially not

Palestine."

Theodore Herzl grimaced, anticipating the worst. "Your Majesty, the

Czar mercilessly slaughters my people every time he feels his power is

threatened. He has revived the medieval tales that we Jews cook baby

Christian blood to make our matzoh! Always before you have provided

sanctuary- at a reasonable price, of course."

"You were always faithful subjects before. But now you serve England!

But months ago, I am informed, the British offered to give you

portions of the Sinai peninsula as a state, and then to give you

Palestine once they became dominant in the region!"

"Please, your majesty, the plan was vague and insubstantial. We will

wait for Palestine. Merely allow us the sanctuary we need, now that we

need it the most. You know we will be able to make it worth your

trouble."

Abdul's eyes glittered as he imagined the bribes the Zionists would

pay him when they were pushed to the uttermost. Yet, they were a

dagger at the heart of his Empire. But Abdul was a greedy man, and

loved money over all else. But-



So far, this has been basically OTL, though I made up the date of the

negotiations. But now:

POD- Abdul Hamid had a splitting headache. He had been up late

merrymaking with his harem, and had drunken far too much wine. He

thought of how the negotiations over bribe money and immigration

quotas would drag on. All he wanted was to return to his bed and his

harem. He rationalized to himself that the Jews were British puppets.

"The Sublime Porte has made a decree. My word is law. I care not about

the fool Russians. Now go!" Abdul made a signal, and the guards

advanced with swords drawn.

Herzl's face contorted with anger. He remembered the hatred he had

experienced against himself and his people in Hungary. He remembered

the look on Alfred Dreyfuss's face when he exclaimed, "I am

innocent!". But Russia was far, far worse than anything else modern

Jewry faced. Kishinev flashed through his mind, bringing his fury to

the boiling point. At their hour of greatest need, this man had turned

on them. Herzl was not a religious man, but he devoutly hoped that G-d

would punish the Sultan of Turkey. "You will regret this later, your

majesty. It is not for nothing that you are called Abdul the Damned."

With that, Herzl turned and left the room.



Basle, Switzerland

April 1, 1903

"And so, I have called this special session of the Zionist Congress.

The Turks are not our friends anymore, if indeed they ever were. The

pogroms in Russia and Poland grow worse by the day, as the Czar

distracts his people from the liberal ideas of the enlightened elite

with the old tales of our murders of their children on Easter, and the

ignorant populace rapes, steals from, and kills our people. I must

thank the British Foreign Ministry for sending us the distinguished

Lord Balfour to discuss the British proposals."

Balfour shook hands with Herzl and stepped onto the stage. "Thank you,

Mr. Herzl. The British government still offers the Protectorate of

Uganda as a Zionist free state."

Angry grumblings were heard from the Russian Zionist delegation. A

distinguished Rabbi from Minsk stood up. "Uganda cannot be found

anywhere in the Bible. Eretz Yisroel is our home. G-d promised it to

us, an inheritance to our children and our children's children. We

will never take Uganda."

Many religious Zionists, including virtually the entire Russian

delegation, offered similar opinions. The German and Austrian Jews

didn't mind so much, but the whole purpose of a Zionist state was to

protect Jews from danger in Europe, wasn't it? What threat was there

to German Jews, so important a part of German society, so respected by

the elite as well as the populace in Berlin, Munich, Cologne and

Vienna? This whole Congress was to help the Jews of the Pale, of

Poland, Byelorussia, and the Ukraine, of the little shtetls and the

poor quarters of the great cities.

"Well, then," said Balfour, "I have been instructed to inform you that

His Majesty's government's original offer of a portion of the northern

Sinai still stands. When Palestine is ours, it will be given to you. "

Herzl stood up. "In theory, that's still a good proposal. But where

would people live in the empty desert? How would they make a living?"

"His majesty's government has a contingency for that too. If you will

agree to become a dominion of the Empire, similar to Canada or

Australia, All of the Sinai, including the Sinai shore of the Suez

Canal, will be part of your new state. The Zionist Dominion will get a

portion of Suez revenues, and the people who come there can help work

the canal."

Argument broke out. Various Congress members were against it. Others

were for. But when Herzl voiced approval, quite a few opinions were

swayed.

The final text of the Herzl-Balfour declaration stated that the a

"Jewish Homeland" would be created in all the portions of the

Aegyptian Empire which lay in the continent of Asia, and laid claim to

the Ottoman Empire's Palestine province.



Beyt HaYeshuva, Dominion of Israel

May 14, 1903

"At last, after generations, our people are free." Thunderous applause

after this statement. "Across that canal lie Port Said, Ismalia, and

Suez, of the Aegyptian Empire, but Beyt Hayeshuva, house of the

return, is ours. Thanks to our friends, the British Empire, we have a

homeland for the first time in 2000 years. It is the first step

towards our return to Eretz Yisroel, the Promised Land, which flows

with Milk and Honey. With the help of our English friends, we will

come back to Jerusalem, rebuild her walls and G-d's Holy temple, and

recover our ancient glory. I am proud to serve as your interim Prime

Minister, the first sovereign Jewish leader of a Jewish country since

Herod Agrippa. Next Year in Jerusalem!"

As Theodore Herzl, or PM Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl, as he was now called,

stepped down from the podium, the band began to play L'shana Haba'a

Biyerushalayim, next year in Jerusalem, a rousing Jewish folk song

that had been adopted as the national anthem. Governor-general Balfour

looked around at the half built city of Beyt Hayeshuva, the cheering

crowds, the new Suez docking facilities, and the prowd new flag,

showing a Blue Star of David on a flag reminiscent of a Jewish prayer

shawl, and was surprised to realize that he was quite moved by all

that was happening. And even more surprising, Beyt Hayeshuva carried

the unmistakable scent of greatness. He could already tell that the

Dominion of Israel would change the world.



-----------------------------------------

Part 2







Beyt Hayeshuva, Dominion of Israel

July 3, 1904

"In conclusion, my friend, the only proper, indeed, the only possible

language of any Jewish state must be Hebrew." To a thunderous cloud of

applause, Eliezer ben-Yehuda stepped down from the podium.

Prime Minister Herzl stood up. "I have long opposed the views of Mr.

ben-Yehuda. Hebrew I have always thought of as a dead language. Yet it

seems that it is, de facto, the official language of the community in

Palestine, with the exception of the Hassidim, who refuse to speak it

before the Messiah comes. This is largely thanks to the views of Mr.

ben-Yehuda, who I must thank for coming hear. The Zionist Congress may

commence voting now, though they may be the Knesset by the time the

voting is done."

Binyamin Ze'ev Herzl stepped down from the platform. He looked

especially tired today, though he always looked tired lately. This was

to be expected, Balfour reflected, with all the work Herzl has been

doing to set up the new nation. Beyt Hayeshuva's population had grown

to five thousand. with all the kibbutzim and moshavim that were being

setup across the Sinai, there had to be at least ten thousand in the

new state, not counting Bedouins. Official records showed far more

people entering the new nation, but most just used it as a stopping

point to get to Turkish Palestine. Herzl really looked quite badly

today-

"Good heavens!" exclaimed Balfour, leaping up. "Prime Minister Herzl!

Theodore! Are you all right?"



Beyt Hayeshuva

July 4, 1904

"And so, Theodore Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl, the first sovereign Jewish

leader since Herod Agrippa, has been struck down by a heart attack at

the age of fourty-four. Yet he lived to see his dream fulfilled.

Unlike Moses, he entered the Promised Land whence he had led his

people."

The Knesset clapped with great emotion as Governor-General Lord

Balfour continued. "On the very eve of his death, a dead language

returned to life. We must thank Mr. Ben-Yehuda for his great work,

allowing the beautiful old tongue to become the new language of His

Majesty's newest dominion. Now, to me falls the task of appointing a

new man to lead this country. I have already decided to accept Dr.

Chaim Weizmann, our greatest statesman, as the new leader of our

country."

Applause broke out as Weizmann stood up. Well liked by the Knesset,

and a major force in creating the new state, Weizmann was likely to be

a popular new leader. Even better, thought Balfour, he has the respect

of His Majesty's government. Quite a silver lining for such a dark

day, he mused.



Near El Arish, Dominion of Israel

August 4, 1904

"Alright, boys- stand ready- fire!" Dozens of rifles went off at the

same time. The advancing Bedouin tribe stopped to regroup, their

ululating cries calling each other in the desert. "Load- aim fire!"

The Bedouins faltered, broke, and ran. Dozens of men and boys, members

of the new Jewish Legion, cheered. "The Kibbutz is safe. Well done,

men," said the commander.

"In dozens of battles like this across Israel, we're showing these

Bedoins whose boss. Think of it as practice, boys, till the day we

follow the route of Moses, across the Sinai and into the Promised

Land."



South of Rafiah, border town, Southwestern Ottoman Palestine/Dominion

of Israel

January 23, 1905

The family of Russian Jews sat quietly in the back of the truck. In

Russia, those who hid quietly often survived the pogroms. Now, the

stake were higher than life.

The man who drove the truck stopped at the Ottoman guard post. "Coming

through with my usual cargo," said the driver in Turkish, with a

devilish grin. He handed the Turkish Lieutenant a crisp one pound

note, whose value was more than a thousand lira in the Sultan's

decaying empire. The Lieutenat gave the driver a gap-toothed grin, and

wove him on through.

After they got a distance down the dirt road, the driver went around

back. "Everyone alright back there?" he asked in Yiddish. "Good.

Welcome to the area we call the Gaza strip. It's where we deposit our-

er- new immigrants, and many settle here. It has the largest Jewish

population in Palestine. Head north along the coast, you'll reach the

old port of Jaffa, and the new all-Jewish city of Tel Aviv. Head east

and a bit north, and you'll reach Jerusalem."

The Russian father's eyes grew wet with tears. Bending down, he kissed

the sacred soil repeatedly. The driver smiled. He had seen such

actions many times before. He had to get back to the Sinai, though. He

had three more families to run today.



Constantinople

November 10, 1908

"Enver, what am I to do with these Jews?" The new Sultan, Mohammed V,

had no more idea what to think of, and do with, these people, than his

predecessor, Abdul Hamid II. Enver Bey, the Grand Vizier, was not

quite sure himself. But he had to sound sure. It was his job, after

all.

"Your majesty, it would surely be a terrible thing to lose land here

in Asia, yet Europe is more important, both to our defense and our

reputation abroad. Already, they are calling you the "sick man of

Europe" in Western governments. If the Jews do not trouble us, we

ought not trouble them. They have the backing of England, now, and

precipitant action might start a war where we need it the least."

"Yes, England. How can I beat England if I can't even crush the Greeks

who threaten my holdings in Bulgaria?"

Enver Pasha was too politic to tell him he probably was not even be

able to crush the Bulgarians, or the Jews, for that matter. But he

thought it.



Anatevka, Somewhere in the Pale of Jewish Settlement

September 16, 1911

"Vell, I vill be going to Palestine," said Yente.

"As good a place as any. Maybe I won't go to America after all. Look

what happened to Chavaleh. This would never happen in a Jewish

country." Tevyeh nodded. "Yes. We will go to Palestine. In America,

our lives would be as skaky as a fiddler on the roof."

"And I hear there are no Katzs in America."said Yente. "I should be

with my family."

Across the Pale, hundreds of thousands of Jews were making this same

decision. After all, there are no Katzs in America.



Beyt Hayeshuva, Dominion of Israel

July 4, 1914

"To life, Mr. Weizmann."

"L'chaim, Lord Balfour."

Both men chuckled and swallowed a shot of shnapps. "To think, it is ten

year to the day since I became Prime Minister. How could I imagine how

our country would grow?"

Lord Balfour shook his head in amazement. "100,000 in Beyt Hayeshuva

alone. Maybe twice that in the whole nation. And a million in

Palestine! 200,000 in the Gaza, 300,00 in Tel Aviv, 150,000 in

Jerusalem, 75,000 in Tzfat, 50,000 in Be'er Sheva, the rest in cities,

towns, moshavim, and kibbutzim across the country. Who could have

known? Paved roads across the Sinai and Palestine. Deserts blooming,

as G-d predicted, through irrigation and swamp drainage, Ben-Yehuda's

Hebrew University on Mount Scopus, with branches in Tel Aviv, Gaza

City, and Beyt Hayeshuva, to spread learning across the land. And a

language, like her nation, back from the grave!"

"Not the grave, my Lord. The Exile. My people are returning to our

ancient homeland. Soon, our day will come," Weizmann prophesied.

"Indeed. Your prophecy may have quite a bit more truth to it than that

of your correligionist, Mr. Trotsky."

"My prophecy is far older, and from a more powerful god than Mr. Marx,

I should think."

"You may yet be proven right, Mr. Weitzmann. Time will surely tell."

"It always does, my Lord. You must but give it patience."

 

[Meshakhad]

Nice. I hadn't considered the idea of the British getting Palestine earlier. I also chuckled at the inclusion of Tevye. Suffice it to say that ITTL, pretty much the whole population of Anatevka went to Palestine. There might even be a "New Anatevka" or "Tel Anatevka" there.