Commander's Post -- August 2024
Selected by Lewis Smith, Camp Historian
Selected by Lewis Smith, Camp Historian
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On the Jews by Mark Twain September 1897 (Quoted in The National Jewish Post & Observer, June 6, 1984) |
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On the Jews:
"If the statistics are right,
the Jews constitute
but one percent of the human race.
the Jews constitute
but one percent of the human race.
It suggests a nebulous dim puff of star dust lost in the blaze of the Milky Way. Properly the Jew ought hardly to be heard of, but he is heard of, has always been heard of. He is as prominent on the planet as any other people, and his commercial importance is extravagantly out of proportion to the smallness of his bulk.
His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in the world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him.
He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished.
The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling
of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret
of his immortality?"
Mark Twain
September 1897 (Quoted in The National Jewish Post
& Observer, June 6, 1984)
Source:
Jewish Virtual Library, a Project of AICE:
Quotes on Judaism & Israel: Mark Twain
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/mark-twain-quotations-on-judaism-and-israel
His contributions to the world's list of great names in literature, science, art, music, finance, medicine, and abstruse learning are also away out of proportion to the weakness of his numbers. He has made a marvelous fight in the world, in all the ages; and has done it with his hands tied behind him.
He could be vain of himself, and be excused for it. The Egyptian, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other peoples have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished.
The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was, exhibiting no decadence, no infirmities of age, no weakening of his parts, no slowing of his energies, no dulling
of his alert and aggressive mind. All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he remains. What is the secret
of his immortality?"
Mark Twain
September 1897 (Quoted in The National Jewish Post
& Observer, June 6, 1984)
Source:
Jewish Virtual Library, a Project of AICE:
Quotes on Judaism & Israel: Mark Twain
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/mark-twain-quotations-on-judaism-and-israel