In the words of The Catholic Times:—
“The settling down of Jews from Great Britain, America, and the Continent of Europe in the Holy Land is something like a romance of a war in the main features of which scarcely any romantic element has, so far, appeared.”
The Christian Commonwealth said:—
“The historical interest and the religious importance of this promise will appeal nearly as much to non-Jewish people as to the Jews themselves.... We may yet live to see Palestine become the centre of trade and travel for the three continents of the Old World. The early colonization movement has crystallized into something more dramatic—the re-establishment of a whole people on the soil of the land where their national history began. Their long exile is drawing to an end. From this redeemed and rejuvenated people what new message may we not expect, seeing that their faith has so manifestly been justified and the vision of their prophets realized!”
“We are quite unable to find words,” said The Life of Faith, “wherewith to express the wonderful importance of the above declaration made by His Majesty’s Government.... It is not too much to say that this great declaration contains the making of history, even as it forms a new epoch for the Jewish race.... We welcome the declaration all the more because we, too, have an inborn love for the Holy Land, and because we can so deeply sympathize with the Jewish people, whose passionate affection for the land of their fathers has never been torn from their hearts, in spite of centuries of persecution and wanderings. There is, after all, some little excuse for the sentimental yearnings of the Rabbis who expressed their heartfelt passion in such sayings as:
“‘The very air of Palestine makes one wise.’[¹]
“‘To live in Palestine is equal to the observance of all the commandments.’[²]
“‘He that hath his permanent abode in Palestine is sure of the life to come.’”[³]
[¹] אוירא דארץ ישראל מחכים.
בבא בתרא ד׳קנה ע׳ב׃
[²] ... ישיבת ארץ ישראל שקולה כנגד כל המצות שבתורה׃
ספרי דבי רב פסקא ראה פ׳׃