"Ye exiled, arise! Now is the moment... to claim your political existence as a nation among nations, and the unlimited natural right to worship [Hashem] according to your faith..."
-Napoleon, marching on Palestine in April 1799, inviting the Jews of Asia and Africa to unite under his flag and reestablish their ancient capital of Jerusalem.
Unfortunately, the Jewish settlement in Israel, not to mention the other Jews of Africa and Asia, didn't even hear of this proclamation until it was too late. Within a month, the French army was pushed back, and Napoleon quickly led his tattered troops back to Egypt.
Of course, one can never say, "what if..." about historical events, but just imagine how the entire course of history might have been different...
Of course, one can never say, "what if..." about historical events, but just imagine how the entire course of history might have been different...
No comments:
Post a Comment