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1878 The year 1878 was a turning point in the history of Israel. The land was in the hands of the Ottoman Empire governed from Turkey, but that empire was in decline especially following the Russo‑Turkish War from 1877 to 1878. This necessitated the Congress of Berlin in 1878 when Benjamin Disraeli led the British delegation. It was also the year the first Jewish kibbutz was set up and chronologically marked out for return of favour to Israel. The Congress of Berlin ran from 13 June to 13 July. Disraeli attended with future prime ministers Lord Salisbury and Salisbury’s nephew Arthur Balfour. The latter would later be known for the 1917 Balfour declaration to establish a homeland for the Jews in Israel. Participating nations included Greece, the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) and Russia. Russia had won that war but support by Britain helped the Ottomans maintain control by allowing the Jews and other minorities to have rights not only in the land of Israel but places like Romania, Serbia and Russia as well as Turkey and Greece. A request was placed directly to the Congress for the "Jews in Palestine" to be given their independence. Although this was not part of the discussion at the Congress itself. The first kibbutz Petah Tikva was established in 1878. It was inland from modern‑day Tel Aviv. Initially there were problems with the land there which only really thrived once the land was extensively cleared to make it habitable. It certainly was a landmark moment. In December of this year Naphtali Imber wrote the poem ‘Hatikvah’ which became the Israeli national anthem. The chorus is as follows: "Our hope is not yet lost, Chronologically it fits. Isaiah 40:2 says "Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD’S hand double for all her sins." Jeremiah was given the same message about the time "first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things." (Jer.16:18) This idea of a double means an equal period of time one of favour and a second one of disfavour. 1813 BC marks the death of Jacob whose name was changed to "Israel" when then the twelve sons of Israel formed the nation albeit they were living in Egypt. 1845 years mark the period from Jesus’ death in 33 A.D. to 1878. NAC |
