I am looking for a famous essay from the late Nineteenth Century,
called "The Truth From The Land of Israel" by Ahad Ha'am (Asher
Ginsburg),which I have found in Hebrew (which I don't read) but have
been unable to find in English.

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Request for Question Clarification by justaskscott-ga on 10 May 2003 19:02 PDT

Do you happen to read German?  A recent article states that this essay
has not been translated into English, but that it is available in a
book in German.  This book is available at some used book shops.

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Request for Question Clarification by markj-ga on 12 May 2003 05:31 PDT

moonie -- 

I have determined that an academic journal article contains what its
author described to me as "the first full [English] translation" of
the article in which you are interested.  After a significant amount
of research, I am very confident that this article is not available
on-line.

However, a copy of the journal issue is available from its distributor
for $10 for e-mail or postal delivery or $10 plus a small shipping
charge for faster physical delivery.

Would information on how to obtain this article be a satisfactory
answer?  If so, I will psot that information, along with an
explanation of my search strategy.

markj-ga

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Request for Question Clarification by markj-ga on 13 May 2003 08:32 PDT

moonie --

Please pardon the typo in my previous posting, which indicated that I
had found the "article" you are seeking.  Just to clarify my
clarification request, I have located an English translation of the
Ahad Ha'am *essay*, which is included in an article that is available
for $10 by e-mail, web download or regular postal service.  Please let
me know if you are interested.

Thanks,

markj-ga

moonie --

Thanks for your clarification, and here's your answer.

An English translation of the essay you are seeking may be found in
this article: "Much Ado about Little: Ahad Ha'am's 'Truth from Eretz
Yisrael,' Zionism, and the Arabs," by Alan Dowty, Vol. 5, No. 2 Israel
Studies, pp. 154-181 (Fall 2000).   I have had an e-mail exchange with
the author in which he told me that it contains "the first full
[English] translation" of Ha'am's 1891 essay.

Although free access to the article is not available online, a copy of
the article can be purchased for $10 from Indiana University Press for
delivery by web downloading, e-mail or standard postal service, or for
$10 plus a small shipping charge for faster physical delivery.  Here
is a link to the web page at which you can place your order:
Indiana University Press: Journals: Israel Studies.
http://www.iupressjournals.indiana.edu/israel/is5-2.acgi


Additional Sites:

The search strategy discussed below turned up many interesting
articles written from various points of view about Ahad Ha'am's essay
and his role in the Zionist movement.  Here are links to some of them:

Capitalism Magazine: From Time Immemorial - Palestine on the Eve of
Zionist Settlement: An Empty Land?
http://www.capmag.com/article.asp?ID=2136#note4

Miftah.org: Zionism at 100: Remembering Its Often Prophetic Jewish
Critics
http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=1142&CategoryId=21

Chicago Peace Now: What is Zionism? A Peace Now Vision
http://www.chicagopeacenow.org/wiz-short.html

Washington Report: Zionism at 100: The Myth of Palestine as "A Land
Without People"
http://www.washington-report.org/backissues/0398/9803029.html

Finally, here is a link to a book about Ahad Ha'am that is available
at Amazon.com:
Elusive Prophet: Ahad Ha'Am and the Origins of Zionism
by Steven J. Zipperstein
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0520081110/ref=lib_rd_btb/002-1097484-0158419?v=glance&s=books


Search Strategy:

The research was complicated by the fact that there are at least three
different English translations of the name of the 1891 Ha'am essay -- 
"The Truth from the Homeland of Israel,"  "Truth from Eretz Ysrael"
and "The Truth from Palestine."  Also, Ahad Ha'am's first name is
sometimes spelled "Achad," and his real last name (Ahad Ha'am is a pen
name) is also spelled in various ways, including "Ginsburg,"
"Ginsberg," "Ginzberg," and "Ginzburg."

After cataloguing the different versions of names and titles found in
various Google searches, I got the most comprehensive and concise
results about the essay using the following search terms:
"ahad ha'am" ginsburg OR ginsberg OR ginzburg OR ginzberg "truth from"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22ahad+ha%27am%22+OR+%22asher+ginsburg+OR+ginsberg+OR+ginzburg+OR+ginzberg%22+%22truth+from%22

This search confirmed my conclusion that an English translation of the
essay in question was not likely to be available online.  However, it
uncovered many references to Dr. Dowty's article in Israel Studies,
which refers to Ha'am's essay in its title and seemed like a promising
place to look for a translation of the essay, or at least for
information about one.  I e-mailed Dr. Dowty, who promptly responded
with the information that the article contains a full English
translation of the Ha'am essay.

Finally, the following Google search led me to the on-line distributor
of Israel Studies articles:
"alan dowty" "israel studies"
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22alan+dowty%22+%22israel+studies%22&btnG=Google+Search

I am certain that this information will lead you directly and
conveniently to an English translation of the Ahad Ha'am essay you are
seeking.  If any of the above needs clarification, please ask for
clarification before rating this answer.



markj-ga

Greetings Moonie:

I found a source where it seems heavily referenced but I could not
locate the translated text online.  The source I located is
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/pipermail/rad-green/2002-October/004864.html

I hope another Researcher will be able to assist you and good luck in
your quest.

Best regards,
journalist-ga

I have had real difficulty finding this, and unfortunately don't read
German either. I was hoping that perhaps in some esotheric place not
well catalogued someone would find it. Perhaps someone who has
translated it but not published it. Thanks for your help.

moonie --

After considerable research, I too have been unable to find an English
translation of the 1891 essay, although, given Ha'am's prominence, it
seems curious that such a translation would not have been made by now.

I have also come across the article to which justaskscott-ga refers,
which cites one scholar for the proposition that there is no English
translation.
Because that is so surprising, I have e-mailed two prominent experts
on Ahad Ha'am and asked for any information they may have on the
existence of an English translation of the essay.

I will report on their responses as soon as I receive them.

markj-ga

The Hebrew version of the essay appeared in Ahad HaAm's collection
entitled "Al Parshat Derakhim." There is an English translation of
that collection:

Ten essays on Zionism and Judaism / by Achad Ha-Am ; translated from
the Hebrew by Leon Simon ; new introduction by Louis Jacobs. New York
: Arno Press, 1973. Photocopy of the London, 1922 edition.

Anyone who has access to that volume should check if it includes "The
Truth From The Land of Israel."

All The Best,
ravuri-ga

Hi MarkJ

Yes, I'd love to have the information to obtain the article and your
methodology for finding it. This would be a suitable "answer."
Thanks