5 8 2 D O C . 3 7 9 T R A V E L D I A R Y It is not clear whether Einstein visited Degania Aleph, the first kibbutz, which was founded in 1909, or adjacent Degania Beth, which was founded in 1920, or both. Both lie on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. The Arab village of Mejdal (Magdala) lay on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. Upon his return to Tiberias following his tour of the Sea of Galilee settlements, Einstein met with the moderate Mufti Sheikh Taher el Tabri “and other notables of the different communities” (see Pal- estine Weekly, 2 March 1923, p. 141). [247]Most likely the Hotel Germania. [248]This was a popular lecture held at the Lämel School in Jerusalem. The lecture was organized by the associations of Jewish doctors, teachers, engineers, and architects in Palestine the Hebrew Technical Society and the Palestine Oriental Society. Einstein was introduced to the audience by Yitzhak Ladizhansky, a mathematics teacher at the Hebrew Gymnasia and at the teachers’ seminary in Jerusalem, and was greeted by wild applause. His lecture lasted one and a half hours and dealt with the main points of the theory of relativity. It was attended by “the entire Jerusalem intelligentsia” (“kol ha-intelligentsia ha-yerushalmit”). Prominent members of the audience included Lady Beatrice Mir- iam Samuel-Franklin and Hadassah Samuel-Grasovsky, Menachem Ussishkin, David Yellin, Judah L. Magnes, the Hebrew philologist Aharon Meir Masie, the historian and Hebrew literature scholar Joseph Klausner, the director of the Department of Education in the Zionist Executive Joseph Lurie, the writer and publicist Mordechai Ben Hillel Hacohen, Father Dhorme, Bezalel Schatz, “and some of the best minds of the various nations residing in Jerusalem” (“ve-od mi’tovei ha-maskilim shel ha’umot ha-yoshvot bi-yerushalayim”). Approximately 450 people attended the lecture. The chief rabbis were invited but did not attend (see Doar Hayom, 15 February 1923, and Ha’aretz and Pales- tine Weekly, 16 February 1923, p. 107). There was clearly some annoyance in German diplomatic circles that the invitations “did not bear one single European (let alone German) letter, but were only printed in Hebrew” (“trugen aber keinen einzigen europäischen (geschweige deutschen) Buchstaben, sondern waren nur in hebräischer Sprache gedruckt”). In spite of this criticism, the lecture was presented as a great success: “The crush was incredibly large, so that already 15 minutes before time the gates had to be closed. The audience was mixed: Englishmen, French, Americans etc., Catholics, Protestants, Templars, and for the most part: Jews. It was the first time since the war that Jerusalem had seen such a large gathering that had come to see a German professor at his German lecture” (“Der Zudrang war ungeheuer gross, so daß schon ¼ Stunde vor der Zeit die Tore geschlossen werden mußten. Die Zuhörerschaft war gemischt: Engländer, Franzosen, Amerikaner etc., Katholiken, Protestanten, Templer und der grösste Teil: Juden. Es war das erstemal nach dem Kriege, dass Jerusalem eine solch grosse Versammlung sah, die gekommen war, einem deutschen Professor bei seinem deutschen Vortrag zu lauschen” see Presse- korrespondenz des Deutschen Auslands-Instituts Stuttgart, 21 March 1923 [GyBPAAA/R64677]). The diploma of the Jewish Medical Association in Palestine was presented to Einstein by Abra- ham Albert Ticho (1883–1960), Jerusalem ophthalmologist (see Ha’aretz, 16 February 1923). [249]The Einsteins had returned to Government House on 13 February (see The Palestine Weekly, 16 February 1923, p. 107). [250]Frederick H. Kisch referred to the departure in his diary: “Saw Einstein off at Jerusalem sta- tion asked him to let us know if during his tour he had observed that we were doing anything which in his opinion we should not do, or if we were leaving undone things which should be done. He answered: “Ramassez plus d’argent”” (see Kisch 1938, p. 31). [251]Max (Mordechai) Mouschly (1874?–1950?), merchant, Jewish community leader, and Zionist functionary in Port Said (see Ne’eman 2001, p. 31). [252]Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805–1894) was a French diplomat who oversaw the construction of the Suez Canal. His statue stood at the entrance to the Canal in Port Said. [253]Celia Mouschly-Turkel (1875?–1960). For Einstein’s note expressing his gratitude to the Mouschlys for their care of Elsa, see Abs. 521. [254]The RMS Ormuz of the Orient Line. [255]According to German press reports, there were widespread imprisonments and convictions by the French occupation forces of civil servants, policemen, and businessmen in the Ruhr (see Berliner Tageblatt, 16 February 1923, Morning Edition).