SOAS Research Online

Abstract

The Hebrew monthly Ha-Shiloah is one of a very few periodicals which made a great impact on the development of modern Hebrew literature. In order to establish the importance of this periodical, Chapter I of this thesis is devoted to a discussion of the knowledge of Hebrew among the reading public and the various methods of Jewish education. This is followed by a historical survey of Hebrew periodicals in Germany, Austria, Russia and Poland before the publication of Ha-Shiloah. Chapter II is devoted to the period in which Ha-Shiloah was edited by Ahad Ha-'Am. It includes his efforts to establish the paper, his editorial policy and the argument of the 'Young Writers' against.it. A discussion - is also included of some literary and. administrative problems that came from his editorial treatment of contributions to the periodical and his determination to maintain a high literary standard. The last section of this chapter is a literary survey of the material that appeared in Ha-Shiloah during this period. Chapter III treats the rest of the European period before the paper was moved to Palestine. It discusses the change of editors and the consequent change in policy. The role of Klausner and Bialik in editing the journal, and the influence of Ahad Ha-Am on both are surveyed in detail. The chapter also includes a discussion of the link between Ha-Shiloah and Ha-Sofeh and the effect of this link on the publication of Ha-Shiloah. Other problems which faced the publication of Ha-Shiloah are fully analyzed. The last section is a literary assessment of material that appeared in the journal during this period. Chapter IV is a summary survey of argument presented in the preceding chapters.