"كتيّب سوريا (بما في ذلك فلسطين). لندن: إدارة استخبارات الأركان البحرية، يونيو ١٩١٩" [ظ‎‎١‎٠‎٨] (٧٣٨/٢٢١)

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INHABITANTS
and American agencies. The native Protestants do not form
a single community, but a number of congregations, similar
in type to those from which the missions to which they owe
their existence emanate ; hence the forms of Christianity
existing in England, Scotland, the United States, Germany,
Sweden, and Denmark are represented. At times, bodies of
adherents to other Churches have made advances to Pro
testant congregations, or have even temporarily joined them,
with a view to obtain concessions from their former com
munity on condition of their return to it.
• Jews
The Jewish sacred day of the week is Saturday, the Sabbath,
whereon a religious service is held in the synagogue, and where
on no work whatever may be done ; ‘ work ’ is classified by the
jurists in 39 categories, and includes such operations as writing,
kindling fire, &c. Their chief festival is Passover, during which
leavened bread may not be used; minor feasts are that of Weeks
or Pentecost, beginning on the fiftieth day counted from the
second of Passover week, and lasting two days ; Tabernacles,
commencing on the fifteenth day of the Jewish New Year,
and lasting nine days, the whole of which should be spent in
a shed not quite impenetrable to wind and rain ; Dedication,
in commemoration of the Maccabaean victories, and lasting
eight days (celebrated by the kindling of lights every evening
of the festival); and Purim, in commemoration of the deliver
ance of the nation through Mordecai and Esther, lasting one
day. The first ten days of the New Year are regarded as solemn ;
on the first two days trumpets are blown, whereas the tenth,
the Day of Atonement, is celebrated by continuous fasting.
Another fast day is the ninth of the month Ab, which is sup
posed to commemorate various disasters.
The Jewish calendar is lunar, but is accommodated to the
solar by intercalation in certain years of a cycle of nineteen.
The chief Jewish official is the Rabbi, who not only provides
the religious services of the synagogue, but is also consulted
on religious questions. For the congregations of the sanjaq of