[Item #43491] What is the American Colony? UTOPIAN, Bertha Spafford VESTER.

What is the American Colony?

Jerusalem: Greek Convent Press, N.d. [ca 1952]. First Edition. Staple-bound pamphlet, 23cm x 16cm (ca 9" x 6"). Printed plain paper wrappers; 12pp. Wrappers toned; rear wrapper sound but discolored, apparently from having once been laid down in an album; contents clean and unmarked. Good and complete. Includes fundraising pledge form bound in after final page of text.

Scarce, privately-published account of the American Colony in Jersusalem, founded as a Christian utopian community in 1881 by Chicagoans Anna and Horatio Spafford. By the time of this writing the religious community had disbanded, though the author (the Spaffords' youngest daughter) provides a history of the Colony's utopian phase. The rest of the pamphlet is a description of the "Colony's" ongoing humanitarian work as a non-sectarian children's hospital and clinic during the ongoing Palestinian conflict. Spafford makes numerous prescient recommendations to American readers regarding U.S. policy towards Israel and Palestine, including more even distribution of aid, guaranteeing permanent boundaries on Israeli settlements, and providing cash restitution for forfeited properties. Uncommon; two verifiable holdings in OCLC (Hamilton, UC Davis) as of 2019.

Price: $200.00

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