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PAGE FOUR
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for co-operation on the part of both
RON IGIL desire
parties that will be involved in the bar-
gain. A similar spirit of co-operation must
and THE LEGAL CHRONICLE
be displayed by all other groups. It should
Pubhaired Weekly by The Jewish Chronicle Publishing Co., Inc.
be possible to combine the efforts of cul-
Entered as Second-eine matter Mirth S, 1916, at the Post-
tural groups for unified activities which
of9ce at Detroit, Mich.. under the Act of March a, 1575.
will avoid confusion and duplication; and
General Offices and Publication Building
this, in turn, should make it possible to
525 Woodward Avenue
disband such organizations whose exist-
Telephone: Cadi1144 1040 Cable Address: Chronicle ance is only a burden and does not serve
Leaden orik•,
either to add to the services rendered or
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to enhance the already complicated com-
Subscription, in Advance
$3.00 Per Year munity picture.
To insure publIc•tion, all correspondence and new. matter
Co-ordination and co-operation will
must reach this Ohre by Tuesday evening of each welt.
help the Jewish cause; duplication and
When mailing notices, kindly use one side of the paper only.
confusion will harm it.
The Detroit Jewish Chronicle Invitee eorreepondenes on sub(

loots of interest to the Jewish people, but diecialms responsi-
ility for an indorsement of the rimy. cap ..... d by the writers

Sabbath Chol Hamoed Passover Reading of the Law

Pentatuechal portion—Ex. 33:12-34:26; Num.
28:19-25.
Prophetical portion—Ezek 36:37-37:14.

Cho! Hamoed Passover Reading of the Torah,
Sunday, April 12

Num. 9:1-14; 28:19-25.

Seventh Day Passover Readings of the
Monday, April 13

Law,

Pentateuchal portion—Ex. 13:17-15:26; Num.
28:19-25

Readings of the La wfor Eighth Day of Passover,
Tuesday, April 14

Pentateuchal portion—Deut. 15:19-16:17; Num.
28:10-25
Propetical portion—Is. 10:32-12:6

April 10, 1936

Nisan 18, 5696

Ugly Rumors

Ugly rumors which have spread like
wildfire charge prominent and reputable
Detroit firms with discriminating against
Jews.
The most ridiculous element in these
rumors was the alleged declaration that
these firms do not want Jewish business
and care to have no dealings with Jews.
This alone should have been sufficient to
brand the rumors as false, malicious and
ridiculous. We are yet to hear of business
men, even those who hail from most dis-
criminating quarters and who deal with
communities that are only scantily popula-
ted by Jews, who ever boasted that they
do not want Jewish business.
In the instance of the two firms that
'were selected for specific attack by those
who spread the rumors, the lie that was
circulated is so outrageous that the strong-
est language is insufficient for the con-
demnation of the spread of such false-
hoods. Both firms--Sanders and Tuttle &
Clark—are reputable business establish-
ments and their salespeople are most cour-
teous. Both employ Jews and enjoy Jew-
ish patronage. Both are pledged to co-
operate in every possible way with the
committee that is prosecuting the boycott
of German-made goods.
We have so much at stake in quarters
where we actually suffer from discrimina-
tion, and it takes so much effort to fight
bigotry, that anyone who adds fuel to the
fires of prejudice by spreading malicious
lies against fair-minded business firms de-
serves the severest condemnation. Unfor-
tunately it is impossible to discover the
person who first starts the circulated
rumors. Such reports usually start from
mild statements which later develop into
the grossest exaggerations.
Every Detroit Jew owes it to the cause
of justice to assist in stopping the rumors
that were circulated in the past few weeks
and to strive to prevent the circulation of
similar lies in the future.

The Overorganized Community

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April 10, 1936

end THE LEGAL CHRONICLE

So often has the plea been heard that
Jews ought to be organized for this and
that or the other thing, that the giant we
wanted to build: community organization,
has become an unwieldly and overorgan-
ized structure which threatens to prove a
boomerang and to destroy itself.
A glance at the community picture will
prove the truth of our contention that we
are overorganized, that we have too many
organizations, that instead of co-ordinat-
ing we have spread out in too many direc-
tions.
Community organization would of nec-
essity demand that we avoid duplication of
effort; that we co-operate and co-ordinate
rather than confuse and confound issues
and obligations.
There are organization in our commu-
nity which have auxiliaries and junior
groups and branches in various sections
of the city. They are reminders of the
charge frequently made that when peo-
pie desire to assume office and are unable
to gain their desired ends, they form so-
cieties of their own. That charge used to
be directed at groups in the habit of form-
ing new synagogues, in spite of the fact
that there may already be too many syna-
gogues which are not frequented. Today
this charge may also be applied to non-
religious organizations, to social move-
ments.
A glance at the calendar of events in
this community will at once prove this
charge. There is no excuse for it. There
are too many groups claiming to be work-
ing for "charitable purposes;" just as
there are too many which ask for commu-
nity support for cultural reasons.
It Is time that many of these groups be-
gan to think in terms of co-ordinating their
efforts. There is a movement on foot na-
tionally to form one great effort in behalf
of Palestine, in order that the various
Zionist elements should not be compelled
to conduct independent fund-raising ef-
forts. Whata boon this will be, if effected!
And what an example to all other move-
ments!
The Jewish Welfare Federation is now
being asked to include the Jewish Na-
tional Fund in its planned budget for the
1936 Allied Jewish Campaign. There is
reason to believe that this important fund
will not be compelled to conduct a drive
of its own, but that a basis of co-operation
will be established with the Federation in
order to cement co-ordinating influences
in the community. If this agreement is
reached, as we believe it will be it will
be the result of understanding and a

,

Wedgwood and Weizmann

The most important contemporary
name that must be contributed to the list
of the group which Jewish tradition hon-
ors under the title of "Chassidic Umos
Ha'Olom"—the noblemen among nations
of the world—is Col. Josiah Wedgwood.
In recording this fact anew we realize
that we are not telling anything that is
striking or is not known to every Jew who
has some knowledge of current Jewish
history, but the stand that was taken a
few days ago by Col. Wedgwood on the
floor of the House of Commons when he
lead the attack upon the Colonial Ministry
for its anti-Jewish discriminations in Pal-
estine causes him once again to stand out
as a champion of Jewish rights and as a
friend whose sincerity touches us most
deeply.
It appears as if Col. Wedgwood has
made Palestine not only his hobby but the
most important factor in his career as a
British statesman. There isn't a single
question affecting Palestine which did not
bring him to his feet either in protest or
commendation on the floor of the House
of Commons. He is the type of champion
that does not tire of expressing his views
and demanding justice for his cause.
In the present instance of Col. Josiah
Wedgwood's successful mobilization of
forces in behalf of the Jewish cause and
in protest against the unfairness of the
British administration in Palestine he had
as an ally in preparing the battleground
the greatest living Jewish statesman, Dr.
Chaim Weizmann. It is reported author-
itatively that Dr. Weizmann's efforts dur-
ing the several dayi he spent in London
preceding the House of Commons debate
were responsible for the powerful mobili-
zation of friendly forces who defended
the cause of a Jewish Palestine. Dr. Weiz-
mann's latest efforts once again place him
in the forefront as the outstanding Jewish
leader in the world today.
Should the debate in the House of Com-
mons result in forcing the Colonial MM-
istry to give up its anti-Jewish policies in
Palestine, then the names of Wedgwood
and Weizmann will stand out once again
as those of the two ablest defenders of
Jewish aspirations and as the two men to
whom the present generation of Jews is
obligated for most of the successful
achievements in Palestine.

ti

Honoring Dr. Arthur Ruppin

Dr. A r t h u r Ruppin's works and
speeches, especially those dealing with col-
onization problems, will be published in
Palestine as a tribute to this eminent lead-
er and statistician on his 60th birthday.
Detroiters will recall the impression
made by this noted authority on coloniza-
tion and on Jewish vital statistics when he
visited here about 12 years ago. And those
who have read his "Jew of Today" will
appreciate even more the value of his nu-
merous contributions to Jewish life, to
Jewish thought and to the gathering of in-
formation about J e w i s h communities
throughout the world.
The observance of Dr. Ruppin's 60th
birthday deserves to be honored by Jews
not only in Palestine but throughout the
world.

Inconsistent Liberators

Only about three years ago, Eleutherios
Venizelos, former Greek premier, recently
deceased, told an audience during an elec-
tion campaign that he did not want Jewish
votes; that he wanted only the votes of
Greeks; that his party turned anti-Semitic.
More recently, the Venizelists made peace
with the Jews and the former anti-Semitic
stand was reversed.
How unfortunate that men and parties
responsible for the liberation of their own
people do not know how to be decent to
the Jewish group in their midst, even
though the Jews fought side by side with
them for the liberation of their countries!
Venizelos was a typical example of such
inconsistent liberators. The Polish people
also represent such tragic inconsistency.
Although Jews sacrificed for the freedom
of Poland, they are now being robbed of
their own freedom by people who only
a short time ago were themselves op-
pressed and persecuted.
Liberty, what crimes ARE being com-
mitted in thy name!

Beth El's 85th Anniversary

When one speaks of the history of the
Jewish community of Detroit he must un-
avoidably begin with the formation of
Temple Beth El.
We know very little about any activi-
ties by Jews in Detroit prior to the time
when Temple Beth El was organized, but
with this congregation's activities actually
begins the history of the Jewish commu-
nity of Detroit.
Temple Beth El is to be congratulated
on having attained the age of 85 and on
having made a definite contribution to our
community during eight and a half de-
cades of existence.
This anniversary is indeed more than
merely a sectional observance; it is an oc-
casiat that should have the interest of
all etroit Jews. We congratulate the
Rabl is, officers, and members of Temple
Beth. El on this occasion.

Lights from
Shadowland

By LOUIS PEKARSKY

RELIGION THROUGH ART

Tidbits from Everywhere

Reproduction In part or whole forbid-
den. without permission of the Seven
Ante Fratura Syndicate. CoPYrightem of
thl. feature.

(copyright. 1936. 8. A. F. a.)

By MAX BROD

BENNY RUBIN A HIT

We hear that Benny Rubin, film
comedian, has made such a hit on
the radio with Eddie Cantor and
Jack Benny that he is being starred
on his own program over the NBC
network, beginning this week.

SIDNEY LANFIELD

Perhaps the most logical man to
direct musical pictures in Holly-
wood is Sidney Lanfield, 20th Cen-
tury—Fox director. He holds the
distinction of being a pioneer in
the type of music with which he
works, having been a member of
the very first jazz band ever or-
ganized. His career started quite
inauspiciously in Chicago, where
he was born. His father was a
watchmaker and jeweler. After
attending public schools and the
University of Chicago for two
years, he left college to go on the
stage. lie first worked in the Col-
lege Inn in Chicago before going
to New York and a nation-wide
vaudeville circuit.
It was in New York that he be-
came a member of the "Dixieland
Jazz Band" which secured an en-
gagement at Reisenweber's. After
the first number, the manager was
so disgusted that he wanted to
throw the band out bodily. He was
able to restrain himself for a week,
but no longer. Al Jolson happened
to drop in at the crucial moment
and he saved the men their jobs
by telling the manager his orches-
tra was providing something new
and unusual for the public. To
prove it, he persuaded many of his
friends to go and hear it. It soon
became a fad, and the best people
in town went jazz mad.
While playing in Los Angeles in
vaudeville in 1926, Lanfield was
hired by Fox studios as a gag man
and has been there ever since. He
soon became an assistant director,
and later a director. He brought to
his work a variety of accomplish-
ments. lie is a good pianist, and at
one time made phonograph records
and piano rolls. lie has written
songs for Fannie Brice, Belle Ba-
ker and Sylvia Clark, but never
achieved his earliest ambition
which mas to become a telephone
company linesman in order that
he might climb poles.

The first impulse for the writing of this
Passover oratorio came to me almost two years
ago through Paul Dessau, and at a subsequent
personal meeting we laid the basic plans for the
work. Paul Dessau has made a name for him-
self with his children's cantata and with his
recent musical setting for two psalms. He has
written an orchestral suite and has composed
the music for several sound films. Only a short
time he completed the music for a film on Pal-
estine, "Avodah."
The title of our oratorio is "Haggadah."
The text is finished now, and my friend Paul
Dessau is making rapid progress in the composi-
tion of the music. During the last few months
he has devoted himself entirely to this work;
I have just received from him the newly com-
pleted fourth part, the dramatic power of which
deeply thrills me. In this respect, incidentally,
our plan has changed greatly since we drew
up the first outline. To our own amazement the
work has grown more and more dramatic, yet
without violating the oratorio style. Hence it
will be possible to present it in a rigorous con-
cert form, as an oratorio, or with a conven-
tionalized intimation of scenic elements, as, for
example, in the passage through the Red Sea.
Such alternative methods of presentation are
no innovation, for even the oratorios of Handel
may be given either in concert form or in a con-
ventionalized stage production.
The work is divided into seven parts—and
somehow I feel that the symbolism of this num-
ber may have some significance. The first part
consists of the overture. The second part pre-
sents a children's chorus in a dialogue with the
speaker, Baal Haggadah. The mood is gay, the
children are joyfully looking forward to the
Passover feast, eagerly help in the search for
chumetz, and ask all kinds of questions which
represent the four types of sons of which the
Haggadah speaks. At the close of this part the
Speaker refers to the Seder Eve, when all the
explanations will be given; and his earnest
speech closes with the words of the Haggadah:
Ki lo echod bilvad amad (for not one ahne
arose against us). For this passage Dee.nu has
composed a fascinating march which constitutes
one of the leitmotifs of the whole work.

The First Work is in Hebrew

The text is, of course, in Hebrew. I wrote
it in German, and my friend Georg Langer, an
excellent Hebraist and probably the only Heb-
rew poet in Prague, translated my text into
Hebrew. Langer is, incidentally, the author of
a book on the Cabala, and a brother of the well-
known Czech author Frantisek Langer, whose
Periphery made him famous. The music is being
composed for the Hebrew text. Later, perhaps,
we shall make, translations into other languages
to fit the music; but the original text of the
work is in Hebrew.
The text of our oratorio is distinguished
from other oratorio texts, such as those used by
Handel, by the fact that we have made use of
not only the Bible but of all the treasures of
Jewish tradition.
The third section introduces the father of
the family and the small chorus of the partici-
pants in the Seder ceremony. The father sings.

Is the Anti-Nazi Boycott a Success or a Failure?

J.

GEORGE FREDMAN

EDITOR'S NOTE: Is the Boycott hitting tn. miming? Ming Is wrong with the
picture of Gerinenrs Imports to the I ailed Melee? Mr. Frestmom who, ra.
commander-Inichief of the Jewish Mae Veterans inaugurated the boycott,
answers them question In this exclusive article. Mr. Fredman Is now a mem-
ber of the executive committee of the non-Sectarian sett-Neal League.

(CI:Wright, 1936, Seven Arts Feature Syndicati

It is now three years since the
beginning of the economic boycott
against Nazi Germany. What has
become a more or less organized
international movement was
launched on March 20, 1933,
through a resolution of the execu-
tive council of the Jewish War
When this boycott resolution was
announced it was met with almost
Veterans of the United States.
unanintus opposition in organized
Jewish circles. For several weeks
the boycott remained • sporadic
undertaking, lacking in real force.
Ultimately, however, even those
groups that had opposed the boy-
cott came to see in it the only
logical and effective weapon of
defense against Nazi Germany.
When protest meetings and denun-
ciatory resolutions failed to move
the rulers of Germany and when
the hope of official or unofficial
intercession by the great powers
was not realized, the national Jew-
ish organizations, under the im-
petus of mass demand, endorsed
the boycott. Those that refrained
from giving it public sanction
were unmistakably sympathetic.
By the summer of 1933 the boycott
had gained tremendous impetus in
this country and had already
spread throughout the Europe. On
July 20, 1933, there was held the
international boycott conference in
Amsterdam where the boycott was
given international scope. Before
theyear was out the bee
boycott was
transformed from a purely Jewish
measure of self-defense to a non-
sectarian movement enjoying the
support of large sections of people
in many countries. In 1934 there
wan organized the World Anti-Nazi
Council to Champion Human
Rights, the agency which serves as
an international clearing house for
the prosecution of the boycott.
Previously similar bodies had. been
set up in this country, England,
France, Holland, Egypt, Belgium,
Poland, Caned* and South Africa.
By the end of 1934 even the Nazis
were ready to concede that the boy-
cott ',nu proving effective.
At the outset the boycott was
aimed at consumer goods. Retail
buyers throughout the world were
mobilised and urged not to pur-
chase German goods. The imme-
diate effect was • sharp drop in
the sale of German goods through

(('oPyright,1936. S. A. F.

retail channels. One after another
the leading department stores an-
nounced that they had cancelled
German orders and that they were
eliminating German goods from
their counters and warehouses.
Chain stores and other retail out-
lets did the same as new sources
for goods previously imported from
Germany were discovered under
the stimulus of the boycott. The
inevitable result was a catastro-
phic decline in German exports
not only to this country but to al-
most every other country. Ger-
many's trade balance shrank to
nothing and turned into • huge
deficit. Panic-stricken by her de-
pleted foreign trade, Germany re-
sorted to dumping, fraudulent la-
beling and other unorthodox and
extreme measures to stimulate
trade.

Displaced as Fur Center

Today we know that Germany
is faced with a major economic
crisis and the boycott is one of the
contributing factors. Unemploy-
ment has increased, wages have
declined, the standard of living has
dropped, famine is rife and raw
materials are at a premium. Only
her huge re-armament program
and the resourceful financial mani-
pulations' of Dr. Hjalmar Schacht
have enabled the Third Reich to
stave off a complete economic col-
lapse. All the feverish attempts to
develop substitutes for foreign raw
materials, to obtain foreign loans
and to keep factories going at full
blast have failed. The boycott, to-
gether with other factors growing
out of Germany's political and
economic policies, has done its
work. The very fact that Hitler has
had to resort to dangerous diplo-
matic excursions abroad indicates
that his regime must divert domes-
tic public attention from economic
distress at home to political vie-
a dc b ti
t t h o r el i t ees xi sa abroad.
d course, to gauge
(i
t of the boycott. But
there can be no denying that Ger-
man films, books, clothing, textiles,
dyes, wines, dishes and similar
products have virtually disap-
peared from the markets of most
countries. Thanks to the boycott
Ge rmany has been displaced as the
fur center of the world. And it
might be mentioned that the dig-
( PLEASE TERN TO PAGE II )

Ho lachmo. A child asks the Ma nishtano, and
is answered first by the father, then by the
chorus: Because in Egypt we were slaves unto
Pharaoh. From this point on we follow the
Haggadah until we reach the passage that in-
troduces the wise men of B'nai Derek. There-
after our work is original, so to speak. After
these wise men of B'nai Berak emerge from the
abyss of the ages our oratorio departs from the
family gathering, to a certain extent, to provide
a great, heroic survey of the sufferings of the
Hebrews in the land of Egypt, and of their liber-
ation. Incidents occurring in Egypt are pre-
sented graphically and dramatically. We have
a chorus of Egyptians, a chorus of Israelites,
Pharaoh, Moses and the Voice of God, the latter
being represented by a chorus singing in unison
behind the scenes.

A Great Work of Art

The five wise men--each of whom receives
his individual characterization: Eliezer the stern,
Joshua the gentle and forgiving, etc.--connect
their discussion and their narration of legends
with the events that take place. Thus the fourth,
fifth and sixth parts of our work constitute a
great historical portrait falling into three sec-
tions in accordance with the Seder ritual as
prescribed by Rabbi Gamaliel. The fourth part,
Manor, portrays the sufferings in Egypt; the
fifth part, Pesach, shows the plagues; the sixth
part, Matzo, tells of the departure from Egypt
and includes the Red Sea scene. Here we make
use of the beautiful legend that God inter-
rupted the joyful song of the angels with the
words: "Would you rejoice while the creatures
of My hand perish?" So that even this national
struggle finishes on a note of all-embracing
humanity. At the close of the sixth part the
disciples summon the wise men to morning pray-
er, and the music takes on a matutinal mood.
The seventh part takes us back to the family
group and brings us several important parts of
the Seder ritual, such as the song of the kid
and the great hymn of praise which brings the
work to a close. This seventh part is again child-
like and familiar in mood, so that the magnifi-
cent and sometimes gloomy historical portrayal
of the middle sections is framed in the peace-
ful joy of the holiday mood and the childlike
interchange of questions and answers.
The music of Paul Dessau is highly individual,
as he has already shown in the great Palestine
film Avodah. His composition is vigorous and
gripping, unusually mobile in rhythm, and
'powerfully melodic in many passages. It has
given me great happiness to have Paul Dessau
as ray collaborator. I have seen his Avodah,
directed by the famous Lerskl and produced by
Boroschek. These three men have together cre-
ated a great work of art that is worthy of our
reconstructive work in Eretz Israel.
- We expect to have our oratorio completed
very shortly. Interested in presenting it are
Jewish choirs and orchestras at Tel Aviv, Ber-
lin, Frankfurt, Prague and other cities. We
have received many inquiries, but are not ex-
pecting to decide definitely on where the pre-
miere is to take place until the work is fully
completed.

MA NISHTANO
FOR GROWN-UPS

By RABBI A. H. ISRAELITAN

not necessary at the present

time, for it is no longer a sym-
bol of freedom.

Rabbi Judah ben Sal, promi-
nent Palestinian scholar of the
second century of this era, once
made the following remark to
an aristocratic Roman lady who
had accused him of being intox-
icated: "I only drink wine when
I have to make Kiddush and
Habdalah, and also at the Seder
table, when I drink the four
cups of wine that the law re-
quires. And, believe me, when
I drink those four cups I get

headaches that last from Pass-

ever to Pentecost."

For • to time the Hagga-
dah, which we recite on Seder
nights, was not printed separ-
ately, as is customary today,
but was part of the Siddur. It
is only late in the Middle Ages
that booklets containing just
the Haggadah began to be pub-
lished.
The white robe known as the
"kittel," which is worn by many
• pious Jew on the joyous Seder
eve, is not a reminder of the
shroud and the day of death,
as some would have us believe,

( PLEASE TERN TO PAGE a)

The late Henri Bendel, prom
inept New York merchant who
specialized in women's clothing,
was a member of All Saints'
Church on Long Island and the
Rev. Dr. Alexander hicKechnie,
who officiated at the funeral, called
him "a Christian gentleman", but
we know a New York rabbi who
officiated at the funeral of Ben-
del's mother . . . Bendel came of
an Orthodox Jewish family from
Louisiana ... So far as news im.
portance is concerned Dr. Albert
Einstein is a forgotten man. In a
recent poll of the 10 outstanding
news figures of the world Einstein
didn't get a single vote. Two years
ago he was among the first 10.
Miss Cora Rubin, one of Sena-
tor Borah's secretaries, is being
kept busy explaining that she's not
Jewish, despite her name.
As predicted several weeks ago,
former Refugee Commissioner
James G. McDonald is now a mem-
ber of the editorial staff of the
New York Times.
The ritzy Doctor's Hospital in
New York divides its maternity
ward into Aryan and non-Aryan
sections, reserving one floor for
Jewish women exclusively. That's
starting anti-Semitism right from
the cradle.

MARTIAL NOTES

Harry H. Schaffer of Pittsburgh
senior vice-commander-in-chief of
the Jewish War Veterans, and J.
George Fredman, past commander-
in-chief, are responsible for get-
ting David A. Brown into the
JWV At the recent convention
of the New Jersey JWV they met
Brown and brought him to the
convention . .. Although he's a
Spanish-American War Veteran,
Brown didn't know he was eligible
for the JWV But he is now a
member ih good standing of the
Detroit post. . . Speaking of the
JWV, its next national convention
will be held in Pittsburgh over the
Labor Day week-end . . . And
Pittsburgh will probably have the
next national commander-in-chief
In the person of Harry Schaffer.
Still on the subject of the JWV,
we might mention that the honor-
ary editor-in-chief of the Jewish
War Veteran, official JWV organ,
is a prominent Hoboken Catholic
printer by the name of John Bado,
who has done plenty for inter-
religious good will.

ABOUT PEOPLE

Al Jolson's father and mother
have realized a lifelong ambition
by taking their first trip to Pal-
estine ... Al saw them off recent-
ly from New York.
Jack Lait, ace feature writer, is
the new editor of the New York
Daily Mirror.
Miss Gladys Rothafel, niece of
the late Samuel (Roxy) Rothafel,
is now the bride of Joseph L. Ei-
sendrath, Jr. of Chicago.
George Jean Nathan, dramatic
critic, and Mai-Mai-Sze, daughter
of the Chinese ambassador to the
United States, are said to be sweet
on each other.
That story about Paul Muni
having shaved his head for the
lead role in "The Good Earth" is
baloney . . . He achieved the ef-
fect with the help of a crack make-
up expert.
Sam Schulman of the Interna-
tional News Photos was the first

(PLEASE TURN TO PAGE SIX)

The Eternal Road

The Prologue of Max Reinhardt's Forthcoming Spectacle

By FRANZ WERFEL

(('oPYright. 1936. 8. A. F. S.)

The Congregational Seder,
which we find today in so many
synagogues, even in Reform
congregations, is not a new
thing, as many of us suppose.
Rabbi Eliezer ben Joel Halevi,
great German Talmudist of the
Middle Ages, informs us that
in Spain and Babylonia there
was a practice of having the
Cantor perform a public Seder
in the synagogue .. .
Although the Shulchan Aruch,
the authoritative code of Ortho-
dox Jewry, declares that the
Jew should eat during the Seder
night in a leaning position, to
indicate that he is a free man,
nevertheless there have been
great scholars in the past who
have objected to this practice.
Rabbi Eliezer ben Joel Halevi,
for example, writes: Leaning is

)

DID YOU KNOW THAT?

(Copyright. 1936, Seven Arts Feature Syndicate1'

Three Years of Boycott

By

By PHINEAS J. BIRON

NOTE: The author of this article, the distinguished Czechoslovakian
Jewish novelist, is completing, In cooperation with the eminent composer, Paul
Dessau, • musical dramatic Passover presentation. Man Brod has COnagnicd
to tell the Seven Arts—Palcor Agency Prague correspondent all about this
important creation, which will be seen throughout the world before many
years elapse.

EDITOR'S

NEWS BITS

Among the new positions created
by Charles R. Rogers (yes, he is
one of our people) in taking over
direction of Universal Studios is
the engagement of Rufus LeMaire,
veteran showman, as executive as-
sistant to both Mr. Rogers and
William Koenig, studio manager.
LeMaire has won an enviable repu-
tation by his ability to select screen
talent and to develop the possibili-
ties of ambitious stage players,
The world will be his field in the
investigation and selection of new
personalities for the films end pic-
ture ideas.
One of the largest singing chor-
uses ever used in e motion pic-
ture, 80 inked voices, recorded
vocal features under direction of
Alfred Newman for Pioneer Pic-
tures' new full-color tech/limier
musical romance.
Sam Kaufman, Hollywood's ace
cosmetician, has been signed by
David 0. Selznick to handle the
makeup for a new Technicolor pro-
duction. Kaufman has been make-
up man on all color features made
in recent years.

Strictly
Confidential

(English Version by Ludwig Lewisoha)

EDITOR'S NOTE: Frans Igerfel's "Eternal Road" must be regarded as this great
author . . resit monumental work. It was esPerially written by the nether of
"The Forty Days of Mows Dagh" at the request of Meier W.
prodneer, and Max Reiniunit, director. Ile prudoction, originally scheduled
for this winter, ham been postponed to the coming full. We present hen.with
the full text of the prologue of the "Eternal Road" by quietist arrangement
with Meyer W. Vielsgol, producer, and the Viking Press, publisher of Frans
erfel's melt.

W

THE PROLOUGE

Before the beginning of the ac-
tion the stage is rendered invis-
ible to the audience by a curtain
consisting of .ropes of light. So
soon as the gong has sounded and
the auditorium been darkened
there are heard from very far
away three long-drawnout muffled
tones blown on a ram's horn.
Thereupon one hears from equal-
ly far away the tread and tramp
and shuffle of thousands of feet,
the noises of a great human mass
setting out upon its way and draw-
ing nearer. These noises grew in
strength and speed; the tread and
tramp begin to race as of feet in
flight before pursuers. Sounds
arise of breathless terror, of
panting, of moaning cries. Upon
the lowest stage lights and Ian-
tors swarm visibly and out of the
darkness arises the Synagogue.
A part of the congregation, all
old men, is already assembled.
Clad in their white shrouds they
crouch on low stools or on the
floor in front of the Almemor.
They have finished the liturgical
mourning for the destruction of
the Temple; stumps of candles
stand before them. Through two
narrow portals, right and left, en-
ter in crowds the other persecuted
and driven Jews. Most of them
are bowed under the load of their
sacks. The women and little chil-
dren disappear into the women's
balcony, separated by a balustrade
from the main synagogue. The
P of the congregations
seeks to establish order.
The President (in a sharp whis-
per): No noise! Can you not step
softly? Black is the night in Is-
rael.
The Adversary (whose voice
has an habitual jeer) : Who has
ever heard of its being daylight
in Israel:
The President: Go on! Go on!
Let the women go to their places!
See to it that the children are

silent.

The Timid Soul: Have you ap-
pointed watchman to warn us of
the coming of the mob or of the
king's soldiers who will slay us?
The Adversary: If the mob kills
us anyhow, how will it have pro-

filed us that the watchman warned
us in advance?
The President (to the two door;
keepers at the right and left):
Are we all here? Then lock the
doors!
One of the Doorkeepers: We
cannot lock the doors yet. Our
Rabbi has gone to intercede for
us and is not yet here.
The President: The Rabbi bade
us not wait.
The Timid Soul: Our Rabbi has
gone to intercede with the king.
We may yet be saved.
Voices: Our God, blessed be He,
is a merciful God . . . Our con-
gregation has been in this town
for centuries. Why should they
kill us or drive us out? The king
will forbid our enemies to arouse
the rabble against us.
The Adversary: This people
never acquire any sense From
age to age it is smitten and yet
always befools itself again with
the hope of redemption. Look at
me! I am providing redemption
for Israel, for I have neither wife
nor children.
The Pious Man (rising from a
group of others who have all
drawn their praying shawls over
their heads) : It is the price of
our apostasy that we are paying.
Do not wail nor listen to the words
of the ignorant. There is no time
to be lost ... the night has scarce-
ly begun. We must pray; we must
storm the throne of the Eternal
and ahake the heart of the All-
Merciful . . . Draw the curtain
aside from the scroll of our holy
Law that our eyes behold it and
it alone.
(The curtain is drawn aside and
the Torah-scroll exposed to view).
Consider not life; consider not
death. Gather all your strength
of supplication and force the Mes-
siah to come down to us .. .
The Adversary: The Messiah
whom you people would acknowl-
edge will hardly care to appear.
The President: Are we all as-
sembled? Are there yet those who
approach in the dark? (lie gives
the doorkeepers the aignal to
shoot the latches. At that moment
both doors are rudely thrust open
from without. Framed in the left
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