Friday, April 12,_!946 •

THE JEWISH NEWS

Page Thirty-nine

Out of Endless Yearnings

tion. Dr. Davidson's learning had
Maimonides Auxiliary's
won him a world-wide reputation - Organizations Urged
A MEMOIR OF ISRAEL DAVIDSON. By C. Davidson, Bloch Publishing Co., in the realm of scholarship.
Annual
Luncheon May 28
To
Support
Filatov
New York
* * *
Children's
Hospital
The honors paid him did not
A Review by RABBI MORRIS ADLER
Tuesday, May 28 has been set
for the annual luncheon of the
The death of Prof. Israel David- and he cheerfully denied himself change the man. However recon-
At the meeting of the Jewish
dite the subject of his researches,
son on June 27, 1939, robbed Jew-
Women's Auxiliary of the
many a meal in order to purchase the congeniality of his spirit and Committee for Russian Relief, Maimonides Medical Society
ish life of one of its greatest con- a volume. At 18 he attended ele-
to
held April 4, plans were made be held in the Crystal Ballroom
the
warmth
which
he
infused
in-
temporary scholars. He had great-
mentary school, and like Rabbi to his relationships with friends to appeal to all Jewish organiza- of the Book-Cadillac Hotel.
In-
ly added to our store of knowl-
Akiba, was not ashamed to sit in and students, never chilled. His tions to support the drive to raise cluded in the program will
be
edge of the past by his tireless a classroom filled with children. was a poet's capacity for appre-
explorations of medieval lore. He Dr..Gottheil of Temple Emanu-El ciation and enthusiasm, and a $50,000 for the Filatov Children's children's and ladies' fashion
Hospital in Moscow.
shows and prizes. Mrs. Louis
pioneered in his chosen field and recognized his talents and secured child's genius for laughter. A
Isadore Starr, chairman of the Harley is chairman of prizes.
opened new avenues of knowl- for Davidson the post of Chaplain student could always find in him
committee,
stated:
"The
equip-
Anyone wishing to contribute a
edge and understanding to all
in Sing Sing. Davidson was later a wise and interested counsellor ping of this hospital will be a prize may contact her at
students of Judaism. Above all, to regale his students with inter-
UN.
ready to help. Perhaps the char- bridge of friendship between the 41135. Tickets may be secured
in his monumental Thesaurus of
esting accounts of his days "in acter of the man is most touch- American and Soviet peoples so from Mrs. M. Witus, chairman
Medieval Hebrew Poetry he had
of
prison." Professor Solomon ingly revealed in a note which vital in the maintenance of the affair; UN. 27285.
single-h a n d e d 1 y accomplished Shechter who came from Cam-
world
peace."
was
found
after
his
death.
He
what in the case of another group,
At the meeting on March 30,
bridge to re-organize the Jewish headed this brief "vidui" or tes-
He requested that "the dele-
only an academy of savants, sub-
Theological Seminary invited him tament with the words "al tisp- gates should not fall victims to the treasurer, Mrs. 0. U. Shapiro,
sidized by a government, would
tc join the , faculty of the young duni," "do not mourn for me." the current anti-Soviet campaign was authorized to forward con-
have undertaken and executed. institution. Dr. Davidson's fruit-
In it he wrote "You who have that is being perpetrated by cer- tributions to the Allied Jewish
For the Jewish scholar is a lonely
ful period of creative scholarship gathered here to take leave of my tain elements of American life." Campaign. Serve-a-Camp fund
figure and must rise to heroic pro- came when he served as Profes-
and the F.E.P.C. Mrs. David
At a meeting on April 11, dele-
portions in his love of learning sor of Medieval Hebrew Litera- earthly remains, do not mourn.
Kliger is president of the Auxil-
Death
only
robs
life
of
its
sting
gates
were
chosen
for
the
na-
and persistence, since so often he ture at the Seminary.
iary.
. Also do not waste any of tional conference in New York,
is bereft both of support and in-
* * *
May
12.
your eloquence on my accom-
terest on the part of the people
Prof. Davidson wore his great plishments. I would rather tell
whose sell-discovery he is helping
to achieve. He must be hewer and learning gracefuly. It was never you of some of the weak points Pioneer Women Remit
builder; investigator and compil, a ponderous or depressing weight in my armor; with the object of $200,000 to Palestine
showing that I, too, was made up
er; student and philosopher. He
must do the back-breaking spade upon him. There was always a of a dual personality or perhaps
The Pioneer Women's Organi-
twinkle in his eye, a quip upon a treble personality, i.e., good,
work of unearthing the facts his
lips. As a student, I remem- bad and indifferent . . . So let us zation has sent $200,000 to the
which are his materials, and
Working Women's Council, its af-
then organize and interpret them ber how often he would enliven pass both praise and blame, the filiate in Palestine, as a token of
his
lectures
with
wit,
and
his
dust
return
to
the
dust
and
let
in- an architectural and systema-
humor endeared him to the young the spirit go on living, free of all solidarity with the Palestine Jew-
tic work.
men preparing for the rabbinate. mortal entanglements which we ish community at this crucial mo-
Into the vast field of medieval
ment, when the fate of the Jewish
Laundry & Dry Cleaning
literature represented by manu- A Friday evening or Sabbath erroneously call life. Yisgadal Homeland is being decided by the
around
the
Davidson
table
in
V'yiskadash
shmay
roba,
glorified
script and fragments frequently
1450 21st St.
Anglo-American Commission of
home on Morningside be the spirit—the pure spirit."
undeciphered and undecipherable their
Heights brought the young stu- Mrs. Davidson's
Inquiry.
13001c repre-
and scattered in many libraries
in the old world; by articles and dent privileged to be there into a sents a labor of love. She has
investigations printed in remote learned
charmed conversation.
circle of bright
and
taken us into the intimate corners
One
was
places in publications not easily likely to meet distinguished men of her husband's life and shows us.
accessible; by difficult problems —artists, writers, scholars, Jew-
the student, the bashful suitor,
of authorship and perplexities of
ish and non-Jewish celebrities. the husband, the father, the
language—into this vast and dis-
Dr. Davidson
over the friends. She has put us in her
ordered multiverse Davidson's gathering
with presided
easy and congen-
Thesaurus brought order and or- ial humor. One remembers meet- debt with a book which seeks to
To All Our Friends and Patrons
ganization. None, can work in
ing him in the corridors of the suggest the personality of a rare
this field without leaning heavily Seminary and receiving his cheer-
and intensely human scholar.
upon Dr. Davidson's contribution.
ful greeting or his thoughtful in-
* * *
quiry as to one's well-being and
Prof. Davidson's widow has progress. One recalls afternoons
CLASSIFIED ADS
written a pleasant little memoir when after class Professor David-
GET QUICK RESULTS
of Davidson the man, rather than son would sit in the lounge and
an estimate of the scholar and his play chess with his students. One
Yemans at Jos. Campau
work.
still hears, after many years, the
The 13th child to be born to ring of his laughter, when a felic-
Harry Seltzer
parents—none of . whose other itous sally would be uttered in,
children survived infancy—Prof. his hearing.
Striking Versions
Davidson was given the added
Many were the accolades of es-
name of "Alter"—"the old one" in teem and recognition that were
the hope that evil might be avert- placed upon his scholarship. He
in
ed from him. His real name was was awarded the Bialik prize. He
kept from him and since his par- was invited to lecture at the He-
ents died when he was five, he brew University. The Seminary,
Modern
Parties
Weddings
never learned the Hebrew name Hebrew Union College and The
Meetingt
which had been conferred upon Jewish Institute of Religion con-
Luncheons
Portraiture
Dinners
Societies
him. He received the traditional ferred honorary degrees upon
training in the "Heder" and him. His researches took him to
Concerts
Dances
Confirmations
studied for a time at the Yeshiva the Vatican, to Germany, to Pal-
TO. 8-6984
in Slobodka. He knew penury estine. Everywhere men of learn-
The Penthouse Beautifully appointed. atop
and hardship. However his great- ing thronged about him to ex-
the Park Ave. Hotel, with bar, stage and
11344 Dexter Blvd.
completely equipped kitchen. Accommodates
est privations and rigors were press their reverence and admira-
100 to 300 persons.
suffered in the early years after
his arrival in America at the age
The English Room A handsome room. Has
of 17. He peddled matches and
portable bar, adjoining kitchen. cozily fur-
shoe laces, worked in a grocery
nished lounge. Perfect for serial affairs of
50 to 100 persons.
shop, served as a night watchman
and gave lessons in Hebrew. He
Ask for Mr. Dunn
Facilities available
was always characterized by an
for kosher catering
unceasing hunger for learning
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