-2 Prof. Zeitlin Traces Historic Facts

Chajes Is Honored
On 40th Birthday

Exposes Myths in the Story of Jesus

laws that they derived the validity of Davidic leadership over the
Jewish people. The high priest, and all those of the higher aris-
tocracy connected with him, not only opposed the restoration of
• civil authority under the Day.idic scion, but also strongly resisted
the Oral Law on which the movement for the civil authority was
based.
The priests called those who believed in the Oral Law Perush-
ini—Pharisees—Separatists, that is, those who separated them-
selves from the Jewish people and the Pentateuch. The priests
called themselves Zaddokites—Sadduccees, since they were de-
scended from the High Priest Zaddok who lived in the time of
Solomon.
The high priests, the Sadduccees, by virture of the canoniza-
tion of the Pentateuch, held full authority over the Jewish people.
As they became more powerful, corruptive influences began to
penetrate their ranks. By 332 B.C. the Persian empire had
crumbled under the Macedonian forces of the mighty Alexander.
But with his sudden death in 323 B.C., his vast empire fell to
pieces. Ptolemy seized Egypt; Seleucus ruled Syria. Judea lay
geographically between these two powerful states. For over a cen-
tury the empires of Egypt and Syria warred with each other for
possession of Judea.
The close intercourse between the Jews and the Egyptian
court wrought significant changes in the cultural life of the Jews.
The Greek language was brought into qudea. Jerusalem which,
up to the Hellenistic (Greek) period, was an obscure town, now
became a prominent metropolis. The corruptive forces of assimi-
lation began their evil work.
The assimilationists did not have free and easy sailing. They
were strongly opposed by Jews of the middle class, especially the
Pharisees. So strong did this opposition become that the Syrian
government had to take cognizance of it.
In 171 B.C., Antiochus Epiphanes, learning that the Ptolemian
army was about to assault Syria, marched. with his army to the
Egyptian frontier. Having met the menace firmly, Antiochus
Made his way back from Egypt. He invaded JeruSalem, entered
the Temple, and slew many Jews who were known to be opposed
to the Hellenization of Jerusalem.
A priest named Mattathias, the Hasmonaeus, fled with his
family from Jerusalem to the little village of Modin. He and his
sons saved Judaism and civilization by revolting against the
Syrians. Mattathias and his five sons won the allegiance of the
people at large, into whose ranks Hellenistic culture did not pene-
trate. Among these people, the teachings of the Pharisees had
made great strides. Resentment grew hot and strong against the
high priest who had forsaken the Jewish religion and had adopt-
ed the Hellenistic way of living. Two Pharisaic doctrines in par-
ticular strengthened them in their conviction to resist their ene-
mies, foreign and domestic.
Mattathias, in his testimony to his sons, affirmed that, while
the priesthood was given to the family of Phineas, the kingdom
was given to David, forever and ever. The second doctrine of the
Pharisees which inspired the life of the Jewish masses with hope
and daring was concerned with the matter of -reward and punish-
ment in the future world, and resurrection.
It helped to answer questions concerning God's justice in a
world that seemed filled with injustice. It renewed their faith
sufficiently to enable them to struggle with high hope that their
reward was assured, if not in this world, then surely in the world
in which God's justice comes to its complete fulfillment.
When Mattathias died, his sons took over the leadership in
the struggle against the Syrians. Through the military victories
of Judas Maccabeus and the political statesmanship of his broth-
ers, Jonathan and Simon, the Jews gained their independence. In
142 B.C., an independent Jewish state was proclaimed. " A great
assembly convened, consisting of Israelites, Levites and Priests.
They elected 'Simon, son of Mattathias, high priest and ruler.

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From Commonwealth to Roman Province

The commonwealth which was established after the Jews won
their independence did not last long. Only a few decades later, a
Monarchy was set up in Judea, and the kingdom was usurped by
Simon's descendants. The people were ruled by tyrannical kings.
Judea, less than a century after the Jews had gained free-
dom from the Syrians, was again . conquered by another expand-
ing power, the Romans. And the independence they had won at
the cost of blood and tears was once more lost. The Jews suffered
much more under the iron heel of Rome than under the rule of
the Ptolemies.
The reign of Herod as King of Judea began in 41 B.C. His
kingship was that of a rex socius, that is, he was entrusted with
the kingdom only as long as he lived. After his death, the Em-
porer Augustus had the power to decide who should succeed him.
As Herod's reign drew along, it was more and more filled
with cruelty, violence and bloodshed. He did not gain the submis-

'Automotive School
For Israel Planned
By Michigan Region

•

The board of the Michigan
Region, Zionist Organization of
America will meet Sunday, Jan.
7, at 12 noon, in the Belcrest
Hotel, to hear plans for estab-
lishing t h e first Automotive
Training School in Israel.
Though still in blueprint
stage, the project has been
lauded by the ZOA president,
Benjamin G. Browdy, Dr. Israel
Goldstein and Dr. Emanuel Neu-
mann. In their talks with Morris
Jacobs, regional president, they
emphasized the necessity for
establishing trade schools in Is-
rael to prepare Israeli youth for
the skilled trades.
A list of equipment and tech-
nical manuals necessary h a s
been drawn up by a high official
of the Chrysler Corporation,
which has indicated its willing-
ness to act in an advisory capa-
city and also make a worth-
while contribution to the pro-
ject.
A partial list of the necessary
equipment may be obtained
from the director of the project,
Jules Doneson, 1021 Penobscot
Bldg., WO. 5-1484.

Julius Chajes, noted composer
and pianist, director of the mu-
sion of the Jews, either by his terroristic acts against ;them or by sic department of the Jewish
the favors he conferred upon them. Like all dictators, he could Community Center, this week
not be satisfied by the mere conquest of the people; he wanted
was feted by
their acquiescence as well. This he never received.
friends and co-
The younger generation seethed with revolt against en-
workers who
slavement by Rome and its vassal, Herod. The winds of revolt
took occasion,
were rising steadily, and heavy clouds darkened the horizons
on his 40th
of Jewish-Roman relationships.. After Herod's death, Judea was
birthday, to
declared a province of Rome, to be ruled by a procurator with
show their rec-
all judicial powers.
ognition of his
*
*
*
manifold musi-
From the time of Herod onwards, the high priesthood ceased
cal achieve-
to be hereditary. Herod had appointed and dismissed high priests
ments.
whenever the occasion suited his purposes. Some of them did not
J. Chajes
Music critics
even complete a full year in office. Now, since the procurator of local newspapers arranged to
assumed the power to appoint the high priest, the latter was honor him at a luncheon at the
compelled to execute the orders of his superior. Thus, he became Book Cadillac Hotel on Thurs-
a mere agent of the Roman authorities.
day.
Pontias Pilate was procurator of Judea when Jesus was
Born in Poland in 1910, Chajes
crucified. For 10 years ; Pilate piled crime upon crime, in his showed great promise as a pian-
antipathy for the Jewish people and their religion.
ist at an early age and gave his
Judea was a veritable volcano, ready to erupt. The scorn of first concert at the age of nine.
the procurators for the Jews and their religion incensed the popu- He won an honor prize in Vien-
lace to continual outbreaks. Suetonhis relates that a belief pre- na in 1933. He won two prizes
vailed. all over the Orient that a leader would arise in Judea who for choral works in Berlin in
would rule the world. Other historians also recorded this prevail- 1937.
ing belief. It referred, of course, to the Jewish hope for the com-
Upon his arrival in this coun-
ing of a Messiah. This Jewish belief disturbed the Romans; they try in 1937, he was at once en-
regarded it as a challenge to their own hegemony. Therefore, gaged for numerous concerts.
they viewed with alarm any Jewish movement against the Ro-
He was named music director
mans as a Menace to their entire imperial dominance in the Near of the Detroit Jewish Center in
East. They supressed such movements with the utmost cruelty 1941. During his 10-year stay
and. rigor.
here, he wrote numerous com-
•
*
*
positions, all of which have been
included in concert programs by
Social Classes and Social Strife
With the establishment of the commonwealth, changes in the outstanding musicians and or-
economic and social life of the Jewish community took place. chestras throughout the world.
These changes had far-reaching consequences. They brought about "Song for Americans," "Hymn
the emergence of new social groups. They initiated social strife of Freedom," "By - the Rivers of
within Judea. They even helped the spread of Christianity later, Babylon," "Rejoice in Zion,"
"Friday Evening Service" and
among certain 'sections of the people.
The Persian period saw Judea a small obscure country within others have been acclaimed
the satrapy of Syria. It consisted of villages and one important widely. He is now working on
city, Jerusalem. The inhabitants were divided into two classes; a concerto for piano and
one class was composed of the priests and Levites, engaged in the orchestra.
Playing a leading role in all
service of the Temple, the other class was made up of the landed
musical undertakings in Detroit,
folk, the farmers, the so-called Ame Ha - Aretz.
Following the conquest of Judea by the Ptolemies, a new Chajes was , responsible for
social class emerged which no longer engaged in agriculture, but bringing to Detroit some of the
followed the channels of trade and manufacturing. With the de- world's outstanding musicians
velopment of the commonwealth, this group increased its promi- for concerts and recitals. As a
leader in Hashofar Society for
nence and power.
Cities along the -coast were annexed to Judea either by pene- the Advancement of Jewish
tration or conquest. Galilee to the north, inhabited by Gentiles, Music and as director of orches-
also was added to Judea. Trade and commerce flourished. The tras, he has helped to advance
urban population rapidly expanded. New cities were built. In the interest in music in our com-
course of time the people of Judea which, up to the Hellenistic munity.
Together with Mrs. Chajes
period,. consisted of two classes, added another social class—an
(Marguerite Kozenn) he has
urban population.
*
*
given more than 300 concerts in
*
Antagonism sprang up between the farmers, the Ame the United States and Canada.
Ha Aretz and the Haberim, the city dwellers. This antagonism
spread from the economic to the social realm. The ITaberim Report 'Oliver Twist'

-

would hardly associate with the Ame-Ha-Aretz. These farmers of
Judea, as well as those of Galilee, answered this contempt with

resentment and scorn.
Many of the Ame Ha-Aretz, especially those of Galilee, be-
came the rank and file of the various revoluntionary sects which
stood for such democratic ideals as "equality of men before God."
The masses enthusiastically joined such movements which
preached the principle of equality. They smarted under the whip
of social and cultural degradation. They keenly felt the injustice
of social snobbery and even more sharply, they suffered under
inequitable economic forces.
From Galilee came forth two men who were kindled with the
same ideal of .social and economic equality—Judas of Galilee and
Jesus of Nazareth. Both Jesus and Judas preached that there is
but one ruler over mankind and He is the Lord. They sought out
their followers from among the farmer folk of Galilee. And the
first disciples of Jesus were humble people—the fishermen, the
farmers, the toilers of the land in Galilee.

NEXT WEEK: The political and religious status of Judea
when Jesus began to preach. The two Sanhedrins. The parties,
sects and philosophies which dominated Jewish life in the first
century of the Common Era.

Film to Be Cancelled

NEW YORK (AJP)—The con-
troversial and allegedly anti-
Semitic "Oliver Twist" f i 1 m,
originally scheduled for exhibi-
tion in the United States begin-
ning Jan. 19, despite the refusal
of the Breen Department to
grant it a seal of approval, re-
ceived another set-back with
the reported cancellation of the
film's showing in a chain of
Texas theaters during the early
weeks of next year.
Tht reported cancellation, in
the O'Donnell Texas chain, was
not denied by spokesman for
Eagle-Lion Classics, the releas-
ing agency undertaking t h e
United States' distribution of
the J. Arthur Rank production.

GOOD WORK I THERE WILL BE A
GREAT REWARD FROM OUR LEADER
OR THE CAPTURE
OF THIS C>NE!

THE ADVENTURES
OF

+ow

ON"
-L I vti
...AS CAPTAIN TOV REALIZES

HIS MISTAKE OP LEAVING

AVIVA ALONE AND SEES
HER CAPTURED BY HAJ

COPYRIGHT 1950 By SABRA FEATURES

MUSAS MEN ( SUDDENLY__

WELL WELL, THE GREAT
CAPTAIN TOW WE MEET

ONCE AGAIN, BUT_

THIS TIME YOU WILL
LAUGH WHILE YOU CANL
SUFFER FOR MY PLEASURE HAJ MUSA . YOU'L L
WHEN THE DAWN BREAKS. SING A DIFFERENT TUNE
WHEN I GET NW HANDS
THROW THEM INTO THE
C ENTER DUNGEON !
ON YOUR FILTHY

THROAT!