American Jew's Adventures
In the Old and New World
Yeshiva U., Israel
Form Cultural Link
Katz Attacks Rabbis in Symposium
For Poor Answers to Child's uery
By MARVIN DIAMOND
A Review by Dr. MORTIMER J. COHEN
An 'AJP
THE WELL OF GERAR. By Ruben Rothgiesser. Translated from the German
by Harry Schneiderman. Jewish Publication Society of America, Philadelphia.
Feature
Him," said Katz. However Katz
complained that Rabbi Klein,
too, digressed at once into a
I dated version of the theory of
evolution and continued that
"We must help God by doing
what our parents say."
Rabbi Roland B. Gittelsohri
(Boston) who said, "God wants
us to help each other and to*
make this a better world. If he
did all our work for us, there
would be nothing left for us to
do. Then life would be un-
interesting and we would be-
come lazy," draws the image of
a heartless God, Katz says.
Katz says, "The common de-
nominator of three of the four
statements in the symposium is
that God needs human help in
achieving a cure for Polio (Rab-
bi Shankman is the exception)
The other conclusion (Rabbi
Klein excepted) is that God is
indifferent, at least, to the suf-
fering of children."
Katz seems to feel that com-
ing from those who want the
child to believe in God, especial--
ly in a God who is merciful and
forgiving, or at least just. the
Rabbis' answer was very Mad-
equate.
In an article titled "God, Polio
and Rabbis," in the Jewish
"The Well of Gerar" is the
Frontier, Shlorno Katz takes
first novel, so far as this review- what it must have been like to
er knows, to be published on live the perilous lives of colon-
four well known Reform Rabbis
the threshhoid of the celebration ists and pioneers. We meet Jew-
to task for failing adequately to
of the 300th anniversary that ish bankers, merchants, schol-
answer
a child's question,
will mark the first coming of ars, philosophers, and just plain
Prof. SAMUEL K. MIRSKY,. of "Mommy, why does God allow
the Jews to the New World. As people. We are able to project
- Katz calls the rabbis'
a first story, it tells an inspiring ourselves into that far off age Yeshiva University, discusses Polio?"
answers,
written in a brief sym-
with
Israel's
President
ISAAC
tale of adventure in the new —two centuries ago—when Jews,
in American Judiasm,
and old worlds by a new kind of reared in the biblical spirit, BEN ZVI (seated), the scholarly posium
"enlightening and also some-
Jew—an American Jew.
called the Savannahs, their annual "Sura" which has been what shocking."
published
by
Yeshiva
University
Laid in Surinam
_ , earliest col- sugar-cane plantations, by bib-
The answer Rabbi Morris
ony of Jews in this Western lical names. One of these was in Jerusalem in , cooperation with Lazaron
(New York) gave, "Why
Hemisphere, the plot begins Gerar, named after a place the Sura Institute for Research blame God?"
might be satisfy-
and Publication, headed by Mr.
with an attack by a group of where the Patriarch Abraham Ben
Zvi. The 500-page annual, ing "if it did not come from a
had
dug
a
well
a
n
d
wher
insurrecting Negro slaves led by
edited by Prof. Mirsky, contains Rabbi," said Katz. Rabbi Laz-
their fiery chieftain, Joli Coeur. later his son, Isaac, again dug articles
by leading American and aron's statement, "The intelli-
The leader of. the little Jewish a well and where later his Israeli scholars and is devoted to gence the doctors use to find the
colony was David Nassi who had son, Isaac again dug wells of study and research in problems cure comes from God, and the
to . leave the Yom Kippur serv- water.
will the doctors feel to find the
But, more than story and more relating to Israel and the world cure
ices held in the modest little
also comes from God," seems
in the past and present.
than
vivid
pictures
of
Jewish
synagogue of the community
to
contradict
his earlier state-
and help beat off the attack. comunities, the author has wov-
ment," Katz says. "If the 'intel-
In the ensuing battle David en into his tale a growing phil- DeHarrack's Hebrew
ligence to find the cure comes
Nassi was wounded and died, osophy of Jewish life which Melodies Republished
from God' then God is to blame
comes
to
full
consciousness
in
leaving his son Isaac, a callow
for not dispensing enough of it
youth of about nineteen, to care Isaac Nassi. Isaac had learned
so
that children should not die
Fourteen
of
the
popular
Heb-
for their plantation called the through bitter experience that rew melodies by Charles DeHar- and be crippled by polio.'
Jews could not depend on others
Well of Gerar.
rack, with text, and simplified
Rabbi Jacob Shankman's (New
From Isaac's appearance to the for their salvation: Sustained by and arranged for piano or or- Rochelle) answer "that through
their
religious
faith,
Jews
must
end of the story, this young
gan, have just been issued by Polio God says: `Don't be afraid
American Jew—first of a new learn to achieve through "self- Bloch Publishing Co., New York. of Polio. Fight back. If you fight
imposed
effort"
(p.
286).
"The
breed—lives an exciting life of
These songs, which have already back you'll win'," sounds like
pfirseno0131111M111111111111111111111111
adventure. He returns to the Jews of the whole world," he de- attained wide popularity in Heb- outright mockery of a child, Katz
clares,
"will
see
that
no
one
Old World to complete his edu-
It Will Pay You to See
rew classes, in temples, syna--- says. "Would Rabbi Shankman
cation. We follow him from helps them if they don't help gogues, and their musical pro- see a child attacked by hood-
Amsterdam where he worked in themselves." (p. 260). Thus, the grams, are also being distributed lums and tell it to "Fight back,"
the firm of Jewish bankers and final section of the novel is in Europe by Anton Goll of Katz asks.
merchants, to Paris, then to rightly called, "Self-Help," for Vienna.
"Perhaps the only truly reli-
Pressburg, then to Rome, and only through self-help could the
The republished DeHarrack
For the
finally return with him to Puerto Jews, in the Old World and the melodies include "Hevenu Sho- gious statement in the entire
w*IRLD'S FINEST
Rico and Surinzin. Seven years New World, win respect in their lom Aleichem," "Dundai," `-!Artsa symposium" was that of Rabbi
own eyes and in the eyes of
Edward E. Klein (NeW York)
pass by filled with frenzied fi- others.
AUTOMOBILE
was helped to this Alinu," "Havah Nagilah," "Anu Who invoked Job and said, "God
nance, travel-adventures when insight Isaac
Banuh
Artsah,"
"Moaz
Tzur,"
Sates
and Service
through
the
very
many
Isaac rescues the strange Count who tempted him to conversion "Hatikvah," "Am Yisrael Chai," heals and helps if we believe in
12330
Joseph
Campau
Zahazy and his sister from im- to Christianity. "The task of "Boker," Shalom. Chaverim,"
TW.
minent death, the exotic jour- restoring
3-5100
"Naaleh
L'Artsenu,"
"K'Reem
DETROIT
JEWISH
NEWS-19
the world's respect for
ney to Eastern Europe in the your people
Friday, October 23, 1953
1 _j IIIMINEVOMI1111111111111111111111111
must begin with Anu," "Shir Ha-Ma-Alos," and
train of messianic hysterics, the respecting yourselves. Show that "Hine Ma Tov."
persecutions of the Jewish corn- you are not the helpless victims
munity by Queen Maria The- of others. Remember the •cour- Fund for Physiological
resa, the vain efforts of French age of your forefathers before
EVERYBODY,
.intellectuals to fight anti-Jew- whose trumpets the walls of Studies at Brandeis U.
WALTHAM, Mass—A teach-
ishness by publishing a book ap- Jericho collapsed . . . "
ing research fund with parti-
EVERYWHERE
pealing to Reason, and finally
It is - on this high note that cular emphasis on physiological
the temptation to leave his re- this most interesting novel ends.
ENJOYS...
ligion and people for personal Through it runs a lovely love studies was established at Bran-
advancement in the service of story between Isaac and Miriam deis University by the Julius
Rogoff
Foundation
of
Cleve-
an Italian merchant prince, a Carvalho, the fulfillment of
land.
temptation Isaac resisted.
which is undoubted, for the new
Professor emeritus of endoc-
"The Well of Gerar" tells more Jew, the American Jew, must
than an exciting story. Its au- find the proper helpmate, the rinology at the University of
Pittsburgh and director of the
thor must have done consider- new Jewess.
medical research laboratory of
able research for he is able to
The Jewish Publication So- the G. N. Stewart Memorial
conjure up and make vividly
ciety
is to be congratulated up- Fund, Dr. Rogoff discovered the
real the Jewish life of the time.
It was a time of stress and on bringing this excellent novel life-sustainin;:, hormone of the
strain. Nations struggled with to our attention. It is a first adrenal gland (cortex), "inter-
each other in Europe and began and a notable contribution to renalin," and evolved the most
to spread their power overseas the Tercentenary Celebration successful treatment for Addi-
son's disease by administration
to the New World, where echoes soon to come upon us. .
of interrenalin.. He is a resident
of the conflicts could be heard.
of Rowayton, Conn.
We are brought into the inti- Israel's Agricultural
■ • ■
The Rogoff Fund at Brandeis
mate, daily life of Jewish com- Potential Is 2,200,000
University
will
be
utilized
for
munities and families, rich and
Think of
Survey Reports
strengthening the biology offer-
poor, in the major countries of Acres,
TEL AVIV, (IIP) — A compre- ings at the University with spe-
Europe. In Surinam, we learn hensive land survey of Israel cial reference to physiology. It
completed this week reveals that will be used for both teaching
the country has an agricultural and research and also for labor-
potential of nearly 2,200,000 atory development.
2340 West Grand Blvd. at Linwood
acres. Some 1,300,000 acres of the
land are irrigable, and known
Phone TYler 4-5400
Rosen & Szwarzberg
water resources are sufficient
ultimately to irrigate 1,000,000
Fine Kosher Meats & Poultry .
acres. This area is able to feed a
SALAMI ... 75c lb.
population of about 4,000,000.
WE. 5-9757
The survey which is the result We Deliver
of three years of intensive work
11527 Dexter
carried out under the direction
of Dr. Nathan Gil, head of the
Soil Conservation Department
of the Ministry of Agriculture, is
designed to giVe the necesary
data for an agricultural policy
which has to take into consid-
eration political and other fac-
tors in addition to a coordinated
Shirt Specialists
exploitation of the country's
farm lands.
Agrkaltural and geological in-
formation on every square acre
between the country's northern
border and about 14 miles south
of Beersheba has been compiled,
SENT ANYWHERE
making it possible for anyone to
receive data within a matter of
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