Distinguished Christian Scholars Are
Commentators in 'Interpreter's Bible'

• 1

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26—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Friday, March 25, 1955 .

Do You Know

By IRVING I. KATZ
Editor's Note: This is the second installment of the "Chron-
olgy of the History of the Jews in Michigan, 1761-1850". It is
another American Jewish Tercentenary feature and is based on
Mr. Kates forthcoming book, to be published by Wayne Univer-
sity Press. This chronology, to be followed by chronological facts
about Detroit and Michigan Jewry, 2oill present the story of the
development of our communities in this state.

•The high scholarship which have found it possible to settle
By N. E. ARONSTAM, M.D.
has: • distinguished the earlier down again, to make new friends
volumes of "The Interpreter's and discover new interests; they
Bible" continues in Volume 4, have indeed been stimulated to That very few people know the
1Bible well. Even the translators
•
which deals with The Book of great interests."
It
is
impossible,
of
course,
-
of the Jewish Publication So-
Psalms and the Book of Prov-
even to scratch the surface in ciety's Scriptures . followed the
erbs.
this monumental set King • James Version, except in
Published by Abingdon Press, reviewing
of commentaries. The only way poetic versification. In the. Scrip-
1762—Chapman AbrahaM, an English Jew, arrived in Detroit
Nashville 2, Tenn.. this volume
you find Greek, Chaldeic and became the first known Jewish settler in the Village.
contains important commen- to do justice to the book is to tures
and Egyptian words, especially
it.
1763—Ezekiel Solomons, Chapman Abraham and their part-
taries and general articles and read and study
A * *
the latter. Thus, for instance: ners, Levi Solomons and Gershon Levy, were captured by the In-
the texts of the two books from
This evaluation of Psalms ap- "Abrech, Zaphanat Paneah, Pi- dians near the Forts of Detroit and Michilimackinac during the
the Scriptures in the King James plies
to the commentaries on 'thorn, Rameses and the word general Indian uprising led by Chief Pontiac and known as Pon-
and Standard versions in paral-
Charles T. 'Baal,' which curiously enough is tiac's Conspiracy. After a harrowing experience, all managed, how-
Proverbs.
Prof.
lel columns.
Fritsch is the author of the in- a Mayan word." In Yucatan, the
The exegesis by distinguished troduction and the •Exegesis. term of sir or lord is Baal Ba- ever, to gain their freedom.
1770—Benjamin Lyon, a partner of Ezekiel Solomons, Levi Sol-
Christian scholars lend to this The Exposition is by the Rev. tab. Does it not sound like Baal
j Bayit? Were the Mayans the 10 mons, Chapman Abraham and Gershon Levy, settled in Mackinac
work great significance and Rolland W. Schloerb.
'
and remained there for at least 30 years.
"T h e Interpreter's B i b 1 e"
Dr. Fritsch reviews the types lost tribes? * * *
1774—HaymanLevy of New York, the largest fur trader
emerges. as one of the very great
among the colonists and at one time a partner of Levi Solomons,
of Hebrew Wisdom Literature,
Biblical criticisms of our time.
That in Daniel 3:15 the word did an extensive business with Detroit Merchants.
describes the use made of the
*
Riddle and the Fable and com- symphony appears as "sumpon-
The firm of J. Levy and Richard McCarthy was doing busi-
In the introduction by Prof.
that "Christ links him - ' yah." How this purely Greek ne ss in Mackinac.
W. Stewart McCullough, it is ments
self With the wisdom of the Old term entered a strictly Chaldean
Quebec Act was passed which provided civil government by
pointed out that the accepted
Iscript is only a matter of spec- the English for the territory including Detroit. Ezekiel Solomons
adding:
designation for the Psalms Testament,"
"That Proverbs as part of the ulation. The entire verse reads and Levi Solomons were among the petitioners for the passage of
among JeWs is Tehillim, mean-
d
if ye b ready
Old
Testament canon points to as follows: "
this Act.
ing "songs of praise," and that the fact
that
wisdom
is
the
rev-
I
that
at
what
time
ye
hear
the
1778—Ezekiel Solomons and Benjamin Lyon made generous
the English title Psalms comes
elation of God's orderly plan in ' sound of the horn, pipe, harp, contributions toward the support of a missionary priest to serve
from the Latin psalmi.
The distinction of the Psalms the universe and in the lives of trigon, psaltery and all kinds of the Catholic community of Mackinac, • as a gesture of good will.
— `sumponyah'—ye fall Both were prominent members of Montreal's Congregation Shear-
as the words of man directed to men, rather than merely the ac- I music
down and worship the , im- ith Israel.
God, their various versions, mu- cumulation of intelligent ob- I
1779—Ezekiel Solomons and Benjamin Lyon participated ift
sic and the Psalms, their au- servations on life down through age . . . " These different music-
the ages. When Jesus identifies - al instruments suggest lymph- the formation of a cooperative company in Mackinac, believed to
thorship and poetic structure himself
with wisdom he also onic music as they understood be the first example of a department store operation in the Unit-
are analyzed in interesting
_
confirms
this view and brings it at the time of Nebuchadnez
ed States.
fashion.
1780—Samuel Judah of Montreal visited Detroit to trade with
* * *
wisdom into the redemptive plan zar. .
God."
-
Chapman Abraham.
Asserting that in the Mish- and purpose of
* * *
1781—Benjamin Lyon witnessed the formal Treaty of Cession
Circuit Riding Rabbi
nah there are more quotations
of the Island of Mackinac by the Indians to the British. Michael
Volume 2 of "The Interpreter's
from the Psalms than from any
Has
Roving
Synagogue
e,
Gratz, a famous Jewish merchant and communal leader of Phil-
other part of the Scriptures Bible" continued the policy of
save the Law itself, it is pointed the editors of this magnificent CHARLOTTE. N. C., (JTA - — adelphia in colonial times, and father of Rebecca Gratz, the Re-
in the interpretation of Rabbi Harold E. Friedman, has becca of Scott's immortal novel "Ivanhoe," helped plan and sup-
the
out that: "There is little infor- work
mation about the place of the the following Old Testament the most unusual "congregation" ply an expedition against the British in Detroit, during the
Psalms in the liturgy of the syn- books: Leviticus, Numbers, Deu- in the Carolinas—and probably struggle for independence. The expedition did not. materialize,
agogue in the Mishhaic period. teronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ru
however.
anywhere else.
1783—Levi Solomons was listed as a resident of Detroit. Chap-
We learn from Megillah 4:1-6 and Samuel.
Rabbi Friedman, is a circuit-
that Psalms were ; not used as 'While it is called "Christen- riding rabbi, and his synagogue man Abraham died after a residence of more than 20 years in
Detroit. He was buried in the cemetery of Montreal's congregation
scripture lesSons, for the latter dom's
Most Comprehensive
Com-
mentary,"
this work will
be literally goes on wheels—it's a
were taken only from the Law found of great value by Jewish specially equipped bus, dedicated Shearith Israel.
1784—Ezekiel Solomons served as one of a committee of eight
and the Prophets. It is generally
month as a "Synagogue on which organized in Mackinac the First Board of Trade in Michi-
assumed that some of the litur- students of the Bible rabbinic this
Wheels."
gy was based on the temple and lay.
gan.
1794—Moses David of Sandwich (now Windsor, Ontario) con-
Here, too, the King James and • The towns he serves are
services, and this must have led
to the employment of psalms. Revised Standard versions of the .L u m b e r ton, • Hendersonville, ducted an extensive trade with Detroit merchants for close to a
This inference is borne out by Biblical Books are used. The Hickory, Mount Gilead, Weldon, quarter of a century.
. 1796, July 11—The British evacuated Detroit and turned . it
the extensive use of Psalms— commentaries and exegesis and Jacksonville, Wallace, . States-
and by the influence of their expositions are by Profs. John villet and Whiteville, in North over to the United States. The American flag was raised in De-
style — in the ritual of the later Bright, G. Ernest Wright, Louise Carolina and Rock Hill, South troit for the first time at noon. Captain Moses Porter led the first
period. The recitation or singing Pettibone Smith, Joseph R. Sizoo, Carolina. Since he began making American Troops into Detroit. At the time of the surrender, De-
of psalms in the synagogues of. . JOhn C. Shroder, Pierson Parker, his rounds, a great many per- troit's population was 2,200. •
1798—Isaac Mose's joined Zion Lodge, Detroit's first Masonic
the first century doubtless ex- Jacob Myers, -Nathaniel Micklern, sons who have never done so be-
plains why hymn singing be- John . Marsh, George B. Caird fore, have worshipped with their Lodge organized by Freemasons among the British officers in
came a natural part of the wor- and James T. Cleland, and by co-religionists. The Rabbi also 1764.
ship of the early church."
1805—Michigan Territory established.
the Reverends Albert George trains local lay leaders to carry
Interpretations of the Psalms Butzer, Phillips P. Elliott, Ganse on the work until his next
Ezekiel Solomons died between 1805 and 1808 after a sojourn
scheduled appearance.
are marked by extensive com- Little and Henry H. Shires.
in Mackinac of more than four decades.
The bus has been installed ,
mentaries. Exegesis is by the late
1806—City of Detroit incorporated. Local affairs controlled by
The religious significance of
Dr..William R. Taylor, who died Leviticus, the Book of Ritual, is with special lighting, air condi- territorial Governor and Judges.
before completing the manu- subjected to interesting scrutiny. tioning, carpeting, • draperies and
1807—Jacob Franks, an English Jew, settled in Mackinac,
•
script, and his work was con- Numbers is outlined for a basic furniture, and has an Ark and where he remained until about 1816.
cluded by Prof. W. Stewart Mc- understanding of the historic bookshelves for worship. and
(To 13e Continued Next Week)
Cullough. •
epic of the years of wandering study.
The circuit-riding rabbi and
The exposition of the Psalms Israel in the desert, and the
Franz Kobler's New Work
Is by Drs. J. R. P. Sclater; Ed- Deuteronomy exposition offers his bus are a project of the BlaSt Against Israel
A
Tribute to Mothers
win McNeill Poteat and Frank an explanation of the faith of North Carolina Association of Opens Arab Tour of U. S.
Ballard.
Jewish
Men.
the Hebrews.
* * *
Franz Kobler's "Her Children
PRINCETON, N.J., (JTA) — A
The composition, text, histor-
It is especially interesting to ical value and sources of the
group of Arab parliamentarians Call Her Blessed," a tribute to
Dr.
Churgin
Honored
Jewish mothers, will be publish-
note the authors' views on Books of Samuel, the important
and scholars have begun a tour ed in October by Stephen Daye
Psalm 137—"By the Rivers of references there to the "election
NEW YORK, (JTA)—A fare-
Babylon ..." which includes the of Israel," will be found espe- well dinner was given here in of American universities with a Press.. Dr. Kobler adds a new
famous line "If I forget thee, 0 cially interesting,
honor of Dr. Pinchas Churgin, burst of anti-Israel propaganda. volume to his well-known "A
Speaking at Princeton Univer- Treasury of Jewish Letters" in
Jerusalem . ." Labelled "The
Then there are the explana- retiring Dean of Teachers In- sity to a group of professors and this long-planned tribute to
Song of an Exile," the commen- tions of the theological links in stitute of Yeshiva University,
tators, referring to the con- Judges and the powerful ele- who is leaving this month to students, Abdul Kerim Uzri, mothers through the centuries.
Selections from the • Bible,
• eluding words "happy he that meets in the story of Ruth, the settle permanently in Israel member of the Iraqi Parlia-
dasheth the little ones against tale of friendship between two where he will head the new ment, and George Haddad, from letters, memoirs, poetry,
This type
chairman of the department of modern fiction, biography and
the stones" state:
Here the author holds Bar-Ilan University.
tna.y be viewed as a subclass of women.
history
of the Syrian University, drarria create a memorable pic-
The
Mizrachi-sponsored
unit'
view that "Ruth and Naomi
the lament, since it is the ex- the
attacked
Israel and the United ture of the Jewish mother and
versity,
which
will
be
the
first
perience of distress or persecu- stand in the Hebrew scriptures institution of its kind in Israel States for aiding Israel.
her unique role in Jewish , family
beside
David
and
Jonathan."
life. The editor contributes a
, tion or bitterness of soul that
sponsored by Americans and
This
was
the
first
stop
on
a
* * •
Occasions resort to a curse as a
patterned after American uni- seven - week speaking tour of provocative piece on the mother
"The
Interpreter's
Bible"
is
a
of Sigmund Freud, drawing upon
means of defense or revenge."
by Christians and must versities, will open for its first delegates of 12 Arab nations hitherto ,unpublished material.
Stating that there is "True work
classes
on
September
20
of
this
which
is
sponsored
by
Town
Hall,
therefore be viewed as a Chris-
and False Patriotism," the com- tological
work. Nevertheless, its year. The chief speaker at the New York.. The Arabs will ad-
mentators said, with reference highly scholarly
character makes dinner was Dr. •William dress professors, school teachers, College of Jewish Studies
to this Psalm, undoubtedly hav- it of extreme value to students S. Carlson, preSident • of the scholars, university and high Chartered in California
ing in view the rebirth of Is- of all religions and to Jewish State University of New York, school students.
, rael: "Many parts of the Bible
LOS ANGELES, (JTA) —The
who thereby enrich . . which last year undertook to co-
have 'come to life' again in the scholars
College of Jewish Studies re-
knowledge with an ac- operate in a project of the For- Israel Navy Hosts French
their
.
stirring events of modern times, quaintance of the positions and eign Operations Administration
ceived its charter from, the State
-.and not least Ps. 137. We have viewpoints of the Christian Bible : to supply specialists in agricul- Training Cruiser 'Joan of Arc' of California as the California
:!Seen intense patriotism, some of
ture, public health, industry and
TEL AVIV, (JTA)—The French School of the Hebrew Union
:It flamboyant and aggressive, students.
teacher-training as part of the training cruiser "Joan of Arc" College-Jewish Institute of Reli-
but much of it pure and pas-
American technical aid program has arrived in Haifa for a four: gion, the Cincinnati and New
DP'S End Hunger Strike
- Sionate. And we have seen many
York academic center of Re-
for Israel. .
day visit as a guest of the Israel form Judaism.
• exiles in many different lands-
(DetrOit
delegates
at
the
con-
MUNICH, (JTA) -- Fourteen
Navy. A large portion of the
men and women fleeing for patients
The College is now authorized
at the Foehrenwald ference included Mr. and Mrs.
'their lives, leaving behind them- DP camp h o s p it a 1 called William Hordes, Percy Kaplan, ship's 560 crewmen and 300 to grant degrees of aabbi, Doc-
naval
cadets
were
granted
leave
friends and property, not know-
tor of Divinity, Doctor of Jew-
ing whether ever again they off a hunger strike, when Ger- David Silver, Rose Chesluk and for visits throughout the coun- ish Theology, Doctor of Hebrew
man
officials
visited
the
hos-
Selma
Friedman).
try.
: would set foot on the soil that
Letters, Doctor of Hebraic Stu-
gave them birth and the home pital and promised to investi- . In 1953, Israel exported to
The ship's commander, F. de dies, Doctor of Humane Letters,
which never seemed so dear to gate the possibility of accom-' America, 5,750 cases of wine. In Nasier, emphasized the friend- Master of Hebrew Letters., Mas-
them as when they were sna.tch-,-; modating the entire group in 1954, there were more than 20,- ship between the two nations ter of Jewish Education, Master
ed from it and forced to go out a Munich institution when the 000 cases. That is to say, taking symbolized by this visit. The Is- of Sacred Music, Bachelor of
into a strange and inhospitable camp is closed. The patients in- two and one-half gallons to a rael NaVy will tender a special Hebrew Letters, Bachelor of
world. Some of the displaceditsiated on _being together_ after
receptioii'iti c honor . of the.Ship's Jewish Education and -_Ba.Chelor
persons this thrust forth; like 'the - expected liquidation of the case, in 1954, America cdiithimed officers.
of Sacred Music.
50,000 gallons of- Israel wine.
derelicts upon the mighty deep, camp.