Congregational Activities

Rabbi -Mortimer J. Cohen Supports
Prof. Zeitlin's View That Recently
Found Dead Sea Scrolls Are a 'Hoax'

Rabbi Mortimer J. Cohen, of Congregation Beth Sholom,
Philadelphia, in a lengthy communication to The Jewish
News, takes his stand alongside Prof. Solomon Zeitlin in
questioning the authenticity of the Dead Sea Scrolls for
which the Hebrew University had paid $250,000. Support-
ing Dr. Zeitlin's view that these Scrolls perpetrate a "hoax"
upon Jewry, Rabbi Cohen writes to the editor of The Jewish
News:

A copy of the July 22, 1955 is-
sue of your excellent weekly,
The Jewish News, recently came
to me and I read with great in-
terest your article on Dr. Solo-
Mon Zeitlin's publications about
the Dead Sea Scrolls; I read with
equal interest your editorial gent-
ly chiding those writers who
zealously embrace the article .by
Edmund Wilson on "The Scrolls
from the Dead Sea" which ap-
peared in The New Yorker maga-
zine.
I wish. to compliment you upon
both the article and the editorial.
Despite my personal affection for
Arthur Weyne, who is doing---a
magnificent job as editor of the
Philadelphia Jewish Exponent, I
fear that he,. too, has been taken
in "hook, line and sinker" in ac-
cepting the Dead Sea Scroll
stories as "truthful facts." While
your editorial stand indicates that
you have not yet made up your
mind completely on the issue in-
volved,.I am sure that the future
is with Dr. Zeitlin in the final
decision to be rendered by his-
tory.
I might be accused of partisan-
ship (a nogea badavar) because
I am a student of Dr. Zeitlin,
having attained my doctor's de-
gree in his Rabbinical Depart-
ment at the Dropsie College.
While I hold Dr. Zeitlin in affec-
tionate esteem-, I have often dif-
fered with him personally in
many of the things he has writ-
ten. I might say that Dr. Zeitlin
has always been the kind of
teacher vsrho encourages initiative
and freedom of opinion on the
part of his students, provided
they rest their case upon un-
adulterated facts. Precisely be-
cause I have been close to Dr.
Zeitlin and have learned his
methods of scholarship I feel
better equipped to interpret his
approach to this problem than
those who know him casually
from afar.
Dr. Zeitlin has always empha-

sized one basic necessity in schol-
arly research and that is: Go to
the sources. Do not rely upon
second-hand information. Do not
judge a quoted passage or any
facts advanced unless you have
verified them by consulting the
sources whence quotation and
fact derive. You may advance
any theory you wish — no mat-
ter how fantastic that theory may
be; that is your right as a stu-
dent an dscholar — but to sustain
that theory you must advance
virginal facts, original sources,
and uninfected opinions. You
rarely see any quotation by Dr.
Zeitlin in his writings from sec-
ondary sources. When he quotes
sources they are almost entire-
ly derived from primary sources:
The Bible, the Talmudim (Rabli
and Yerushalmi), the vast realm
of Jewish Literature (Rabbinical
and Post-Rabbinical), Medieval
and Modern. These, after all, are
the well-springs of the Jewish
mind and spirit and in them—
not in what others think of them
—is found the truth so far as
mortal man can attain the truth.
I think it is important to keep
this quality of Dr. Zeitlin as a
scholar in mind when one reads
his zealousness in maintaining his
conviction that the interpreta-
tions being put upon the Dead
Sea Scrolls are wrong. Time and
again, in these articles, he ap-
peals to the scholarly world to
answer his arguments. He knows
that these scholars who contend
against him are not dishonest,
but have been misguided. He
writes: "I do not question the in-
tegrity of the scholars. Their
great enthusiasm for ancient
documents has led them to be-
lieve what they want to believe."
And this applies not only to
Christian scholars but also to
Jewish scholars.
Few scholars are the peers of
Dr. Zeitlin in their acquaintance
with Rabbinical literature. The
greatest living • Christian scholar
of our time — the scholar who is
primarily "responsible for the
erroneous contention as to the
antiquity of the Scrolls"—has
stated in an article his own in-
competence in this field of Rab-
binics in these words: ". . . I am
not competent in rabbinics and
cannot venture to measure my-
self against so eminent a rab-
binic scholar as Dr. Zeitlin." How
then can the scholarly world pit
the opinions of Albright against
those of Zeitlin when the validi-
ty of those opinions depends en-
tirely upon competency in Rab-
binics? As to Jewish scholars,
there are unfortunately degrees
of learning and degrees of hu-
BY DECORATING YOUR
manness involved. As Dr. Zeitlin
HOLY DAYS SYNAGOGUE
so truly says: "I want to make
TICKETS WITH JNF
clear to my Christian colleagues
STAMPS
that not every Jew, even though
he may bear the title rabbi or
doctor, is a rebbinic- scholar."
A STAMP ON YOUR
In view of all that I have
SYNAGOGUE TICKET
brought above, one wonders how
IS AN
Mr. Edmund Wilson can move
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
into a realm of discussion where
OF A FITTING
he has had absolutely no train-
CONTRIBUTION TO THE
ing whatsoever, where he has
CAUSE OF GEULATH
had to rely on secondary opinion,
and where unfortunately he has
HAARETZ THE JNF
consulted only one side of the
PROGRAM OF LAND
contending scholars. Thus, his
RECLAMATION
article can be rejected off the
cuff as a piece of literary impu-
NOTE TO SYNAGOGUE OFFICERS
dence that is all the more to be
Let J.N.F. stamps, symbolizing the
regretted because Mr. Wilson is
fulfillment of the prayer of 80
a great literary critic and an
Jewish generations, bring the mes-
sage of the new era in Jewish his-
eminent gentleman.
tory into the homes of the members
Furthermore, one wonders at
and worshippers of your congre-
gation!
the action of the Jewish scholars
in Israel who advocated the pur-
chase of these Scrolls, which Dr.
Zeitlin declares are "worthless
for Jewish history," for the He-
brew University at the enormous
11345 Linwood Ave., Detroit
price of $250,000. Surely, the eco-
TOwnsend 8-7384
nomic bases of the young Repub-

MARK YEAR EIGHT
OF ISRAEL'S FREEDOM

THE JEWISH
NATIONAL FUND

lic of Israel are not so securely
set that it can spend a quarter
of a million dollars for material
of such dubious worth. Dr. Zeit-
lin believes that they are not
worth more than $10,000 to
$15,000.
That Dr. Zeitlin grows indig-
nant at what he declares is a
"hoax," is understandable when
one recalls that it was he alone
who fought against a similar hoax
perpetuated on the then scholar-
ly world by Robert Eisler con-
cerning the alleged Slavonic
Josephus which was advanced to
prove that the reference to Jesus
in Josephus was authentic. Of
Dr. Zeitlin's valiant battile for
the truth Professor ,H. R. Wil-
loughby, writing in The Chris-
tian Century, January 27, 1943,
stated: "More effectively than any
other critical scholar, he (Dr.
Zeitlin) has defiintely disposed
of the imaginative vagaries of
Robert Eisler concerning the so-
called Slavonic Josephus." ThiS
time, however, Dr. Zeitlin does
not stand alone. Beside him stands
many scholars in the Jewish and
Christian worlds, Oxford, Eng-
land, and Dr. Ernest Lacheman,
Professor, of Bible and the His-
tory of Religions Wellesley Col-
lege, Massachusetts. In Israel it-
self at least one well-known
scholar has expressed doubts as
to the antiquity of the Scrolls.
I close with this thought: What
is involved in this controversy is
more than the feelings, opinions,
vagaries of scholars — even the
brilliant scholarship of Dr. Zeit-
lin. What is involved is the dan-
ger of falsifying history—Jewish
history and • the history of early
Christianity. In such a vital con-
flict, more must be required than
merely charge and • counter-
charge. Facts, internal evidence
alone can settle the final verdict.
For this decision, Dr. Zeitlin's
plea is, as ever, "Go to the
sources!"

Rabbis Fram, Hertz Unable
To Join Caravan to Israel

Cong. Emanu-El Holds School Registration

With the signing of a larger day, at Burton School.
For further information, call
staff and expanding its curricu-
lum, the religious school of Cong. LI 7-5015.
Emanu-El has completed plans
6—DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
for the coming school year, stated
Friday, September 2, 1955
Dr. Frank F. Rosenthal, spiritual
leader, and Dr. Albert Schiff,
newly-appointed educational di-
HIGH HOLY DAYS
rector.
SERVICES
Providing for the education of
pupils from pre-kindergarten
At
through senior high school level,
VETERAN'S MEMORIAL
the curriculum includes ethics
BLDG.
and worship, history, traditions,
knowledge of the Bible and every
151 W. Jefferson Ave.
day living. •
Overlooking Detroit River
Registration is currently tak-
Phone: WO. 4-9263
ing place according to regular
Write
or
call for attendance cords.
pre-enrollment procedures. Par-
Downtown Synagogue, 1205 Gris-
ents who have not signed up
their children may do so at 9:45
wold Street
a.m., Sept. 11, the first school

Congregation Beth Yehudah

17556 WYOMING AVENUE

Is open for the distribution of High Holiday Seats
Every Evening, Monday to Thursday, 7 to .9:30 p.m.

Sunday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

RABBI JOSHUA SPIRO

Will conduct the services and chant the Liturgy, assisted by
special Cantors.

Hebrew School Registration Accepted at the Above Times

For the convenience of Worshippers, air-conditioning

has been installed.

TEMPLE BETH EL

WOODWARD AT GLADSTONE

ANNOUNCES THAT

SUPPLEMENTARY
HIGH HOLY DAY
SERVICES

WILL BE CONDUCTED BY

RABBI MINARD KLEIN

Rabbis Leon Fram and Richard
Hertz regretfully stated this week
that pressure of congregational
affairs prevents them from join-

ing the Jewish Welfare Federa-
tion's Caravan to Israel early in
October.

THANKS„ .

To all my many friends and
customers for helping me be-
come . .

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, ALL DAY, STARTING AT 10 A.M.

at

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