A Posse Raids a Minyan--
In the Interests of Justice

Isaac Singer's 'Satan in Goray' Reconstructs 17th
Century Episode
ition that "the Messiah will

In 1945, Isa: Bashevis Singer the community in a state of come in God's own time." It is
a powerful tale, reconstructing
was awarded the LAMed Prize spiritual collapse.
Singer describes the develor the fears and the laments of
for "The Family Moskat." Since
then, he has written numerous ment of the passions created by medieval times.
s h o r t stories, and his latest messianic hopes. He tells of the
After order and liberty, econ-
immigration of Jews to the work, •"Satin in Goray," may belief in miracles and in mysti-
On Yom Kippur afternoon in
United States between 1881 and well be considered one of his cism, of the visions of the fanat- omy is one of the higest essen-
1859 a swift-riding posse of men
ics, of an asceticism that de- tials of a free government.
1914. A vast amount of material finest novels.
drew up to a make-shift syna-
Economy is always a guarantee
"Satan in Goray," published teriorated into license.
gogue in San Diego, Calif., dis- remains to be salvaged from
Singer paints an interesting of peace. —Calvin Coolidge
inevitable loss, destruction, and by Noonday Press (17 Union
mounted, forced their way in cold indifference to the life and
Sq., NY 3), is an historical portrait of the heroine, Rechele,
with drawn pistols, seized the
struggles of the fathers of a novel. It deals with the fanati- the victim of the Goray -episode;
DRIVING LESSONS
tenth man of a minyan of Holy previous generation. Valuable cism in the eras of Bogdan of her father, of Reb Gedalyiah,
Day worshippers, and insisted records are being thrown on Chmielnicki and Sabbatai Zevi. the wonder-maker, of Rabbi
7 Lesson Course - $30
that he be sworn in immedi- the junk heap in this period
Benish who sought unsuccess-
Dual Controls
In
an
able
translation
from
ately as a grand juror. The Jew
No Permit Needed
of transition from the down- the Yiddish by Jacob Sloan, fully to prevent the sinking of
was dragged away despite the town.metropolitan areas to new
his community into depravity
Professional Instructors
pleadings of the worshippers life in the suburbs. Priceless "Satan in Goray" is the story and into following a false Mes-
Day or Evening
of
the
life
of
the
people
in
that
that the most sacred Jewish day papers may be permanently lost
Appointments
siah.
Polish town, in the 17th century.
was being unnecessarily vio-
The
moral
of
the
story
is
a
to posterity in this process.
It begins with a description of
Safeway Driver Training
lated.
The American Jewish Arch- t h e community's destruction warning against the ritual of
LI 2-6742
TO 9-7600
Incidents as dramatic as this ives devotes its energies to the during the Chmielnicki po- exorcism, a g ai n s t fanaticism,
against
false
hopes;
an
admon-
run through American syna- preservation of these and other groms, of the return of a hand-
gogue records which date back valuable documents of Amer- ful of impoverished and spir-
to the early 18th century. The ican Jewish life. Its fireproof itually-bfoken people, and of
history of American Jewry facilities and technical care the enthusiasm that was aroused
could not be planned without place it in a unique position to by emmissaries from and
access to these minute books. copy and store such records. spokesman for the false Mes-
Not all contain the vigilante All congregations — Orthodox, siah, Sabbatai Zevi.
tang of the West. However, all Conservative, and Reform—are
The messianic hopes that
are of value, for they portray urged to salvage these papers were aroused divided the com-
the inner life of the pioneer which mutely yet eloquently tell munity. The more rational
Jews who participated in the the story of our life in this fought against the false spirit,
Colonial wars, fought in the country. The Archives will be but they were banished by the
American Revolution, and glad to receive such materials depraved, semi - demented peo-
helped found these United as gifts, or to copy them and ple who had only one hope: a
reconstructed Zion under the
States.
return the originals.
leadership of the Messiah. The
Of 18th century America's
destruction of their hopes found
s e v en congregations t h e Training of Social Workers
MONTREAL (JTA)—A $50,-
records of five survived. The
"THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL'S
originals or copies are depos- 000 fund to stimulate the train-
POSTAGE STAMPS"
ited at the American Jewish ing of professional personnel
A New Book By
Archives where the nation's for Jewish, Catholic and Pro-
Harold V. Ribalow
is available at
largest collection of Ameri- testant welfare services in Mon-
BORENSTEIN'S
can synagogue records is treal has been established by
BOOK & MUSIC STORES
housed. The Archives is lo- Mr. and Mrs. Harry Bronfman
12066 Dexter - 12915 W. 7 Mile
cated on the Cincinnati cam- of this city to mark their 50th
pus of the Hebrew Union wedding anniversary.
College-Jewish Institute of
Religion, Reform rabbinic
seminary. Dr. Jacob R. Mar-
cus is the director of the
Archives. (Dr. Mar c u s is
guest rabbi at Temple Beth
El, Detroit for the High Holy
Days).
The rise of the American
synagogue and the growth and
development of Jewish life in
the United States coincided
with the course of American
expansion. First came the hand-
ful of congregations that dotted
the Atlantic seacoast, then those
in the South, and in the old
Southwest. The opening of the
West is documented by the first
congregation west of the Alle-
ghenies, Bnai Israel of Cincin-
nati. It was established in 1824.
After that, Jewish communities
sprang up in the Ohio Valley,
in Kentucky, in Tennessee, and
in the states to the north and
west of the Ohio River. Jews
poured into Indiana and Illi-
nois, and some of them went
on across the Mississippi River.
The first Jewish house of
worship west of the Mississippi,
the United Hebrew Congrega-
tion of St. Louis, was founded
in 1841. The geographic location
of St. Louis made it a perfect
stopping-off and outfitting point
for those Jews who, lured by
the thought of gold and quick
riches, went further west on to
the Pacific coast. But even be-
fore the gold rush, Jews had
banded together for formal wor-
ship in San Francisco.
Synagogue records tell us
many things besides the strug-
gle to survive spiritually.
They deal with economic•
problems, floods and disasters,
epidemics and disease. And
there are many human
touches. The student is moved
as he reads the unostentatious
A CALL FOR PEACE
and sober entry of the secre-
tary of Congregation Beth
its people and
Shalom of Richmond, as he
We welcome the New Year 5717 with prayers for the security of this land, for the happiness'of all
nkind.
records taking leave of ab-
for the peace of the world. May 5717 be a year of joy and happiness for Israel and for all ma
sence to fight with the Rich-
mond Blues in the Civil war.
Friends and
Or what could be more ironi-
Our Best Wishes to All Our Relatives and
cal to report than the fact
Happy New Year
to the Enetire Community for a Very
that during that war this con-
gregation which had contribu-
ted beyond its means to the
cause of the Confederacy, was
charged with disloyalty.
These gleanings are from con-
INSURANCE
gregational records which have
been gathered and preserved by
the American Jewish Archives,
and represent but a small por-
Hordes — Earl Hordes — Edward Wishnetsky
tion of the hundreds of con-
gregations which arose over-
night as a result of the mass

Sincere Best Wishes

For A Happy New Year

gseaberg, newman,

and Company

Hordes Agency

17616 Wyoming, Detroit 21
William

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