Judeo-Christian Parallels to the Sermon on the Mount

Tribute to a Great Man

In "Jacob's Well—Some Jew- it is Jesus' inspired and original more intelligible to the lay
ish Sources and Parallels to the summary of his own people's leader for whom this volume is
as valuable as for the theological
Sermon on the Mount," pub- piety at its best."
lished by Bookman Associates-
Rabbi Cohon- thereupon an- scholar.
Nov. 13, 1956, will mark the 100th anniversary of the birth Twayne Publishers (31 W. Un- alyzes the Kaddish and the Ben-
of the great American, the distinguished - Jewish leader, the ion Sq., NY 3), Dr. Beryl D. edictions and quotes other sitaly Grants Use of Schools
devoted Zionist, Louis Dembitz Brandeis. Preparatory to that Cohon makes a comparative sources to prove the point of to All Religious Groups
date, Viking Press (625 Madison, N.Y. 22) has re-issued, as a study of Jewish and Christian parallelism.
-
ROME, (JTA) — Any group
hundreth-anniversary edition, "Brandeis—A Free Man's Life," classics to prove his point.
Dr. Cohon treats, similarly, of non-Catholic pupils in Ital-
by Dr. Alpheus Thomas Mason, professor of politics at Princeton
Pointing out that "the Sermon matters relating to the Beati- ian public schools may obtain
University. It is a great work about' a very great man. Unques- on the Mount is 'the touchstone tutes, the Disciples and the Law. the use of classrooms for reli-
tionably, this biography is one of the classic works of our time. of Christianity'," and that "what
His "Jacob's, Well" is a gious education of their own
Justice Brandeis had authorized this work shortly before the rabbis saw in the Torah, scholarly work, revealing much choosing, Paolo Rossi, Minister
he died, in 1940. His'inemoranda and diaries were made avail- Christian teachers saw in the study, throwing interesting light of Education, declared in Par-,
able to the author. Family and friends provided material for Sermon: the original divine pat- on a subject that now becomes liament recently.
this 725-page book. The results is more than a biography: it tern for human perfection,"
is a thorough study of the man's life; activities as lawyer, Judge Rabbi Cohon proceeds to an-
and Zionist leader; and an evaluation of his heritage, hopes, alyze the subject. He maintains
aspirations, ideals.
that "the Sermon is rooted deep
The. opening "Profile" poseS important questions. It states in the soil of Judaism."
frankly the accusations that have been made against Justice
"The . 01d Testament and Rab-
Brandeis and refers to those who challenged his consistency. binic parallels to the sayings of
Jesus are striking," he main-
Prof. Mason has the answer:
We extend our sincerest good wishes to
"When theoretical molds are applied to particular situa- tains. "Jesus made no open
break with the law of Moses,
tions,- they seldom fit. Therefore the stand he took, after not even with the oral tradition
the entire Jewish community of Detroit
inquiry, was often unexpected. . . . In each case, facts, not
of Pharisaic Judaism. He then
abstract theory, determined his position. Only a man literally
and to Jewish communities everywhere
free from all political and financial obligation could act as quotes from The Interpreter's
Bible: " , . . Jesus' sayings are
Brandeis did."
sometimes most closely related
for a happy 5717. May this Year, and the
Prof. Mason points out that Brandeis sought "prerequisites to the tradition of the wisdom
for independence and freedom of action. . . . He deliberately teachers of Israel, sometimes to
Years to come, be marked with progress
achieved financial security. . • His career has been conspicously that of the prophets, and some-
identified with crucial social conflicts chiefly because so many times to that of the rabbis."
in the attainment of peace and justice for
able lawyers in his day actually were adjuncts of great corpo-
While Dr. Cohon's primary
rations; they had lost sight of their opportunity, renounced a source in drawing parallels is
all mankind.
great obligation, 'to protect also the interests of the people.' the Old Testament, he also has
These interests Brandeis made his own. . . . The lawyer, Brandeis used facts from the Talmud,
felt, must also be the statesman. . . • Modern statesmanship, he Midrash, liturgy, Philo and the
held, required that lawyers redress the balance between corpo- Apocrypha.
rate power and political democracy in favor of the latter. By
A chapter that indicates the
leading the battle against human exploitation, lawyers could method of Rabbi Cohon's ap-
inform and temper popular protest, moderate political action. proach is that dealing with The
Only thus could a capitalist democracy be preserved and kept Lord's Prayer. After quoting
on its path of progress 'within the broad lines of existing the prayer—
institutions'."
Our father who art in heaven,
It is important that this explanation should be made. Bran- Hallowed by Thy name'
deis was attacked, because he was rich. He was a target when Thy kingdom cam e,
it became known that he had left an estate of more than Thy will be done
$3,000,000. Prof. Mason denies he was inconsistent. Following he quotes as a commentary the
up the above evaluation, he concludes: "Viewing Brandeis in following from The Interpreter's
some such way as this, one may perhaps discover more consis- Bible:
tency in his life and work, an integrated achievement true to
"The prayer is thoroughly
its own purpose, as well as a closer kinship between the things Jewish and nearly every phrase
William Fisher
he sought to win for his fellow-men and the growth he so is paralleled in the Kaddish and
ardtiously achieved for himself."
the Eighteen Benedictions; thus

Mason's Biography of. Brandeis

tivim row,

A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Keystone Oil

-

Refining Co.

Leon Kay

The law is silent during war.
Jacob deHaas, one of Theodor Herzl's secretaries, who came
to the United States at the turn of the century and became —Cicero
Nathan Epstein
We must all hang together,
editor of the Jewish Advocate in 1902, interested_ Brandeis in
Zionism. But Prof. Mason states that "on reading of the first else we shall all hang separ-
Zionist Congress in Basle in 1897, he was supposed to have ately.—Franklin
remarked to Mrs. Brandeis: 'Now there is something to which
I could give myself'."
The description of Brandeis the "avowed Zionist" is told
with warmth and understanding by Prof. Mason. Brandeis'
famous address on "Zionism and Patriotism," which has been
quoted time and again and has been reprinted in pamphlet form
several times, "soon became a classic." In it Bandeis told his
audience that
"practical experience and observation convinced me that to
be good Americans, we must be better Jews, and to be better
DEPARTMENT OF MICHIGAN
Jews, we must become Zionists."
.Regardless of Brandeis's differences with Chaim Weizmann,
the report of their reactions to each other, upon first meeting
in London in 1919, is interesting and important:
"Impressions on both sides were favorable. `Weizmann is
neither as great nor as objectionable as he was painted,' Bran-
deis wrote Mrs. Brandeis, June 22. 'But he is very much of a
man and much bigger than most of his fellows.' Weizman, in
turn, saw 'something Messianic' in Brandeis' countenante."
When Nazism was rampant, Brandeis did not hesitate to
to the Entire Jewish Community
go to the White House and to intercede with President Frank-
lin D. Roosevelt in behalf of the sufferers and in his request for
AUXILIARY PRESIDENTS
POSTS and COMMANDERS
action for the opening of Palestine's gates to those who clamored
Detroit No. 135 Pauline Gutfreund
Detroit No. 135 Leonard L. Radner
for haven there. To the very end, he was the devoted, the good
Lawrence H. Jones No. 190
Lawrence H. Jones No. 190
Zionist.

JEWISH WAR
VETERANS
of the

United States of America

Sincerely Wish a

NEW YEAR

of Continuous PEACE and HAPPINESS

*

There is much warmth in the story of Brandeis' relation=
ships with his family and friends. He was a very human person.
The letter he received from his daughter, Elizabeth Raushen-
bush, when he resigned from the Supreme Court, is a classic.
There are scores of classic letters, incidents, comments
in this fine book. That is why any- review in inadequate. It is
a book to be studied—and the Brandeis Centennial is a good
opportunity to make Brandeis the subject for a course of
study—in law schools, in synagogues, in religious schools, in
organizations.
There is an excellent account of the alignment of reac-
tionary forces against the confirmation of President Wilson's
appointment of Brandeis to the Supreme Court and the vic-
tory of the liberal elements. William Hard is quoted by
Prof. Mason as having written, at that time, in an article on
Brandeis, in the Outlook: "Such a man should not be appointed
to the Bench. He should be condemned to it."
There were attacks upon Brandeis when his wealth became
known. But Brandeis, although he lived modestly, was not
niggardly. He was a generous man. - He remembered Hadassah
with a good sum in his will. He also remembered the University
of Louisville and Survey Associates.
So that the record should be clear and straight and perfect,
Prof. Mason appends to his book a list of Brandeis' income
and finances and a list of his gifts from 1905 to 1939. There
also is an interesting list of Brandeis' law clerks—among whom
was Dean Acheson, who later became Secretary of State.
Prof. Mason's is a very good story. It is a timely tribute to
the great Louis D. Brandeis on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

—P.s.

Jules J. Sanders
Down River No. 225 Harold Podolsky
Lt. Eli Levin No. 230 Avery Clarfelt
Flint No. 231 ,Ruddy J. Mittleman
Four Chaplains No. 245 Nathan Litvin
Berger Kleiman No. 252 Ben Wax
Lt. Raymond Zussman No. 333
Naidy Whitton
Sgt. Morton A. Silverman No. 418
Leo Nelson
Bloch-Rose No. 420 Thomas Tannis
Robert J. Rafelson No. 431
Norman L. Berkley
Pfc. Joseph L. Bale No. 474
William Stone
Charles & Aaron Kogan No. 510
William Robinson
Ginsburg-Rosenberg No. 513
Fred _Schwartz
Lt. Roy F. Green No. 529
Leo Weingarden
Sol Yetz-Morris Cohen No. 530
Frank Wasser
Sholom No. 537 William Lipman
Department Commander
Lawrence Gubow
Harvey Dater No. 559
Mark Shanker

Deborah Bregman
Down River No. 225 Mollie Stahl
Lt. Eli Levin No. 230 Ruby Tompkins
Flint No. 231 Shirley Winston

Lt. Raymond Zussman No. 333
Ena Wagner
Sgt. Morton A. Silverman No. 418
Estelle Gubow
Bloch-Rose No. 420 Rose Karden
Robert J. Rafelson No. 431
Evelyn Schwartz
Pfc. Joseph L. Bale No. 474
Gertrude Kraft
Charles & Aaron Kogan No. 510
Ann Kretzmer
Ginsburg-Rosenberg No. 513
Eileen Altman
Lt. Roy F. Green No. 529 Rose Harrison
Sol Yetz-Morris Cohen No. 530
Sarah Kaminsky
Sholom No 537 Inge Kramer
Department President Jay Schwartz

MEMORIAL HOME PRESIDENT
A. Albert Sugar