v ice-rresicient
Three New Books on Moses and The Ten Commandments
happened on Mount Sinai, to be the most important con-
What would Moses have said, century C.E., who, in his
of Technion
whether much or little—or tribution to the Judeo-Christian
"Preparation for the Gospel,"
had he come to life, about the
even if nothing happened tradition of learning in our
now being made about him incorporated extensive texts
Speaks at 'Dinner fuss
there at all—it is important times. It helps to focus the
on Moses.
and the Ten Commandments?
Prof. Sebastian B. Littauer
will be the principal speaker at
the 11th annual dinner at the
Detroit Chapter of the Ameri-
can Technion Society, to be
held Dec. 15, at L'Aiglon in
the Fisher Building.
Prof. Littauer, who will speak
on the "Role of Technical Edu-
cation in a Developing Econ-
omy," recent-
ly was elected
unanimously to
the post of
vice - president
of the Tech-
nion in Haifa,
Israel. He will
assume his
new duties in
the spring 0 f
1957.
Prof. Littauer
He has been
associated with Columbia Uni-
versity in its engineering statis-
tics and quality control depart-
ment for several years. Having
earned his doctorate degree
from the Massachusetts In-
stitute of Technology in 1930,
Dr. Littauer has taught at many
outstanding Universities, i D-
eluding the United States Mili-
tary Academy and MIT.
He has also served- as con-
sultant -to numerous U. S. Gov-
ernment agencies and industrial
firms and was senior industrial
specialist in chemicals to the
War Production Board during
World War II.
As v i c e-president o f the
Technion, working in close as-
sociation with Gen. - Yaacov
Dori, president of- the Institute,
Dr. Littauer • will bring many
new and much needed Ameri-
can techniques to the school.
Dr. Joseph Epel, president of
the local chapter, indicated that
the early response indicates a
large attendance at the dinner,
and urged, all who plan to at-
tend to return their reservation
cards as soon as possible.
The Ideal
HANUKAH
GIFT
The GIFT of
Knowledge
Keep Your
Relatives and
Friends Fully.
Informed on
Happenings in
Jewish Communities
Everywhere
We have a great film—hailed
as Cecil De Mille's greatest pro-
duction—On "The Ten Com-
mandments." And we know of
at least three books that are
now available on the subject:
From the University of South-
ern California Press, Univer-
sity Park, Los Angeles 7, Calif.,
comes "Moses and Egypt: The
Documentation to the Motion
Picture The Ten Command-
ments," edited by Henry S.
Noerdlinger, with an introduc-
tion by Cecil B. De Mille.
The hundreds of annotations
in this book point to an im-
mense amount of effort that has
gone into this • documentation.
While, "to accomplish the vast
research work for the film, 950
books, 984 periodicals, 1,286
clippings and 2,964 photographs
were studied," the document-
ing of source material in the
USC book "has been selectively
" Nevertheless, it is
extensive enough to commend
itself to viewers of the film,
Biblical students and religious
scholars.
Noerdlinger began his re-
search work for "The Ten
Commandments" i n June,
1952, so that when writers
were asigned for the screen-
play, they would have a solid
foundation of fact from which
to work. In addition to the
Holy Scriptures, the Koran,
and the Midrash, commentary
of the rabbis of old which
had its inception during the
time of Ezra in the fifth cen-
tury, B.C.E., and continued
through the 11th century,
C.E., he consulted and collated
such sources as the works of
Philo; of Josephus, the Jewish
historian who lived at the
time the, Temple in Jerusalem
was destroyed by the Romans
in 70 C.E.; and of Eusebius,
a church father of the fourth
In all, from sacred writings,
archaeological and historical
sources, 1900 books and period-
icals were consulted, nearly
3000 photographs collected, and
the facilities used of 30 li-
braries and museums in North
America, Europe and Africa,
supplemented by correspond-
ence and consultation with
many biblical scholars, histor-
ians and archaeologists all over
the world.
The book is illustrated with
photographs, reproductions of
archaeological facts and their
corresponding application to the
picture. It contains a compre-
hensive index and beside each
paragraph in which facts are
cited the original source of the
fact -is listed, not only by name
but by chapter and page num-
ber. -
DeMille pointed out that in
the past, research compilations
have been made on some of his
productions, but in mimeo-
graphed form and on a much
smaller scale, for reference use
by his own staff and for lim-
ited distribution to certain uni-
versities, libraries and indi-
vidual scholars.
"Very important discoveries
in Egyptian archaeology have
been made since the first motion
picture called 'The Ten Com-
mandments' was filmed in 1923,"
he noted.
Another scholarly work,
"The Ten Commandments,"
by the Rev. A. Powell Davies,
of Washington, D.C., has been
published by New American
Library (501 Madison, NY
22). These publishers recent-
ly also published . Rev. Davies'
"The Meaning the Dead Sea
Scrolls."
"What happens as a result of
scholarly research is that we
come to know how religion
really developed," says A. Pow-
ell Davies in the introduction
NCRAC Program Plan
Hits Arab Propaganda
to "The Ten Commandments,"
in which he examines the tra-
ditional story of their delivery
Countering anti-Jewish Arab
propaganda, combatting Arab
discrimination against J e w s,
and working for orderly and
harmonious transition to racial
integration are designated as
most important tasks for Jewish
community relations agencies in
the coming year in the Joint
Program Plan for Jewish Com-
munity Relations in 1956-57, re-
leased by the National Com-
munity Relations A dvisOr y
Council.
The joint plan, representing
the combined judgments of the
six national Jewish organiza-
tions and 35 Jewish community
councils comprising N C R A C,
spells out specific recommenda-
tions for carrying out these
tasks.
by God to Moses, and then with
the h.elp of modern Ef...holarship,
presents the facts on when they
were first written down, when
the Exodus occurred, what was
the character of Moses and what
is the meaning of Mosaic law.
He states:
"T h e's e questions, though
often difficult, present us with
a fascinating challenge—a chal-
lenge which, if we can prove
equal to it, not only spurs us
to acquire some genuine knowl-
edge of the Bible, but enables
us to see the real nature of the
immense and long-continued
struggle through which man
has grown in spiritual stature
and raised the level of his re-
ligion."
There may 'be differences of
opinion with Rev. Davies' views.
JeWish scholars and others may
differ with him on several
points. But his approach is most
interesting.
Especially effective is his as-
sertion:
"We see now that whatever
To Serve at Israel College
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — Dr.
Yale Mintz, of the University, of
California at Los Angeles, was
named visiting professor of me-
teorology at the Hebrew Uni-
versity for a two-year period.
Ladies' Day Book Fair Planners
SEND
to the true story of the Ten
Commandments. The deca-
logue grew out of the life of
the people, a landmark in
their religious evolution.
Though we can not see him
plainly through th mists of
legend that bedim the face
of history, we can recognize
Moses as a great symbol: he
was the Law-giver, not once -
and for all in the days of the
wilderness but through all.
the centuries that followed,
while Israel slowly learned
that the Law of God is not
the ritual of the altar but the
call to righteousness."
The commandments are ana-
lyzed by Rev. Davies in all their
details. Discussing the com-
mandment for the observance
of the seventh day as a day of
rest, he quotes "a beautiful Jew-
ish hymn that is being sung at
the table on Friday evening."
His concluding admonition is
that "since from Israel's strug-
gle the civilization of the West
has drawn so much, making it a
part of its own religious heri-
tage, it is appropriate that we
continue to exalt its greatest
symbol, and this, to the modern
mind, should be the meaning
of the Ten Commandments."
Of value in Rev. Davies' book
is an appendix, -"The Decalogue
and Moral Codes of Other Great
Religions."
Just published by the Uni-
versity of Chicago Press is
the book "Ten Command-
ments," by the late Rabbi
Solomon Goldman.
The new book may well prove
meaning of the decalogue in
modern life through an analysis
of the tradition that has im-
mortalized it and the matrix
of its conception.
Before his death in 1953,
Rabbi Goldman had already
achieved an international repu-
tation as a biblical scholar and
as an inspirational leader.
Otutstanding among Gold-
man's published works are "The
Book of Books" and "In the
Beginning," which were to be
the first parts of an encyclo-
pedic biblical commentary.called
"The Book of Human Destiny."
"Ten Commandments" is the
third volume of the commen-
tary, edited froth the late
Rabbi's manuscripts by the
noted author Maurice Samuel,
whose enlightening preface adds
yet another dimension to the
story of the Ten Command-
ments.
Mr. Louis Partovich
And His Beloved Wife
The Late Bessie Partovich
Who Passed Away
Oct. 14, 1956
Mr. Partovich and his
children, Sara and Henry
Rosenberg, Morton and Roz
Partovich. His grandchildren,
Robert Rosenberg and Jodie
and Melvin Partovich, have
made a generous contribution
MICKEY
WOOLF
AND HIS
ORCHESTRA
Music and
Entertainment
to her memory to the
Child Rescue Fund
of Pioneer Women.
Featured by
DETROIT SOCIALITES
In Their
HANUKAH DANCE
SUN. EVE. NOV. 25th, 1956
CONG. BETH ABRAHAM
8100 W. 7 Mile at Greenlawn
Gen. Adm. $1.50 per person
(tax included)
"ANYBODY WHO IS ANYBODY
WILL BE THERE"
Mrs. Partovich was an ardent
- and zealous worker in
many organizations,
especially those pertaining to
children and to. Israel.
Her name will be perpetuated
by projects to be developed
in Israel.
N 0 W . . .
2 Stores to Serve Your Religious Needs!
BORENSTEIN'S BOOK & MUSIC STORE
12066 DEXTER
12915 W. 7 MILE RE
Bet. Steel & Sorrento
Cor. Monterey
DI 1-0569
TO 6-9504
The Well-Equipped and Modern
CONGREGATION BNAI- ISRAEL & SOCIAL HALL
Available for: Bar Mitzvahs, Weddings, Meetings and Social
Gatherings. Contact committee at daily services or call:
Mr. Rotenberg, TO 7-8596 or Mr. Covensky, TO 5-6855
JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER
Young Adult Dept.
CHANUKA DANCE
Sunday Evening; Nov. 25 — 9 p.m. to Midnight
Featuring:
Jack Levin and His Orchestra
Davison Branch, 4059 W. Davison
— Admission —
Non-members $1.25
Center Members 50c
THE JEWISH NEWS
AS YOUR GIFT
Refreshments
Use This Coupon
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_ Plans for Ladies' Day at annual Jewish Book Fair, at the
Davison Jewish Center, were made by a committee which
included, left to right: Mrs. Nathan Spevakow, Book Fair
co-chairman; Mrs. Louis Kazdan, chairman, Ladies' Day com-
mittee; Mrs. Philip Bernstein, president, League of Jewish
Women's Organizations; Mrs. Julian IL Scott, Book Fair vice-
chairman.
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