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By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Friday, July 26, 1957
'Memories of a Catholic Girlhood' Offers Revealing
Admission of Irreparable Family Breach in Mixed Marriage
B-G 'Warns Against Delusions on Israel's
Security; Says Ile Is Jew First, Then Israeli;
Goldmann Enters Controversy With Premier
tion "unreal." Despite great
Actions Committee that he
(Later Story on Page 5)
achievements in many
was first a Jew and then an
JERUSALEM, (JTA)—Jews
spheres, the State of Israel is
Very interesting descriptions of her Jewish grandmother by throughout the world were Israeli, because the State of
still not yet' consolidated and
Mary McCarthy, in her "Memories of a Catholic Girlhood," pub- warned by Israel Premier David Israel was created for and
Israel for many years must
lished by Harcourt ; Brace & Co. (383 Madison, N.Y. 17), lend Ben-Gurion not to be under by the merits of the Jewish
have the cooperation of world
special significance to her book for Jewish readers.
the "dangerous delusion" that people. "But the future of the
Jewry, he said.
Miss McCarthy, who lives in Manhattan with her husband, Israel's security problems have Jewish people from now on
Taking exception to Ben-
Bowden Broadwater, and who has a son by a previous marriage been solved by the Sinai cam- depends on the existence,
to the eminent critic, Edmund Wilson, is being acclaimed as one paign. He also warned against growth and strength of the Gurion's distinction between
State," he added.
settlers, whom the Prime Min,-
of America's cleverest writers. Her new book leaves no doubt assuming that the present divi-
Israel, he reiterated, does not ister called the builders, and
about it. It is a witty book, written with a sense of realism.
sion in the Arab camp
At the very outset, in a note To the Reader, Miss McCarthy strengthens Israel's security. represent any non-Israeli Jews, Zionists, wham he called help-
attests to the realities of her stories: "The assumption that I have This is a "mistaken" notion, he but every Jew is a member of ers, Dr. Goldmann warned that
the Jewish nation and the unity if non-Israeli Jews were rele-
`made them up' is surprisingly prevalent, even among people who said.
the status of donors
know me. "That Jewish grandmother of yours . . . .!" Jewish
Addressing the Zionist Ac- of nationality • binds all Jews gated to
only,
they
would soon cease to
to
a
common
historic,
eternal
friends have chided me, skeptically, as though to say, 'Come now, tions Committee, now meeting
donate. Non-Israeli Jews feel
you don't expect us to believe that your grandmother was really here, the Israel Premier em- fate.
Thus, e n-G urion con- and want a role of being "jun-
phasized that the Arab leaders
Jewish.' Indeed she was . . . ."
ior partners" to take part in
"Her hair was naturally black, black as a raven's wing and may argue among themselves tinued, there is a "deep abyss" the historic responsibilities of
in
the
non-Israeli
Jew,
and
in
about
hegemony,
but
Jews
with a fine silky gloss, like loose skeins of embroidery thread.
building Israel, he said.
When she was over eighty and bedridden, the first sprinkling must not forget that the only every Jewish heart there are
He warnedthat Ben-Gurion's
thing that unites the Arabs is tragic moments with the dan-
of white hairs began to appear in her thick, shining permanent .
conception
contained the danger
ger
of
complete
annihilation
hatred
of
Israel.
"She had been a beautiful woman, 'the most beautiful
of
dividing
the Jewish people
always
lurking.
Only
in
Israel
"Na good will come to Israel
woman in Seattle,' my friends' mothers used to tell me ... A
into Israelis on the one hand
Biblical Jewish face that might have belonged to the young from the split up of the Arab are Jews free as men and as
conglomerate on the other
camp into Soviet satellites and Jews and only in Israel can and a
Rachel when Jacob first saw her."
the Jew find complete fulfil- who within 10 to 20 years would
American
satellites,"
he
added.
The granddaughter had pressed her to know why the grand
ment and natural prospects of not understand each other. This
lady had picked the non-Jewish "Grandpa instead of one of He asserted that arms in Arab living as a Jew and as an indi-
threat, he added, was greater
the others," since she had many suitors. She thought he would hands, whether supplied by the
vidual without conflict, he to the non-Zionist than to the
East
or
the
West,
were
intended
be good to her, she finally conceded. "Grandpa was always good
Zionist, since the latter could
by Arab leaders to be used said.
to me," she resumed tranquilly.
"The Third Jewish Common- be reconciled to the eventual
against Israel, not against Com-
Miss McCarthy writes about the three sisters in her grand-
wealth rallied the support of fulfilment of the Zionist mission
munism or democracy.
mother's family and about family reactions: Aunt Rose "had not
all Jews, thus making the wall while the former would be un-
He expressed the opinion
let the Protestant ministers tempt her away from her religion,
between Zionist and non-Zionist able to fill the void. He said the
that
the
Sinai
campaign
in-
but she was a truly open person, able to cross barriers naturally
crumble," he said. He was re- Ben-Gurion approach was prob-
creased Israel's prestige ferring to the charter given the ably the cause of the present
because she did not notice they were there. Most of the Jews
"among its friends, enemies World Zionist Organization misunderstanding and the cur-
in 'Seattle lived a life apart, concerned with bar mitzvahs and
and the disinterested." It was which says "Israel hopes for rent gap in the interpretations
weddings, and family and business affairs; a few, with German-
sounding names, managed to cross into the Gentile world and not a coincidence that Pakis- the cooperation of all Jews as of the spirit of the charter given
tan's Premier just now advises individuals or groups."
get their sons pledged to regular fraternities at the university,
to the World Zionist Organiza-
the Arabs to recognize Israel
leaving temple and observance behind them. Aunt Rosie was a
Dr. Nahum Goldmann, pres- tion.
and India's Premier advises
unique case. Her Jewishness—that is, her bounce and volubility
Dr. Goldmann concluded by
ident of the World Zionist
the same thing to his friend
—was a positive asset to her in her dealings with the Gentile
Organization, took issue with stating that the Premier who
Nasser,
he
declared.
ascendancy. If my grandmother's marriage (to a Gentile) had
Premier Ben-Gurion's argu- could say that he was first a
There may be some willing- ment that Israel was built Jew and second an Israeli would
made it a little easier for Aunt Rosie to get around, Aunt Rosie,
I think, never suspected it; she had a lively self-conceit and no ness on the periphery of the only by its settlers, and that — by placing the Jew foremost
social envy or ambition. To her good-humored mind, being Jew- Arab camp to come closer to its fate depends entirely on — go down in history as the
Israel, the Premier added, but its populace. Dr. Goldmann greatest Zionist leader of alf_
ish was simply a matter of religion."
Thus, we get a picture here of the process of assimilation. the rulers of the Arab coun- called the Premier's concep- time.
Miss McCarthy continues: "Each of the three sisters had a dif- tries continue to incite their
ferent attitude toward their Jewish heritage, perhaps in each case peoples against Israel. "One
conditioned by the man they had married. Aunt Eva—Mrs. Aron- cannot forget the bitter fact
son, whose husband, Uncle Sig, had long ago passed on—was a that the lead in this incitement
typical wealthy widow - of Jewish high society. She traveled a has been taken by the press of
good deal, with a rather hard set who had connections in Port- such a great power as the Soviet
By I. SHARGIL
land, San Francisco, New York, and even Paris; she gambled, Union; and they are not sat-
(JTA Correspondent in Tel Aviv)
with
incitement
alone
—
(Copyright,
1957,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
.
isfied
and went to resorts and fashionable hotels in season; when she
TEL AVIV — Practicing sorcery sounds like a medieval story.
was in Seattle, she was an habituee of the Jewish country club, Soviet arms flow to Syria and
hi the 20th Century sorcery is usually associated with Darkest
where they golfed in the daytime and played bridge for very Egypt."
Discussing arguments of "neu- Africa. If it appears in modern Israel, one can be sure that some
high stakes at night. The scale of living of these people was
far beyond anything conceived of by the local Christian haute tralists," Ben-Gurion said there extortion of money from primitive immigrants is involved
bourgeoisie, which was unaware of their existence . . . Aunt Eva, were two types of neutrality,
The Tel Aviv district court is now hearing the case of 45
I think, hardly realized that the world contained persons who ideological and politico-military year-old Rabbi Ovadya Barti who is charged with extorting
and
that
while
Israel
could
not
were not Jewish. She, too, never knew envy ..." etcetera.
money under the claim of benefitting his client, Meoded Barzilai,
How did her grandfather feel about Jews? Miss McCarthy be neutral as between demo- a merchant and owner of several movie houses, with the aid of
does not know. He never attended church, except to act as a pall- cracy and totalitarianism, Israel supernatural powers. '
bearer at a funeral. Her grandmother had been courted by was willing to sign peace with
The first question put to the victim was, how could he be-
many suitors, she had Jewish beaux also, and "did not dis- the Arabs even though there lieve in Rabbi •arti's contacts with alleged Supreme Beings.
is not a single democracy among
tinguish between the two kinds."
The reply was rather unexpected: since Rabbi Barti promised
As to Miss McCarthy's personal. sentiments: "I myself had them..
to make him "King of Israel" and since be believed that a King
He
stressed
that
there
could
a curious attitude, I now realize, in which the crudest anti-
is due to be crowned in Israel, why, then, should it not be he?
be
no
greater
mistake
than
the
Semitism (`Ikey-Mose-Abie,' I used to chant under my breath,
During the court hearing Meoded Barzilai described how
to myself in the convent) mingled with infatuation and with belief that Israel could assure
he met Rabbi Barti and how this became an acquaintance
genuine tolerance and detachment. I liked Uncle Mose and Aunt her safety by politico military of several years during which he paid the rabbi something
Rosie far better than any other older people I knew, and `Ikey- neutrality because the immedi-
Mose-Abie' represented what I supposed others would think of ate danger to Israel was not like 11,000 Israel pounds—the equivalent of about $6,000.
It started in 1952 when Barzilai's wife was very ill. Rabbi
them. It was a sort of defiance. If I identified a little bit of myself from the West nor the East but
with those others, my dead mother had gone much further; one "from within the area in which Barti was called in to try his cure. He took a piece of paper and
day, I found a letter she had written to my grandmother Mc- we live." Neutrality would not after burning it, a few lines appeared on it "signed" by the
Carthy in which she spoke of an evening 'with the Hebrews.' . p lessen this danger, he pointed three Archangels: Raphael, Gabriel and Michael. The message
stated that a talisman was to be found on the roof. This was
Perhaps I was too sensitive on my mother's behalf. No secret was out.
The basic principle of found and properly smeared with the blood of a chicken. But
ever made of the family connection with Aunt Rosie and Aunt
Eva . . . I used to hear about some distant cousin having a bar Israel's polky was, and would it did not help Mrs. Barzilai's illness.
Barzilai went to the Rabbi's village for another prescrip-
remain, that "under no cir-
mitzvah, and once I was taken to a Jewish wedding, which fas-
cumstance will we assist ag- tion and again he was shown a "message" from the three Arch-.
cinated me because it was held at night in a hotel ballroom.
gressive designs against any angels stating that a treasure "hidden since the days of Crea-
Nevertheless, there was something—a shying away from the
subject, an aversion to naming it in words—so much so that I country regardless of its in- tion" awaits discovery by Barzilai who should pay 1,800 Israel
ternal received moral sup- pounds to Rabbi Barti's wife who was, according to the Rabbi,
was startled, one morning, when I was about 16, to hear my
port from the Soviet Union the Angels' treasurer. The money was placed under a. stone in
grandmother allude to. 'my faith.' I had been talking to her about
and material aid from Czech- Barti's yard and under the same stone a receipt was found later.
my disbelief in. God, and to my surprise she grew quite agitated.
oslovakia and he expressed When Barzilai wanted to keep it, he was warned by Rabbi Barti
She no longer practiced her faith, she declared, but she was
certain that there was a kind God. Who understood and Who regret that these two coun- to burn it. Receipts would be sent to him on "Judgment Day."
There was of course no treasure and when Barzilai started
tries had turned against Israel.
watched over everything. She spoke with great feeling and em-
He praised the "permanence" asking questions, Rabbi Barti produced another "letter" from
phasis—a rare thing in our relations."
at Israel's friendship with the the three Archangels saying that the Crown of Israel was to be
Then we have this recollection: "My grandmother's brother
United States and stressed the redeemed and be bestowed on Barzilai. Under this pretext
Elkan, whom she saw rarely but was not on bad terms with,
strengthening of ties with Barzilai was asked to forward to the treasurer—Mrs. Barti-
was never, to my knowledge, in our house, nor were his wife
France particularly during the various sums of money amounting to thousands of pounds.
and his numerous progeny. This leads me to wonder whether
When Barzilai became restive he was given a number of
past year. Israel, he asserted,
it was not the Jewish connection that had put the bar on en-
tertaining." Here we have a revealing admission of the irrepar- can and does assist the back- parcels, containing "the King's Robes," but was warned not to
ward peoples of Asia and Africa open them before two years had passed. Later, another parcel
able family break caused by mixed marriages.
The Jewish grandmother was bitterly offended by some and this assistance not only was sent to Barzilai "from the Archangels" mailed from Tiberias
happenings in her life. She was deeply hurt by her daughter's opened new vistas for Israel in Post Office. Unintentionally, he opened one of the parcels and
passing. The first offense, Miss McCarthy imagines, "had some- the two continents but, ultim- found it to contain only stones.
Rabbi Barti had of course a convincing reply: the robes
thing to do with her Jewish pride and sensitiveness; some injury ately would also break the "wall
was dealt her early in her marriage, and it may have been a very of hostility" of the Arabs. In have turned into stones since "the Angels are angry that yOu
small thing—a chance word, even—that caused her to draw back the second decade of its exist- have opened the parcel before the appointed time." Barti also
into an august silence on this topic, ,a silence that lasted until ence, Israel must bring in her gave Barzilai instructions which the latter followed rather care-
her death . . .."
third million people and revive fully. In one instance he fasted 40 days in Tiberias, to make
Miss McCarthy's evaluations of an intermarriage offers chal- the wastelands of the Negev, himself ready for the Crown.
Barzilai's patience finally came to an end and he demanded
lenging food for thought as to the workability of mixed mar- he said. He called on world
riages. It introduces questions on the wholesomeness of total Jewry for a partnership of the Crown immediately or else he would approach police. Rabbi
Barti offered to return 2,000 Israeli pounds in cash and the re-
assimilation: do the ends justify the chances taken? Is there gen- "deeds not words."
Expressing his personal out- mainder in installments. But Barzilai no longer believed in
uine happiness in the mixing of faiths and races in marriages?
In any event, Miss McCarthy does offer food for thought— look, the Israel Premier told Rabbi Barti. He went to the police who arrested Rabbi Barti.
the members of the Zionist And Barzilai probably will never become the King of Israel.
while telling a good story in splendid and enviable literary style.
Sorcery in Israel