Friday, March 28, 1958—THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS-40
Bellachini
Court Magician
By ERWIN FETTERS
(Standard Feature Syndicate)
His real name was Samuel
Berlach and he was born poor'
in Ligotta, Poland, May 1, 1827.
At 14, his parents apprenticed
him to a tinsmith, but the boy
soon found the work monoton-
ous. He escaped to America, but
Jewish Legislators in 1950 Congress
fore, you will write down the
following four words (and the
King's hand began to move
obediently) : "Bellachini - is -
my - Court - Magician," he
dictated in a low, suggesting
voice and the King wrote the
words down smiling with
amused relief. Then he said:
"Since your promotion is now
black on white, it is valid."
Shrewd Ballachini made good
use of his new title "Magician
of the Court" by asking tremen-
dous sums for one performance
and usually getting them.
His most famous tricks,
which left people gasping and
shouting, are obsolete today,
scarcely . 100 years later. His
grueso m e "Decapitation
Trick" tickled the naive
spines of the audience, so
did his less bloody tricks,
"Catching Money in His Hat"
and "Fooling with Rings,"
which he made to appear and
disappear.
Bellachini died Jan. 24, 1885,
a few minutes before a per-.
formance. He was a diligently
working man, shrewd and
hypnotizing, the "C 1 a s .s i c a 1
Sorcerer" who won gold and
fame for creating a primitive
world of illusions by making
the most out of the old truism
"The world wants to be de-
ceived."
By REP. SAMUEL N. FRIEDEL
(Baltimore, Md.)
Our Jewish Legislators cur-
rently serving in Congress
prove material for a fascinating
story.
As President Calvin Coolidge
put it, "The Jewish Faith is pre-
dominantly the Faith of Lib-
erty," and the American people
have demonstrated their appre-
ciation of our efforts in the
pursuit of liberty.
Significantly, the first Jew-
ish member of the Senate of
the United States was chosen
by the state of Florida. The
second and third represented
Louisiana; the fourth and
eighth, Oregon; the fifth, Mary-
land; the sixth, Colorado; the
seventh and ninth, New York.
Jacob K. Javits
There are 12 Jewish members
of Congress this year, . 11 of
them Democrats. The lone Re-
publican is Senator Jacob K.
Javits of New York. Senator
Javits is no novice in Washing-
ton. Before his election to the
Senate in 1956, he had served
four terms in the House of
Representatives. -
When he first came to the
House in 1947, this stocky man
with his friendly smile was as-
signed to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs. That was a
stroke of luck for this country.
BELLACHINI
was not fortunate. For days, he
wandered through the streets,
jobless and hungry. So he de-
cided to return home.Not hav-
ing a cent to his name, he
sneaked during the night into a
European-bound boat and hid
in an empty wooden case. When
the sailors found him, he
amused them so well with his
Clip This Ritual Text
stories and tricks, that they for-
gave him and set him ashore at
for Use at Your Seder
Lisbon. There the boy, then 16,
Perform this Ritual—for the six million Jews who perished
associated with a band of roving
gypsies who taught him many at the hands of the Nazis and for the heroes of the Ghetto up-
tricks. risings—after the third of the Four Ceremonial Cups, just be. 7
the door is opened for the symbolic entrance of the
So dearly did young Samuel fore
Prophet Elijah.
Seder Remembrance' Ritual
love magic that he decided
then to devote his whole life
to the art of necromancy. He
separated from the gypsies
and started his own shows.
despite great difficulties be-
setting him at the beginning,
he soon won and for-
tune with his tricks which he
exhibited at f airs and
markets.
In 1843, he gave his first great
magic performance filling an a-
musing evening with his one-
man show; from this time on,
he was financially well-estab-
lished. Now he could marry his
sweetheart, the daughter of a
renowned physician, who bore
hiin two children, a son, who
fell in a duel in 1883, and a
daughter who was happily mar-
ried.
Bellachini's fame, (he had
changed the prosaic name of
Berlach by italianizing it), greW
steadily. Soon he became the
most popular magician of his
time; he was nicknamed the "Al-
lerweltszauberer" which means
a magician who enchants the
whole world with his tricks.
Emperors and kings vied with
each other to have him perform
at their courts. Many amusing
stories are told about the
shrewd magician who used his
art to obtain more money and
attain world-wide fame.
Shrewd and hypnotising,
Bellachini used his power
well. King William of Ger-
many was fascinated by his
art and never got tired of
looking at his tricks.
After one of his performances
court, Bellachini marched
straight to the king's seat and
said: "Here is paper and pen.
But I can assure your Majesty
that you will not be able to
write down one single word
against my will. And at this mo-
ment, I do not want you to
write." Amused and puzzled, the
King tried to prove that _Bella-
chini was wrong. But hard as
he struggled, he did not succeed.
Now, with a stern, imperative
voice, Bellachini ordered him:
"1 free you from your magic
ban, your Majesty. Now you will
be able again to write. There-
at
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English rendition of the Hebrew
On this night of the Seder we remember with . reverence
and love the six million of our people of the European exile
who perished at the hands of a tyrant more wicked than the
Pharaoh who enslaved our fathers in Egypt. Come, said he to his
minions, let us cut them off from being - a people, that the name
of Israel may be remembered no more. And they slew the
blameless and pure, men and women and little ones, with vapors
of poison and burned them with fire. But we abstain from
dwelling on the deeds of the evil ones lest we defame the image
of God in which man was created.
Now, the remnants of our people who were left in the
ghettos and camps of annihilation rose up against the wicked
one for the sanctification of the Name, and slew many of them
before they died. On the first clay of Passover the remnants in
the Ghetto of Warsaw rose up, against the adversary, even as
in the days of Judah the Maccabee. They were lovely and pleas-
ant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided, and
they brought redemption to the name of Israel through all the
world.
And from the depths of their affliction the martyrS lifted
their voices in a song of faith in the coming of the Messiah,
when justice and brotherhOod will reign among men.
All sing ANI MAAMIN ("I Believe"), the song of
the martyrs in the ghettos and liquidation camps.
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A-ni ma-a-min be-e-mu-no shle-mo
B'vi-as ha-mo-shi-ah, v'af al pi
She-yis-ma-mey-ha, im kol ze a-ni ma-amin.
I believe with perfect faith in the coming of the Messiah:
And though he tarry, none the less do I believe!
At that time isolationist senti-
ment was threatening to regain
its prewar prominence. Javits
and a few of his Republican
colleagues, however, defied the
trend and voted with the Dem-
ocrats for the European recov-
ery program. In so doing, they
probably saved Europe from
Communism.
In Congress—as a Represen-
tative and as a Senator—he has
been a forceful advocate of a
more liberal immigration policy
and of adequate civil rights
Legislation. He has also been a
firm friend of Israel.
Richard L. Neuberger
Richard L. Neuberger is the
other Jewish Senator. In 1954
he became the first Democrat
the state of Oregon had elected
to the Senate in forty years. A
big, handsome man, he was a
journalist for many years and
he has written numerous books
and innumerable magazine ar-
ticles. HiS wife, Maurine, sat
in the State House of Repre-
sentatives while Neuberger was
serving in the Oregon Senate,
Oregon being a predominantly
Republican state, the Neuber-
gers at one time constituted 15
percent of the Democratic
strength in the Legislature.
Someone quipped that they
were the only politicans any-
where in the United States who
could regularly caucus at break-
fast.
Senator Neuberger's major
interests are in the fields of
conservation and public power
policy. He has, as, one com-
mentator said, "A veritable pas-
sion for power development."
Senators are usually better
known to the country at large
than are Representatives. For
one thing, there are so few
SenatorS, and so many Members
of the House. It is usually the
extraordinary man who raises
himself above this multitude
to become a well-known public
figure. Emanuel Celler is such
a man.
Emanuel Celler
"Mannie" Celler has repre-
sented what is now the Elev-
enth Congressional District of
Brooklyn, N. Y., for 35 years-
18 consecutive terms. Of the
531 members of the Eighty-
fifth Congress, only five men
have served as long and only
three have served longer. A
jovial, charming and brilliant
man, he possessess an enor-
mous capacity for hard work.
His wit and good humor have
beguiled even those who dis-
agree with his policies.
I think Celler summed up
the spirit behind those policies
in his autobiography — "You
Never Leave Brooklyn."
He has for many years been
a champion of Civil Rights Leg-
islation—both as a chairman of
the Judiciary Committee and
as floor manager in the debates.
He is a bitter opponent of the
restrictive immigration laws,
and serves with zeal 'on the
Joint Committee on Immigra-
tion and Nationality Policy..The
well-being of small businesS has
always concerned him, and he
has sponsored many bills de-
signed to curb the concentra-
tion of economic power. He is
an outspoken and sincere friend
of Israel.
I was present in 1953 when
the House of Representatives
devoted two hours to congra-
tulating Mr. Celler on the oc-
casion of his 30th anniversary
in Congress. Democrat and Re-
publi.can -alike rose to pay trib-
ute to him. They spoke of his
abilities, his funny stories, his
generosity, his fairnesS, and
they agreed that the perfect
descriptive .word for Mannie
Celler is a gentleman.
ing and Currency Committee,
Multer for many years fought
the battle for economic con-
trols. As Chairman of the Sub-
committee on small business,
and as floor manager, he led
the successful campaign for
more liberal disaster loans and
flood insurance. In his six terms
he has supported programs pro-,
viding for alleviation of un-
employment, banking reforms,
federal aid to education, the
Highways program, and the
Mutual Security Program.
Congressman Multer is an
enthusiastic supporter of cor
dial relations between the Unit-
ed States and Israel. Several
years ago he organized a "sal-
ute to Israel" program on the
floor of Congress celebrating
that country's Independence
Day. This is now an annual af-
fair.
Earl Chudoff
Three Jewish Congressmen
are currently in their fifth con-
secutive terms in the House.
Earl Chudoff has represented
the fourth Pennsylvania District
of Philadelphia. A member of
the Judiciary and of the Gov 7
ernment Operations Committees
he was a forthright speaker for
the recently passed Civil Rights
legislation, as well as for pub-
lic housing, federal aid to edu-
cation and a program to pro-
vide housing for elderly fam-
ilies and persons. Fortunately
for the city of Philadelphia,'
but unfortunately for Congress,
Chudoff was elected Judge of
the Common Pleas Court this
past November and will not re-
turn to Congress.
Isidore Dollinger
The Bronx has for the past
nine years given us the services
of Isidore Dollinger, a valued
colleague of mine on the Inter-
state and Foreign Commerce
Committee. Dollinger has given
much time to the improvement
of the Social Security System.
Needless to say, he has often
spoken and voted for - friend-
ship and aid to Israel.
Sidney R. Yates
Rep. Sidney R. Yates, a hand-
some, athletic man from Illinois'
Ninth District, is also serving
his fifth consecutive term. He
is a member of the important
Appropriations Committee. Like
Judge Chudoff, he has been
concerned - with the plight of
the aged, and he has proposed
the establishment of a bureau
of older persons in the Health,
Education and Welfare Depart-
ment to deal with various prob-
lems of old age.
Lester Holtzman
Representing Rego Park, New
York, Lester Holtzman is a
well known attorney and his
presence on the Judiciary Com-
mittee adds much to that body.
Herbert Zelenko
Herbert Zelenko of New York
begins his fourth year in the
House. A lawyer with 25 years
experience he is a member of
the Committee on Education
and Labor and of the Merchant
Marine and Fisheries commit-
tee.
Leonard Farstein and
Ludwig Teller
Congressmen Leonard Farb-
stein and Ludwig Teller, both
of New York, are serving their -
first terms in the House. Rep.
Farbstein, a member of the For-
eign Affairs Committee, has
persuaded the State Depart-
ment to. include Hebrew as a
language to be studied by for-
eign service officers.
Rep. Teller has an extensive
labor background, and is a
member of the Committee on
Education and Labor. He did
much good work during the last
session on behalf of the Fed-
eral Aid for School Constitu-
tion bill.
Two former Jewish members
of Congress, Senator Herbert H.
Abraham J. Multer
Lehman and Representative
Brooklyn is also represented Sol Bloom were two stars in
in Congress by Abraham J. the legislative world, and in the
Muller. A member of the Bank, political life of our country.