The Jewish News is indebted to one of our Lon-
don correspondents, Josef Fraenkel, the author of this
interesting article, for this historic photo which shows
Moshe Oved standing at the-extreme right. With him
standing are the late Dr. lgnatz Zollschan and Mr.
Fraenkel, in the center. Seated, from the left,. are:
A. M. Kaizer, Zalman Schneur, Mrs. Kaizer and Dr.
L. Zelmanovits.

By JOSEF FRAENKEL _

At one time, whenever. Jew-
ish tourists, artists or writers
arrived in London, they would
look up Moshe Oved. He was
one of the Jewish "sights" of
London. They wanted to see
the Jewish Museum, Ben Uri
Art Gallery. Bevis Marks Syna-
gogue. Petticoat Lane in White-
chapel and naturally "Moshe
Oved" too.
Today stillness and quiet sur-
round Moshe Oved. He is lone-
ly, ill and suffering. Only two
or three years ago, he would
often 'phone, asking me to come
over and have a chat about
what was going on in the Jew-
ish world. But now it is no
longer possible to call upon
him. Yet, whenever I am in
• Museum Street, I glance at his
shop "Cameo Corner," although
I know he is no longer there
but at home confined to bed.
I met Moshe Oved in 1939,
but we did not become friends
until he read a poem to me. It
was in 1942. I was on my way
to the Zionist Organization in
Great Russell Street and there
—in hardly a minute—a bomb
fell, killing people and destroy-
ing buildings in Tottenham
Court Road. The Fire Brigade
arrived, ambulances too, and
suddenly—there was Moshe
Oved, at the corner of Great
Russell Street and Tottenham
Court Road. In one hand he
held a sheet of paper, the ink
still wet upon it, and with the
other he grasped my arm: "You
must listen to this . . . " While
clouds of dust and smoke still
rose from the ruins, glass
tinkled to the grounds, walls
collapsed, wounded were being
tended and agitated people
were running to and from
there stood Moshe Oved reading
aloud his latest poem in mov-
ing tones.
Moshe Oved is poet, writer,
sculptor, artist, visionary and
dreamer, always restless, al-
ways in search of the mys-
teries of the world. A beauti-
ful verse, some fine poetry,
and Moshe Oved is in ecstasy,
becoming oblivious to his
surroundings, even in his
jewelery shop "Cameo Cor-
ner."
Moshe Oved is a Yiddish
writer and his name is known
in Yiddish literature. He is the
author of several books in Yid-
dish, which have also been
published in English, Hebrew
and German. One of them, "The
Book of Affinity," is a deluxe
- production, with original color
lithographs by Jacob Epstein.
His poems often appear in Yid-
dish journals and are some-
times recited at Yiddish gather-
ings. I heard his "Di Yidelech
fun Aleph-Beth" recently:
'"Yingele, Yingele,
wie seht ois an Aleph?
---A Yidel hintn„ a Yidel oibn,
inmiten a Chalef, azai seht
ois an Aleph! Azai seta ois
an Aleph . . ."
His best book, "Visions and

Jewels," is a collection of 124
autobiographical stories and
short tales. Each story is com-
plete in itself, and the whole
book makes a most colorful im-
pression. Sometimes one must
smile at his subtle humor and
at other times one is saddened
and in sympathy with the
sensitive artist.
Moshe Oved is a recognized
expert on precious stones and
even the late Dowager Queen
Mary was a regular caller at
"Cameo Corner." He is also
skillful and experienced in the
use of the pen. He understands
how to present events, great or
small, with poetic imagination.
Oved is a brilliant "causeur,"
who will hold the reader's com-
plete interest. He describes
East-European Jewish types, of
the past and sketches West-
European figures of the present.
Oved, born in Poland . 73 years
ago, has lived in the heart of
Western Europe—in London—
for over 50 years, but never
forgot his old country. Today
East-European Jewry has disap-
peared, and Oved feels lonely
and forsaken.
Oved is particularly interest-
ing when he writes of Nahum
Sokolow, Max Nordau, Sholem
Asch, Jacob Epstein or Hans
Herzl. He • describes—in his
books—his own life, his dreams,
his visions and his friends, as
vividly as his jewels at "Cameo
Corner." Writers generally like
to describe flowers, trees, skies
or the sun. But Oved brings a
new subject into Yiddish litera-
ture—the presentation of the
jewels and beauty, to be found
at "Cameo Corner." A keen
observer, he does not close his
eyes to the weaknesses of his
people, but covers them with
loving tenderness, as can be
seen from the following story.
An old priest once came to
see Moshe Oved. The stranger
was bearded "like an orthodox
Jew." But his voice was too
healthy and strong for a "Child
of Jacob." The priest handed
Moshe Oved a gold watch in
which he only wanted a new
glass fitted.
"This is a Jewish watch"—
remarked Oved.
"How I guessed? I would
recognize a Jewish watch miles
off, by the groaning of the
spring when it is being wound
up; by its swift, express rush-
ing, and its sudden log-like
crawling, by its loose bridges;
by the filed-away points of its
spindle; by the marks of its
golden balance soldered with
tin; by its thin, gold cases which
make a cracking sound, like a
new machine-oiler; and by its
two little `Mezuzah'-hands, one
of which drags westwards,
whilst the other drags still far-
ther eastwards, and both of
which entangle themselves in
the second-hand which throws
itself about on all sides, rubs
against the dirt of the dial and
cannot crawl out, for love or

money . . . And would It not
have guessed by the chain
alone? . . . And the watch? It
does not go accurately. It
either goes too well, or not
at all. But it does not go ac-
curately . . "
The Jewish watch had be-
longed to Nahum Sokolow
and the bearded man was the
Rev. William H. Hechler, the
first non-Jew to render much
valuable service to Theodor
Herzl and political Zionism.
Moshe Oved, in his flowing
purple robe, used to work in
his "sanctum" — an Aladdin•
like cave—a small back room
at "Cameo Corner." Here sur-
rounded by bronze figures of
East-European Jewish life,
which he had himself sculpted,
and various Menorahs and six-
armed candelabra which he had
created in memory of the six
million Jews, he used to work,
write and model in clay. On
his table lay a set of gold and
silver chessmen, representing
figures of the Book of Esther,
which he had designed, as well
as fantastic bejeweled animal
rings, about each of which Oved
would tell a bibical story. And
among the jewels lay odd sheets
of poems and notes for some
new tale. Moshe Oved always
carried some beautiful objects

Knesset Bomber Sums Up Own Defense Plea

JERUSALEM, (JTA) —
Moshe Douek, the young immi-
grant on trial here for throw-
ing a hand grenade into the
Knesset last October and
wounding five Cabinet Minis-
ters including Premier David
Ben-Gurion, summed up his
own defense in District Court
Tuesday, attempting to stress
testimony establishing a mental
lapse and "irresistible impluse"
at the time of the deed.
Pressed by the court to enter
a plea of insanity, which may
not legally be entertained
once the trial moves to the de-
tailed examination of evidence,
Douek retorted that to do so
would mean an admission of
guilt.
Nevertheless, serving as his

in his pockets with which he
could never part unless prompt-
ed by some inner conviction
that only upon one particular
personality would the jewel
come alive. For him jewels had
souls.
Jewish tourists now know
that Moshe Oved is seriously
ill and no longer to be found
at "Cameo Corner" in Museum
Street. Still they visit "Cameo
Corner." There is always a
faint hope that he may improve
and re-appear.

own counsel, he analyzed the
testimony of various witnesses
in such a way as to indicate
he will attempt to prove that
he is not normal.

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Moshe Oved the Poet of 'Cameo Corner'