Jewish Religions, Philosophic Themes
Dealt with in Score of New Paperbacks

Rusk Tells Presidents of Jewish
Organizations of Interest in Israel

(Direct /TA Teletype Wire
1 Monday in a Washington meeting
Paperbacks have popularized many works that would have !the Dead Sea Scrolls, again up-
to The Jewish News)
with Secretary of State Dean
been unobtainable otherwise. The low price range has made it holds the theory that they be-
NEW YORK — The Confer- Rusk, issued a statement here
possible for the masses of American readers to acquire higher- long to the first century. He
repudiated Prof. Solomon Zeit- ence of Presidents of Major Jew- Tuesday on the results of the
priced popular works as well as classics.
ish Organizations, whose dele- talks.
What paperbacks have done also has been to encourage the lin's views to the contrary.
gation spent more than an hour
reading of philosophic and religious works which might otherwise
The statement declared: "The
The present volume is his
have gone by the board.
delegation expressed to the Sec-
complete translation of the Dead
Among the many recent paperbacks are new Jewish-Publication Sea documents. "The Essene Methodist University, has pro- retary of State the deep concern
Society-Meridian Books titles, several volumes on religious subjects, Writings from Qumran" contain duced a most provoking theme of the American-Jewish commun-
books on the Dead Sea Scrolls and other works.
the Damascus Document, the which is certain to meet with ity with the continuing belliger-
New outstanding titles on Jewish subjects or of general Scroll of the War Rule, the much opposition — certainly in ency of Arab states in the Middle
Jewish interest are:
Teacher of Righteousness scroll Jewish ranks. But while doing East towards Israel. At the con-
"Under limitations that re- ! Danielou seeks in the Dead and the other parchments that so he has written most inter- clusion of the conference, Rusk
quired to be investigated," Sea Scrolls "a direct relation have been discovered since 1947. estingly about the three re- assured the delegation of the
ligions under discussion. He "deep interest which our govern-
Francis Daulton comes to the to the problem of the origins
In this volume is reviewed
conclusion that "g c n i u s was of Christianity." Thus, to this the theme of Essenism and comments extensively on Jewish ment has in the continuing secur-
hereditary." He presents his Christian scholar the entire Christianity and John the Bap- experiences, refers to historical ity and welfare of the State of
views in "Hereditary Genius,— theme is related to Christian tist is linked to the Qumran developments, comments on Israel and of the peaceful solu-
An Inquiry Into Its Laws and influences. He links the early sect, Jesus being considered the Zionism and Zionist leaders, tion of problems in the Middle
and makes these important ob- East."
Consequences." which has just Christians to the Essenes. He Teacher of Righteousness.
servations:
been issued by Meridian Books speaks of John constituting "a
The delegation was headed by
Prof.
Dupont-Sommer
denies
(119 W. 57th. NY 19), as a link between the last mo-
"Hitler destroyed European Label A. Katz of New Orleans,
the
view
of
Dr.
Zeitlin
that
the
paperback.
ment of the Old Testament and
Jewry but he brought a renais- president of Bnai Brith, who
In the course of his study, the inauguration of the New." Qumran scrolls are of Karaite sance of religious and cultural acted as chairman of the group
=
origin.
He
repudiates
other
Daulton made a cursory exami-
self-consciousness to American in the absence of Rabbi Irving
He links Jesus to the Zadok
nation of about 400 men of all Priests and expresses the Chris- similar contentions and rejects Jews. Today American Jewry Miller, president of the Confer-
the
idea
that
the
Essenes
were
periods in history and the re- tian view on Essenian practices.
number more than half of the ence.
sults. he says. in his own He probes into the Teacher of a myth.
world's Jewish population, and
Included in the delegation
*
*
*
opinion. completely established Righteousness theme and the
the Jewish communities here were Louis Weinstein of Boston,
Interesting
views
on
the
Jew-
his theory.
are the center of financial and president of the National Com-
Zaddokite Document and Views
I should have especially "the sanctification of time" as ish historical position are ex- cultural strength among those munity Relations Advisory Coun-
pressed
by
an
eminent
Catholic
liked to investigate the biogra- a characteristic feature of the
of that faith.
cil; Rabbi Philip Bernstein of
pines of Italians and Jews, both Qumran community. Emphasis scholar, Christopher Dawson, in
"The new vision of Judaism Rochester, president of the
the Mentor paperback published
of whom appear to be rich in is placed on Zaddokite use of by New American Library of in that setting has been termed American-Israel Public Affairs
families of high intellectual messianic phophecy and he sees
Catholic Israel' by Solomon Committee; Rabbi Joachim Prinz
breeds." he states in the course in them strictly Christian fea- World Literature (501 Madison, Schechter. His term would have of Newark, president of the
NY 22), "The Dynamics of
of his study. tures.
American Jewish Congress; and
World History." While he views been inappropriate for a Juda- Yehuda Hellman of New York,
* *
He considers the testaments if Ch
b ri st i n i ty a s the central s r o c e ism which was conceived as a executive secretary of the Presi-
Prof. Nicholas Bedyaev was XII patriarchs the work of a ; i man's historical progrn, mere transfer of ghetto practice
t
dent's Conference.
Russia's leading religious phi- converted Essene. The Christian! he acknowledgesall debts e
to the to the New World. But it is
10,0pher. A devout Christian, he scholar views the Dead Sea Old Testament, to Israel. to his- appropriate for a Judaism which
had certain definite views on Scrolls as Christian revelations. I torical Jewish values.
has accepted the status of Juda- Hebrew Corner
Jews and Judaism, anti-Semi- I Of special interest in Danie-
ism in America for what it is:
But
he
views
only
the
darkest
tism and Zionism. A series of totes hook is his brief discussion
a matter of voluntary affilia-
Kfar Nahum
lectures he delivered in Soviet :of th Ebionites in the chapter social developments in their ap- tion. Even though the ghetto
Russia. before his expulsion on "Ebionism and Essenism." plication to Israel. For instance, complex. after hundreds of
Everyone is acquainted with the
from his native land, appeared The subject is rarely touched in the emergence of Marxism, years of Gentile pressure and Lake of Tiberias. But only a few
in a widely acclaimed book. upon and most recently was he admits that Karl Marx was persecution, is hard for the know that in the area was once
situated a rich settlement. This was -
" The Meaning of History," in dealt with by Maurice Samuel the son of a Christian convert. Jews to cast aside. the process in
the period of the Second Temple.
1936. It has been republished, in his novel "The Last Cruci- yet he says that he "could not is already well advanced The name of the place—Kifar Nahum.
posthumously. in a paperback, fixion." Danielou's is an en-Ideny his Jewish heredity and through which Jews as well as
In Kifar Nahum are found until
by Meridian Books.
lightening chapter worthy of 'his Jewish spirit and become the Catholics and Protestants can this day remnants of a large syna-
gogue, that existed here two thou-
Because he dealt with the re- study and application in con- I obedient servant of the Gentile affiliate or disaffiliate at will. sand years ago. Those who prayed
in this synagogue were very rich —
ligious theme, he devoted much sidering the entire theme of civilization as his father had
"When
all
is
said
and done, this it is possible to learn from the
done." He expresses views about
space to the Jews and their the early Jewish Christians.
decorations that are
this is a far happier situation many beautiful
on the stones of the sYtta-
problems in the world society.
The Jewish Publication So- " the Jewish mind." and states: than under the style of political found
Lorne's building. In these decora-
Messianic
hope,
the
belief
A major chapter in "The Mean- ciety of America, 222 N. 15th,' "
are images of a Holy Ark for
and cultural coercion which so tions
the Holly Scrolls, a Shofar, fruits
ing of History" is entitled "The Philadelphia, jointly with Meri- in the coming destruction of the long governed the misuse of re- that
grew well in the Land of Israel,
dian
Book
sponsored
by
World
Gentile
power
and
the
deliver-
Destiny of the Jews." While it
ligion to support and accom- and others.
was written before the emerg- Publishing Co., 119 W. 57th, NYnce of Israel, were to the Jew plish tribal or national purposes.
In those days the worshippers sat
ence of the State of Israel. it 19, continue their combined pro- not mere echoes of Biblical tra- In it we see the emergence of on stone benches alongside the walls.
The Holy Ark was not fixed per-
retains its interest to this day. gram of issuing Jewish literary dition; they were burnt into a genuine basis for religious manently
in the synagogue, and when
the very fibre of his being by
Berdyaev, writing about the classics in paperbacks.
to read the Holy Scroll,
universalism, for religion which they wanted
would bring it from a room be-
repudiation of the messianic IThe two newest JPS-Meridian centuries of thwarted social im- is identifiable by faith and wit- they
hind
the
synagogue.
.This is the
idea in Christ by Jews, empha- paperbacks are: "On Jewish Law pulse in the squalid ghettos of ness
reason why the fora* of the Holy
rather than by accident of Ark
cut out of stone rests on wheels.
sized that Christian history !and Lore." by the late Prof. Germany and Poland."
birth or citizenship."
This model of a synagogue is the
nevertheless finds itself "in in ; Louis Ginzberg, and "Akiba-
This powerful defense of
form of a synagogue that -we
Thus, the liberal Christian oldest
know about in the Land of Israel.
ner conflict with the Jewish j Scholar, Saint and Martyr," by Christianity is nevertheless com-
writer
has
a
vision
of
a
univer-
pletely Christological from the
Today monks guard the remnants
spirit." Prof. Louis Finkelstein.
this synagogue. They also built a
"Semitism." he wrote, "has "Akiba," first published in Jewish point of view. While sal religion. It is a dream some of
church here.
speak
of,
and
which
most
be-
been grafted into the Christian 1936, is a study in devotion to Dawson does not completely go
Translation of Hebrew column pub-
spirit and - is indispensable to its ; learning, an evaluation of the along with Toynbee, he never- lieve to be impossible of at- lished
by Brith Ivrith Olamith, Jeru-
tainment.
salem.
destiny." He stated that dual- !great rabbi's theological and theless cannot be said to be
isti• messianism as it first ap- political ideals and a great les- rejecting him on major issues
neared in Jewish history became son in the martyrology of Israel. in which Toynbee had become
universal history, but maintain-
While Dr. Finkelstein's involved anti-S'emitically.
*
ed that "with the coming of book is most valuable as a
Christ a new universal era be- biography and as a study in
"From State Church to Plural-
t31112-11D
gins." Therefore, he believed, the history of Israel in the ism: A Protestant Interpretation
the .Jewish problem is "insol- time of Akiba, it has added of Religion in American His-
uble within the limits of his- merit in an important collec- tory," • by Franklin Hamlin Lit- rntt?Dr.vpri inrr tv7:7 trn:4
tors." He viewed Zionism as tion of Akiba's principles in tell, a Doubleday Anchor Origi-
'717
powerless, the biblical issue con- relation to social and eco- nal paperback, sees a common
taming to rouse passions. In his nomic class differences, the understanding among all faiths tri7pr_i1inti na
nit'?
Christological approach. he be- rabbi's plebeian standards, his in the not too distant future.
lieved that religious fulfillment attack on the priests; and the "It may even come to pass," - ri'sin3 S7a17 ro R17
of Jewish destiny does not jus- data relating to the Pharisaic he writes, "that the God whose
tify vulgar anti-Semitism, that tradition. Thy appear in a 40- purposes brood over the future Lr4in rirj
an ultimate solution of the Jew- page appendix.
will point out to out children
kip'?
ish problem must he eschato-
Included in the selection of or children's children some bet- rrr
logical. and while it is evident Akiba's principles are Akiba's ter way than the well-worn
tinr;p
that his approach was through views on the age for marriage paths of denominational separa-
the Christian faith he neverthe- among plebeians, contrasting tion and suspicion which their na rixt .nasal - rr.4 -rz?t#
V
Mt',"
less emphasized that "the prob- rules on doctrines of revelation fathers knew so well."
n '7n7Titg '17i14
kin of universal history cannot held by Ishmael and other his-
rrnsv rt4arr
He envisions much in common
he solved without the religious toric and ethical ideas.
among all faiths and he states:
mstpir Er.019
self•determination of Judaism." The posthumously published "If the 'American religion' con- " 11'4 "PliP 11 71 i4 nanny7
In effect. the Berdyaev aim was work by Dr. Ginzberg contains tinues to emerge. bringing with
.rxte?a znt Tvto
nt;4? rvi4
77
missionary on a highly philo- essays on the Cabala, the Codi- it the hearty and uncritical af-
sophical plane.
fication of Jewish Law, Jewish firmation of everything Ameri- rrpsn H71
'trip;
rite
—
,riplp - T1'3
4 ' V it
Many paperbacks are appear- Folklore: East and West, an can, the time may yet come
ing on religious themes. The Introduction to the Palestinian when believing Jews, Catholics
trtpiiirt
r1 P4 71; z7V -11.1
New American Library of World Talmud, an Allegorical Inter- and Protestants will have to
Literature (501 Madison, NY pretation of Scripture and the face up to tribal religion in its
trkt *.P4V
l 7V 1:44ri
221 has- just issued "The Dead Significance of Halacha.
more demonic form. In that
- rr4
trtpop4
iris
.napri
Sea Scrolls and Primitive Chris- From World Publishing Co's day they will learn, as has been
•z717,V1'
tianity".by Jean Danieloti, trans- Meridian Books also corns an- learned by the religious rem-
L2 t71 1117rm. reM
lated from the French by Sal- other significant paperback—a nants who have remained faith- '717 trIrp tr-pite,
vator Attanasio: "The Dynamics Meridian original first edition ful in the face of other totali-
ippz?
.;i
of World History" by Christo- —"The Essene Writings from tarianism, that they have much
to tn?
TIPP -Ir4
pher Dawson; "A Preface to Qumran," by A. Dupont-Som- in common besides a goodly
7;
pqr 114 121 nt - ni
niPIV4V
Metaphysics" by Jacques Mari- mer, translated by G. Vermes. land."
taro and "American Catholic
.1i171 -0171
Prof. Dupont Sommer, who
Thus, Prof. Littell, who teach-
(:1,7Y71st
nn?
,naffirq)
Dilemma" by Thomas O'Dea.
was on of the first to evaluate es church history at Southern

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