Friday, December 6, 1963—THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS-34
`Graphic History of the Jewish Heritage'
Most Impressive Encyclopedic Bible Work
"The Graphic History of the
Jewish Heritage" ("A Unique
Encyclopedic Presentation With
Illustrations, Charts, Vignettes
and Tables"), edited by P. Woll-
man-Tsamir, published by
Sheingold (45 W. 45th, NY36),
is without a doubt one of the
very impressive works of its
kind and one of the most illumi-
nating works on the Scriptures.
This is the first in a series of
similarly-planned works, and. the
first volume which just came
off the press deals with the
Biblical period.
Never before has anything
like it been published to in-
dicate kaleidoscopically the
succession of Judges, Priests
and Kings in ancient Jewish
history. The charts, so unique-
ly drawn, serving as excel-
lent guides to the history of
ancient Israel, are so im-
mense in their scopes, so
clearly compiled, that the
author has earned gratitude
and commendation for the
help he has given to teachers
and students alike in their
search for Biblical knowledge.
This is a great literary work,
and its graphic approach to the
facts staggers the imagination.
The editor, Pinhas Wollman-
Tsamir, who studied in semi-
naries in Germany, Switzerland
and Israel; whose career took
him for studies and teaching to
many lands, including the Unit-
ed States, began to lecture on
Jewish literary and historical
subjects nearly 30 years ago and
his first book on the subject
which he has now expanded
into this monumental volume
appeared in 1935.
Author of more than 100
monographs in - Hebrew and in
'English, he has edited the
Hebrew magazine Yavneh, deal-
ing with philosophy, education
and history, and he has
authored a book on Israel's
constitution and legislation,
"The Jewish State and Its
Problems," in 1948.
More than three decades
ago he began, at the Univer-
sity of Frankfurt, to chart
Biblical courses. He had fled
from the Nazi dangers in
1936, went to Palestine, con-
tinued his work at the
Hebrew University, and ex-
cept for an interruption of
his research activities during
the War of Independence, he
received further encourage-
ment in his efforts while in
England. He charted four
volumes of his graphic work
and it is now becoming a
complete reality.
The editor of this book com-
pleted the registration of 1,500,-
000 names of holocaust suf-
ferers for the Yad Vashem in
Jerusalem before coming to
this country to assure the pub-
lication of this encyclopedic
volume. The master charts, the
keys to graphic history, show
the Bible at a glance in the
vast, illustrated tables. They
deal with the Bible (Tanakh),
the Torah (Pentauech), the
Prophetic works, as well as the
Hagiographa; the Scriptural
works that include the Scrolls
(Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song of
Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Ec-
clesiastes, Esther, Daniel, Ezra,
Nehemiah, Chronicles), the 15
Judges, the 43 Kings of Judah
and Israel, the 48 Prophets. the
seven Prophetesses, the 25
Priests.
Those who are not fully in-
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formed learn that the seven
Prophetesses are Sarah, Miriam,
Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Hul-
dah and Esther. The facts that
accompany this as well as the
other listings give these ac-
cumulations of data special sig-
nificance, making "The Graphic
History of the Jewish Heritage"
one of the most vital literary
works of our time.
Emphasis must be placed
on the author's impressive
char t s, the geneological,
chronological and synchroni-
cal tables; the appendices that
contain the Bible's prophetic
messages, the prayers of the
Bible, the Miracles of Elijah
and Elisha, the lists of the
Queen Mothers (Gebiroth)
and the Davidic Dynasty.
The charts contain the lists
of the Biblical books and ex-
planatory notes about each and
the text effers brief evaluations
and historical analyses of the
Bible.
Each of the Sidras of the
Bible -is explained briefly, so
that the reader has, in authori-
tative explanatory notes, evalua-
tive material on the Bible. At
the same time the editor has
made available thumb nail
sketches of the major personali-
ties in the Bible, the heroes,
the spiritual guides, the men
and women whose stories form
our ancient history.
The monarchy of Israel is
better understood, and the edi-
tor provides basic data on the
kings who ruled prior to the
division of the kingdom, fol-
lowing it up with the events
that followed that period and
the leaders who played vital
roles in the eras that came
thereafter.
For those who are curious
about the listed seven pro-
phetesses, the following explan-
atory note about Abigail will
provide the answer. The note
about Abigail in the Wollman-
Tsamir volume states:
"Riding a donkey, Abigail
brings abundant f o o d to
David and his troops. 'Then
Abigail made haste, and took
200 loaves . . . And . . . as she
rode . . . by the covert of the
mountain .. • David and his
men came down towards her'
(1 Sam. 25:18-20). Scripture
records that Abigail prophe-
sied to David: 'The Lord will
certainly make my lord a
sure house . . . and it shall
come to pass, when the Lord
shall have done to my lord
according to all good that He
hath spoken concerning thee,
and shall have appointed thee
prince over Israel . . (1
Samuel 25:28-31)."
In this fashion, Wollman-Tsa-
mir introduces us to all of the
important Biblical figures. By
means of charts and texts, with
the additional aid of an ex-
haustive index, he makes basic
facts available to lay readers
most illustratively; and teach-
ers will find this volume addi-
tionally effective in offering
Biblical instruction.
U. S.
INSPECTED
AND PASSED BY
DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE
'EST.
A Master Chart on the Writ-
ten Law and the Oral Law in
their Descent, accompanying
this volume in the specially
provided jacket of the book,
offers graphically outlines of
Biblical commentaries, the
Structure of the Bible, Mid-
rashim, G a onic Responsa,
codifiers, computations of the
613 precepts, the philosophic
works, Maimonides' writings,
mystical, liturgical and other
literatures.
Through .Herman Wouk, the
editor of this graphic work en-
listed a group of interested
sponsors and secured the gen-
e r o u s aid of public-spirited
Joseph Schlang to make pos-
sible the book's publication.
The book's English transla-
tors were Sidney B. Hoenig,
Jacob Sloan and David Segal.
The designs by Emanuel Schary
and Joseph Taubman, the illus-
trations by Herz and the Torah
Design by Ludwig Y. Wolpert
add to the merits of this signif-
icant work.
"The Graphic History of the
Jewish Heritage" is without
doubt one of the most effective
and most encyclopedic works on
the Bible. —P. S.
GREETINGS
Bud's Northend
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ast Wish,es for a
gleasant Wanuhah,
This is a time for rejoicing ... the Hanukah
spirit permeates our homes ...The heroism
of the Maccabees inspires all peoples in the
struggle for justice and for freedom for all
mankind ... May this Festival of the Mac-
cabees continue to enlighten humanity in
the continuing battle for freedom._
1721: and Mrs. Abe Xasle
illy Wanuhaii Candles
Eight little candles
All in a line,
Eight little candles
Glitter and shine.
Eight little candles
Smile and relate
Tales of a people
Heroic and great.
Eight little candles;
Look at them well—
Floods could not quench them,
Tempest not quell.
Eight little candles—
Their quivering gleams
Speak to my heart
In a language of dreams.
Eight little candles,
Enchanting my soul,
Point to me — show me
An aim and a goal;
Dear to my soul
In their smile and their cheer,
Sweet to my ear
Is their whisper to hear.
Courage, but courage,
Maccabee's brave son,
Fight for the right
And the battle is won!
PHILIP M. RASKIN
A Happy Hanukah
from Those
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