`Who Cruci ied Jesus.
The Vatican Ecumenical Council's debates over the "Jewish issue",
involving the crucifixion and the deicide charge, give special significance
to the new and revised edition of "Who Crucified Jesus?" by Prof.
Solomon Zeitlin, head of the Rabbinics Department of Dropsie College,
Philadelphia, the world's leading authority on the Second Commonwealth,
editor of the Jewish Quarterly Review and editor-in-chief of the Jewish
Apocryphal Literature series. "Who Crucified Jesus?" first was pU blished
by Harper in 1942. The early editions are out of print. The fourth edition
has just been published by Bloch Publishing Co. So that Prof. Zeitlin's
studies and conclusions may reach a wider audience and help dispel many
of the half-truths and misunderstandings which cloud that period in
Jewish History Traced
Through Crucial Eras
1:73
R CD 1 -r
A Weekly Review
INSTALLMENT ONE
(Continued on Page 56)
history, The Jewish News will reprint its series of articles which were
published in 1950, containing a condensation of this important book. The
condensation was done by Ruth L. Cassel, former Jewish News editor.
The opening chapters of "Who Crucified Jesus?", appearing in this install-
ment, are devoted to a resume of the history. of the Jewish state from the
return from the Babylonian exile to the time of Jesus. Subsequent articles
will deal with the two Sanhedrins, presenting the key to the Jesus story;
corrections of errors in the popular versions of the Jesus stories; an
analysis of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus by the Romans, and an expose
of the distortions in the Jesus crucifixion account. The publication of this
series is by arrangement with the author and his publishers.
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THE JEWISH NEWS
MICHIGA N
Jewish Events
Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper, Incorporating The Jewish Chronicle
From Theocracy to Commonwealth
The trend of Jewish history from the days of Ezra to the times of Jesus
can best be seen in the struggle to recast the nature of the Jewish state from
that of a theocracy in which the high priest ruled to that of a commonwealth
in which secular leadership held the reins of government.
It is only in terms of this struggle that much that transpired among the
Jewish people during those crucial centuries can be understood properly. It
was the proclamation of Cyrus of Persia, issued about 538 B.C., that launched
the problem of leadership, together with the restoration of the Jewish state.
To manage the migration and execute the Restoration, the Crown chose
or appointed two men, representatives of the two influential factions among
the Jews—the royalty and the high priesthood. Zerubbabel, the grandson of
Jehoiachin, formerly king of Judea, represented the royal family. Joshua, the
grandson of Jerziah, represented the high priesthood.
These two men shared together the responsibility of the establishment of
the new community and the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem. Soon,
however, friction arose among the Jews as to whom leadership and the
guidance of the new community should be entrusted.
Those who desired to organize the new community under the leadership
of a secular authority as a political state wanted Zerubbabel to be sole leader,
as he was a scion of the royal family, descendant of King David. Those, on
the other hand, who were of the opinion that the reconstructed community
should be organized on a religious basis maintained that Joshua. who came of
a priestly family. should assume sole leadership. The supporters of Joshua
triumphed.
Disquieted by reports of unsatisfactory conditions in the new Judea, the
Babylonian Jews besought King Ataxerxes* permission to send a mission there.
The king granted this permission to Ezra and enabled him to assume authority
over the Jewish community in Judea. Ezra was a priest, a decendant of
Zaddok, the first high priest of the Temple built by Solomon. In Ezra, the
king vested the power to appoint judges who were to instruct the people in
the laws of God and the laws of the state, thus, the new Jewish settlement
was established as a theocracy in which jurisdiction over the people was
wholly vested in the high priests.
The canonization of the Pentateuch is associated with the establishment
Of the theocratic state. Ezra proceeded to have 85 representatives of the
Jewish community sign a declaration accepting the five books of Moses as
divine revelation, binding them forever. But more was involved here than
appeared on the surface. What was implied in this step was the rejection of
leadership by a scion of the family of David. Although the Jewish state took
the form of a theocracy, the idea that a scion of David should rule over the
Jews was not entirely obliterated from the minds of the people. Especially
among the lower classes was this hope cherished.
By the canonization of the five books of Moses, the Oral Law which was
in vogue among the Jews for many generations and the beliefs which the
Jews cherished were to be abandoned. It was from these oral laws that they
derived the validity of Davidic leadership over the Jewish people. The high
priest, and all those of the higher aristocracy connected with him. not only
opposed the restoration of civil authority under the Davidic scion. but also
strongly resisted the Oral Law on which the movement for the civil authority
was based.
The priests called those who believed in the Oral Law Perushim —
By Prof. Solomon Zeitlin
Vol. XLVI—No. 13
17100 W. 7 Mile Rd., Detroit 35
November 20, 1964
Heavy Losses in Israel's Border
Incidents; Syrians Charged With
Violating Armistice Agreement
.
Adlai Stevenson. this month's chairman of the United Nations S e c u r i t y
Council, announced at the UN on Monday that the Israel-Syrian border situa-
tion will be reviewed at another meeting of the Council to be called upon receipt
of a report on results of the investigation of the occurrences conducted by Lt.
Gen. Odd Bull. chief of staff of the UN Truce Supervision Organization.
Gen. Bull's report is expected within a few days. Meanwhile, it is reported
by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency from Tel Aviv, Syrian gunposts again fired
machinegun bullets at an Israeli patrol. There were three fire bursts.
A fourth Israeli died of wounds suffered from the Syrian gunshots. Three,
other Israelis Were killed earlier.
Syrian gun positions again opened fire twice Tuesday on Israeli field work-
ers in the Ashmura area of the Huleh region in northern Israel. No casualties
were reported, and the fire was not returned. It was believed here that the new
shooting was due to Syrian nervousness after last weekend's clash.
UN military observers concluded that their investigation of the border inci-
dents, it was announced at the UN on Tuesday.
As an aftermath of the incidents, a number of active members of 'El Ard,"
the illegal Arab organization, were arrested in Israel on charges of - having con-
tacted foreign agents. The arrest was based on information furnished by Leba-
nese and Syrian agents captured by Israel during the past three weeks.
At the UN Security Council session on Monday, Israel's chief delegate, Mi-
chael S. Comay, accused Syria of violating the armistice agreement of 1949
The incidents on the Syrian border occurred during two-and-a-half hours
of fighting which ended only after Israeli jets smashed Syrian gun posts and
tanks. The JTA report reveals that four Syrian MIG-wl planes went over
Israel's northern border near Lake Tiberias. They were driven away by Israeli
Mirage jets and one Syrian plane was hit by fire. •
A JTA correspondent. who visited the stricken settlements early Monday
when Prime Minister Levi Eshkol and Yitzhak Rabin. Israel's chief of staff,
were there, reported that he had seen the 'settlers at Dan and Shear Yashuv
already working on repairs. They were removing debris, he said, repairing
damages to their electricity plants, and making sure their air-raid shelters
were secure for their children. Most of the children, as well as some of the women,
spent all Friday night in the shelters.
(Continued on Page 41)
Zeitlin 's Book Gets Christian Approral
The Christian Advocate, official organ of the Methodist Church, in an editorial comment on Dr.
Solomon Zeitlin's "Who Crucified Jesus?" on Jan. 22, 1948, on the occasion of the appearance of
the book's second edition, stated:
"The Jewish people did not crucify Jesus.
"The synoptic Gospels, Peter and Paul, and the Apostolic Fathers — in a word. the founders
of Christianity, and the creators of the church — have never accused the Jewish people of the death
of Jesus of Nazareth.
"The crucifixion of Jesus was committed by Pilate, the Roman procurator, not by the Jews. True,
the high priest delivered Jesus to Pilate for trial but that was not done by the will of the Jewish
people. Political conditions which prevailed at the time in Judea forced some of the leaders to fight
against their own brethren, and to help the Romans destroy the real Jewish patriot."
It is in such words that Solomon Zeitlin, head of the Rabbinical Department of Dropsie College.
in Philadelphia, concludes his brilliant and scholarly study of "the most momentous event in hu-
man history" ("Who Crucified Jesus?" Harpers, now in the new Bloch Publishing Co. edition). He
says, "The trial and crucifixion of Jesus was the culmination and denouncement of the whole dra-
matic struggle that gave birth to a new faith for mankind. This new faith wielded great influence not
only on the life of its Christian devotees, but moulded the whole course of human civilization."
But the volume is more than merely a critical study of the single event of the crucifixion. It is,
indeed, an extremely satisfying description of the social life of the Jews who lived under the procura-
torship of Pontius Pilate, written by one of the most impressive Jewish scholars of the day. Dr.
Zeitlin speaks of Jesus with the utmost respect and appreciation, of the New Testament record with
eminent approval, and of the teachings of Jesus with genuine reverence.
Caiphas, the high priest who was responsible for hailing Jesus before Pilate, was a quisling, thor-
oughly hated by the Jews and despised even by the Romans. The Sanhedrin which passed the
judgement was a political body, quite separate and distinct from the religious group which ruled in
all spiritual matters for the Jews. The execution was justified by the Romans on the ground that
Jesus was an insurrectionist who plotted a rebellion against the empire, and the Christian church
for 20 years was believed by the Romans to be a seditious organization.
All this Dr. Zeitlin explains with minute care and convincing scholarship. And his evidence
should be studied with great care by every preacher and teacher of the Christian gospel. This is an
extremely illuminating and important book.
Ben-Gurion Takes Issue With His Own
Party; Quits Mapai Committee
TEL AVIV (JTA)—Former Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion
resigned from the Mapai Central Committee after that body voted to
approve Premier Levi Eshkol's proposal for an alignment with Achdut
Ha'avodah and decided to shelve, for the duration of the next Knesset
term, Ben-Gurion's proposal for electoral reform.
Ben-Gurion had long sought to change Israel's electoral system of
proportional representation in favor of a district constituency system
similar to that. in use in Britain or the United States. The former
Premier favored such an electoral change in the hope that it would
lead to a two-party system.
The Central Committee vote of 182 to 8 with 25 abstentions in favor
of alignment by Mapai with Achdut Ha'avodah now opens the way for
the two parties to present a joint list of candidates for the forthcoming
elections to the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, as well as in municipal
balloting and elections to the Histadrut, Israel's labor federation. In the
latter case, however, the Mapai negotiating committee was instructed to
secure a working majority for Mapai in the Histadrut.
An attempt by .Housing and Development Minister Yosef Alrnogi to
secure the adoption of a resolution that the question of electoral reform
would be referred to a party convention, failed by a vote of 109 to 51
with 18 abstentions.
Reuven Barkatt, Mapai secretary, expressed the hope that Ben-
Gurion would reconsider his decision to quit the Mapai Central Com-
mittee. Ben-Gurion was reportedly preparing an appeal to the party
convention against action by the Central Committee on Nov. 13.
•