Classic Collection of IDr. Rappoport's
Myths Reprinted With Notes by Patai

In 1928, three volumes of Dr.
Angelo S. Rappoport's "Myth and
Legend of Anciet Israel" were
published in London.
These mythological essays have
now been republished, also in
three volumes, by Ktav Publishing
House (65 Suffolk, N.Y. 2), and
because of the vast changes that
have taken place in the study
of Hebrew myths and of folklore,
additional notes have been written
by the editor of the revised edi-
tions, Dr. Raphael Patai.
A lengthy introduction by Dr.
Patai throws additional light on
the compilation. It analyzes Dr.
Rappoport's original work and in-
dicates the minor errors. For in-
stance. Dr. Patai points out that
the author of this mythological
work was misled, when stating
that the myths and legends came
into existence toward the end of
Jewish national life, bearing
traces of Persian or Graeco-
Roman influences, "by the fact
that most of the sources which
contain Jewish myths and legends
date from these late periods." He
indicates that what Dr. Rappoport

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Psychiatrist-Author Dr. Rubin Writes
Exciting Novel About Unmarried Girl

Dr. Theodore Rubin of New York
failed to take into account, "partly they infuse them with a new life is a psychiatrist. He also is an market, too !)
The parenthetical statement is
because of his exclusion of the and meaning as well."
author — he has written several more effectively true: the direct
Bible as a source of Jewish myth,
Dr. Patai renders an addition- narratives and his recent work, one about the girls is question-
is that a myth first written down al service with his biographical
"The Thin Book by a Formerly
in, say, the 4th century CE, might sketch of Angelo Salom Rappo- Fat Psychiatrist" is proving a able: unmarried girls may be
further distressed by this novel,
have circulated for a thousand port (1871-1950), the author of sensation.
Yet, for all readers this is an
years or more prior to that date." collected series of myths and
He has now authored another excellent story.
It is Dr. Patai's conclusion
legends. The notes with correc- novel, "The 29th Summer," which
that, as an example taken by
tions by Dr. Patai are clearly has been published by Trident
him, the myth of the castration
indicated and a listing of pages Press (630 5th, NY 20), and its well
of Noah, first recorded in 5th
where they appear in the three
narrated theme and the problem
century CE sources, is traceable
volumes also is included. And, it deals with appears certain again
to Genesis 9:20-27 and he de-
in tribute to the immense ori- to place one of his works on a
clares that the "myth goes back
It was once observed that
ginal work by Dr. Rappoport, best seller list.
to pre-exilic times, and is at
Lemach's face became as though
it should he stated that the three
The title of his new novel refers
least a thousand years older
volumes contain 18 amendations to the approach of Annie Greensen, illuminated, and his brother
than the source which first re-
by Dr. Patai, in addition to his the chief character in the story, philosophers realized that he had
cords it."
explanatory introduction.
to her 30th birthday. She is in made a new discovery.
"What is it? What is it?" they
Dr. Patai left practically the en-
Mysteries of Creation, King Solo- her 29th year. She is single. She
tire text of the original Rappoport mon and the Demons, Alexander has lovers but insists on retaining asked.
work intact, but he rectified occa- the Great and the Gates of Para- her virginity.
"Thank Heaven!" he answered.
sional mistakes "and inaccurate dise, Sammael's Plot, the Tower of
Dr. Rubin's psychiatric skill "From now on every poor man will
or inconsistent transliterations of Babel and the Iconoclast and is undoubtedly of great assist- eat cream and every rich man
Hebrew and other foreign names scores of other legends, including ance to him in the writing of his drink sour-milk. I've discovered
were checked and corrected."
those related to the Patriarchs, are
novel. He probes the mind of how to do it.
"The original edition," it is in the first volume.
"It's very simple," he continued
the distressed girl. He tests her.
pointed out in the introduction,
In the second volume there are He views her agonies — the solemnly as they crowded around
"contained several dozen old Eng- the legends about Joseph's Coat of craving for love, the loneliness,
him. "Let a decree be issued in
lish and French poems and Latin Many Colors, Joseph's varied the tension that results from a Chelem that from now on sour-
pieces on biblical or Jewish leg- roles in Egypt, the Moses tales,
milk shall be called cream and
sad state of unmarried life.
endary themes. Including these, Aaron as peacemaker, and related
There is Annie's mother, her cream sour-milk-"
Dr. Rappoport's aim was to show legends.
desire to resort to a matchmaker,
how ancient Jewish legends in-
Two indices, a bibliography, a the rejection by Annie.
Learning
fluenced or inspired the authors note on transliteration of names
Annie judges two men who
Learning maketh young men
of other cultures. However, since are appended to the third volume make love to her by an earlier
these poems are to most of us which features tales about Kings frustrated love. When one pro- temperate, is the comfort of old,
unintelligible without a translation, Saul, David and Solomonic judg- poses she is unable to say she age, standing for wealth with
and, moreover, add little to a col- ments and wisdom, the prophet loves him. She remains the single, poverty, and serving as an orna-
ment to riches.—Cicero.
lection such as this beyond demon- Elijah, the romance of Esther, distressed girl.
strating the mere fact that Jewish Mordecai's dream and related
There is no doubt that the
psychological aspects as handled
myths and legends found their stories.
way into the medieval lore and
In all, this magnificent and im- by a practicing psychiatrist add
poetry of Western Europe, it was pressive collection serves a most much force to a good novel, Dr.
deemed better to omit them. On valuable purpose in re-introducing Rubin has performed his task well.
Announcing the book, Trident
the other hand, the few biblical mythology as a course of study
poems by modern English poets, and for acquisition of knowledge Press publishers list a pointer:
such as Byron and Longfellow, by Jewish and other readers. Sup- This book will have special interest
also included in the original edi- plementary to Dr. Louis Ginz- for women, especially the single
tion, were left standing, mainly berg's "Legends of the Jews" it girls. (Bachelors eager to under-
because their beauty can be en- is a monumental treasure well stand the mystique of "sex and
JOIN WEIGHT WATCHERS!
joyed by every English reader, worthy of reproduction and as a the single girl" may become a
The easy, no fad way to reduce.
and because, presenting the fami- definite contribution to the classics
NEW CLASS OPENING
liar Jewish themes in a new guise, that enrich the Jewish libraries.
FOR THE BEST IN
Thursday, November 3rd

Yiddish Humor:
A Helm Story

MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT

Hussy Golden's 'Es s, Ess' Volume Adds
Many Fine Tales to His Recollections

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Friday, October 28, 1966-41

Harry Golden knows how to
capitalize on catch phrases. He is
a good story teller and he has
mastered the art of retaining the
tales he relates and the experi-
ences he has gathered. As another
catch phrase, the title of his new
book, "Ess, Ess, Mein Kindt"
(why the T after kind? ), published
by G. P. Put-
nam's Sons (200
Madison, N.Y.),
adds to his in-
genuity.
:4,01 His book is
based, of course,
on the Jewish
mother's anxiety
that her child
should eat —
"Eat, Eat, My
Child," is the
translation of the
title of his new
Putnam book. But
his the stories are
Golden n o t necessarily
about food. They deal with ecu-
menism, with the Negro problem
and anti-Semitism, with Jewish
humor and scores of other min-
utiae.
There are many scores of stories
in the volume, some as brief as
the closing one which reads:
Some of the more liberal re-
gimes in Eastern Europe have
recently introduced the idea of
freedom of speech.
But we'll have to wait and see.
Freedom of speech is fine but
what is far more important is
freedom AFTER speech.
Golden's many stories appear
under numerous division head-
ings—From Cleopatra to Compu-
ters, Melodies of the Ghetto, Sixty
Million Widows, Golden Insurance
P 1 a n, Seventy - Six Trombones,
From Bolseviks to Birchers, Of
Popes and Presidents, America Is
Not What's Wrong With the World,

The Jewish City and More Com-
plaints and Free Advice—and each
section contains the author's recol-
lections, his wit, a few risque
stories, most of them dealing with
life on the East Side of New York
as experienced by him in his
youth.
And there are many stories
about the South and the Negroes.
There is the famous piece he
wrote suggesting—in view of the
Ecumenical Declaration on the
Jews—that Jews mobilize to for-
give the Chrisitians.
Some stories are from and about
Israel, and an example of that
area's narratives is this one:
Among the Bediuins living in
Israel's Negev desert, old Sheik
Suleiman al Helzel is a legend.
ary figure: he and his 17 wives
still live in tents, but he ex-
changed the camel for a Cadil-
lac a long time ago. He is said
to have more than 100 children.
One afternoon he saw a beauti-
ful Bedouin girl walking along
the road, told his driver to stop
the car, and he asked the girl:
`aloud you like to join Sheik
Suleiman's harem'
"I can't, Papa," the girl an-
swered.
There are some serious items—
among them his description of
the Israeli press.
He has a piece on Christmas
celebrations by Jews that will de-
light many, will create some op-
position.
Another good piece is about
names, and a very good one about
candidates for political offices and
the selection of nationality spokes-
men to bolster party chances.
It's a clever book and the vari-
ety of stories covers nearly every
field of thought. Like his previous
works, "Ess, Ess" again lifts
Harry Golden's chances for best
seller listing.

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