Transference From Orient to Occident
Period of Dark Ages Covered in 2nd Volume
of Immense 'World History of Jewish People'
The Chaplain Leads a Strenuous Life
By SAUL LOCKHART
JTA Special War Correspondent
the leader is Dr. (Capt.) Jacob
Romo, of Peabody, Mass.
(Copyright, 1967, JTA, Inc.)
SAIGON (JTA) — A walking Hebrew Corner
"shul" is a fit appellation for a o
Jewish chaplain here in Vietnam.
In addition to a rabbi's inexhaust-
Life in Christian Spain is de- ible fund of ideas, the United
Rutgers University Press has is- the section dealing with Jews in
lineated to indicate the Golden States Army provides a portable
A lawyer, journalist, short story
sued the second volume in its Byzantium. Under review here is
author, philosopher, and states-
Era in Jewish literature, the re- synagogue kit containing a photo- writer,
the
period
of
forced
baptisms
and
man—that
was Benjamin Ze'ev Herzl.
monumental series "The World
static copy of the Tora, a kiddush About fifty years before the establish-
lations
between
Christians
and
History of the Jewish People." the persecutions of Pope Leo III,
ment
of
the
State of Israel, Herzl (al-
Jews, the military campaigns in cup, a plastic wine bottle, candle ready) spoke
of a Jewish State, and
Produced under the general editor- subsequent experiences under
holders, prayerbooks and a Bible. told his fellow-Jews, "If you will it,
which
Jews
were
involved.
Jews
ship of Dr. Cecil Roth, Oxford Uni- various rulers and the social and
it is no fairy-tale." He himself
The
black
case
opens
like
a
suit-
had to pay blood-money to guar-
wanted it with all his heart, and hes
versity's Reader -Emeritus in Jew- economic conditions of Byzantine
antee security. They were the case to form the Ark. Each rabbi did everything possible to convert the
ish Studies and history professor Jewry.
dream into reality. But he was not
adds
to
his
kit
until
it
becomes
vir-
vassals of the king. Contempo-
privileged to see the realization of hi –
at Bar-Ilan University, Ramat
The Roman Church and the
tually a mobile synagogue—a walk- dream. The dream became reality,
rary
legal
deeds
throw
light
on
Gan, Israel, the volume also had Jews, France and Germany Under
Herzl has become a legend.
the status of the Jews. Even ing shul — without pews.
Herzl was born in Hungary in
the assistance of 15 other noted the Carolingians, France Under the
This reporter accompanied Chap- He studied law at the Univers.i.
without basic historical facts on
Early Capets, Scholars in Byzan-
Vienna.
But after receiving the degiee
scholars.
certain matters the life of Jews lain (Capt.) Alan M. Greenspan, of Doctor,
he changed to the literary
Eight maps and 60 illustrations tium and France, Germany in the
in Spain emerges in the best 29, of Bridgeport, Conn., on a nor- field. He wrote short stories, philosoph-
ical
stories,
and plays on current prob-
period
under
discussion,
Rabbinic
supplement the text and add im-
available form compiled by Bur- mal field trip, repeated hundreds lems. Some of the plays were produced
mensely to the value of this signifi- Scholarship in Northern Europe,
of
times
during
the
rabbi's
tenure
in
Austria
.and
Germany. During the
gos.
Years 1891 to 1895, Herzl was the cor-
cant - work "The Dark Ages 711- Rashi and His School, Beginnings
here.
respondent
of
the
Viennese newspaper
The story of the Khazars is il-
of Hebrew Poetry in Italy and
After a 20-minute chopper ride Neue Freie Presse in Paris.
1096."
luminating.
-
Agus'
special
section
Northern
Europe,
Aspects
of
Jew-
Then
an
event
occurred which
from Saigon, we found ourselves
In a prefatory note, Dr. Roth
changed the course of his life. A Jewish
explains that while this is the sec- - ish Culture, Early Jewish Settle- on Rashi and his school of scho- in Phuoc Vinh, home of the 1st officer named Dreyfus was put on trial
Paris. The officer was innocent of
ond volume to be published it will ment in Europe, the Khazars and lars, their biblical and talmudic Brigade of the 1st Inf. Div. The in
any crime, but nevertheless the judges
be the 11th in the series; that while Christian Spain are the section interpretations and commentaries, purpose of the trip was to visit decided to punish him. At the same
time, large crowds circulated in the
the first volume previously is- topics which indicate the vast field presents data that enriches knowl- and chat with some of the lads who streets
of Paris shouting, "Death to
edge provided in this volume.
couldn't make it to Saigon for the the Jews."
sued "actually depicted the back- covered in the numerous essays.
The voluminous notes and biblio- Hanuka celebrations. In the
Herzl saw this and was very shocked.
Participants in this scholarly
ground of Jewish history in Pales-
about the fate of his people
work in addition to Drs. Roth and graphy and the thorough index add rabbi's opinion, it is the unan- Thoughts
gave him no rest. Herzl realized that
nounced
visit,
when
a
rabbi
just
there
was
only one genuine solution:
immensely
to
the
merits
of
this
Sharf include Prof. I. A. Agus
the concentration of all the Jews in
shows up and chats with the boys, one
of Yeshiva University, Prof. A. compilation.
place, a place where they would
be the rulers.
Ashtor of the Hebrew University,
There is an interesting epilogue that does the most for morale.
Herzl wrote a long "Address to the
After a few hours in Phuoc Vinh, Rothschild
M.. Banitt, Tel Aviv University that deserves special attention. It
Family." He tried to con-
we choppered over to Long Binh vince them that there was only one
lecturer; B. Blumenkrantz, Parisian states:
Exodus from Egypt." Before sending off
located
about
15
miles
outside
of
scholar; F. Cantera Burgos, Mad-
"This volume comes to a close Saigon on the Bien Hoa highway. Exodus fro Egypt." Before sending off
his Address, he showed it to a friend
rid; J. Dan, Hebrew University
after a long and intricate path
Because of this, Long Binh re- who was a doctor and journalist. "Your
lecturer; D. M. Dunlop, Columbia
has been traversed. It began quires special attention. Chaplain plan is the product of a nervous break-
You need rest and medical treat-
University; S. Ettinger and A. B.
at a period when the Jews were Greenspan predicts that when all down.
ment," his friend said after reading the
Habermann, Hebrew University
as yet in the main an oriental is finished, the Jewish chaplain for Address.
But Herzl decided to continue on his
lecturers; Dr. R. Kestenberg-Glad-
people, still to a large extent the III Corps area will be housed way, and he declared: "If you will it,
stein, Haifa: A. Scheiber, director,
rooted in the soil when they at Long Binh instead of Saigon. it is no fairy-tale." And so we willed
it is no fairy-tale.
Jewish Theological Seminary, Hun-
were not engaged in handicrafts. Here we not only drove around it—and
Published by the Brit Ivrit Olamit
gary; Prof. J. Schirmann, Hebrew
with the assistance of the Memorial
It ends when they have become visiting, but the rabbi arranged Foundation
for Jewish Culture.
University; S. Schwarfuchs, Bar-
to a great degree occidental and that the soldiers could meet to-
Material in vowelized, easy Hebrew
Ilan University lecturer; and H. J.
can
be
obtained
through your local
are characteristically urban mer- gether for an hour or so in one of Hebrew organization,
or by writing
Zimmels, Jew's College, London.
chants—at the beginning of the the recreation rooms. Where there direct to Brit Ivrit Olamit, P. 0. Box
Because of the wealth of docu-
process which was to result in are enough soldiers, the rabbi ap- 7111, Jerusalem., Israel.
mentation of the history of the
their economic degradation. It points a lay leader to conduct
Jews in the Moslem world, the
DR. CECIL ROTH
began when the Synagogue and services since he conducts weekly
many sources from which data
the Church might to some extent services in Saigon. In this case,
tine, this volume provides the
is available provided material
be regarded as equals and even
background of that most vital sec-
for the most impressive analyses
as rivals, and when therefore
tion of the Jewish people whose
of events and commentaries on
among the masses sectarian
antecedents are European." He
1 74ir.1 nt57 . MTP
the social and economic status
prejudice, however acute, was
notes that a volume complemen-
of the Jews in the period under
not universal. At its end, the
tary to this one will deal with
lilt/
discussion. Dr. Roth points out
nioitrp ,ipio ,tocrsitobtp , ,xpriv
European Jews have become a
Jewish history in the world of Is-
that "there is hardly any era in
despised minority among a pre-
lam.
Jewish history until modern
'Pp ryti tl4 tP??In •'741r1 axt 7'n:44 n7 71 ', 11?
dominantly Christian population,
times which from centain points
Thus, while it would have been
swayed more and more by re-
,L7t.rlfr.
TIF17? 2717 '747, 73 '") 1
of view is now more amply docu-
desirable to publish the books
ligious animosities: only a spark
mented or known to us in more
chronologically, Dr. Roth states
was now needed to set off the
!ml
r.1
iT
N
iimz?
nyv
intimate detail." In contrast to
that each volume will be printed
wave of massacre and persecu-
the world of Islam, however, he
'fin '7?
as it becomes ready for the press
tion which started with the Cru-
states that "the Christian coun-
without waiting for the completion
sades and was to become char-
tries were still wrapped in what
1 747/7
of the entire series.
acteristic of the later Middle
has come to be known as the
To assist the reader, the vol-
Ages. We began with a survey
Dark Ages," that this age "is
ume commences with a series of
of the Jews of Byzantium, 4s it
in one sense at least 'dark' or
were retrospective, closely asso-
transliterations — Hebrew-Eng-
ritrpi;rpwg . tripvtp 17-Y? .1 8 6 0"" ri".:14171 "1 L7i1
'obscure' because our knowledge
lish, Arabic-English and Rus-
ciated geographically and cul-
of it is so limited, and the
.714.1
7rit.t7 7
ruin
turally, and until a short while
sian-English.
sources bearing on it are rela-
back politically, with those of
The current volume concentrates
tively so few. In Jewish history,
ntrrn
Palestine. We have seen the
on the world of Islam and the
within the Christian orbit, this is
center of gravity move definiti-
Jewish element that it had ab-
tr:Itppix n4in
peculiarly the case. References
vely westward. At the beginning,
sorbed or had been absorbed by
to the Jews in the secular chron-
Western Christianity was fight-
"the social and cultural tradition
nrp '74'1;7 rrii7 1895-1891 13'17i=
icles of the period are sparse
ing for its existence against the
represented by the Talmud, the
to a degree. A handful of
advancing power of Islam, and
Gaonate and the Exilarchate . . .
.041RY "nPIP TrriP
charters throw fitful light on
it seemed that Judaism would
and by the conquest of the greater
rrp, Tx)
conditions
here
and
there
at
wide-
7447
:17
become
wholly
Arabized.
Now,
part of the Iberian Peninsula," as
ly separated periods. Hebrew
as we leave the scene, the great-
well as with the simultaneous
uOttpp'?
sources are virtually non-exis-
er part of the Iberian Peninsula z•pi ,vtr)p7?
events in the world of Christian-
tent
over
the
greater
part
of
this
has
been
wrested
from
Moslem
ity."
11111?
area before the 11th Century.
hands, and in the next volume of
Dr. Roth explains at the outset
But
on
the
other-
hand
this
was
this history, the Jews of Chris-
that "the essential theme is the
D'IRD
;
Mint.
• T
-:
•T - :
T:
VT
one of the most significant stages
tian Spain, as yet only begin-
transference of the balance of the
in Hebraic history, and the de-
,nxt tin 124 --„.,,
ning to emerge, will play almost
Jewish people from Orient to Oc-
velopments which took place in
a dominant role. The Dark Ages,
cident, the rise to prominence of
,?; '11
140
Christian Europe at precisely
in the sense of the age when pins r 7,!tg
the Jewish settlement in Western
this period shaped the destiny of
our sources are scanty and our
Europe, the dawn and sudden fluo-
zirjt:t
the Jews thenceforth to an even
knowledge hypothetical, have or! into
rescence of learning and scholar-
greater degree than the re-
now ended. Henceforth, occi-
ship there, the real beginning in
splendant achievements in the
dental Jewry, led by the com-
a word of modern Jewish history.
Islamic world."
munities of the new Spain, is to
Thus, the collected esays on this
The areas covered in this vol-
become the basis of Jewish life
impressive period in Jewish his-
tory commence with Dr. Roth's ume, include reviews of cultural
and creativity."
"Economic Life and Population tendencies, the commencement of
Dr. Roth's editorship of this im-
Movements" in which he deals the accounts with the talmudic mense work, Rutgers University's
with the Jewish world in the be- period and ending with Rashi, the sponsorship of the great project,
7;a119
ginning of the 8th Century, Jew- descriptions of how Jews emerged lend literary significance to "The
ish merchants and craftsmen, in- as tradesmen drifting toward World History of the Jewish Peo- xlipTtg
ternational trade and commerce money-lending, the effects of ec- ple". The analyses of "The Dark
and emergence of new communi- clesiastical legislation.
Ages" in the medieval period are
There is an inevitable diverg-
ties.
great contributions to our histori-
1371;1
In a later section, Dr. Roth ence of interpretation of the events cal records. I. H. Levine as re-
under
review,
but
the
numerous
reviews the history of the Jews
vising editor of the second volume;
.rilKt, it rk9 -11'41,pkt)
events covered provide a thorough E. Feldmann and A. Peli as as-
in Italy.
portrayal
of
the
occurrences
dur-
Dr. A. Sharf, associate profes-
sistant editor and managing editor
sor of history at Bar-Ilan Uni- ing centuries of stress which also of the entire series, respectively,
ri11; nv-1; rkt4irt?)
versity, continues the exploration were marked by creative achieve- have earned due credit, together
ments.
and the historical analyses with
ilpj
with Dr. Roth, for a notable ac-
thirri rvirirl`?
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS complishment.
Benjamin Ze'ev
(Theodor) Herzl
1-0.-1;pr7 ru,41
r1.441.?? TIYIP.tP
'Pz?m'Ilri"
ratt -
v tn .-rm x
n41 - in4n
Tri-J171
xi? win 115
nnttpn niwt nit
,r1zi,47L?nT7 ai'7nn
.11AS2?
'741;3
.nrippn nutgL? -i=s) nita7in
win
tvpioiLrp triiDa
iz7tg riiTnnn 77? ri.7 .nitkzitant
'Ng
tria" ,wrn
l57n rq5 ;•i ntoi 141
17 7
ti:;7 744-8n tr7t.t4
rrppit in
nine
.Nrrirrp'7
-rsr 17prit.n
',Van '?s7nintzinnn
r;.1 '2417 •nnian 1lr.i4
ttn
nip? ,irrix ni7,4 tanInn
•
.n' i1-'
27 1J
n.rpp
.-Ortpin rinDtp?'?
ny4
wptel
ritiN nri 1o4 11.1.
.-rrrylin tiri*4
,nrp?pn rit; renTiV
vas?! `Tina mitt 1-frgrilr;i;3.-Itsiriv*ittpin
'71r. , tplp rirprp inn rum
live? 77n nptt
•ntlFgl, P/
1
1Vg.1%? to"?r r1 '241r.1 i7;t1
nkt- rIF.1)
rtt -
.-rrats. it
ntgz
40 Friday, Janahry 6, 1967
—