Rifitriantic Fantasy of Life of Jews Under Czar Nicholas
Review by PAUL MASSERMAN
forced to flee to America.
Ronya von Glassman, the hero-
ine, is married to Boris Pirov, a
Tartar prince, and makes her home
on a great estate near Kiev. The
period of the 'romantic novel in-
cludes the turbulent years from
1881, when she marries the Tartar,
to 1912 when Ronya and her
daughter-in-law, Rachel, flee from
Russia to America.
.. Th Candlesticks and the Cross," by
Rutte'Preenr—Stolomon. G. P. Putnam's
Sons, New urk.
Seragainst the background of a
decaying Russian Empire when
Rasputin ruled the royal court,
when wild Tartars threatened to
sack the Ukraine and any Jew's
life was forfeit- to whim, "The
Candlesticks and the Cross" is at
once a romance and a panoramic
novel of the climatic end of an era.
Mrs. Solomon, who was born in
Russia and is now living in San
Francisco, where her husband, Dr.
Joseph Solomon, is a prominent
psychiatrist, has written about a
wealthy, highly placed Jewish fam-
ily of landowners and financial ad-
visers to Czar Nicholas. The Von
Glassmans although united in mar-
riage to the royal family itself,
were Jews and as such, suffered
persecution, and in the end were
Peripheral characters are Men-
del Beilis, Court Witte, the Czar,
the Czarina, the dowager queen-
mother of the Czar and Rasputin.
Events touched upon include the
Russo-Japanese War, the Russian
plot to seize Manchuria, the 1905
massacres and abortive revolution,
the assassination of Count Witte,
the pogroms against the Jews and
the ever growing intrigues in the
royal court.
The von Glassmans have a hand
Citrus Exports Rise Despite Six-Day War
sented by a record 19,000,000
LONDON—Israel's citrus indus- standard cases of which 4,000,000
try, which accounts for 30 per cent cases of Jaffa oranges and nearly
of the nation's exports, did not 1,000,000 cases of grapefruit have
suffer as a result of last June'sbeen assigned to the British mar-
war, and its export crop has in ' ket. This is an increase of 7 and 9
fact increased by 18 per cent this per cent respectively over last
season, Moshe Levin, European I season's exports to Britain.
director of the Citrus Marketing I He said that over the last 10
Board of Israel , said here Wednes- years the export of Jaffas had
day.
risen from 8,000,000 to 17,500,000
Levin spoke before a large gath- cases per annum, an increase of
ering of citrus fruit wholesalers 117 per cent. Jaffas now account
and retailers in the London area. for about 25 per cent of the Euro-
Ile noted that the Israeli fruit may peon orange market.
be relatively cheaper than fruit
Levin said that there will be
from other countries as a result no major changes in the policies
of the devaluation of the Israeli of Israel's citrus marketing board.
pound.
As in previous years, part of the
Levin said the increase in citrus I crop will be sold at auction and
production for export is repre- nart by private contract.
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
;
in almost all these events, one of
the sons, is an officer in the Rus-
sian-Japanese War and the young-
er son, tries to enlist in the cavalry,
even though he is only 15. (the sons
are sent to America by Ronya).
"The Candlesticks and the
Cross" is supposed to be the
story of the author's own family.
Ronya was her grandmother.
The candlesticks and the Catho-
lic cross, were a dowry for Mrs.
Solomon's mother, Rachel.
The story is almost unbelievable,
a fantasy, for no Jews in Russia
were allowed to rise to the heights
attained by the von Glassman
family. It is equally difficult to
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
12—Friday, January 5, 1968
Military Attaches Attend Hanuka Party in London
setype Wire
(Direct JTA Tel
to The Jewih News)
LONDON — Marshals of the
Royal Air Force and the military
attaches of the United States,
Britain, France, West Germany,
other Western countries and
Jewish community leaders were
also present.
Romania attended a Hanuka party
here Tuesday night given by the
Israeli military attache and Mrs.
Zamir. Other countries repre-
sented included South Africa,
Belgium, Holland and Sweden.
imagine a Jewish daughter, an
heiress, married to a Tartar and
allied to Cossacks or a rabbi and
a Greek Orthodox priest as bosom
Alb e ttii
pals, as depicted in the book.
It is quite abkurd to compare
this novel with such epic novels as
' War and Peace." Much of this
work is romantic nonsense that
may have been popular 50 years
ago. It is not the life that was
known to our fathers or grand-
fathers who came from Russia.
However, it is a gripping story
that holds one's interest.
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