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Laughs Galore in (Rabbi) Tar's New Novel
N
In the same spirit of fun, and
of exposing the idiosyncrasies of
synagogue officials with which he
gained fame in his novel, "The
Conversion of Chaplain Cohen," the
author, (Rabbi) Herbert Tarr, now
holds readers of his new novel,
"Heaven Help Us!" in stitches.
The new Random House book is
filled with humor. One wonders,
upon reading the Tarr works,
whether he could secure another
pulpit, now that he has so freely,
without any frustrations, unveiled
the behind-the-scenes congrega-
tional activities, the form that
differing opinions take, the fre-
quent conflicts between rabbi and
flock.
In his new novel, Rabbi Tarr in-
troduces a young, handsome fellow
—"He looks just like Harry Bela-
fonte bleached!"—who is unmar-
ried, as the candidate for a pulpit
in a suburb of New York. From
the very first moment, there is
hilarity — when a gal tries to date
him, then when he expresses him-
self on the question of Bar Mitz-
vas, refuses to adhere to certain
established rules, warns one Bar
Mitzva that he will take away his
confirmation rights if he does not
continue his studies.
What should a rabbi do if he
has aspirations to advance edu-
cational efforts, to create study
groups, to encourage youth ac-
tivities, and the members aspire
only to a musical ("My Fair
Sadie") and to social affairs?
The Z5-year-old Rabbi Gideon
Abel in this story finally gets his
largest and most appreciative
audience when he directs the
musical, but he has his other
difficulties and at the end of
his first year he is out of a job.
His father wanted him in busi-
ness of manufacturing bras, and
his mother never gave up her as-
piration that he should become a
doctor. When he leaves his pulpit
he enters the business, a love af-
fair with one of the gals who charm
him while he is rabbi nearly ma-
terializes, but he finally gets back
MONDAY, JUNE 10
ELECT HAROLD M.
PROVIZER
Oakland Community
College Trustee
LAKIN PROPOSES
SIX• SPECIFIC WAYS TO
INCREASE THE EFFECTIVENESS
OF SOUTHFIELD SCHOOLS
Encourage innovative teaching techniques—utilizing
all the resources in our community
2. Create effective programs within a NEW Board policy
to provide special curricula for our gifted children.
Improve Southfield school libraries—their contents,
their staff, and their audio-visual facilities.
4.
Upgrade special education facilities to provide for
disabled children.
5. Defend our right to invest in our childrens` education.
6. Reduce teacher turnover by making it possible for
qualified teachers to transfer into Southfield schools
without an execessive financial penalty.
ELECT DR. MERVYN
LAKIN
SOUTHFIELD SCHOOL BOARD
VOTE JUNE 70, MONDAY
to the pulpit — "for the sake of
Heaven!" — in Connecticut.
In the interim the months of his
ministry are filled with action. He
takes a class to a church, the
minister berates the Old Testa-
ment, Gideon rises to respond and
to prove that all the good things
come from the Old Bible, and a
friendship develops with the senior
minister. They are real pals — the
reader could read cynicism into
the story, yet it has realism and
fun mingled with charm in the
weaving of a fast-running story.
The friendship with the Christian
minister develops into a comrade-
ship with the family and when the
minister goes to the hospital Gid-
eon helps trim their Christmas
tree. That is cause for only one
of the scandals in which he be-
comes involved. He manages to
come through all of them quite
well, but the rabbinic role never-
theless remains precarious.
The tale grows in immensity
as the novelist introduces not
only the temple members but
also the dean of the college who
installed Gideon and who induces
him to go back to a pulpit. In
all instances the human aspects
emerge into realities of life itself
and Gideon therefore is the hero
of a tale that will delight while
it may not inspire candidates for
the rabbinate.
So here we have a story about
a rabbi who is considered a mere
"boy" by some, who makes enemies
and friends, who adheres to princi-
ples while yielding to become a
dramatic director: didn't he major
in drama at college?
For laughs and an insight into
human nature, "Heaven Help Us!"
will be read with such delight that
the new Hebert Tarr work is de-
stine for the best seller list—P. S.
Public Affairs Committee
Names Cleveland Leader
Alt 0
A woman's weapons are always
on her.—Yebamoth 15
let
Suburbans
12 to 5 p.m.
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SUNDAY
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bodies of major Jewish organiza-
tions, including the Joint Distribu- U
tion Committee, the American U
TEL AVIV (ZINS) — There is
a small number of Israelis who live
in affluence, but the g r e a t e s t
majority still requires considerable
improvement of material condi-
tions, according to a statistical
study published in the Histadrut
newspaper, "Davar."
It stated that over 141,000 mem-
bers of Histadrut earn up to 200
pounds a month ($60), and 75,000
earn up to 300 Israeli pounds a
month ($86). Another 70,000 are
paid monthly between 300 and 400
Israeli pounds.
This indicates that about 280,000
providers earn wages which hardly
suffice to feed their families ade-
quately. Another group of Hista-
drut affiliates-280.000—is in a
higher earning bracket which
yields them less than 700 pounds
($200) a month.
They all pay a substantial income
tax.
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Most Israelis Require
More Material Goods
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WAS,HINGTON, D.C. — Irving
Kane of Cleveland has been elected X
co-chairman of the American Is- 0
rael Public Affairs Committee, it
was announced by Rabbi Philip S. O
Bernstein of Ro- O
chester, who has 0
served as chair-
man of the com- O
mittee since 1954. 0
Kane was pres- *
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1962 and chair- O
man of the Na- U
ional Commu-
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Advisory Council U
Kane
from 1949 to 1953. U
He is a member of the governing U
Jewish Committee, the American
Jewish Appeal, Brandeis Univer-
sity and the Union of American
Hebrew Congregations.
Friday, June 7, 1968-35
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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