Dr. Blau's Jewish Philosophy Story `Gateway to Judaism' Encyclopedic Guide Albert M. Shulman has been a Ten years ago, Dr. Joel Blau It should be noted that such of Columbia University produced rabbi for 37 _years. He has served practices as arranging of mar- "The Story of Jewish Philosophy" Temple Beth El in South riages and the character of the which he introduced as, to his Ind., since 1934, and has been shadhan are clarified. There are knowledge, "the only book of its rabbi emeritus since 1967. He has many matters that often confuse kind in any language- written for Preached and written, and his Jews, especially resurrection, im- the non-specialist and attempting studies now - result in a most il- mortality, etc. to see the continuities and changes luminating two-volume encyclo- Under "Immortality and Resur- that have -taken place in Jewish pedic outline of Jewish beliefs, philosophic thought from the Bible costoms, regulations, fantasies, rection," Rabbi Shulman has in- cluded these guidelines: to the 20th Century." folklore—every imaginable theme "The Bible has little .to say This volume was instantly ac- in Jewish experience. about life after death. The pro claimed as a valuable contribu- "Gateway to Judaism—an En- tion to Jewish philosophic study. cyclopedic Guide to the Doctrines, phets, especially Ezekiel, speak of symbolic resurrection. The Reissued by Ktav, it draws re- Ceremonies, Customs, Languages 'Preacher' in the book of Ec- newed attention for the popular and Community Life of the Jews" clesiastes denies any hope for approach it provides to plillosophic is his two-volume compilation of thought relating to rabbinic inter- informative material, containing a future life. It was not until long after the Babylonian exile pretations, the Kabala, in the more than 1,000 pages, published that Judaism started to incorpo- Judeo-Arabic Spanish, and subse- by Thomas Yoseloff. quent periOds. rate the idea of resurrection and If the reader seeks informa- immortality of the soul. Much of Dr. Blau's work takes into ac- tion about the Holy Scriptures, it came from the impact of the count the period of Emancipation, the festivals, the calendar, diet- religion of Zoroastrianism. Re- emergence of Reform, Spinozisfn. ary laws. nomenclature, Jewish ligious ideologies of early Israel Many of the eminent Jewish literature through the ages, the were divided. 'The Essenes ac- thinkers in the eras under review Talmud and the Mishna fan- cepted immortality only; the are described and their views tasies, mystical formations like Sadducees rejected both; the analyzed. Dr. Blau points out in ABRACADABRA and the wear- Pharisees accepted both, even his conclusion: ing of amulets in the belief that though they are essentially con- "Not every Jewish philosopher they cure, and scores upon scores tradictory. has been mentioned, nor has every of other subjects, he'll find the "The Rabbinic view postulat- theme been discussed. Enough has explanations in Rabbi Shulmaii's ed an OLAM HA-BA—a WORLD been said to make it clear that immense work. Judaism has been not only a re- TO COME. This was the domain ligion of practice and of faith, but of the soul, the spiritual world Also to be met in these pages of afterlife. Here the soul merged also a stimulant to intellectual are many of the historic Jewish reflection. In those periods in his- personalities and the factors that with the essence of God and con- tory when Jews lived a life that will impress the reader are that tinued its existence, since life was largely enclosed, shut away the author deals as effectively with did not terminate with death." from the currents of thought in the the Decalogue as he does with Ancient Israel's history gets pro- surrounding world, the philosophic regulations in Jewish teachings on per attention in the resume pro- reflection of the Jews was carried capital punishment, explanations of vided here. on as a kind of interior monologue. many beliefs and the view of them Jewish organizational life is de- In those periods when the Jews 'n Jewish traditional teachings. fined extensively in the second lived in close contact with their For e x a in p 1 e: "Reincarnation: volume, and the reader is led to neighbors in the world, and were Judaism does not subscribe to the subject to the influences of their belief in the rebirth of the soul an understanding of the religious movements, the philanthropic ele- intellectual environment, Jewish in different forms. At death the philosophy became more of a dia- body returns to the earth to be- ments, Zionism and the move- ment's varying parties. logue, an exchange of thought that come dust, and the soul returns Also—there are introductions to enriched all the participants." - to God." the various Jewish communities In- the sphere of adult educa- There are many superstitions, throughout the world, and the read- tion, as well as in the higher and Rabbi Shulman tackles them er learns about the populations in classes of our schools, discussion definitively. At the same time many lands and their roles. on Jewish philosophy could well he tells about.resort to talismans, be augmented by use of the Blau sorcery, soothsaying and related book, which is justifiably acknowl- fantasies. edged as perhaps the best of its Rabbi Shulman presents kind of kind on the subject as a textbook for laymen and as a - guide for a challenge when he states: "This teachers treating Jewish philo- work was conceived on the as- sumption that the average modern sophic subjects. Not only are national Jewish or- ganizations listed, but the author provides assistance to the reader who may need them by ._spend- ing the addresses to the listings. The fact that the index occupies 126 pages is an indication of the extent of material presented in the two volumes. Rabbi Shul-tan has rendered a genuine sere ice with Jew is a dropout from Judaism following BarlAitzva or confirma- tion. Few acquire any further for- mal Jewish education in the uni- versity, in synagogues, Or in Jew- ish centers. 'Gateway to Juda-- ism' will not prevent dropouts, but NEW YORK (JTA) — Prime hopefully, as the title implies, it may lead some people to a knowl- Minister Golda Meir has invited 150 prominent business and com- edge of, and to a pride in, the munal leaders from the United rich heritage of the Jewish peo- ple." _ We:4* '1 president. er..,leitif the smiling photographer • SWEET 16 PARTIES • BAR MITZVAHS • CONFIRMATIONS • SMALL ROMAN ORGIES You wouldn't believe how good- . . .-and cheap PHONE FAST 3563756 Friday, January 28, 1972 - 37 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS e Are Proud To A NNO LACE leoyati(oiher Catering Is The Exclusive Caterer In The New and Luxurious Bah Achim 12 Mile (between Evergreen 8 Lahser) The FINEST in FOOD and SERVICE Choice Dates Available 864-8177 Franklin Racquet Club Features SIX WEEKS OF TENNIS INSTRUCTION _ FEB. 14th through MARCH 26th Indeed, even those who are not dropouts but who did not take the trouble to find and learn the facts LADIES' CLINIC: Morning and afternoon sessions begin- ning February 14th for 6 weeks, 1 1 /2 hours of clinic per week. Evening sessions on Monday and Wednesday night. Practice sessions will also be available. about Jewish life and traditions, or who did not know where to look for them, will be rewarded with the material available in Rabbi Shulman's"compiled data. - Where necessary, and in ex- tensive- measures, Rabbi Shul- man uses Hebrew - texts, and these are especially valuable in the flefhdng. of the- festivals, :in MEN'S CLINIC: Evening sessions on Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday, IY2 hours of instruction per night for 6 weeks. JUNIOR' CUNIC: Morning and afternoon sessions start- ing at 9 A.M. on Saturdays, 2 hours of instruction. Classes also meed on Monday and Friday afternoons. DIRECTORS: MARK CONTI, winner of 2 National Championships, number 1 sin g les and Dou- bles Big Ten Champion for University of Michigan, Former member of the U.S. Jr. Davis Cup Team. DUSTY RHODES, outstanding coach from - los Angeles, California. fornier 'number I -- An ine.ination of the --ciinipiete- ness of this work, in the,::_spiendid collection of guidelines inCits--ftvo Rabbi Shulmarit;firiajae- vqtek "rigosnace to "Care of the /300:1, e and. in explaininOhe sharfire'eare -61 . singles player for Michigan ,State University. Current Tennis professional at S.L.R.C. also 7 other experienced fennis.insfrjrciari. • *sr! is . • there ore, a At6d tennis.., ''Secome a member r..trS'Illti ,rIndoblikiseL InIted '.nttEsbe, r- of membirships available at THE' +SAW ke4.41ACOLLEI. -; • • • - KOMI T - • li, EARLY, • 352-5633 - 4°- ,to iiasth‘l* -411A6 fill" • 4t r e B54-Ores0atagn thine t e purpose the Nilite-zinther -'pretrents s ii ad 7 n1-7 1-aitinicIdeas-- sthat:.tqftgr$ur eon erence was to give-''a slut of Jewish leaders an appreciation.-.430.;:f.ew,isb intii12 4*~ecle„,of ,the magpi- ii.1:9441420ggA,Afel:Vits , p t toe: of tat' pre.filkais at the: )442. .4941481tRijkorftb'e en t time." The naming of children, iters David -Mtillifek„ it413*- 1-tdyfetv:ttaines for hal B ctOlke - ttf: to the meettng, 4,4itinuit yeoninupek".iire" iferuied and' vs panied by Louis E. Levitan, De- relating to children become easily troit Israel Bond direCtor. understandable. 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