THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
8 Friday, April 25, 1975
Data Is Sought
for Family Tree
BACKGAMMON
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George Sackheim of Chi-
cago is seeking information
on persons named Sackheim
or Zackheim, or those with
similar spellings, to update
a family tree.
Sackheim said his family
tree dates back to 1659 to
the time of Rabbi Israel in
Rozanoi. He has already
contacted more than 200
family members all over the
world.
Persons with information
sought by Sackheim may
write him at Box 4348, Chi-
cago, Ill. 60680.
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A
Look at `Christianity Through Jewish Eyes'
By ALLEN A. WARSEN
Historically, Moses Men-
delssohn (1729-1786), the
first modern Jew, started
the Judeo-Christian dia-
logue. Prior to him there
were Judeo-Christian dis-
putes and diputations. How-
ever, Joseph Salvador
(1796-1873), a French. Jew,
authored the first modern
Jewish life of Jesus.
Interestingly enough, Jo-
seph's mother was a Catho-
lic and a brother married to
a Huguenot, but he himself,
according to Walter Jacob,
author of "Christianity
through Jewish Eyes,"
(Hebrew Union College
Press, 1974) "remained loyal
to Judaism and devoted
himself to interpreting Ju-
daism and Jewish history in
the spirit of nineteenth-cen-
tury rationalism."
Salvador distinguished
three stages in the early
evolution of Christianity.
The Gospel of Matthew he
regarded to represent the
earliest stage. He ascribed
the development of the sec-
ond stage to Paul who
forced the apostles to
abandon the synagogue
and Jewish ideology, and
to establish a separate ent-
ity, the Church.
In this way the division of
the Jewish people into Jews
and Christians occurred.
The third stage, according
to Salvador, was repre-
sented by the apostle John
who propounded the doc-
trine of "Jesus, the first
cause and the creator of the
world."
Though critical of Chris-
tian doctrines, Salvador,
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nevertheless, in his "Paris,
and Ahad Ha-am blasted as it did Claude G. Montef-
Rome, Jerusalem" predicted - him in "Al Parashat Der- iore. The thought to sepa-
that a time would come akim ?"
rate the Jewish people from ,
when "Through the fusion
"Jesus did not reject Is- their religion never occurred
of the spirituality of Rome,
rael nor did he intend to to him. His concerns, in-
the civilization of Paris and sever the bonds of the Cov- stead, were the "Mitzvot"
the spirit of biblical. Juda-
enant," wrote Martin Buber (commandments) and
ism a new culture would be (1878-1965). Paul, however, "Talmud Torah" (study).
produced. Judaism would broke with Judaism, was Even the Christian "ka-
decisively influence history; the originator of the Chris- vanah" (devotion) was not a
,it would be the climax of tian religion and the concep- concern of his.
world Jewish life."
tion of faith which led to the
Joseph
Klausner
On the other hand, Elijah
doctrine of justification by (1874-1958) followed a dif-
Benamozggh (1823-1930),
faith.
ferent course in his ap-
the great Orthodox Rabbi
Paulinism, Buber main- praisal of Jesus and Pau
and Italian patriot, based tained, was also responsi- His "Jesus of Nazareth: Hi
his critique of Christianity ble for the inability of the Life, Times and Teaching"
on ethics and not on history. Christian church to ad- and "From Jesus to Paul"
He pointed out, among oth- dress nations. It only were major landmarks in
ers, that in Christianity the speaks to individuals or the history of JeWish Chris-
ideal of justice is of minor groups of individuals.
tological scholarship despite
importance, while the ideals
Notwithstanding his criti- some negative criticisms lev-
of love and charity are ex- cism of Christianity, Buber eled against these books, in
cessively stressed.
looked "hopefully to a fu- view of this reviewer.
Nonetheless, Benarnozegh ture in which the two reli-
Since Klausner was a
like Salvador believed that gions would come closer to national Jew, his views
ultimately "pure Judaism each other, with Jesus even- naturally were nationally
would be accepted into the tually recognized by Jews as motivated. It should not be
structure of Christianity a great religious figure in surprising, 'therefore, that
and that a religion capable the history of mankind, in the judgment of Klaus-
of appealing to all men
even though he could never ner "Jesus was a Jew and
would evolve s
be accepted as a messianic a Jew remained till his
Samuel
Hirsch figure."
last breath. His one idea
(1815-1889), too, regarded
Though Franz Rosen- was to implant within his
Judaism at being superior
zweig (1886-1929) did not nation the idea of the com-
to Christianity, but cred-
write books on Christianity, ing of the Messiah and, by
ited it with bringing ethics
his correspondence made it repentance, and good
and monotheism to the possible for us to gain an work, hasten the end."
pagan world. Hirsch, how-
Neither should it be sur-
understanding of the think-
ever, rejected the Hegelian
ing of this great mind and to prising that Klausner re-
(Spinoza's) idea that na-
become familiar with his garded Paul's Christianity
ture and God are synony-
profound judgments and as resulting from his being
mous.
insightful observations.
"detached from the authen-
Isaac
Mayer
Wise
His observation that tic living Judaism which
(1819-1900) added very little
Judaism is the star and was rooted in its own cul-
to our knowledge of Christ
Christianity the rays is tural soil."
and Paul, but some of his
It should be stressed that
especially meaningful.
pronouncements are worth
Significant, too, is his ob- Klausner regarded the Jew-
repeating. For instance,
servation that Christians ish people and Judaism as
"The future man will need
become surprised when inseparable.
no Messiah and no redem-
Some of the other schol-
Jews reply "nothing" to
mer, no baptism and no cir-
the question "what does ars included in the book
,cumcision . . .; for neither
Judaism think about under review are Herman
all these nor other means
Christ?"
Cohen, Leo Baeck, Max
are contained in the Sinaic
Particularly interesting is Brod, and others.
revelation or based upon the
Despite the numerous
Rosenzweig's observation
pure dicta of reason."
that while Jews are born quotations, "Christianity
Nonetheless, Wise felt a
Jews, Christians are born Through Jewish Eyes" is a
close kinship to his Chris-
pagans and become Chris- welcome addition to the
tian neighbors and looked
tians afterwards. His re- growing list of books on
forward to the time when
mark that Christianity is a Christianity.
"Judaism purified of its rab-
The author, Walter Jacob,
combination of pagan ele-
binic elements would be-
ments and true religion was is Rabbi of Rodef Shalom
come the religion of the fu-
Congregation, Pittsburgh,
disturbing to Christians.
ture, not only for Jews but
It should also be noted editor of "Paths of Faithful-
for all men."
that religious universalism ness," and author of numer-
Extraordinary is Claude
never troubled Rosenzweig ous essasy.
G. Montefiore's (1858-1838),
the grandnepheW of €ir
Moses Montefiore, approach
to both Jesus and Paul. He
wrote this about Jesus: "I
cannot conceive that a time
will come when the figure of
Jesus will no longer be a
star of the first magnitude
in the spiritual heavens,
when he will no longer be
regarded as one of the great-
est religious heroes and
teachers whom the world
has seen."
at Sea May 31-June 7
About Paul he said:
"Judaism had so far not
visiting NASSAU and BERMUDA
been able to solve the puz-
zle of the universal God
Featuring JAN PEERCE, JEROME
and the national cult. Paul
LOWENTHAL and other great classi-
cut the knot. He cut it, it is
true, by setting upon dog-
cal artists
mas which darkened the
purity of monotheism, and
Call for full information
opened the door for many
subsequent evils both in
religion and morality; but
he cut it. We will not deny
to him his need of glory."
Is it surprising that
Christians wondered why
(313) 549-6733
Montefiore did not convert,
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