56 Friday, August 26, 1977
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Shakespeare Studies Are Flourishing at Bar-IlanU. "I
RAMAT GAN-When the
400th anniversary of Shake-
, ( speare's birth was cele-
brated in 1964 there were
dozens of special lectures
and other events for mass-
audiences in all the major
cities in Israel. Among the
volumes of Shakespeare
studies then produced
world-wide to mark the oc-
casion, one particularly im-
pressive volume in Hebrew
was edited by Prof. Murray
Roston, of Bar-Ilan Univerz
sity's English department.
Lavishly illustrated and
with a foreword by Abba
Eban, this book, entitled
"The Shakespearian
World" ("HaOlam Hashaks-
peri"), contained some two
dozen original essays on dif-
ferent aspects of Shake-
speare's art, including con-
tributions from leading in-
ternational Shakespearian
scholars such as Prof. G.
Roston himself who contrib.
essays on three Shakespear-
ian tragedies and one on
Shakespeare and the
Bible." Dr. Richard Sher-
win, of Bar-Ilan, wrote on
the sonnets, while Prof. Har-
old Fisch wrote oh "Shake-
speare and Renaissance
Thought."
But this was only the be-
-
ginning of Bar-Ilan's partici-
pation in Shakespearian
studies: Prof. Roston later
developed his ideas at
length in his book "Biblical
Drama in England". ,
Prof. Fisch, who is a fre-
quent contributor to such
major journals as "Shake-
speare Survey" and "The
Shakespeare Quarterly - ,
has written a full-length
study of "Hamlet" which
has been hailed a "singular
work" and an exciting book
opening up new vistas of
Shakespearian scholarship.
The chief novelty of the
book lies in the inter-
pretation of Hamlet's en-
counter with his father's
ghost as a "covenant
event" carrying strong Bib-
lical overtones.
All the senior staff of
Bar-Ilan's department of
English have in fact had
their say about Shake-
speare. Dr. Aron Y. Sta-
visky's first book published_
by the University of Okla-`'
homa Press in 1969 was en-
titled "Shakespeare and the
Victorians" - a work of
meticulous scholarship
showing equal expertise in
the Elizabethan and Victo-
rian periods. It is to the
later period that Dr. Sta-
visky's later work has been
conducted in Bar-Ilan's Eng-
time come out to lecture to
Classical and- Renaissance
devoted, . but he will no
lish department was that of
the students of the English
drama for the students of
doubt keep Shakespeare 'in
Dr. Devora Nameri who re-
department at the • in- Hebrew and comparative lit-
the picture:
ceived a Ph.D. in 1976 for a
vitation of the university.
erature. This course, given
Of the second generation
dissertation entitled "Three
in Hebrew, includes Shake-
These
include
Prof.
Sam
of Bar-Ilan's scholars, the
Versions of the Story of
speare as a central feature.
Schoenbaum, of Chicago,
Shakespearian studies of
King Lear."
thor of the definitive "Docu-
These interests are also
Dr. Esther Beith-Halahmi
This is a comparative
mentary Life of Shake-
reflected in the discussion
may be noted. After gradu-
study of Shakespeare's play
speare", and Prof. Geoffrey of aspects of Shakespear-
ating with distinction in the
of that title, the anonymous
Bullough, of Edinburgh, edi- ean study which appeaf
first graduating class at
"Chronicle History of King
tor of the standard nine-vol-
from time to time in the lit-
Bar-Ilan, Dr. Beith-Ha- Leir" published some ten
ume edition of "Shake-
erary journal "Bikoret
lahmi went on to do an
year's before Shakespeare's
speare's Narrative and Dra-
Ufarshanut" (Criticism and
M.A. thesis on the theme of version, and the later revi-
matic
Sources".
Interpretation) published
"Shakespeare's Criticism of
sion by Nahum Tate (1681).
In May, 1977, Dame by the univer.Jy under the
Roman Society." (1963).
Dr. Nameri seeks to
Helen Gardner, the distin- editorship of Prof. Avriiii
• From Bar-Ilan she went
prove that the anonymous
guished Merton Professor Shaanan, head of the
abroad to take a Ph.D. at
play (which Tolstoy thought
of English at Oxford, ar- parative literature de!"
Boston's Northeastern Uni- to be superior to Shake-
rived to give a series of ment.
versity, choosing as her sub- speare) continued to attract
guest-lectures including, na-
ject the varied and fascinat- attention after Shake-
Shakespeare
himself
turally, a lecture on Shake- knew nothing of Israel and
ing treatments of the life of - speare's play had been writ-
speare.
Jane Shore (the famous mis-
ten, and was in Tate's mind
little of Jews. Bar-Ilan is
tress of King Edward IV)
when he came to do his re-
There is no doubt more seeking to balance the ac-
in Elizabethan poetry and vision. This thesis too, has
Shakespearian work still to count. They at least will try •
drama. Of these treatments
been reprinted by the Uni-
come from the department to learn a little more about
one, predictably, was by versity of Salzburg.
of English as well as from Shakespeare.
Shakespeare, and to this
The • interest in Shake-
the department of com-
Enthusiasm for Shake-
Dr. Beith-Halahmi devoted speare at Bar-Ilan is reflect-
parative literature at Bar- speare's works goes far in
a full chapter.
ed in the long and distin-
Ilan.
Israel, and there is no dra-
Her thesis was later pub- guished line of guest lectur
Dr. Sarah Halperin con- matic season without a
lished by the University of ers who have from time to
ducts a regular course in- Shakespearian production.
Salzburg in their series of
"Elizabethan and Renais-
sance Studies", edited by
Prof. James Hogg. She is
now a senior lecturer in the
NEW YORK (JTA)-A
psychopathology of Jewish
people who come to us
English department.
leading fund-raiser for her
destiny,' that is, the psychic
really are people who are
A second graduate study synagogue sisterhood has
disturbances arising out of
threatened by the changing
just learned that her hus-
the persecutions and dis-
social structure and_hope
band is leaving her. A con-
placements imposed on
the rabbis will have the
centration camps survivor
Jews. We have learned, for
unique power to hold things
is determined to stop her
example, that the children
together."
son from marrying a non- - of concentration camp survi-
Jewish girl. A young couple
This seems to be a factor
vors grow up with special
finds their inter-religious
present often in marital dis-
burdens which increase the
marriage - in jeopardy de-
putes (more than half the
risk of personality dis-
spite the gentile mate's de-
order."
caseload at s the center)
sire to convert to Jadaism.
where one partner or - anoth-
Bety Cholst psychiatric so-
Each seeks help from the
cial worker at the Bern-
er is trying to save a trou-
Morris J. and Ethel Bern-
stein Center, added, "The , bled marriage.
stein Pastoral Psychiatry
Center. a unique program
that combines modern tech-
niques of psychotherapy
with traditional rabbinic
This quiz was prepared from material offered in courses
counseling.
sponsored by the American Jewish Committee's Academy
Operating under the aus-
for Jewish Studies Without Walls.
(Copyright 1977. JTA. Inc.1
pices of the Jewish Thelo-
1. In his poem, Nahum
gical Seminary of America,
1. laments the destruction of Nineveh.
the 13-year-old center aug-
2. rejoices over the destruction of Nineveh.
ments its rabbinic staff
3. ignores the destruction of Nineveh.
with psychiatrists and so-
2. The dominant - theme in Hosea is
cial workers especially
1. stern justice of- God.
trained to deal with the
2. divine compassion and love.
stress of family and person-
3. rejection and abandonment on the part of God.
al conflicts.
3. The Book of Proverbs deals primarily with
Many, although not all, of
1. social and humanitarian concerns.
the clients are referred by
2. cultic matters.
local rabbis to whom they
3. administrative and gOvernmental issues.
had brought their problems
4. In the Song of Songs. the maiden is often referred 'to as
initially.
a
1. sister.
"The difference between
2. gazelle.
our service and other coun-
3. jewel.
seling services," Dr. Morti-
5.
Joshua made a convenant with the tribes of Israel at
mer Ostow, Sandrow Vis-
1. Bethel.
iting Professor of Pastoral
2. Shekhem.
Psychiatry, explained, "is
3. Gilgal.
that we offer guidance with-
6. The statement "Who made you .a prince and -judge over
in the context of the values
us?" was made by
of authentic Jewish tradt-
1. two struggling Hebrews against Moses.
tion. Our rabbinical col-
2. a rebellious Canaanite against his lord.
leagues participate in for-
3. hungry Israelites against Aaron.
mulating proposed resolu-
7. According to the biblical text. the Flood 'occurred be-
tions to problems.
cause mankind
"For example, in the
1. made a lot of noise and disturbed God:
case of a son or a daughter
2. failed to offer the right kind of sacrifices.
3. pursued wickedness.
marrying out of the faith,
does Judaism require that
8. At the Temple in Shiloh, Hannah was rebuked by Eli the
A scene from a recent production of "Richard III" by the Habima theater corn-
priest because
the young person be read
pony in Israel.
1. he thought she was drunk.
out of the family, or does it
2. she had offered a wrong sacrifice.
favor an approach that
3. she had not purified herself.
leaves the door open 'for re-
9. When Jeremiah's scroll was read before King Jehoya-
conciliation so that the new
kim, the king
family may return to the
1. asked that it be kept for posterity.
Jewish community?
2. burnt it.
"Similarly, in cases of
3. commanded that it be returned.
marital dissension, is in-
10. According to Ezekiel, God will forgive Israel
fidelity an acceptable way
1. on account of the merit of the Patriarchs.
to address a felt wrong, or
2. because of the wickedness of Israel's enemies.
do the prohibitions against
3. for the sake of His (God's) holy name.
adultery still hold? We are
ANSWERS
also especially sensitive to
E '01 :g '6 :1 '8 :E 7, !I '9 :Z 'g
'I' :1 . CZ 'Z
what might be called 'the
Psychology z Judaism Combined
Biblical Quiz
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