THE DETROIT JEWISH
36 Friday, Nardi 24, 1978
Samuel Astrachan's Katz-Cohen'
Emphasizes Many Jewish Roots
RALPH YAMRON'S
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Music For All
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Within the month of the
appearance of "Katz-
Cohen," the newest novel by
Samuel Astrachan (Mac-
millan), the study of three
Jewish families, represent-
ing generations stemming
from Russian backgrounds
who are integrated into the
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current sphere of Jewish
life, is being accorded a high
rank in tracing the people's
roots.
The influence of an im-
migrant background, a
novelist's serious concern
with the effects of the
Holocaust, the devotions to
a reconstructed experience
in Israel influenced the
writing of a story already
equated with the sensa-
tional theme of Alex
Hailey's "Roots."
Less than a month after
the "Katz-Cohen" publica-
. tion date, the author is al-
ready scheduled for appear-
ance on a Jewish Theologi-
cal Seminary Eternal Light
program. This Sunday he
will be interviewed on the
Jewish Community Council
"Highlights" and on
"Focus."
Astrachan, who resides
with his wife and son in
Paris, spends three
months of the year here
as a visiting member of
the history department of
Wayne State University
Illiteracy High
JERUSALEM (ZINS) —
A Hebrew University study
indicates there are 400,000
illiterates and 400,000
semi-literates in Israel, or
25 percent of the popula-
tion.
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and during that period
Mrs. Astrachan also
teaches French at WSU.
Astrachan, who was a
student of Lionel Trilling at
Columbia College, explains
the background of his thesis
his new novel as being
three-fold: the inspiration
from his family, his deep
concern over the tragedies
of the Holocaust and his de-
dication to issues relating to
Israel's progress as well as
security.
He pointed out to The
Jewish News that his
father's Russian
background, his mother's
life in a home that was
steeped in Yiddish litera-
ture, the loss of many mem-
bers of the family who were
victims of Nazism combined
to give him an interest in
the lineage that was formu-
lated in the stories of two
families recorded in his
novel.
Primarily, he said, it is
the spiritual values that
motivated his delineations.
"It is continuity that is
vital," he said, "and
primarily it is the
spiritual continuity. That
is why one of the princi-
ples enunciated is kind-
ness and forgiveness
when dealing with the
declinations in Jewish
thinking and living."
While his new book is a
work of fiction and the
characters do not relate to
any specific persons, he con-
ceded that his parents' ex-
periences, notably his
father's, a physician who
earned his medical degree
in Russia, had its effects on
him and his motivations.
He said he had not
thought in terms of "roots"
which has become a sensa-
tional topic, but conceded
that he had, indeed, dealt
with roots, but his emphasis
is on the spiritual roots.
Astrachan has been in-
vited to discuss his histori-
cal analyses by local groups.
He will address the City of
Hope Monday, before re-
turning to France with Mrs.
Astrachan and their son. On
Wednesday he spoke to the
Book Fair Committee of the
Jewish Center at a meeting
at which plans were made
for the annual event in
November.
Jewry on the Air-
This Week's Radio and
Television Programs
MESSAGE OF IS-
RAEL: 6:30 a.m. Sunday,
(1090), an all Yiddish prog-
ram of music, news, inter-
views, and other features,
with Lou Levine. Diane
Levine presents a Jewish
community calendar.
• * *
RELIGION IN THE
NEWS: 6:30 San. Sunday,
a.m. Tuesday, WILD (1090),
interviews and features of
Jewish interest, with Hy
Shenkman.
WXYZ (1270) and WRIF-
FM (101) and 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, WDEE (1500), a
message to the Jewish
community; ; ;
CKWW (680).
■ 5 *
IF NOT NOW: 7:10 a.m.
every second Sunday, WJR
(repeated every fifth Sun-
day), issues affecting the
Jewish community.
* * *
YIDDISHE SHTUNDE:
9 am. Monday, WIID
Levin Joins
Senate Race
CARL LEVIN
Attorney and former De-
troit City Council President
'Carl Levin has announced
his candidacy for the U.S.
Senate on the Democratic
ticket.
Levin is currently cam-
paigning to get his name on
the Democratic slate for the
Aug. 8 primary.
Kashrut Award
- TEL AVIV — The new,
400-room Tel Aviv Shera-
ton Hotel has been awarded
a certificate of recognition
of observance of kashrut by
the chief rabbi of Bat Galim.
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357-5578
M., Th., Fri., til 9, Tues., Wed., Sat. til 6
* * *
SHIDUREI YISRAEL
BE-DETROIT: 9:30 a.m.
Tuesday, WHD (1090), an
all-Hebrew program of Ls-
JEWISH COMMUN- raeli music, news and fea-
ITY HIGHLIGHTS: 9:45 tures from Israel, with Uri
a.m. Sunday, Channel 2, - Segal.
* * *-
Samuel Astrachan, author
of the novel "Katz-Cohen,"
MOTIF: 9 a.m. Friday,
will be interviewed.
WITH (1090), Jewish news,
• *
entertainment, community
LUBAVITCH JEWISH calendar and "Spotlight" on
HOUR: 11 p.m. Sunday the community with Bar-
WNIC (1300), and WNIC- bara Katchke and Rachel
FM (100), rabbinical re- Jacobs.
•• •
marks, Jewish music.
* * *
WHAT'S NEW IN GOLD RINGS
FANTASTIC FOR REMOUNTS
COFFEE WITH HY: 9 •
56 to Present
`Hester Street'
"Hester Street," a film
depicting the arrival of
Jewish immigrants to New
York and their subsequent
Americanization, will be
shown 8 p.m. Tuesday on
Channel 56 (WTVS).
The film, based on the
novella "Yekl" by Abraham
Cahan, editor of the Yiddish
newspaper, The Jewish
Daily Forward, features
Carol Kane, Stephen Keats
and Dorrie Kavanaugh in
leading roles
Official Supports
Conversion Law
NEW YORK — Israeli
Minister of Justice Shmuel
Tamir has assured the
American Jewish Commit-
tee that recent legislation
against the use of material
inducements to conversion
will not restrict religious
freedom or the pursuit of
normal educational or
philanthropic activities by
Christians or any other re-
ligious group in Israel.
Tamir's statement refer-
red to a law, enacted last
December by the Israeli
Knesset, that made•it a
criminal offense to give or
promise money or other
material benefits in order to
entice a person to change
his religion. The receiver of
such gifts or promises would
also be subject to prosecu-
tion.
Hail of — Goodies
TEL AVIV (JTA) — Is-
. raeli soldiers in south
Lebanon surrendered Tues-
day under a heavy barrage
not of bullets but haman-
tashen, cake, candy and
other Purim delicacies and
gifts sent by the soldiers
welfare fund and by
families and relatives for
celebration of the Purim
holiday which began Wed-
nesday night.