56 Friday, February 9, 1919
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Boris Smolar's
You
. . . and Me'
Editor-in-Chief
Emeritus, JTA
(Copyright 1979, JTA, Inc.)
A Well-Researched But Difficult Volume
on Jewish Conversion Through the Ages
By RABBI ISRAEL
HALPERN
Cong. Beth Abraham
Hillel Moses
only a month ago proposed
that a new conversion cam-
paign be undertaken among
non-Jews who are "un-
churched". The general op-
position to such a proposal
by Orthodox Judaism, even
prior to the recent sugges-
tion by Reform, has always
been based on other rea-
sons:
The spirit of Jewish
law holds to a rather lit
eral viewpoint that no
Jews who are believers i.
one God do not have to
accept Judaism to be
candidates for Heaven's
rewards. They should,
therefore, be informed of
this Jewish position and
also warned that their
acceptance of an authen-
tic Judaism based on
Torah and mitzvot will
present a burden upon
them from which they are
now free.
In addition, the initial
motivation for conversion to
Judaism must not be mar-
riage to a Jewish partner, so
widely the case in our time,
This reviewer would dif- which Jewish law considers
fer with the position de- an ulterior motive to con-
veloped by the author, who version. Candidates for
is a Reform rabbi and whose conversion for clearly al-
scholarship and research on truistic reasons will not eas-
the subject is extensive, ily be discouraged by the
that it was for political and "burden of the mitzvot" and
demographic reasons that will always be cheerfully
active conversion on the accepted and welcomed into
part of Judaism was carried the Household of Israel.
out. And that for similar
Though well researched
reasons, the policy of and documented, the book is
Judaism was changed to not easy reading, and is, to
discourage conversion, as is this reviewer's mind, not
the case now.
likely to raise any new is-
It should be borne in mind sues or solve any problems
that it was an American Re- on this developing con-
form Jewish leader who troversy in Jewish ranks.
in the Seventh Century,
covering some 900 years,
the movement grew into a
highly formalized and ar-
ticulated ritual.
It was during this
period that a new and
stronger awareness de-
veloped, highlighting
Abraham as the first
convert to the one and
true God who took upon
himself, together with his
wife, Sarah, and their
family, the task of bring-
ing all mankind to the
One God idea of
monotheism "and the
religion which embodied
the worship of Him."
The author credits the
Mishna (the legal section of
our talmudic literature),
the Tosefta (a collection of
addenda to the Mishna), the
Midrash (the homiletical
selections), and the writings
of Josephus, Philo, and the
Aprocrypha (post biblical
writings) for much of his
theories and historical ac-
counts on the subject.
"Conversion to Judaism"
(Ktav) by Dr. Joseph R.
Rosenbloom, the rabbi of
While other periods in Menahem Begin's life still Temple Emanu El in St.
await their recording, a book by Begin has now appeared in Louis, Mo., is a study that
this country conveying his horrible experiences in Soviet easily catches the interest of
prisons and in the Siberian slave labor camp to which he those who keep abreast of
was sentenced for eight years. The book is entitled "White recent trends in America,
Nights; The Story of a Prisoner in Russia." White nights Israel and in Europe.
and endless days are part of the year in the remote section
The rabbinate in Israel
of Siberia where Begin's camp was located. A kind of "white
recently questioned an
nights" was also experienced by Begin in the Vilna prison
American conversion of a RABBI ISRAEL HALPERN
prior to being sent to Siberia: he was "interrogated" there black basketball star who matter of time when
by inquisitors of the Soviet secret police under floodlights
joined an Israeli team, and Judaism will "actively seek
for nights and nights, while not being allowed to fall asleep
its refusal to recognize all converts now that condi-
conversions performed by tions make Jewish pro-
in his cell during daytime hours.
The book is a powerful document giving evidence of the
non-Orthodox rabbis has selytizing possible again
inhuman methods practiced by the Soviet police system highlighted the problem and necessary" in order to
against innocent victims in seeking first to force them to
into what may well become, replenish the Jewish popu-
sign "confessions" for "crimes" they never committed, and
if it hasn't already, a cause lation following the
later to de-humanize them by physical and mental torture
b re.
Holocaust of Hitler during
in the slave labor camps. The facts related in Begin's book cele The author of "Conver- World War II and to com-
are hair-raising. One needs strong nerves to read them.
sion to Judaism" takes the pensate for the numerical
DREAMING OF PALESTINE: The book testifies to position at the outset that losses caused by growing in-
Begin's strong character and iron will-power. During the his study of evangelistic termarriage and the aliena-
many months of tormenting night interrogations, he did Judaisni is posited on the tion and defection of Jews in
not even know of what he was accused. He frankly told the theory that Judaism's atti- large numbers from the
interrogator that he was the head of the Betar organization tude toward conversion faith of Judaism and the
in Poland but did not suspect that this was the charge
from another faith "was de- ranks of Jewry.
against him, until the "interrogator" indicated to Begin one termined by the concrete
The author then proceeds
night that by being the leader of Betar, he "misled" situation at the time." And
to go into the history of
thousands of Jewish youngsters and thereby "snatched the book's subtitle indicates
young people away from the Communist Party."
that it is a study on the sub- Jewish proselytizing since
Finally, Begin was pre- ject of conversion "from the the time of the conquest of
sented with a "protocol" to biblical period to the pre- the land of Canaan (later
called Eretz Yisrael, now
sign that he "confesses to his sent" time.
the state of Israel) to the end
guilt of being the chairman of
Just as "gentiles joined
of the biblical period in the
the Betar in Poland." Begin themselves to Judaism"
Second Century BCE. Con-
insisted that the word "guilt"
only when it served their
version activity developed
must be taken out. He agreed
to do so,
during this period as a reli-
to sign "I admit that I was interests
likewise, says the author,
gious, as well as political,
chairman of the Betar in Po-
did Judaism extend, or
land" but stubbornly refused
movement.
not extend, the hand of
to recognize this as "guilt."
However, during the rab-
welcome to converts for
The argument went on all
binic
period, which began
"personal or national
night, and Begin finally won.
MENAHEM BEGIN
with the Second Century
considerations."
He signed the document after the word "guilt" was omitted.
BCE until the rise of Islam
He feels that it is only a
After this, Begin was sentenced — not by any court —
to eight years in a slave labor camp. He was told by the
sentry who escorted him to the camp in Siberia that people
did not get out of there alive. But despite the physical and
mental sufferings in the camp, he never gave up hope to
Finkel has dedicated
By MOSHE RON
find his way to Palestine. He did not know how, but true to
his last book to Hannah
The Jewish News Special
his character, he believed that he would survive to see his
Rovina. Hannah was
Israel Correspondent
dream of reaching Palestine come true. And true it came
born in the town of Be-
TEL AVIV — The former
before his eight-year term in the camp expired. His 'sen- art manager of the Habima
resina near Minsk. Her
tence said that he was to be released on Sept. 20, 1948, but Theater, Shimon Finkel,
father, David Rubin, was
on the night of May 15, 1948 — a day after Ben-Gurion has now published a book
a clerk in a big lumber
proclaimed the independent state of Israel — Begin was
firm, her mother Sara-
about
the
history
of
the
the-
already speaking from the illegal secret radio stations of
Rivka was a dressmaker.
ater, which is celebrating
the Irgun, greeting the establishment of the Jewish state.
Hannah had a brother
TRAVERSING RUSSIA AS A HUNGRY WAN- its 60th anniversary. - actor,
and a sister.
Finkel is a veteran
DERER: Begin's release from the Soviet camp came in who appeared in dozens of
David Rubin was a Hasid,
1945 as a reault of the egreement which Stalin reached
but
he favored a Hebrew
with the Polish government-in-exile headed by Gen. performances on the Heb-
education for his children.
rew and Yiddish stages of
Sikorski, when the Nazi armies were close to Stalingrad
Hannah, the oldest daugh-
and the Kremlin needed any assistance possible from any Israel, the U.S., Latin
ter, learned in a heder for
America and Europe. Some-
girls. Her first teacher was
source.
times he interrupts his
The agreement provided that all Polish citizens kept in
Moshe Rubintchik, an ar-
career and dedicates him-
Soviet camps or prisons were to be released, and that Polish
dent Zionist, who was a de-
self to literature. He has
military units be formed on Soviet soil to engage in the published five books about
puty in Zionist congresses.
fight against Germany on the the sode of the Allies. The the Hebrew theater in Eretz
He had great influence on
Polish army on Soviet soil was headed by Gen. Anders, who Yisrael and about Israeli
Hannah, who admired him.
did not exactly want Jews in his military units. Begin was
Rubintchik prepared
at first rejected when, after being released from the Sibe- . artists.
theatrical
performances for
All the actors took part in
rian camp, he applied to join the Polish units. But he saw in the Habima celebration
the girls. One of them was
the service in the Polish army a possibility of eventually
"Bat Jiftah" in Hebrew.
except one, the famous
reaching Palestine, and he insisted on his being accepted.
Hannah did not know Rus-
Hannah Rovina, who fell ill.
Again his stubborn character won. The very same Polish
sian; at home she spoke
She
is
now
90-years-old
and
army doctor who rejected him ostensibly for health reasons
Yiddish.
has interrupted (temporar-
found him fit. Begin was accepted but never served as more
Finkel states that three
ily) her artistic activities.
women actresses have
than a private.
brought fame to the Jewish
people during the last 150
years: A lisa Rachel, Esther
Rochel Kaminska and
Hannah Rovina. Hannah
succeeded in developing a
successful synthesis of the
two elements which marked
the other two.
Hannah started her
career in Moscow in 1922,
Leading Yiddish Actress Saved the Habima
Hannah Rovina as
Lea in the 1922 Moscow
Habima production of
"The Dybbuk."
studying the role of Lea
in Anski's "Dybbuk." She
fell ill and the doctor or-
dered her to abstain from
rehersals until she reco-
vered.
Hannah did not heed the
orders of the doctor. In the
"dance of the poor" she felt
sick and had to stop the re-
hearsal. Behind the curtain
she received first aid. The
director was worried about
the state of her health and
Hannah was afraid that he
would give the role to
another actress. But he told
her that the role would only
be hers. .
Habima faced a split in
1927 during a tour in New
York, when one of the foun-
ders of the theater in Mos-
cow — Nahum Zemach
demanded that Habima
stay in the U.S. and not con-
tinue to Eretz Yisrael. Prof.
Chaim Weizmann was then
in the U.S. He was one of the
ardent admirers of Rovina
and he and Hannah influ-
enced the ensemble of the -
theater to go to Eretz Yis-
rael.
Part of the theater, the
Zemach group, stayed in
New York. Another group
went to Berlin. Some even
believed that the theater
should return to the Soviet
Union.
Hannah Rovina, Zvi
Ben-Haim, Baruch
Tshemerinsky, Menah'
Gnessin, Zvi Friedla
and Aharon Meskin saw
the future of Habima only
in Eretz Yisrael. Hannah
said that she wanted to
perform only in front of
an audience who would
understand her. She
saved the Habima for Is-
rael.
.
Finkel says that, unfor-
tunately, Habima today no
longer fulfills the historic
role of a national theater in
Israel in the form its found-
ers had wanted. A new gen-
eration of artists will have
to appear in order to fulfill
the great historic national
mission which is the role of
Habima.