The BiG Story

c\ /

Islam. Later, Frank described he and
a revolt that ultimately led to the res-
Garfield (Body and Soul and Gen-
his supporters as "almost Christian"
ignation of President Charles de
tleman's Agreement [both 1947]);
(many actually were baptized).
Gaulle. A number of men and
and playwright Robert Rossen (All
Throughout his very diverse career
women in the New Left were Jew-
The King's Men [1949] and The
as a prophet, messiah and even
ish, including leader Daniel Cohn-
Hustler [1961]).
God, Frank suffered more than a
Bendit, who earned the nickname
ill Bernard Redmont, formerly of
few scandals, many of which
"Red Danny." Ironically, while anti-
CBS, was the Paris bureau chief for
involved sex. He spent his latter
Semitic invectives often were used
the Westinghouse Broadcasting Co.
years living with his three children
to describe the students, these Jew-
from 1962-1976.
in Offenbach, Germany, outside
ish New Lefties had little interest
The Tanach speaks at length of
a red heifer, an animal used for
sacrifice and whose appearance is
said to herald the coming of the
Messiah. There are numerous regu-
lations concerning exactly which
red heifer could be used (if, for
example, even two hairs on the
creature were not red, it was not
acceptable for religious sacrifice)
and how it was to be slaughtered.
Accordingly, ceremonies involving
the red heifer are exceedingly rare
(probably about nine throughout
Jewish history). For details on the
red heifer, see the entire Talmudic
tractate Parah ("cow").
RI Vying for one of the worst films
of 1985 is Red Sonja, directed by
the red heifer in disguise?
Could one of these lucky
Richard Fleis'ne: - . Burring the aston-
ishingly talented Brigitte Nielsen
(one of Sylvester Stallone's ex-
Frankfort. This time, the family
either in Judaism or Israel.
wives), this was supposed to tell the
claimed to be related to Russian
Pi Hans Redich, a native of Vien-
story of a sorceress. Critic Leonard
royalty.
na, is a musicologist and author of
Ma!tin called the film "spectacularly
After Frank's death. his daughter,
numerous books on Mahler, Bruckn-
silly" and observed that the "only
Eva,
continued as leader of the
er and others. In the 1940s he
point of interest for adults is decid-
sect. In 1799, she (or her support-
served as lecturer at Cambridge
ing who gives the worst perfor-
ers) issued a series of what they
University in London, and later at
mance.
called Red Letters. Delivered to Jew-
Edinburgh University in Scotland.
Pi Fritz Redl was a leading child
ish communities throughout Europe,
P7 Among the many incredible fig-
psychologist and professor of social
the letters encouraged Jews to join
ures to step forward as the messiah
work at Wayne State University
up with the Frankist forces and con-
was Jacob Frank (1726-1791). A
from 1941-1953, and later was
vert to the "holy religion of Edom."
native of Poland, he was known in
professor of behavioral science at
Response was dismal, and even the
his youth as a prankster; as an
the school. A native of Austria, he
most diehard followers had lost faith
adult, he sold gems. He soon
came to the United States in 1936.
by the end of the century. Frank's
began associating with followers of
Redl served as chief of the child
cult had virtually disappeared by
Shabbtai Zvi (1626-1676), who
research branch for the National
1803, and a few years later his
earlier had proclaimed himself mes-
Institute of Mental Health from
children all died, penniless and
siah. After marrying, Frank
1953-1959.
without
heirs.
announced that he was the reincar-
Pi As in the United States, the
P3 Author Jerzy Kosinski made one
nation of Shabbtai Zvi, and said he
1960s was a time of revolt and
film
appearance, in the 1981
(Frank) was a "prophet." After
change in European countries,
movie Reds, starring Warren Beatty
attracting a good number of follow-
including France. There, students
and Diane Keaton.
ers, Frank decided to convert to
with the New Left in 1968 initiated

7/2
1999

68 Detroit Jewish News

THAT'S ALL WHITE and more

Among England's leading light-
weight fighters at the turn of the
century, with 170 professional
fights, was Charley White (born

Anschowitz).
P7 The next time you're in Cochin
(off the southwest coast of India),
be sure to visit Jewtown, named for
the first Jews who immigrated there
more than 400 years ago (only a
handful remain today). Here, you'll
meet up with iwo distinct groups.
The "Black Jews," who comprise the
vast majority, are descendants of
Oriental (i.e., neither Ashkenazi nor
Sephardi) immigrants (these may
have been from Iran, China or

India).
For years, they maintained their
own synagogue, Kadavumbhagam,
which has since closed. The Para-
disi, or "White Jews," are descen-
dants of Spanish, Iraqi, Dutch and
German immigrants.
Pi The first executive director of (
the U.S. Maccabi Association,
founded in 1932 to promote the
Maccabiah Games, was David
White, a long jumper.
Pi Author Theodore White won

the 1960 Pulitzer Prize in general
non-fiction for his The Making of The,
President.
Pti Harry D. White was an influ-

ential assistant secretary of the
U.S. Treasury — until he was
charged with helping the Soviets
during World War II. Born in
Boston, he began working for the
U.S. Treasury in 1934. White
advocated the establishment of
international trade using a gold
monetary unit. White, who in
1946 was named U.S. executive
director of the International Mone-
tary Fund, is believed to be the
real author of the "Morgenthau
Plan," addressing how the Allies(
.would deal with postwar Ger-
many. After the war, he was
accused of giving information to
the Soviets and was called before
a congressional committee, but h.