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1988 Menorah Review (No. 14, Fall, 1988)

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REVIEW• THE JUDAIC STUDIES PROGRAM OF VIRGINIA COMMONWEALTH UNIVERSITY • NUMBER 14 • FALL 1988

gether historical narrative and stories way to appease Hitler was to institute UNFAMIUAR DIMENSIONS of individual heroism, brutality, and an anti-Semitic campaign in Italy. OFTHE HOLOCAUST survival. The campaign started in 1934 when The story begins with the history Mussolini began to encourage anti TheI hlliansand the Holocaust: of the Italian Jews. Living in Italy Semitic journalism and halted rather Persecution, Rescue,Surviml since at least 4 B.C., Jews in Italy abruptly in July 1934 when, after the BySusan Zuccotti "experienced a grim succession of assassination of Austrian Chancellor BasicBoo ks restrictions and persecutions, re Dolfuss, Mussolini mobilized troops Secretariesof Death:Acco unt6by lieved by brief interludes of calm" (p. to defend Austria from German at FormerPrisoners Who Wnted 12). Italian Jews were eventually quite tack.It was in September of that year inthe Gestapo of Auschwitz assimilated and are described by Zuc that he made his justly famous com Editedby Lore Shelley cotti as looking, dressing, and speak ment: ShengoldPublishers, Iru:. ing like everyone else.She goes on to Thirty centuries of history per point out that they were educated mit us to regard with supreme and ready to be integrated into Italian pity certain doctrines supported A Review essay by culture. Italian Jews were an integral beyond the Alps by descendants Herbert Hirsch part of Italian society including the of people who did not know how Twenty months after he was cap military. Indeed, there were at least to write, and could not hand tured by the Nazis and deported to 50 Jewish generals who served in down documents recording their Auschwitz, Primo Levi returned to Wo rld War I. In addition, Jews made own lives, at a time when Rome his home in Italy and described the " ... significant contributions in busi had Caesar, Virgil, and Augus moment he crossed the border: ness, banking, and insurance, in the tus (p.30). . Leonardo and I remained professions, and in education and Despite the official cessation of the lost in a silence crowded with the arts" (p. 18). Italian Jews, Zuc anti-Semitic campaign, anti-Semitic memories. Of 650, our number cotti notes, ". . . were Italians fanatics persisted and waited for their when we had left, three of us through and through, but many re opportunity. Finally, in 1936 Musso were returning. And how much mained aware and proud of their Jew lini appointed his pro-German son had we lost in those twenty ishness" (p. 21). While not religious, in-law, Galeazzo Ciano, as foreign months? What should we find at they were aware of their heritage. minister and allied Italy with Hitler. home? How much of ourselves This period of assimilation did not As Zuccotti notes, "Anti-Zionism had been eroded, extinguished? end when the Fascist Party and Be was immediately rekindled with a (The Reawakening, p.372). nito Mussolini came to power in 1922. vengeance. This time, the flames Levi was one of the "lucky" survi In fact, many Jews were "loyal fas grew into an intense, undisguised vors. More than 6,800 of the 45,200 cists from the start. At least five Jews anti-semitism" (p. 33). It culminated Jews living in Italy did not survive were included among the 119 Italians on November 17, 1938, when the Ra the Holocaust. While this survival who met ... to found the ... Italian cial Laws became official policy. rate was one of the highest in occu Fascist Party" (pp.23-24). Italian Fas These laws were very similar to the pied Europe, the fact remains that 15 cism did not become officially anti Nuremburg Laws in Germany: percent of the Italian Jews were mur Semitic until Mussolini decided to Marriage between Jews and non dered. The story of that murder and promulgate the racial laws in 1938. Jews was prohibited. Jews were survival are told in The Italians and the When Adolf Hitler became Chan not permitted to own or manage Holocaust. cellor of Germany on January 30, companies involved in military Where Primo Levi writes movingly 1933, Mussolini, who had already production, or factories that em of his experiences and provides won been in power for 11 years, began to ployed over one hundred people derful portrayals of character, Susan get disturbed over German expan or exceeded a certain value. Zuccotti describes the history of the sionism. Mussolini regarded Austria They could not own land over a Holocaust in Italy. She brings to- as being within his sphere of influ certain value, serve in the armed ence and he "had every intention of forces, employ non-Jewish Ital resisting German expansion here" ian domestics, or belong to the (p. 29). Mussolini decided that one Fascist party. Their employment 2

in banks, insurance companies, pending roundup by at least October supplying the persecuted. The best and national and municipal ad 9, one week before it actually oc that can be said of him is that he ministration was forbidden (p. curred" (p. 126). He also knew, she allowed others to take great risks and 360). indicates, that the "orders said that that he fulfilled his institutional man To be sure, Italian anti-Semitism the jews were to be 'liquidated' " (p. date at the expense of moral leader lacked the extreme ideological base 126). Even though he knew that the ship" (p. 135). of German anti-Semitism. Zuccotti jews were being sent to death camps, The effect of the October roundup argues that "Italian antisemitism had he said nothing. Zuccotti then asks was to send jews into hiding. While no ideological base, but was the "What might the Pope have done be most of the Italian population product of mindless and cynical op fore October 16?" She points out that watched passively, others rescued portunism" (p. 40). Even though the a private threat would certainly not jews and still others participated in enforcement provisions were never have stopped the SS but would have the persecution. "From early Decem as severe as those in Nazi Germany, "placed the Pope on sounder moral ber 1943 to mid-February 1944, the the total effect on Italian Jews was ground" (p. 126). He also could have Holocaust in Italy was conducted pri quite devastating. Te achers, public warned the jewish community about marily by Italians according to Italian employees, and professional people the impending roundup and could rules. From the very beginning, how immediately lost their jobs, and stu have protested the event after it oc ever, Nazis supervised and tried to dents had their education curtailed. curred. The Pope's only public com interfere" (p. 170). Zuccotti weaves Italian jews reacted with "shock and ment "appeared in the Vatican News throughout the remainder of the disbelief" (p. 43). While other seg paper . . on October 25-26 after book individual stories and historical ments of the society remained silent, most deportees were dead" (p. 130). narrative. She provides enlightening the situation of the Italian jews pro Finally, Zuccotti asks why the Pope discussions of "Survival in Italy" gressively deteriorated. remained silent. After dismissing (Chapter 10); "Switzerland" (Chapter In june 1940 Italy became Hitler's several proposed explanatons she 11), including personal accounts of official ally in the war, and Italian points out that jews were hidden in attempts to cross the border; "The police immediately began arresting churches, monasteries, and convents Best of Their Generation: Italian jews foreign jews. They were incarcerated, and that it was feared that any vigor and Anti-Fascism" (Chapter 12), for the most part, in city prisons in ous protest would disrupt Vatican which examines resistance; and con which conditions were quite horrible. German relationships and jeopardize cludes with a summary and the ques In addition to the prisons and intern tion: "Why, then, did so many Italian ment camps, a system of "enforced jews survive?" When the Jews from Italy residence" was employed as a kind Zuccotti discusses several hypo arrived at the death camps, of internal exile whereby individuals thetical explanations. First, she notes they were met by a fate or families would be sent to small that the fact that "the Holocaust be common to all victims. remote villages. While Italy was offi gan late in Italy was helpful," and cially an anti-Semitic country and did second, that by September 1943 the imprison jews, the Italian govern the safety of the hidden jews. A sec German army had been defeated in ment did not "release a single jew to ond possible factor is that "condem Russia, North Africa, and Sicily, and the Nazis for deportation," until the nation of the Holocaust might pro the defeat of Hitler was seen as a country was occupied by the Ger voke Nazi reprisals against Catholics distinct possibility. Yet, as Zuccotti mans in September 1943. in German-occupied countries, as accurately notes, the occupation of On Saturday, October 16, 1943, well as even more terrifying persecu Hungary did not take place until German SS security police sur tion of the jews" (p. 133). Third, the March 1944, and within two months rounded an area housing 4,000 of Pope was as concerned with protect more than 380,000 Hungarian jews Rome's 12,000 jews. The account of ing the Church as he was about his were deported. In a concise and in that event is familiar to anyone ac moral leadership. He was aware that sightful paragraph, Zuccotti summa quainted with the dismal and de the Church was at the mercy of the rizes some of the main factors that pressing history of the Holocaust. Germans. contributed to a survival rate of 85 Zuccotti tells the story in all its chill While all this provides material for percent: ing detail. One of the most interest thought, Zuccotti points out the The peculiar combination in Italy ing aspects was the response of Ital moral implications. First, she notes of a later and short danger pe ian citizens and officials, most of that "The fact that Pope Pious XII did riod, the low percentage of jews, whom remained silent. Of all the res not publicly condemn the Holocaust the ability of jews to pass, and ponses, that of the Vatican has gen does not mean that he did nothing to the imaginative daring of jews as erated the most controversy. Zuccotti help the jews" (p. 134). As noted individuals was not enough to offers a comprehensive and unspar above, jews were hidden in religious insure an 85 percent survival ing account. institutions. The Pope, Zuccotti rate. The hunted could never Noting that the Pope remained si notes, "seems to have chosen not to have survived without help. All lent, she goes on to point out that he be involved even with priests inside jewish survivors owed their lives "seems to have learned about the the Vatican who were helping and to their own initiative, to luck, 3

and to the help of one or several with dossiers. After the death non-Jews (p. 276). cases were properly docu TWO GIANTS OF THE After this summary Zuccotti con mented, the charts were sent to ZIONIST ENTERPRISE cludes by pointing out that "The Ho the Standesamt (civil registry), locaust in Italy was a twisted legacy where a large staff was kept busy Chaim Weizman, A Biography a blend of courage and cowardice, with nothing but officially re By Norman Rose nobility and degradation, self-sacri cording the names of the de Viking Books fice and opportunism. In contrast to ceased (p. XV ). Ben-Gurion: The Burning Ground, other countries, perhaps the worthy Most of the office work was done by 1886-1948 behavior outweighed the unworthy, Jewish women who were referred to By Shabtai Teveth but the horror was nonetheless real" as the " 'Himmelfahrtskommando' Houghton Mifflin Company (p. 286). (on-the-way-to-heaven squad be The Italians and the Holocaust fills a cause as bearers of the most terrible A Review essay by very large gap, because the story of secrets it was commonly supposed Melvin I. Urofsky the Holocaust in Italy has not been that we would never leave Auschwitz told in as comprehensive a fashion. alive" (p. xv-xvi). The book is a col There seems to be a constant mar Zuccotti has written a book that, lection of personal accounts of the ket for biographies of founding fa when combined with personal ac women who did this work. It also thers. In the United States, the bicen counts such as those of Primo Levi contains information about the SS tennial celebrations of the past (Survival in Auschwitz, The Reawaken men who worked in the bureau and several years have only augmented a ing, Moments of Reprieve) and Carlo supervised the "Secretaries of continuous outpouring of books on Levi, who tells the story of his inter Death." As with Zuccotti's book, this Washington, Franklin, Jefferson, and nal exile in Christ Stopped at Eboli, volume is filled with stories of horror, others of that revolutionary genera provides a balanced picture of what heroism, and courage. tion. For Israel a similar process Zuccotti refers to as "the central hor To gether these two books tell sto seems to be at work. Every year we ror of our time" (p. 183). ries about unfamiliar aspects of the receive new studies of the founders, When the Jews from Italy arrived Holocaust. They describe in detail and because there are many people at the death camps, they were met by two additional aspects of what Zuc still alive who remember Weizman, a fate common to all victims. The cotti refers to as a "terrifying, inhu Ben-Gurion, Meir, and their contem records of those abusers of human man concept beyond reason, argu poraries, there is a special flavor to dignity were meticulously main ment, or persuasion" (p. 183). They their life stories. tained by the Germans who em are essential because they contribute In these two books we are treated ployed Jews as their record-keepers. to the important task of keeping alive to exemplary models of how biogra Lore Shelley, who was an Auschwitz the memories of individuals who phy ought to be written about heroic secretary, tells what Harry James were killed, who survived, who re figures-in a heroic style that in Cargas refers to in his Preface as "the sisted, and who helped others to sur cludes warts and all. It is not that extraordinary stories of ordinary peo vive, and because they indicate the these books are perfect--each has its ple who were doomed to carry the grave dangers of totalitarianism. One flaws--but Norman Rose and Shabtai burden of a humanity gone mad" (p. of the secretaries provides a moving Te veth have approached their sub xiv). conclusion: jects with a finemixture of skepticism Secretaries of Death recounts the sto When the few survivors tried and appreciation. For the present, at ries of individuals who worked for to speak up in 1945, the world least, I would consider these two vol the Politische Abteilung or Gestapo turned a deaf ear. Perhaps--if umes the best studies of Chaim Weiz or Auschwitz. As Shelley notes, it our reports of 'wholesale murder mann and David Ben-Gurion availa was here that the records were kept. with a card catalogue' had been ble for either the general reader or for In her introduction she describes the heard and heeded then, there those interested in scholarly material. office as would be Jess terror, violence, The stories of these two men are subdivided into the section intimidation and persecution to well known, although there are some of the living and the section of day. Maybe there would be more surprises here. In past biographies, the dead. The former contained widespread realization of the the least known area of both men's the records of prisoners still alive dangers of totalitarian regimes. lives has been the personal. We only and the latter the files of those In any case it is vital that the saw or read about the public figure, who were deceased. Here all world hear our voice today (p. which in many ways was the image new arrivals were registered, 247). each chose to portray-the aristo "normal" deaths were noted and cratic Chaim, the pioneering David. lists were compiled of everybody Dr. Herbert Hirsch is chairman of the Depart To be honest, these portraits were not who was gassed. The mail for ment of Political Science at Virginia Common all that wrong. Despite his humble the prisoners passed through wealth University. beginnings, Weizmann was an elitist this office, and inquiries from from the start, and after his inven the Gestapo and Kripo posts tions guaranteed him a comfortable from all over Nazi-occupied Eu income, he and Vera indulged in all rope were answered and filed the trappings, including a Rolls, a chic London apartment, regular trips 4

to swank spas, and expensive the Zionists to follow Ben-Gurion's The title of the Te veth book, The clothes. Ben Gurion, on the other independent course. Burning Ground, captures well Ben hand, although never quite the kib Weizmann, despite his accomplish Gurion's sense of urgency regarding butznik he made himself out to be, ments, does not come across as a the need for a jewish state. It is a had very simple tastes and, aside terribly admirable figure in Rose's massive work, based on hitherto una from a passion for books, had few study, despite the author's obvious vailable sources, including the diary material desires. In their later lives, affection and respect for him. There Ben-Gurion kept for posterity. Al the Weizmanns retired to the palatial is a pettiness and duplicity, a willing though it claims to go to 1948, in fact "White House" they built in Rehov ness to use people not only for the it peters out at the end of World War oth, the Ben-Gurions to a kibbutz in sake of Zionism but for his own ends, II, and we shall have to await a sec the Negev. that leaves a sour taste. That Weiz ond volume for those heroic years These studies each take a closer mann was attractive, especially to which saw Israel come into existence look at the private lives of the two British political figures, is undenia and then survive so precariously. But men, as well as a detailed examina ble, as is his value as a spokesman of if the writing, research, and critical tion of their characters. The portraits the jewish cause to the Christian analysis which mark this book are are far from flattering. Both men world. In his last great contribution present in its successor, it will be a were Prima Donnas, convinced that to the cause, he helped convince worthwhile wait. they, and only they, had the right Harry Truman to recognize Israel in Melvin l. Urofsky is professor of history at answer to jewish problems, and they May 1948. He had hoped to be the · disliked any other jewish leaders leader of the new state, but Ben-Cur Virginia Commonwealth University. who questioned their views. Weiz ion took that role and finally secured mann was the worst of the two. His his revenge against Weizmann. He greatest achievement came during prevented Weizmann's signature MUSLIM AND JEW World War I with the Balfour Decla from being affixed to the Israeli Dec ration, and from that time on he laration of Independence and en Thefew As An Ally of the Muslim: maintained that only by faithful alle sured that the presidency of the state Medieval Roots ofAnti-Semitism giance to Great Britain could a jewish was little more than a ceremonial ByAllan Hanis Cutlerand state arise in Palestine. To the end of role. Helen Elmquist Cutler his life, he could not understand that Ben-Gurion's character is hardly UniversityNotre of Dame Press the British had and always would any better. His treatment of Paula play power politics in the Middle and his children may best be charac A Review essay by East, and that jewish interests would terized as indifferent. (Weizmann Husain Mustafa only be served if they coincided with also had poor relations with his chil British interests--a rare confluence dren, although except for one sepa In this somewhat rambling and ration, he and Vera, who shared his repetitious book, the Cutlers set out Both men were Prima Donnas, aristocratic presumptions, got on to revise the traditional explanations convinced that they, and only well.) Ben-Gurion often sought com of anti-Semitism in Western Europe. they, had the right answer to panionship with younger, intellec They argue that the medieval roots of Jewish problems, and they tual women, and Te veth implies that modern anti-Semitism are to be disliked any other Jewish these relationships, outside of Pales sought, not in Christian theology, leaders who questioned tine and hidden from Paula, were but in other factors, primarily anti their views. sexual as well as intellectual, provid Muslinism and the equation of jew ing him the mental as well as physical with Muslim by medieval Christians. stimulation he did not get at home. It follows that had there been no out after 1919. There was hardly a major Ben-Gurion, as much as Weiz burst of Christian hatred against the jewish leader of the times who did mann, was a driven man. His whole Muslims during the Crusades, there not come to understand this and in life was the Zionist enterprise, the might well have been no great out doing so incurred the great Chaim's creation of a Jewish state in Palestine. burst of anti-Semitism in Europe dur wrath. Where Weizmann's intellectual abili ing the Middle Ages. And, by impli In the early twenties, this faith in ties had been honed by university cation,· had there been no such British assistance led in part to the training, Ben-Gurion was almost en outburst of Christian hatred against split with Brandeis, who urged the tirely self-taught, and his intellectual the Muslims, anti-Semitism might Zionists to undertake a rapid pro horizons actually seemed far broader well have died out altogether in West gram of development in the Yishuv than Weizmann's. Although both ern society. to cement Jewish claims there. In the men had great political skills, Ben The authors find evidence support late thirties and forties, first Zvi ja Gurion's proved greater, for he had ing their theses in several Christian botinsky and then Ben-Gurion chal to develop a plan first to build up the medieval documents, and this choice lenged the Zionist reliance on Eng yishuv through the Histadrut and of sources may have predetermined land. The growing menace of Nazism then mobilize that power in order to the outcome. For one thing, many of to the jews made British perfidy all gain control of the Zionist move the histories written during the Mid the more terrible and in the end led ment. dle Ages were the works of Chris tians who were either closely identi fied with the church or were converts 5

to Christianity who felt a need to dormant; yet when, in 711, the Mus earlier cases, alliance was the result, justify their change of faith. Some of lims introduced their religion into not of a conspiracy against the Chris them were translations of treatises Spain, they found Catholic Christi tians, but rather of practical motiva authored by anti-Muslim Arab Chris anity firmly established. Legislation tions on both sides: The overex tians such as Al-Kindi's ninth-cen of the Sixth Council of To ledo had tended Muslims welcomed the tury anti-Muslim polemic The Risa/a. required all kings to swear that they support of a local group, and the To cite one example, the book utilizes would not permit the exercise of any jews sought to end persecution. That heavily the works of Petrus Alphonsi, other religion but the Catholic and period of Spanish history witnessed a convert from Judaism to Christian would vigorously enforce the laws the development of a relatively open ity, whose polemics against the Jews against all dissidents. A subsequent society and a dynamic mercantile and Moslems were based on the law forbade anyone under pain of economy that provided an environ Risala. confiscation of his property and per ment in which jewish-Muslim busi Whereas the authors cite numer petual imprisonment to call into ness partnerships, intellectual disci ous studies, including those that set question the Catholic Church or its pleships, and various forms of forth with ample detail the theologi cultural cooperation flourished. It cal bases of early Christian attitudes also saw the rise of vibrant and in The Jews of Spain were aware toward the Jews, they nevertheless, creasingly independent centers of that Islam prohibited forced in the end, conclude that Christian jewish life, which played an impor conversion and guaranteed to theology has not been responsible tant role in the growth of Muslim religious minorities their lives, primarily for the fate of the Jewish civilization. Probably at no other time property, and the right to people in Europe. It is clear that their in the 1,300 years of Jewish history worship as they chose. sympathies and concerns are not di under Islam were the Jews as thor rected toward acknowledging either oughly assimilated into the cultural the role played by the Church, espe decrees, the evangelical institutions, milieu of the Arab-speaking world. cially by her hierarchy, in the grow the definitions of the fathers, and the Indeed, anti-Semitism almost died ing enmity towards the Jews through Holy Sacrament. The church, which out completely in Spain between 700 out many centuries or the connection had gained controlling influence in and 1000, and its revival coincided between the oppression of Jewish the affairs of state as a result of the with the beginning of the European people and the disdain one finds in breakdown of royal authority, har reconquest. the catechism, preaching, and teach bored anti-jewish attitudes as part of It is not difficult to see why the ing of Christian churches from earli its battle for the souls of the Iberian authors argue that medieval Chris est times. The title of the book alone peninsula and abused its power to tians associated Jew with Muslim. shows where the concern of the au persecute the large Jewish commu But their attribution of Christian anti thors lies. And their sympathies are nity. The clergy fanned popular ha Semitism entirely to the charge that indicated by a number of generaliza tred of the Jews by such highly pub the Jews were in league with the tions, sprinkled here and there licized anti-Semitic charges as the Muslims is beset with many prob throughout the book, which are nei blood libel (that the jews required lems. It ignores the fact that the sev ther supported by these authors nor Christian blood for the Passover rit enth-century rise of Islam altered the by any other scholarship (e.g., Jews ual) and the desecration-of-the-host balance of religious power in the living in the Christian world theoret libel (that the Jews stole and tortured Western world and generated the ically prefer to assimilate and to dis the sacred wafer used in the mass). deeply-felt human need to find appear as Jews; the Roman Catholic Had the West been strong enough scapegoats for individual and societal religion and Spanish Christian soci to prevent the Islamic conquest of shortcomings. Nor does it acknowl ety were both attractive enough spir Spain, those restrictive laws and that edge the role of fear that many had itually and materially to inspire the persecution would have continued. of merchants and bankers who lived enthusiastic devotion of thousands of Anti-Semitism entered a dormant by their wits rather than from the jews; both the jews of Spain and phase after the Muslim invasion be soil, especially if they are considered Franco-Germany would have wanted cause of the tolerant Muslim attitude an alien religioethnic group. And it to assimilate completely within the toward "people of the book." The overlooks Christian resentment of Christian world). Jews of Spain were aware that Islam jewish socioeconomic and political As would be expected, the book prohibited forced conversion and ascendance under Arab rule and the dwells on and develops a history of guaranteed to religious minorities rise of some of them to positions of anti-Muslinism in medieval Europe. their lives, property, and the right to eminence close to the seat of power. Of the deep roots of anti-Semitism in worship as they chose. Conse These and other factors explain the Christian Europe we hear very little quently, they sided openly with the revival of anti-Semitism after the col beyond acknowledging that "no one invaders against the persecuters, as lapse of the Muslim Empire and its would deny that patristic anti-Semi other jews had done earlier in Pales culmination in the Inquisition and tism was important"; of the persecu tine, Syria, and Iraq. They hailed the the persecution of the Marranos. tion of the jews prior to the Muslim Moslems as deliverers from cruel op Contrary to regnant opinion, the invasion of Spain, we hear almost pression; they rose up in armed re Cutlers argue that the Inquisition nothing. The authors describe the pe volt against their Visigothic persecu persecuted the Marranos essentially riod preceding the High Middle Ages ters, garrisoned captured cities on for political reasons and because of as one in which anti-Semitism was behalf of the Moslems, and opened their "race"; that is, their Jewish eth the gates of besieged towns. As in nic background rather than religious 6

prejudice. But surely, the forcible does such "unitary analysis" pre works. To what degree, therefore, are conversion of the Marranos Oewish clude the need to cut, paste, and we to assume Genesis 1-11 to record converts to Christianity) and the excise, so too will the approach pro a rather strict account of Historie? The Moriscos (forced converts from Islam vide a structural blueprint for under-· Documentary Hypothesis takes the to Christianity) reflects in some mea standing later sections of the text, as material with sufficient seriousness sure the religious intolerance of the the Deuteronomistic History (see so that the Geschichte shines forth. church. After all, the conversions ChapterV). The failure to deal with the histo were precipitated by a series of riots The authors contend that Genesis ricity finds focus in the narrative's against and massacres of the Jews, 1-11 has provided the essential prov being historically disjointed. Because which were incited by the fiery ing ground for the Documentary Hy the material is not set contextually preaching of church archdeacons. In pothesis as applied to Genesis, and but is permitted to free-float in terms deed, the actions of the Marranos in thus the focus of the book rests in of its ethical orientation, the sense of response to Christian persecution Genesis 1-11 on the proviso that, if it placement is lost. The argument is challenge most of the authors' gen be possible to make the "unitary made that the grossness of Ehud's eralizations. Instead of assimilation analysis" claim for Genesis 1-11, slaughter of the king Oudges 3:21-22) into Christian society, they mostly then the almost consensus affirma is "both literarily sophisticated and chose to emigrate (or were expelled) tion of the Documentary Hypothesis ethically admirable" (p. 128). Only by to friendlier lands in North Africa by biblical scholars must necessarily applying twentieth-century ethical and Ottoman Tu rkey where they re be reconsidered. sensibilities, however, can one argue verted to Judaism and were able to They also argue for "continuity be as have Kikawada and Quinn. An start life over again. tween the Pentateuchal and the 'lit analogy would be the condemnation The roots of anti-Semitism are erary' histories" (p. 107), making of the Canaanites because they par much deeper than portrayed in this their case by emphasizing the "par ticipated in ritual prostitution as a book, which often confuses cause allels between the Genesis primeval part of Baalistic practices. A modern with effect. Since the authors deal history and reign of David and Solo reader should seek to understand with some controversial aspects of mon as recorded in the books of Sam this phenomenon and the reasons the phenomenon for which the avail uel and Kings." why lsrael-Judah's prophets so con able information admits of varying Kikawada and Quinn address what demned the practice rather than wad interpretation, some disagreement they judge a disservice to the text by ing in with the hatchet of twentieth with them is unavoidable. But much documentary analysis, that is, that century ethical sensibilities. disagreement could have been "documentary analysis of the Bible Almost parenthetically, it should avoided had they not indulged in his has gone hand-in-hand histori be noted that the authors' attempt to torical speculation (e.g., secretly, the cally with an ethical condescension rationalize Israelite actions recorded Marranos were devoted Christians) to, or even rejection of, the Bible" (p. in the Book of Judges as "literarily and had they not studded their book 127). The authors seek to refute this sophisticated and ethically admira with unsupported generalizations. through the use of passages drawn ble" (p. 128) constitutes probably the particularly from the Book of Judges, weakest part of the book. The first Husain Mustafa is professor of political science a particularly problematic book for four paragraphs of their Epilogue at Virginia Commonwealth University. interpretation. Comment to this sec constitute a typical parody on the tion is found below. understanding of the biblical critical While the authors are to be com methodology, obviously seeking to mended for an interesting and often refute the process by extravagantly THE DOCUMENTARY informative book, their case for "uni overstating one's case. This same ap HYPOTHESIS REVISITED tary analysis" is insufficiently devel proach is found on page 29 where the oped to convince this reader. There authors portray the source analysis of Before Abraham Was: The Unity of is an artificiality and often an appar the Noah narrative, stating as the his Genesis 1-11 ent forced sense of symmetry in the torical-critical position: "As God of By Isaac M. Kikawada chiastic structure. Furthermore, the the cosmos, Elohim gives a cosmic and Arthur Quinn authors simply do not answer the sign of his covenant, the rainbow re Abingdon Press problems addressed by the Docu news man's status as his image and mentary Hypothesis as effectively as likeness." This statement mirrors does source analysis. neither the historical-critical method A Review essay by Kikawada and Quinn never ad nor the biblical text. Frank E. Eakin, Jr. dress the issue of historicity. The Another example of the problems Isaac M. Kikawada and Arthur Atrahasis epic is held up as the pro created by the failure to take suffi Quinn argue that, rather than Gene totypic narrative form, but the degree ciently seriously the historical context sis and indeed the To rah's being a to which Genesis 1-11 is Historie and/ is associated with the use of divine composite patchwork of traditions or Geschichte is simply not addressed. names. The authors have used a and folklore, as suggested by the Supposedly Genesis 1-11 must have forced association of "God" and Documentary Hypothesis, the mate been formulated well before either "Trinity" by Thomas Aquinas, as rial is formulated by a single author the remainder of To rah or the Deuter "God the Holy Trinity," to explain of "consummate subtlety and skill" onomistic History if it were to serve the combined use of "Yahweh" and (p. 69). It is suggested that not only as the literary formula for the later "Elohim" in Genesis 1-11 (pp. 18- 19). They further "support" this ar- 7

gument by pointing to the wisdom It is true that the Documentary Hy BOOK BRIEFINGS literature, "that ancient Near Eastern pothesis finds Genesis 1-11 to be the equivalent of natural theology" (p. material most supportive of source Inclusion of a book in "Briefings" does 18) where "Eiohim" is "consistently analysis on the one hand and to be not preclude its being reviewed in a future used" (p. 18) as compared to the also potentially the most problematic issue of Menorah Review. prophets' use of "Yahweh." No at for source analysis on the other. At tention is given to the context of tempts such as that offered by Kika these two literary genres, with the wada and Quinn will continue to Creation and the Persistence of Evil: The prophets emphasizing the Sinaitic emerge, and this is precisely as it Jro;ish Drama of Divine Omnipotence. By covenantal relationship with the God should be. We are dealing with the Jon Levenson. San Francisco: Harper "Yahweh" as opposed to the sages Documentary Hypothesis, and the & Row. Is God the omnipotent crea emphasizing the God responsible for nature of the tool rejects abject dog tor of a perfectly ordered world or a all creation and who is thus the "Elo matism. If someone can provide a divine force continually in combat him" (to avoid the more narrow, Sin better vehicle for understanding the with chaos and evil? This is the ques aitic covenantal specificity) of all hu considerable differences between tion explored by the author in this mankind. There is a richness in the Genesis 1:1-2:4a and 2:4b-3:24, then provocative work. He holds that the wisdom literature, which the au let that individual step forth. But common view of God as an all-pow thors' approach totally misses. such an explanation should address erful force of good that set the world Similarly, one of the points of rich in logical and comprehensive fashion in motion unopposed is inaccurate. ness associated with the To rah is its issues such as deity designation, the He argues that God's authority of the remarkable diversity. These were not ological perspective, vocabulary, world is the result of his victory in monolithic thinkers, and gratefully, timed- versus non-timed creative the struggle with evil. This struggle as the text was gradually molded and process, the view of man within the is more complex, hard fought, and edited into its present form, there created order, and so on. The expla less certain in outcome than repre was no overarching attempt to force nation used to clarify these cosmo sented in classic doctrines of God's a singular focus upon the entire cor gonic and anthropogonic narratives creation of the universe. Levenson pus. A major problem raised by "uni- (Gerhard von Rad's terminology) traces a more flexible concept of God should also be applicable to the Noah in early Hebrew writings. narrative in Genesis 6-9. Logically One of the points of richness and comprehensively, repetitions, For the l.Jmd and The Lord. By Ian S. associated with the Torah is its contradictions, and differences must Lustick. New York Council on For remarkable diversity. be addressed. Just as with these two eign Relations. In this analysis of the blocks of material within Genesis 1- Jewish fundamentalist movement in tary analysis" is that this is an at 11, the schema employed must ad Israel, it becomes evident that the tempt from a modern perspective to dress adequately not only Genesis 1- struggle now unfolding to determine force upon the ancients what they 11 but also the entire To rah. To this the territorial shape and the meaning did not espouse. This is found point, this writer has not seen the of Israel as a contemporary nation throughout the book, but pages 19 ff. explanation which better speaks to all will be affected in large part by the constitute a good example. A basic of the issues involved than does the activities of the fundamentalists problem with attempting to force a Documentary Hypothesis. Imperfect bent on a rapid achievement of tran compatibility of Genesis 1:1- 2:4a though an application of JEDP may scendental messianic imperatives with 2:4b-3:25 is the simple fact that be, with however many refinements through direct political action-and ancient Israel worked on a mentality one may conjecture, it still responds the reaction to their activities by that presuppositionally was "both most adequately to the diversity of pragmatic, democratically oriented and" rather than "either-or." Mod issues raised. We may anticipate a Israelis. The author argues that the ern people definitely are more ori suggested resolution that better re 10,000 to 20,000 devotees of Gush ented towards an "either-or" mental sponds to this diversity of issues, that Emunim activate the entire panorama ity-look at students' research analyzes, synthesizes, and draws the of Jewish fundamentalists and secu papers for substantiation. On the entire To rah (and beyond as Kika lar ultra-nationalists, including some other hand, the ancient Israelites wada and Quinn desire?) into a of Israel's most powerful leaders. The could place side by side differing cre meaningful construct, but in this re author has written an impressive ation accounts and could interweave viewer's judgment, we yet await that story. in 1 Samuel the Early and Late suggested resolution. It is not to be Sources without apparent problem. found in "unitary analysis." fro;ish Perceptions of Anti-Semitism. By To be sure such "both-andness" en Gary A. To bin with Sharon L. Sassier. riches our understanding and aware Frank E. Eakin is Weinstein-Rosenthal Profes New York: Plenum Press. The author ness of antiquity and creates inter sor of Jewish and Christian Studies and chair investigated how American Jews pretive problems. Nonetheless, the man of the Department of Religion at the view anti-Semitism today. Some be University of Richmond. way to respond to these problems is lieve it is widespread in the U.S. not the route of enforced conformity, while others attest to never having or "unitary analysis." This approach experienced it. Most Jews remain denies the ancient his uniqueness. wary. What is the real picture of the relationship between Jews and Chris- 8

tians in this country, and how does it and true Israel. He also says nothing The Magic We Do Here. By Lawrence compare to jewish perceptions? How against the jewish understanding of Rudner. New York: Houghton Mif accepted and assimilated do jews re To rah as it applies to Israel when he flin. This first novel about a young, ally feel themselves to be? The author speaks of "law" in reference to Gen blond, and blue-eyed jew who lives probes these and other issues that tiles. This work presents an imagina by his wits in order to survive the weigh heavily on the minds of many tively new way of understanding Nazi invasion of Poland is a stirring jews and tries to determine how jews Paul. testimony both to history and to its view and approach anti-Semitism in author's narrative skill. It is a rich a predominantly Christian society. The Dreyfus Affa ir: Art, Truth, & book filled with moving and evoca Justice. Edited by Norman L. Klee tive images of a lost world. Paul and the Torah. By Lloyd Gaston. blatt. University of California Press. Vancouver: University of British Co The title of this book is the title of an Where Are We? The Inner Life of Ameri lumbia Press. The author argues that exhibition at the jewish Museum in ca's Jews. By Leonard Fein. New York: the terms of Paul's mission must be New York City, designed by curator Harper & Row. The author writes taken seriously and that it is inappro Norman Kleeblatt to provide a visual about the today that American jews priate to regard his "conversion" as a record of responses to the Affair. The experience and the tomorrow they transition from one religion to an exhibition and this volume both re remember. The primary purpose of other. Paul's congregations were not veal the fin de siec/e in France, espe the book is to move beyond the de made up of Christian Jews; they were cially Paris, as a passionate and con bate over whether jews can "make it" exclusively Gentile. Thus he focused tentious battlefield of representa in America, and instead to ask what on God's promise to Abraham con tions, where morality and aesthetics jews, having made it, propose to do cerning Gentiles which were fulfilled were inextricably joined. Although with it. The book is also a search for in the faithfulness of jesus. The inclu many volumes have been published jewish community, exploring the sion of Gentiles in the elect people of on the Affair, this is the first compre central problems of jewish life. It also God through their incorporation into hensive collection of images related depicts what American jews might Christ thus does not mean a displace to it. To complement the visual mate feel like if they could move beyond ment of Israel. Nowhere does Paul rials, the editor has brought together their problems to incorporate in their speak of the rejection of Israel as original essays on many aspects of private lives what they defend in the God's chosen people, of the Sinai the Affair by noted scholars from a public arena. covenant as no longer in effect for variety of fields. Israel, or of the church as the new

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