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12 Summer 1986

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12 Summer 1986 NA NungBEFz il2 suMiviER 1986 EEji-j-t-- The Sternberg Centre for Judaism, The Manor House, 80 East End Road, Contents London N3 2SY Telephone : 01-346 2288 MANNA is the Journal of the Stemberg Centre for Judaism at the Manor House and of the Manor House Society. 1 Editorial-The Real challengeofwaldheim MANNA is published quarterly. 3 WhoKilledJesus-Andwhy? Editor: Rabbi Tony Bayfield 6 SimonRockerDownandoutofaJobinJewish London Deputy Editor: Rabbi william Wolff Art Editor: Charles Front Editorial Assistant: Elizabeth Sarah 8 BensegalThe Night lwas serenadedwith carols Editorial Board: Rabbi Colin Eimer, Rabbi Dr. Albert Friedlander, Rabbi 9 Riva Krutwhat FutureforJews in southAfrica? David Goldberg, Dr. Wendy Green- gross, Reverend Dr. Isaac Levy, Rabbi Dr. Jonathan Magonet, Rabbi Dow 12 Sam G®rvyHowHatikvah-And sam-Were Born Marmur, Rabbi Dr. John Rayner, Pro- fessor J.B. Segal, Isca Wittenberg. 15 JeffshearJewish FamiliesAreatRiskin Britain views expressed in articles in Ma#ricz do not necessarily reflect the view of the Editorial Board. 16 Alan untermanTalkingto God...AndAbout Him 17 Barbara Borts poverty-We Must Get off the Fence Subscription rate: £5 p.a. (four issues) including postage anywhere in the U.K. Abroad: Europe - £8; Israel, Asia, Americas , Australasia -£12. 19 Alexandrawright speech -The ultimate Healer INKLINGS by Rrdbbi I:ionel Blue will be 19 Letl:ers back in MCL]ma's next i.ssue. 21 DavidGoldberg Lastword The cover illustration i§ an ink drawing by Suzanne Perlman - `This is tlie Law Moses commanded us...'. An exhibition of Suzanlie Perlman's work will be held at the Manor House from the 6th to the 29th July. EDITORIAL TIII: REEL IIELLE:NGE: OF] WIALDHEIM HE ELECTION OF almost equally alarming. and domination. The agenda Kurt Waldheim as Pres- At the Manor House we raises questions about the Tident of Austria is a sad have recently erected a relationship between economic and disturbing event. Its sig- memorial to the victims of the policies and the preservation nificance, however, should Holocaust. At the top of the of civilised values. It asks not be seen primarily in terms slender aluminium column is basic questions about the use of a recrudescence of Nazi the single Hebrew word and abuse of technology. It ideology in Europe. z¢cfoor, remember. The probes our passivity and easy To be sure, there are alarm- memorial has not been placed acceptance of so much we are ing and chilling reminders at the front of the house, the shown or told. Above all it that fascist philosophy still first image to greet visitors, challenges us to reconsider has its takers. From the suc- nor has it been placed in a hid- the purpose and role of man - cess of the far right in recent den spot in the grounds. It aTnd the place of God. An French elections to the stands at the back of the agenda shot through with so emergence of the ultra Manor House, prominently in many difficult and challenging nationalists in South Africa - the background. That location questions. But how else to complete with swastika-like is considered and eloquent, avoid further disasters? emblems and German march- because for all Europeans the The issue raised by the. ing songs - it is apparent that Holocaust stands prominently Holocaust today is not, as Hitlerian tendencies are far in our background. It is the some theologians would from dead. Even at England's unavoidable setting of the sec- suggest, primarily about for- opening match in Mexico, a ond half of the twentieth cen- giveness. Nor is it just about banner was unfurled bearing tury. It creates an agenda the dangers of a revival of the legend "West Ham N.F.". demanding discussion and Nazism and antisemitism. The But those who flocked to action. central issue is whether the vote for Waldheim did not do That agenda poses ques- world is prepared to face and so, in the main, to express tions about achieving and tackle the post-Holocaust nco-Nazi beliefs. As one polit- maintaining truly open gov- agenda, the background from ical commentator observed, ernment committed to which we all have emerged. Waldheim almost certainly scrupulously honest language Austria has voted `no'. benefited from the World and a free press. The agenda Perhaps she is unique only in Jewish Congress accusations, involves tackling such issues having had the opportunity to with many older Austrians as individual responsibility in vote. The Jewish task is not voting for him in protest at the face of immoral actions by merely to supply evidence of the discussion of events they others and in the face of law guilt to an unwilling court. It would far rather forget. The used as a coercive or racist is endlessly to remind the election of Kurt Waldheim is force. The agenda demands world that the past cannot be not primarily a vote to revive discussion as to how to tackle laid to rest merely by forget- the past, rather it is a vote to human prejudice, how to deal ting it. I forget the past, which is with propensities to violence MANNA SUMMEFi 1986 I i 1 I Roman rule, was threatening the T_HE EXPLOSIVE QUESTION High Priest's own position as politi- cal representative of the Roman THA:I WILL NOT BE DEFUSED occupation - like Laval in occupied France. Jesus was a threat to the Romans because he declared himself to be the rightful king of Israel, who would fulfil the prophecies and set up the `kingdom of God', ie. an independent theocratic Jewish state. His Thumphal Entry into Jerusalem was a direct challenge to Roman rule and to its quisling Jewish supporters, the Sadducees and Herodians. Consequently, he was arrested and interrogated by `` I ..,.,'`-`, `..\,..`,\,. the . High Priest, who handed him over to the Roman Governor, Pilate, for execution. Pilate, who was in historical fact a brutal and corrupt governor, is white-washed in the Gospels and portrayed as mild and sympathetic to Jesus, in pursuance of the prQ-Roman stance For more than 1900 years the answers given by most Christians to these two Of the Gospels. `a'< questions have been part of anti-semitism's most vicious armoury. In my view, the character known We asked four world famous experts to give us an update. as Barabbas, in some manuscripts called `Jesus Barabbas', was actu- ally Jesus himself. Barabbas repre- sents the split-off political aspect of N MY VIEW, JESUS WAS figure who relied on a miracle from Jesus, ie. the aspect of Jesus which crucified by the Romans for God to defeat the Romans. His the Gospel-writers wished to reject. the same reason that so many I pacifistic sayings were inserted or Consequently, in the co-urse of the other Jews were crucified during the slanted by later editors in order to Gospels, his character is increas- same period - because he was the portray him as utterly harmless to ingly vilified, until in the latest Gos- leader of a messianic movement the Romans. This accords with the aiming at the liberation of the Jews pel, he becomes a mere `bandit'. pro-Roman stance of the Gospels, It was only after Jesus' death that from Roman rule. Standing in the which suppress all evidence of he was turned into an otherworldly way of this obvious conclusion, how- Roman oppression and portray figure, and thus divorced from the ever, are certain strongly-urged con- Roman rule as benevolent and just. struggle against Rome. At this tentions in the Gospels. That Jesus Jesus' alleged conflict with the stage, he began to be portrayed as was a non-political pacifist. That his Jewish religion does not stand up to conflicting with the Jewish religious enemies were not the Romans, but scrutiny. His allegedly `anti- authorities, the Pharisees, who the Jews, whom he offended on Pharisee' teachings are in fact quite were alleged to have plotted to religious, not political, grounds. in accord with Pharisaism. He even bring about his death. Also, the And that he came to offer not liber- uses typical Pharisee sayings such High Priest's antagonism to Jesus ation, but salvation. If these Gospel as, `The Sabbath was made for man, was now misrepresented as being contentions can be shown to be not man for the Sabbath'. His man- religious in character, instead of untenable, and if the motives of the ufactured alleged `offences against Gospel writers in advancing them political. The reasons for Jesus' Pharisaism were not even men- death were transformed by the can be explained, we must fall back tioned at his trial. His `blasphemy' on what is the prz.773a /czcz.c explana- growth of the Christian myth, which in claiming to be the Messiah, was I attribute mainly to Paul.. tion of Jesus' death, given the cir- not blasphemy at all. It was a politi- cumstances of his time. cal offence, for which he was tried Hyam Maccoby I.s czz/ffeor o/ Revolution in Jesus' alleged pacifism is con- in the police-court of the High Judea, The Sacred Executioner, cz#d The tradicted by his violent behaviour in Priest, who was a quisling appointee T\rtyth Maker and Librarian of Leo Baeck driving the money-changers out of of the Romans. The Synoptic Gos- College. the Temple, and his distribution of pels never show Jesus claiming swords to his disciples, reported divine status. Such claims are found 0 ANSWER SUCH A only by Luke. It should be con- only in the latest Gospel, that of question correctly one must ceded, however, that he was not a John, based on developed Church not have in mind either militaristic leader like Judas of T doctrine.
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