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The Southern Israelite
Page 5
PASSION PLAY IN GEST PRODUCTION
REVIVES RELIGIOUS PREJUDICE
DOCTOR OF HEBREW
LAWS
DR. CHAIM WEIZMANN GIVEN
DEGREE BY H. U. C.
DR. CHAIM WEIZMANN
\uthorities’ Intervention on Basis of New York Law Does
Not Materialize; Christian Clergy Silent as
Jewish Press Continues Protest
Sew York (J. T. A.)—The expect
ed intervention of the New York
District Attorney, on the basis of Sec
tion 2074 of the New York Penal
law. prohibiting the personification
,,f the Deity of any religion, to pre
vent the presentation of the Frei
burg Passion Play at the Hippodrome,
,i ,1 not materialize and the produc
tion. sponsored by Morris Gest and
David Belasco. is proceeding since the
opening on Monday night.
The first night audience and the
critics of the metropolitan dailies, to
whom Morris Gest left the judfpnent
as to whether or not it is offensive to
Jews and likely to arouse religious
and racial prejudice, ignoring Louis
Marshall’s protest, received the pre
sentation with anything but enthu
siasm. The opinions expressed by the
theatrical critics on the artistic as
pect of the presentation ranges from
“disappointing” to “showing need of
(rood acting.” Emphasis is laid on
the lavishness of the production, but
not infrequently too much stagecraft,
employed by Belasco in the presenta
tion. is described as minimizing the
religious character of the play. All
are unanimous that the play did not
inspire religious ferver in devout
Christians witnessing it, in contrast
to the influence of the Passion Play
when enacted in its natural settings
in Freiburg or at Oberammagau.
None of the reviewers, however,
dwelt on the social side of the ques
tion aroused by the Passion Play pro
duction at the Hippodrome. No refer
ence was made to the fears expressed
that it may revive the ancient relig
ious prejudices which have proven to
be so fatal in the history of the Jew
ish people and in the Christian-Jew-
ish relations for the past nineteen
hundred years.
The Passion Play as presented by
the Freiburg players at the Hippo
drome is distinctly a heightened ver
sion of the ancient charges which
gave rise to the cry of “Christ kill-
It is distinctly anti-Jewish,
without any redeeming feature. It fol
lows closely the Gospel according to
St. John, the least historically cor
rect and the one gospel which is self-
evidently directed toward accusing
the Jews of that time and toward
white-washing the Romans. Two of
the features of the Hippodrome Pas-
don Play are most striking. The trial,
which is the crux of the entire story,
forced upon the public four times
in four different scenes, in a manner
LATVIA UNIVERSITY ESTAB
LISHES CHAIR FOR HEBREW
LITERATURE
Riga—-(J. x # a.)—A Chair for He-
w literature and Language will
established at the University of
r Part, it was announced here to-
'If}' Nodel, a Jewish scholar, and
erector of the Jewish High School
a , . or P ar t, was invited to occupy the
w air and will begin his work at the
- nning of the next school year.
contrary to all historic knowledge.
The founder of the Christian religion
is made to appear once before the
Synhedrin, twice before Pontias Pi
late and once before Herod, a point
added on the basis of an uncorrobo
rated source to show the unwillingness
of the Roman authorities to sanction
the crucifixion and the insistence of
the Jewish leaders of that time to ac
complish their ends. The High Priest
is made to appear at the crucifixion
scene, jeering and mocking. The
priests connive to bring about the
Nazarene’s death as the “enemy of
the synagogue.” The founder of
Christianity and the apostles are
portrayed as blond in contrast to the
priests and the people who are thor
oughly brunette. Judas, of course, is
the blackest of the black. Some of the
characters, particularly Dathan, the
conniving priest, is made up in a
manner resembling the caricatures
employed in anti-Semitic journals in
reference to Oriental and East Euro
pean Jews. The priests, not the Ro
man soldiers, compel Jesus to carry
the cross, driving him on. Pilate, in
washing his hands, lays responsibility
on “you and your children”, address
ing himself to the Jews.
The crucifixion scene is prolonged
to an unbearable extent. Every detail
has been elaborated upon with a stark
reality that cannot claim the excuse
of art. The hammering of the nails
resounds through the huge hall on the
ears of a 6,000 strong audience.
While the Jewish press of New
York unanimously condemns the pre
sentation and sharply criticising
Messrs. Gest and Belasco, the metro
politan press pays no attention to
these protests. The Yiddish press, in
cluding the 'Socialist Labor daily,
“Forward”, is outspoken in its criti
cism after the first night, although
before some voices were heard in the
“Forward” and the “Day,” doubting
the advisibility of intefering with the
freedom of the stage.
The “Day” quoted a statement by
Mr. Marshall given in an interview
with a representative of that paper
that “it would be sad if Jews alone
would protest against this production.
I expect to hear what our Christian
friends have to say. I am sure they
will not remain silent. The protest
must be a general American one be
cause it is an offense not only against
Jews but against America. Naturally
we Jews feel it most, since the Gests
are, to our pain and shame, ours.”
SWEDISH EXPEDITION TO SEEK
TRACES OF PRE-ISRAELITIC
CIVILIZATION IN PALESTINE
Stockholm (J. T. A.).—Traces of
pre-Israelitic civilization in Palestine
will be sought by a Swedish scientific
expedition which has received the per
mission of the Palestine government
to start excavations.
Prof. Birger Norman, archaeologist,
will direct the work. Excavations are
to begin soon.
DR. CHAIM WEIZMANN
Upon Dr. Chaim Weizmann, Presi
dent of the World Zionist Organiza
tion, the Hebrew Union College con
ferred the honorary degree of Doctor
of Hebrew Law at commencement ex
ercises at Cincinnati, Ohio, on Satur
day afternoon, June 1st. “Consecrat
ed to the exacting and idealistic task
of the economic and cultural rehabili
tation of Palestine and official leader
and spokesman of Zionism for many
years, his policies, activities and ut
terances have been characterized by
breadth and tolerance, and by a sym
pathetic understanding of every other
interpretation of and movement in
Judaism,” said the award.
At the same time, the Honorable
Lady Lily H. Montagu, J. P., Honora
ry Secretary and co-organizer of the
World Union for Progressive Judaism,
London, England, was also awarded
the honorary degree of Doctor of He
brew Law by the Hebrew Union Col
lege.
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