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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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