Fiction, History, Poetry in Yiddish

Gresham Bader’s “Our Spiritual Heroes-Seven centuries of Jewish Thought” (Minister Publishing Co., Brooklyn ) is all the title claims for it, and more. It is a fascinating and admirably written book on Jewish history. For, when all is said and done, Jewish thought and Jewish happenings are one and inseparable, because the true greatness of Israel lies in the realm of the spiritual. Indeed, the period covered by this, the first volume of Mr. Bader’s work, contains much that is far from beautiful insofar as actual events go. Internecine wars, regicides, treason-all these make a far from savory recital. Nor is Judea under the Greeks and Romans a happier story. But whatever comprised the spiritual greatness and treasure of the Jew suffered no defeat under the oppressors heel or in fratricidal strife.

The Jews, a handful among the nations of the earth, survived the Philistines and the Assyrians, the Greeks and the Romans, and, what is the most difficult feat of all, their own dissensions. They will also survive their present foes-and all because they have through thousands of year s of martyrdom, kept burning the fires of learning and of the spirit. This is the implied yet perfectly obvious thesis of Mr. Bader’s book.

A JEWISH WALTER SCOTT

The number of historical novels of Jewish interest is deplorably small, and in English-practically negligible. Saul Saphire’s “Columbus, the Cryptic Jew” is therefore a welcome addition to our historic affection. True, it has been published in Yiddish, but let it be stated right here that readers interested in things Jewish will be deprived of a rare treat if this book is not brought out in an English version, like Mr. Saphire’s “The Caliph of Cordova.” “Columbus,” published in serial form before the appearance of “Who was ‘Columbus?'” by Maurice David maintains, as does the latter, that the discoverer of America was a secret Jew. Mr. Saphire goes even further than that-according to him, Columbus Knew perfectly well that there was another continent between Europe and Asia and he set out on his voyage of exploration in order to make it possible for his brethren to flee from the terrors of the Inquisition to a New and better world. Incidentally, the Holy inquisition plays an important part in Mr. Saphire’s novel which is to without its live interest. Besides, it possesses remarkable vividness-the story moves before the reader’s eye like a motion picture reel, transporting the events to the living present.

YIDDISH SONNETS

J. L. Kalushiner, in his book of Yiddish Sonnets (I; W. Biderman, New York), shows himself to be a poet of the new School, new, at any rate, in Yiddish letters, There may be-indeed, there is-an underlying social motif in his technically and lyrically perfect pieces, but this motif is subdued and subordinated to a feeling of gentle yearning permeating them. The volume contains more than a hundred sonnets varying in rhythm and measure so as to take in the gamut of poetical forms, and is divided into seven part: Roads, Streets of new York, Morning; Suburbs, Such Days As These, Praise, After Nineteen Years.

ELBERT A. TROMMER