Tanenbaum Warns That Christ Film May Feed Anti Semitic Feelings in Latin America, Arab Countries

Rabbi Mare H. Tanenbaum, national interreligious affairs director of the American Jewish Committee, urged Universal Pictures which has produced the film, “Jesus Christ-Superstar,” to give “the deepest consideration to the possible implications” of making the film available in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian languages to Latin America and Italy in view of recent anti-Semitic episodes in those areas.

The AJ Committee official also expressed regret that the head of Universal Pictures “made a decision not to meet with a representative delegation of lay and professional leaders of the American Jewish Committee” to discuss some of the concerns arising out of the film’s presentation of the Jewish people, Judaism and Israel.

Rabbi Tanenbaum made these points in a letter to H.H. Martin, president of Universal Pictures; dated July 19 and released yesterday to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. The letter was sent to Martin after Lew Wasserman, president of the Music Corporation of America which is the parent company of Universal Pictures, declined to meet with Elmer L. Winter. AJ Committee president.

In his letter to Martin, Rabbi Tanenbaum noted that it was the hope of the delegation to have an opportunity to discuss “in an open and constructive fashion some of the basic concerns” regarding the film. In outlining the concerns Rabbi Tanenbaum stated that “in recent months there have taken place a series of quite serious anti-Semitic episodes in parts of Latin America, in particular Argentina, as well as in northern Italy.” He noted that in both cases “politically reactionary elements, that have also been involved in traditional, ultra-conservative aspects of church life, have used the classic ‘Christ-killer’ canard against Jews as a religious justification for their exploitation of anti-Semitism for ideological purposes….”

NOT A THEOLOGICAL, HISTORIC DOCUMENT

In light of these concerns, Rabbi Tanenbaum continued, “we should hope that Universal Pictures would give the deepest consideration to the possible implications of making available Jesus Christ-Superstar in Spanish, Portuguese and Italian languages which will unquestionably feed these anti-Jewish elements in these countries. We have a similar concern about the possible anti-Jewish uses to which this film may be put in Germany and Austria in which there continues to be a strong residuum of both religious and ideological anti-Semitism since the days of Nazi Germany.”

Continuing, Rabbi Tanenbaum noted that as a result of a series of recent studies that the AJ Committee has prepared on Arab propaganda throughout the United States, Latin America, the European continent, and in parts of Asia and Africa, “we are persuaded that certain Arab governments, which have been exploiting Christian themes of anti-Semitism, may well find this film an important supplement to their anti-Jewish and anti-Israel propaganda campaign….”

Rabbi Tanenbaum also expressed concern about the way in which this film “with this negative and hostile portrayal of the Jewish priests the Jewish people, the temple scene, and other troublesome images and rhetoric will be communicated through the television screen in millions of homes in this country and abroad.”

“Ideally it would help minimize confusion and misunderstanding if you would arrange to insert a prologue and epilogue for the TV films, as well as for the overseas foreign language version of the film, that would make it clear that this film is intended for entertainment purposes and is not to be misconstrued as a theological or historical document.”

Rabbi Tanenbaum also urged Martin “to indicate that the Second Vatican Council of the Roman Catholic Church and the World Council of Churches. among other Christian bodies, have officially repudiated the “Christ-killer” charge and that this film is intended in no way to give credence to that rejected anti-Jewish teaching.”