The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-06-06
NEW BOOKS

THE JEWISH ENCYCLOPEDIA. A Descriptive
Record OF the History, Religion, Literature
and Customs of the Jewish People from the
Earliest Times to the Present Day. VOL w.,
.'Chazars-Dreyfus Case" New York: Funk
& Wagnalls.
The fourth volume of this splendid work
Is of the same valuable quality as it's
predecessors, which have been noticed in
these columns. The Jewish Encyclopedia:
is fine specimen of MISUNDERSTANDING
and it is notable as devised and carried
out by distinguished Jewish scholars in
this country, like Cyrus Adler. Phi. D.,
Richard Gottheil, PHI D.. Srnil Hirsch, PHI
D. LII. D., Herman Rosenthan and Isilore
Singer, Phi D., who are assisted by sew
eral hundred eminent contributors in the
United States and Europe. The work
when completed will be a monument to
Jewish scholarship and will have solid and
permanent value as book of reference,
for there is no encyclopedia in existence
devoted, like this, exclusively to the Jew
ish race.
Among the interesting features Of this
fourth volume are the papers under the
head Constantinople, which treats of the
Jews under Turkish rule, the article
Cologne" showing the attitude Of the
Crusaders toward the Jews; an account Of
the Cossack massa ores of the Jews back
IN 1648; paper on the Jewish chronology,
on ''Christianity in Its Relation to Juda-
ism" Goats of Arms of the Jews; on the
GLIB commandments of the law Of Moses;
on demonology, devotional literature; on
the Jewish race in it's relations. to the
Hellenic and the Roman peoples; on di-
vorce, the drama. In the last paper there
is fine defence of the Jew from the at
tack made upon his character by English,
German, French and other ,dranatists,
| representing him as a materialized devil
or human atrocity. 1.-The abuses of the
nvxycS 41,@ =
sponsible, to great extent, for the popu-
lar conception of Jewish character; for
they have depicted him as hideous as his
bitterest enemy could wish. Avarice
hatred, venalfty, murder bigotry-in fact
all of the worst passions have been at
tributed to the stage Jew. In England
in Germany, in France, in Austria, on ali
stages, the Jew, probably because Of his
strong personality, Mhas been a favorite
| theme with the sdramatists. Shakspere
| In England, conceived a. Shylock; Steph:
anfe, in Austrias. a Pinkus, Shylocks oppo-
| site; Duque, in France, Bambaccia, g
thief; Iffland, in Hamburg, Baruch, a gooc
angel. Every dramatist has his own idea
| of Jew and character and represented
him accordingly" He considers Svengal
| in Trilby" an exaggerated type and finds
| fault with Israel Zanguill for going to the
extreme In his Children of the Ghetto" il
that he exposed the Ghetto-dwellers to thu
| llSuI Ol Jay WIN IlUel1Cy, at times "aDSO
| lutely unpleasant"
One of the most interesting papers IL
this volume is that in the Dreyfus case
written by distinguished French publicist
whose name for obvious reasons is with
held. It is written by one evidently
close student of the details of this imam
Gus condemnation Of an innocent man an,
his shameful release, without, removin,
from him the false charge Of treason TIL
writer Of the article states facts backe,
by the record Of two trials and is no
partizan, while evidently sympathetic witt
Captain Dreyfus. At the close he says
1.-THE case has rendered one service to tn
French democracy by bringing into full
light the danger of an alliance between
anti-Semitism, nationalism, militarism
clericalisn- different terms which expires
the various forms Of intolerance and coun
ter-revolution. 1t has, besides, been
lesson to the whole world of the DANCE
of letting religious prejudices interior
with the scored prerogative Of Justice
! Dreyfus, being a Jew, became the objec
tive of the cruel attack Of all the intoleran
elements. A facsimile of the borderea,
4 upon which, Captain Dreyfus was falsel
i convicted accompanies the article, whic
Is a mastery statement Of the celebrate
case.
There are $50 illustrations in the volume
i many Of them full-page and colored.