The Denver Jewish news., 1924-03-13
The Tenth Man
b. HARRY N. KAUFMAN

| maps vs!oAAsAs&6 hcaNs'
ment for any one of us; perhaps Raw
Inns, the desert town close to the Con-
tinertal Divide, holds out no particular
interest: perhaps the people of Raw
| lins--sOfne good, some not so good
command NO special attention; perhaps
the riff-raff from the East and West
those who come "bfoke," work while,
dissipate and leave "brOke'-is the
same riff-raff Of other Western towns,
large or small.
Yet, to this desert town of no spe-
cial attractioA have come few Jew
ish families in quest of economic bet
terment. And 1t is an episode concern
ing these families that prompts the
present writing.
But we are compelled to eliminate
one individual before we ca nproceed
with our episode, for had circum-
stances been different, the story of The
Tenth Man." at least so far as the
Jews of Rawlins are concerned. might
never have been told. This individual
is frail. nervous, irritable old man.
an old-timer of Rawlins, successful
business Jew. He is mar
| ried to gentle lady and is the father
of small family. This fact is prob
ably not of such grand significance, but
the fact that this man varionsly denied
and reluctantly admitted his Jewish
ancestry eliminates him as one of the
actors in our episode. For in this story
the participants are Those who were
not only born Jews, hut in whom
there was everlDrcsent- n vestige of
Jewish thought and pride.
So. back to the handful of Jews
who came in quest of economic better
ment. Fresh from the larger Jewish
communities they brought with them
friction encountered In practicing them
caused them much mental anguish. But
that which depressed them most was
the fact that there were no ten Jew
ish male adults in Rawlins to con-
stitute a ''Minyen- so that religious
services might be held. at least for
Rosh Hashonah and Yom kippur.
Hence. the Jewish New Year and the
Day of Atonement found the Jewish
Community of Rawlins depleted. in
numbers as a few would leave for
Cheyenne or Denver for the observance
of the holiest Of holy days.
Last Rosh Hashonnh was no eycep-
tion, and conditions Indicated that no
services would be held on the Day of
Atonement either. On the afternoon
of the day before Yom Kippur, there
hailed into Rawlins Jewish hide-deal-
err from Denver. HeIspoke to one OF
| the Jewish business men as to the adj
visibility OF Conducting religious serv-
ices that evening and the next day;
but, upon cureful consideration of the
| circumstances, it was found that in
cluding the guest from Denver there
were only nine Jewish male adults in
town-lacking just one to make up
aMinyen.- For the reasons before men
toned, the frail. nervous, irritable old
man was excluded from this cOnsid-
Grafton After lengthy discussion.
the proposition was finally abandoned
and it appeared as If the remaining
Jews in Rawlins would have to com
tent themselves with the ordinary void !;
when
The sun was low in the Western
sky. Twilight cast its calm over the
desert town, when Sudden putting md
chugging of n locomotive, heaying un-
der heavy load disturbed the peace
fulness. 1t came from ont the West
dragging after it a long string OF
freight cars. There was a rattling, Il
iisa grceable clanking and scraping as
the locomotive with its load came to a
stop in the yards of Rawlins.
From under one of the cars there
emerged n man of medium height, will
disheveled hair. bewhiskered and he
smeared face. clothes torn and dirty
f-jointedly. he hobbled across thu
Il numerous tracks and then found him
self on the main street.-the famou.
main street of the small town. HI
glanced nervously about him and scru
tinized every business sign. Finally hi
stopped in front of clothing store
hesitated a moment, then walked in.
who is the proprietor?" he inquir
cd.
"I am" answered a tall, thin fellow
abruptly.
.Are you Jew" asked the shabb!
newcomer.
You bet / am" This with sem
blance of pride. Why"
when is Yom Kippur?. the visito
inquired further. avoiding either in
tcntionalIy or unintentionally the las
ii interrogatory.
The store-keeper hesitated momen