Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-10-14
A New Sholom Ash Classic


shcicm Ash Is wei known to readers of the Yiddisi,
press and his received attention and favorable
from critics In general Of the valuable and
noteworthy contributors In the field Of Yiddlsh fiction II
has been recognized that there growing that Ian.
guaRc respectable addition worlds literature In
publishing "Kidlush Ha-Shem" the Jewish Publication
Society rendering accessible general renders novel
which is worth pcrusnl both because Of It's intrinsic merit
and the interest Of the story II narrntes
The scene is laid in Russian Poland during the middle
years of the seventeenth century that hand was
sfl an independent Kingdom 1t tells the story NJ Mcn,f,i
his wife Tocheved, his Shlomele, daughteriniaw
Deborah. The action takes place hrst in tho town Of
ZlOchov, later in Nemirov and Tuchin
Trssps 10 Build
Mesrcf * fdous innkeebcr practically the ordy
Jew in hts community ny voluntary sclf-dcgrhdato he
obtains ptrssion to erect synagogue of which he be-
cs1mes Parnas. The group grows into n thriving body
shomeic rtfofiied to Deborah a tender and
TO Lubn where nc spends SIX yenrs In the Ye~ivnh.
On his return he is reunited Deborah. The childish
friendship has ripchcd into ideal Pictures Of happ
but interrupted during the celebration OF the
Feast OF Weeks by messengers burst Ing with that
the warning Cossacks and Tatars Flight
lows against the protests of the Mcncl who had
placed hs faith in the Lord and remained in syno
goCusc.
At Ncmrov the refugees received by Their core
gionists with the charity and hospitality that have l
come prower'al with the Of jew The gan
entry into that town by scehe savage plage
follows Rape. murder torture massacre decimatc
the little band Mendei Yochevetl escape Deborah is
safe for the time being through the loyalty OF the Rus
ssan servant Marusa Shlomele Is captured by Cossacks
Jew Cossack
The remnant gather Tuchin where with the Poles
they bravey beat Off the They fight with the
desperation Of terror and the bravery of righteousness
Through dastardly treaccous betrayal of pIighted
faith on the part of the Poles Cossacks gnn adnis
sion to the town. The of Nemrov nrc repeated
Mendel and Yoclcved perish
Meanwhile Deborah and Mar,,sha have been. captured
Deborah the beautiful is about prey the
sacks, but she appeals Yeren and be
his bride Hc is barba but the light of his
environment. and Deborah promises to wed him after
having been Informed mistakenly that shlomelc is dead
Through playing Cossack superstition she inveiges
lerem into shooting her deliberately choosing to he tho
bride of death instead Years after, only Shlomclc
rives in life whose activities longing searching and
pondering.
Brew Of Jewish Manners
"Kddush Ha-Shem' is stepped in the brew of Jewish
customs and manners 1t breahcs the psychology
ish Thought and ideals Many ceremonies described
at the Synagogue the betrotlal elsewhere Jewish
life of those days is presented vivdy and colorfn The
fair at Iubin lives before ones eyes
Throughout the book feels the of insecurity
of impending disaster, constantly hung the
Jew Throughout also permcates Jewish spirituality the
belief in and reliance Eternal laying aside of
the material of the goods Of this world in order follow
the guidance of ancestral faith. The loyalty of Jews
to their religion their unwingne foresake 1t through
force of hrea, induccmcnt of brlc in
Vulnerable instances. The Jews of Tulchn offered
liberty instead Of II they will embrace Christian
ity, Mendcl is offered his Synagogue if he will utter
Christian words of alteration: REFUSED is universal
aintly Rabbi at Tulchn. eyhorng submission
in the Toral is the ideasc figure traditional pey
and aloofncss from normal human considerations.
Ideal Types
The characters well done and generally realistic
portrayas Mcndel and Yocheved pios couple. de
voted to their family Deborah and Shlomelc ieallztd
types of the scholar and maiden of story nbc The
tailor is cngnatic allsecng figure whose nature
is not ccarly disclosed His actions mythical rather
than actual
Sholom Ash narratcs his story with simplicity and di-