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Sheldon Cohen
A Jewish Journey
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PART 1
CHAPTER 1 On a clear day in Munich, the peaks of the Alps are visible some sixty miles to the south. Many Munich citizens travel in this direction to the town of Oberammergau. The trip is a beautiful and tranquil journey taking the traveler past shimmering, clear green lakes. Soon one sees pale grey mountains looming in the distance. The journey starts a slow upward ascent as rolling hills transition for almost a mile above sea level. The travelers then find themselves encircled by grey and white peaks surrounding the beautiful village of Oberammergau in the Ammer River Valley. Countless travelers make the journey for the sole purpose of observing the famous Oberammergau Passion Play.
CHAPTER 2 In 1633, “The Black Death” visited Oberammergau and eighty-four citizens died. This was not the first time this plague had decimated Europe. In the years 1348 to 1349, twenty-five million people perished.
CHAPTER 3
Following the German victory over France in the War of 1870, an intense nationalism under Bismarck replaced German liberal, democratic ideas. A new German Reich, dominated by Prussia and German militarism, saw a further inhibition of democratic principles including an eventual outlawing of the Social Democratic Party.
CHAPTER 4 By the third generation, the upper body muscular definition of the Bauemler men disappeared as they continued in academia. The anti-Semitism was inbred, however, and Karl persisted in efforts to promote his father’s anti-Semitic legislation. Try as he might, he failed. This frustration only served to enhance his anti-Jewish mindset. He continued his father’s nationalistic anti-Semitism and amplified it to suggest that the Jew represented an international threat to the world, and Germany was the place where that threat would come to a boiling point.
PART 2
CHAPTER 1
Seven young boys, aged ten to twelve, sat on a low hill under a large shade tree while Rabbi Shepsel Tepperovitch paced back and forth in front of them. He viewed his students as the future of Judaism, and it was his mission to keep that vision alive. He was a fighter in God’s army, struggling to negate the powerful forces marshaled against his Jewish beliefs. This was the reason for his existence.
CHAPTER 2 In 1772, Russia, Austria and Prussia divided Poland between them in three stages, over a period of twenty-three years, and Rabbi Tepperovitch’s ancestors found themselves part of Russia. These partitions resulted in Russia assimilating several million Polish Jews within their boundary. Many of the Jews were poor, and some comprised the middle class between the nobility and the peasantry of Russia.
CHAPTER 3 Kolakoff followed on horseback as the rabbi and his seven students walked down the hill the one-half kilometer to the town. The rabbi accompanied the boys to their homes and then he walked alone toward his home.
“I’m hearing from you that it’s hopeless, and there’s nothing that we can do,” said Katz.
CHAPTER 4 Meir Tepperovitch had also been a rabbi. He ministered to a large group in an adjacent town. He also served as an arbitrator for his parishioners. In a larger city, three judges, all rabbis, served on a panel known as a Beit Din, to arbitrate any minor civil disputes within the Jewish community. The plaintiff chose one rabbi, the defendant chose another rabbi, and the two rabbis then chose the third. In Meir Tepperovitch’s town he served alone and had the respect of the entire community, for his followers considered him a tzaddik—one of the righteous—capable of complete unity with the Creator. Such a tzaddik was a man whose human foibles did not exist in consciousness, thus allowing direct communication with God. In his court, he handled all minor matters and only referred to a larger Beit Din when he thought the problem might establish a new principle. He felt that under such circumstance a consensus from three judges would be required.
CHAPTER 5 The next afternoon, Shepsel was preparing for the Sabbath.
“Good afternoon. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?” asked the rabbi, trying not to appear fearful. “I have news to discuss with you, Rabbi, because we’ll be having an important visitor Monday, and he has to talk to you and some of the other leaders of the Jews.”
“I know and I’m not an educator, but I’m told that your Jewish education is making your children ignorant about the world. The Czar does not wish to raise a generation of ignorant subjects, so he’s decided to build special schools for the Jews.”
“This I can’t understand, for religious study is so all encompassing that there’ll be very little room for anything else.”
“We shall see. You believe it’s a subertfuge, but I believe it’s a small step toward the eventual freedom we all desire. If you learn in the future that I have no part in the further development and management of this program, then you’ll know you were right,” said Lilienthal.
“I learned about what Mr. Lilienthal had to say. What do you think?” asked Kolakoff.
CHAPTER 6 Six months passed before Shepsel heard anything. When he did, he learned that the special schools and the candle tax would soon start. Kolakoff gave him this news. “Here’s the decree, Rabbi. Give your people the wonderful news. They should be excited.” “Yes, I’ll read this and we’ll talk about it. Oh, by the way, is Mr. Lilienthal going to be the director of the program?”
He read the decree. He was stunned. He said, “The Hasid can’t wear his side hair locks and black clothes?” What harm is that to the Czar?” Then he realized his thoughts had found expression and opened himself up to attack by Kolakoff.
CHAPTER 7 One evening there was a knock on the rear door of the synagogue while the rabbi was there with the children. It was Kolakoff. His face was grim. He said, “I need to talk to you, Rabbi. I have something to bring to Prushkin’s house, and I was sure you would want to come along.”
“I’m counting on you to look into this, Rabbi; and if you come across any more such foolish talk, tell them about Prushkin.”
CHAPTER 8 In 1855, Nicholas I of Russia caught pneumonia and died. Although some historians have put forth the theory of suicide, most feel that he did indeed die of natural causes.
CHAPTER 9 The Polish people, living under Russian rule as long as the Jews, never accepted their fate. After being a powerful state for hundreds of years, nationalism remained a significant force. The religious differences increased the separation, as the Russian Orthodox hated the Polish Catholics, and vica-versa. Into this boiling pot stepped Alexander II.
CHAPTER 10 By 1870, Shepsel had reached the age of 77 years. When his wife preceded him in death, he retired from the rabbinate and went to live with his son Jacob.
CHAPTER 11 Moritz and his mother Rachel were in Moscow with their aging relatives. They went to Tiktin for the funeral and returned to Yelizavetgrad, and together with Jacob, they sat shiva for seven days.
Doctor Kalish continued. “We should all leave. I’m not saying this has to be done tomorrow. I have many things to do at the hospital. My patients need to know so they can make arrangements with other physicians. You can sell your business, Moritz. It is successful and there will be many takers.”
“It’s settled then, we’ll sell the business,” said Moritz looking at his cousin. “I’ll take my family to Germany, and I’ll open up a garment business. You, cousin, can set up shop in the United States, and then we can merge. We’ll become an international force,” laughed Moritz. They all laughed together attempting to insert some humor into this serious life-changing decision.
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