A Jewish Journey. Sheldon Cohen
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a Minister of Education that thinks that way and at the same time wants to direct Jewish education?”
“You raise an important issue, because I too was aware of Minister Uvarov’s statement. But, Minister Uvarov has said there will be religious instruction.”
“This I can’t understand, for religious study is so all encompassing that there’ll be very little room for anything else.”
“It will be limited. That’s true,” answered Lilienthal.
“This is a massive undertaking. I can’t believe that the Czar will raid his treasury for the benefit of the Jews.”
“It will be financed by a tax.”
“A tax? You can’t lead me to believe that my Christian neighbors will happily pay a tax so that Jews can be educated.”
“It’ll be a candle tax levied on the Jews and collected by the Minister of Education. Whenever Jews buy candles for Sabbath worship, for honoring the dead, for any religious purpose, for lighting, there will be a small tax. The money raised goes back into each community in proportion to the amount of meat tax that is paid. That’ll provide the funds for the Jewish schools.”
“I see. Everything is figured out, but I tell you at risk to me, and I’m sure you have heard this from other Jews, that there’s an ulterior motive underlying all this show of concern for us. That motive is to move our children’s minds away from Judaism.”
“I hear what you say. I’m a Jew, and if I believed that was the case I wouldn’t be involved in what I’m doing and I would leave the country.”
Rabbi Shepsel responded, “What I am telling you will be the majority opinion of most of the Jews of the country. They’ll avoid the schools for fear of their children being proselytized. Those who go will be educated, but will be disappointed when they finish, for even if they’re at the head of their class they won’t be able to enter the mainstream of Russian life except as token Jews for propaganda purposes.”
“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 hear what you say with an open mind.”
“I must go now. I leave for Bialystok. There are many there I have to talk to. Thank you for listening to me. I wish the best for you.”
“Thank you for your time, sir. Goodbye.”
Rabbi Shepsel was accompanied back home. This time it was Kolakoff who went back with him.
“I learned about what Mr. Lilienthal had to say. What do you think?” asked Kolakoff.
“Very interesting,” said the rabbi being careful not to expose his true feelings. The Czar’s lieutenants had a way of trying to sound interested and compassionate, but in reality, they were trying to ascertain the thoughts of the people and their leaders. And if the thoughts ran counter to Czarist policy, they labeled you a subversive. Subversives, at times, disappeared, thought Shepsel.
“That’s all, just interesting?” said Kolakoff.
“Yes, anything that will improve the educational opportunities for my people, I’m in favor of,” said Shepsel without going into any details. He thought, just answer the question and keep your feelings to yourself. Resist the temptation to express your true feelings. This was the advice he always gave his friends when talking to the authorities.
“You don’t worry about the fact that there’ll be no religious studies there?” asked Kolakoff.
This was not what Lilienthal had said, so Shepsel was not sure what to answer. Did Kolakoff know something even Lilienthal didn’t know? Was Kolakoff wrong? Or was he right? Whom could he trust? Was this a test?
He replied, “I leave it to the experts in education to decide on the curriculum. What do I know of science and mathematics? If there are no religious studies in the school, it doesn’t mean the students can’t learn it at home in their spare time.”
“Yes, Rabbi, we can’t be sure what you do behind closed doors.”
At that point, they arrived at Shepsel’s home. He turned, bowed and said, “Thank you for accompanying me home.”
Kolakoff bowed his head and left.
Shepsel entered and saw his wife, Anna, sitting at the table. The frown on her round face gave way to her usual Mona Lisa smile as she saw him. He discussed his experience with her. She shared his skepticism.
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?”
“The decree is not signed by Mr. Lilienthal. As far as I know, he decided to go back to his home country, Germany. I don’t know why, but good riddance.”
Rabbi Shepsel knew why.
Once Lilienthal had learned of a secret codicil accompanying the decree, which stated that the purpose of the schools was to reeducate the Jews and bring them closer to Christianity, he left the country, fled to Germany and immigrated to the United States where he became a prominent rabbi in Cincinnati and a leader in promoting Reform Judaism. The fact that Rabbi Shepsel Tepperovitch was right, and the fact that other restrictive anti-Jewish laws started about the same time the school decree went into effect, prompted Lilienthal’s decision. Nicholas I, Czar of Russia, would never let up on the Jews.
Nicholas I firmly believed in autocracy, and he was the ultimate autocrat. His policies were reactionary and many of his decisions based upon two prejudices engendered in his formative years. These were hatred of Poles and hatred of Jews.
Over time, the schools for the Jews were established. Maskilim attended them for the most part. The great majority of Jews did not send their children, feeling that the danger of losing them as Jews was considerable. Gradual divisions developed within the Jewish population of Russia, which had the effect of weakening them as a cohesive force. This, of course, is what Czar Nicholas I hoped to accomplish. Even though the masses of Jews remained oppressed, the Maskilim hoped to receive the support of the government in implementing the changes to their lives that would bring them into the Russian mainstream and remove their status as second-class citizens.
The Maskilim also felt it was their duty to influence change in governmental policy to uplift their Jewish brethren and bring them into the modern era. One of the first things the Maskilim suggested was a change in the dress code and the appearance of the ultra-orthodox, the Hasidim. The government accepted this proposal and it was Kolakoff who informed the rabbi.
Kolakoff said. “Rabbi, here’s a decree from the government. You better advise some of your people that it’ll be enforced.”
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.
To the rabbi’s surprise, Kolakoff said, “That’s the new law, and you Jews were the ones who recommended it to the Czar.”
This caught him by surprise, but he said nothing as he realized that Kolakoff could be telling the truth. The misnaggidim and the maskalim were opposed to the Hasidim, and, as they were cooperating more and