Peace, In Deed: Essays in Honor of Harry James Cargas (review)

Abstract

Peace, In Deed: Essays in Honor of Harry James Cargas, edited by Zev Garber and Richard LibowitzThe death of Harry James Cargas has left a vacuum in the world of Holocaust scholarship. This past year, we lost some of the major Christian leaders and thinkers who worked on the Holocaust, virtually an entire generation of scholars. A. Roy Eckardt, a pioneer in Holocaust Studies and post-Holocaust Jewish-Christian relations died this past year, as did Paul van Buren, whose multi-volume study of Jewish Christian relations in Early Christianity is important both theologically and historically. Edward Flannery, the pioneering Roman Catholic priest whose work was important, was taken from us. So a new generation must come forth to fill in for those who were lost.Ravaged by bad health in the past several years, Harry, who was always wise before his time, unfortunately also became old before his time. His loss is significant. He is already missed. Thankfully, a Festschrift was already underway before his death. It was a gift offered to a living Harry James Cargas. Thus, in the more than twenty essays in his honor Harry's life is celebrated, his achievements lauded, his friendship marked and cherished. And in his honor Holocaust-related scholarship is enhanced and Jewish-Christian dialogue is deepened. The contributors are hardly surprising. They read like a Who's Who of interreligious relations as well as Holocaust studies, yet many of the contributions have a decidedly personal touch to them. One learns in a delightful reminiscence by Hubert Locke of the Polish-Catholic neighborhood and the Black middle-class neighborhood in Detroit where Harry and Hubert grew to maturity during the period following World War II, and of the Jewish neighborhood that was between them. It set a context for Harry's career and for Hubert's. It is often fascinating to look back after three score years and more on the formative impact of neighborhoods and historical time.One senses the diversity of Harry's world through a brief note from Kurt Vonnegut and powerful poems by William Heyden. Nechama Tec tells a hitherto unknown story about the Bielsky camp in Harry's honor. He loved stories, most especially stories of defiance and of courageous compassion.The centerpiece of Peace, In Deed is rightly Jewish-Christian relations. Harry's fellow Roman Catholic contributors to the growing climate of mutual respect and friendship between Jews and Roman Catholics are present in this volume, as well they should be. John Pawlikowski, O.S.M., reviews the single- or double-covenant theologies that have marked the attempt of Christianity to come to terms with the continuing religious life of the Jews. Eugene Fisher does what he does best. He reviews the status of Jewish-Christian relations; part history, part diagnosis, part prognosis, his work is stimulating.Jacob Neusner is present in this volume in an unusual role as a theologian grappling with the issue of responsibility and shame. I read his work with deep appreciation as we are currently working with the German school system on a CD-ROM of survivor testimony, and the questions of guilt and responsibility, shame and personal obligation loom large among German students who are the grandchildren of perpetrators. …