"MIRACLE RABBI"
FORMER MUSEUM FREAK
A bogus rabbi to whom for two weeks thousands of pilgrims, rich and poor, Jews and Christians, flocked to ask his advice and implore "miracles," has just been exposed in Budapest. It has been discovered that he never was a rabbi, but a freak from ' Barnum's in Hamburg. ■•;■-. ■ • .
Last summer it was reported in Budapest newspapers that a "miracle" working rabbi had arrived in the city Crowds who flocked to see' him found a name- named Abraham Ovich,. scarcely three feet in height, with a body scarcely able to ■ support- his- bulky head. His long hair and beard, reaching almost Ito his waist, made him look like a wise old man in spite'of his thirty years. His caution was so great that to almost all complaints he gave but one stereotvped'answer: "God. will help, you." ; "■ So responsibility was' shifted ■ to' the Deity. If. someone asked whether he should emigrate, be was asked whether he had a livelihood. If the reply was affirmative) he was advised to stay. Despite the unoriginality of his counsel, however, Ovieh was able to earn great sums and pay two secretaries and several servants. : • ' '.-.•..■ .
According to police records, a few years ago he was a freak at Barnum's in Hamburg. Later somebody bought him to make a. "miracle rabbi".of him. Ovici 'soon' esfcablished himself ..and started work on a .large scale... :He deieeiyed people with.- a few quotations [from the Talmndj and- he-was xeputed to be almost 100 years old. " After disappearing ■■• from Budapest he emerged1 in :Viehna and Berlin.- To. .cure souls he distributed; Hebrew pray-, 'er books, arid tb: those- with' bodily ■•complaints he'gave' pills. : When he returned to Budapest this season his fame had been, ajmost upiyersally eßtablishr cd.,..' Even'rahti-Semite" politician^ pass;ed tlio' threshold of ■ his. small house in one,, of Budapest's suburbs. .-..People' waited hours ;to be admitted to his consulting roomj ■■■.- : . ... ... '.. ■■-.
Police attention was■■• also attracted to him. Ho became aware of the impending danger, and vanished with his wholo-retinue from Budapest.. • Hotold tho ' -NcSv. York- "Times"'correspondent he wiis going on a trip to Germany and the TJiiited. States, but omitted to say whether as a mifaclo rabbi or a freak.-
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19291012.2.137.7
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 90, 12 October 1929, Page 20
Word Count
365"MIRACLE RABBI" Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 90, 12 October 1929, Page 20
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