“MIRACLE RABBI.”

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 4009, 12 October 1929, Page 4

“MIRACLE RABBI.”

BUDAPEST POLICE ON TRAIL

FORMER MUSEUM FREAK.

A bogus rabbi .to whom for two weeks of pilgrims, (rich .and poor, f Jews and Christians, flocked, asking advice and implore “miracles” has been exposed in Budapest. He never was a rabbi. The crowds who flocked to see him found a man named Abraham Ovich, scarcely . three feet in' height, with a body scarcely able 'to support his bulky bead. His long hair and beajrd, reaching almost to his waist, made him look , like 'a. wise old man in spite of his 30 years. His caution was so great that to . almost all complaints he gave but one stereotyped answer: ’ “God will help you.”

So responsibility was shifted to the Deity. If someone asked whether he should emigrate, lie asked whether lie had a livelihood. If the reply was affirmative, he was advised to stay. Despite the unoriginality of his cotinsel, Ovich 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 Hambutrg. Later somebody bought him, to make a “miracle rabbi” of him. Ovich soon established himself and started work on a large scale. He deceived people with a few quotations from the Talmud, and lie was reputed to he almost 100 years old. „ After disappearing from Budapest he emerged in Vienna and Berlin. To culre souls he distributed Hebrew prayer hooks, and to those with bodily complaints hq* gave pills. When he returned to Budapest this season his fame had been universally established. Even an-ti-Semite politicians passed his threshold of the small house in one of -Budapest’s suburbs. People waited hours to be admitted to his consulting rooms. Police attention was also attracted to this. He became aware of the impending danger, and vanished with his whole retinue from Budapest. He told the New York Times correspondent he was going on a trip to Germany and. the United States, but omitted to say whether as a miracle rabbi .or a. freak.