Shawn Aleichem's Works Draw Laughter and Tears . ' / A> . . OAN 10INSINAMAI NMI MUK. MAIO Waif U.S. _ ...,- SAIL - 1 11 7 hi ,A3 il lel 4 %,7*1-' ' iti KO SOUIDON II/MIOWITZ 11109M i III59•I1E MOM ASA SUM in A wire YOuoZTO maven MU HIALICOLOS AX KA SITUATION. 1 . ,7. r rir ..„.., . ., , 04 MOM OF THE FELVMMSTS WO WM AMMO MOM WWI IMETIME,HILIT ONLY IN MS walkout Itt01411GRai WAS PRODUCED If MANCE SCHWARTZ , AND LMD THE FOUNDATION FOR THE JEWISH MT THEATRE ...Mill HARD TO BE A ieti' WOW OWED PAUL MUNI TO THE STARE . AL 01111111111111111ANSIII MAK MI /11/111811101110n0 21111K- UMLIA111$1111101 MEM. tit - N 1 2 1 1. 44--Friday, 'February 14, 1969 /1 latas.rxE mitxmtde, ONE OF 515 MOST SUCCESSFUL COMEDIES ttulltS MI Id ONO ► AMITOISTOY.TIlS WASIK Ora NOMA OF &ELMO SOWS MOO MOM WNL INE ON FOREVER— • a a t") CV 2 7E.3 %MOM PaCHEM DN0IM NEW YORK IS 1916,1111Ni ARE OF ST.AF111101/1116 8I• ROB YIDDISH LITERATURE MIN SOME FORTY VOLUMES OF SHORT STORIES, MOMS MD PLAYS. IR 1914,AfTER1NE OUTUDY OF MILNE ElAl- awn TO AMERICA NINED NE WPaTE A Ay- UuhR COWAN! FOR NE WARNED Cl N.Y. A Sholom Aleichem TV Travesty: Humorist's Major Realities Missing Israel Slaps Jordan for Inserting Petty Issue at the UN Sec urity Council There are, in Sholom Aleichem's There is cause for deep disap- pointment in "This Is Sholom Alei- writings, many episodes dealing chem" that was presented in a one- with children, yet there was no hour show as an "NBC Experi- evidence of it, and the children's stories, the manner in which young- ment in Television" on Feb. 7. Yiddishists have cause to com- sters were affected by the poverty plain that the Yiddish on that pro- and the misery of the Old World UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. — Jor- dan's request for a meeting of the Security Council to consider its complaint against an Israeli law concerning the registration of busi- gram was not Yiddish at all but a collection of banalities. Lovers of Sholom Aleichem must attest that the great humorist was not portrayed realistically. It was a farcical show. The selec- tions from the works of Sholom Aleichem were not made with a sense of introducing the represent- ative character of the Yiddish au- thor's creative efforts. There was emphasis on the ldoles—the curses —but the impressive elements were lacking. Much could have been made of the agonies and the pathos in Jew- ish life in the shtetl — but there wasn't even proper evidence of the shtetl in the TV show. at the relatively young age of 57, less than two years after his mi- gration to the United States." In the section of the book titled "From America" Leviant has included three stories, "Mr. Green Has a Job," "Otherwise, There's Nothing New" and "The Story of a Greenhorn." There is a satire, "The Little Redheaded J e w s." Kasrilevke character stories are "Boaz the Teacher," "Velvel Gambetta" and "Isser, the Shamesh." There are holiday tales—Elijah the Prophet," "The Esrog" and a language and literature which "The Guest." according to fin-de-siecle predic- tions was to have given up the ghost by the 1950s." Leviant's interesting biograph- ical resume of Sholom Alel- chem's life, the difficulties he encountered, his triumphs, add significantly to the new book as a study of Sholom Aleichem and some of his major works. With reference to Sholom Alei- chem's writings in America, when he settled here. Leviant writes: "In Part Two of the novel 'In America,' we see a subtle change in Sholom Aleichem's attitude to the New World. Where America had previously been approached strictly from a satiric and mock- ing viewpoint, here for the first time we see the humorist prevail- ing. This is perhaps an indication Of what Sholom Aleichem could have accomplished with his ex- perience in America had not tuberculosis cut short his career lP OO e - - 7 . / / flop.— — 7‘11111111 r M N N, . creativity in the Soviet Union, the total would undoubtedly be higher. (Russia's 3,000,000 Jews have only one organ of cultural expression, the Yiddish monthly Sovietish Heimland). Until the late 1940s, when Stalin initiated his infamous liquidation of Yiddish writers, cul- tural figures, and institutions, Yid- dish as an expression of national culture in the Soviet Union was flourishing. And now, in the land where Sholom Aleichem created most of his works, where modern Hebrew and modern Yiddish liter- ature was born, there is almost total silence. Despite the restric- tions, the few Yiddish novels re- cently published in the Soviet Union show a mastery of form and an excellent command of Yiddish as a living literary language. In sum, then, the combination of Yid- dish periodicals and books is a very respectable achievement for (2. M 1HE NA OF 17,, AS ATUlal OF MAK If WIS OLIO TO TOO OK I24131-0111 INS- IR OF A WIMILTIUMINNIREQ.111EY fat IN LOVE, ANS A FEW MPS LATER MOS LOIN M „. MU. ALEJOKM AMMER OIAA ........,____ ..,-,,,/, GREATES T TIC OISH WAKeST Of 001 TIME MOSE AUKS HAT SEM TRANSLATED INTO EWRY 1111- ROME IIKTUDING AMU Mt ESPERANTO, IS OFTEN 1141/RED TO AS THE 'JEWISH MAW TYLINC ... 0 SHOLOM ALE! HEM ,. . Sholom Aleichem was the great Inspirer of humor whose works gave courage to his readers and kept them linked with a mighty tradition. It was in the era when many millions of Jews spoke and read the great storyteller's narratives in Yiddish. The tales have taken hold. They are read widely in English trans- .. lations. They keep a generation of English reading Jews entranced in the stories about the Old World. Curt Leviant, who teaches He- braic studies at Rutgers Univer- sity, remains among the chief in- spirers for the retention of the Sholom Aleichem spirit in English literature. "Sholom Aleichem — Some Laughter, Some Tears" is the title of the newest volume of "Tales from the Old World and the New, Selected and Trans- lated by Curt Leviant," publish- ed by G: P. Puts m's Sons. It is a wise selection, combining satire, children's stories, holiday experiences, narratives about Kas- rilevke characters, stories the great humorist had written in America about American Jews. In his introductory essay, Le- viant expresses joy over Sholom Aleichem's impact upon American readers. At the same time he ex- • presses confidence in the survival of Yiddish and in the language's continuing strength, declaring that "with the proliferation of Yiddish literature in translation, Yiddish literature itself, contrary to Cas- sandran prognostications, is thriv- ing in many parts of the world." He lists the existing Yiddish dai- lies, weeklies and monthlies as proof of his contention. However, he makes these points: "Were it not for the suppression of Yiddish writers and Jewish rrorgo 11011.14.11 rad SOL NOM OF OUR TIM $ ,‘ :,\;-'' I I ' N ' : \ ''. ofki b'w , 4 - 0 Mmi 1 l e t- -,- -- P ..:. • - % Another Leviant Book With Many Translated Tales A romance, "Pages From the `Song of Songs': This Night," en- enhances the collection. Stories about Jewish children in- clude "The Dreydl," "Robbers!," "Esther," "Pity for Living Crea- tures," "A Lost Lag b'Omer" and "The Penknife." There is a monologue, "A Bit of Advice" and two railroad yarns, "It's a Lie!" and "The Tenth Man." Many of these delightful—and often deeply moving — stories will bring back recollections among those who have read them in their original and will be re- minders of their having been great favorites in literary circles. An expert in his field, excellent as a translator, a lover of Sholom Aleichem, Leviant's role in trans- lating these std ies elevates the new anthology of Sholom Aleichem to a high rank in narrative litera- ture. community, could have given char- acter to the production. Maurice S a mu el could have guided such a show: his "The World of Sholom Aleichem" still stands out among the best inter- pretations of the humorist and his works for the English reader. Isaac Bashevis Singer was a poor sub- stitute for Samuel on the TV show. What a pity that what could have been a great performance turned into a travesty. ---P.S. (Direct JTA Teletype Wire to The Jew ish News) complaint was lodged while "Jor- dan and other Arab governments are openly pursuing terror war- fare against Israel", while Iraqi Jews "are barbarically being ex- ecuted because they are Jews" and while Jews are still languish- ing in prisons and concentration camps in other Arab countries. "In these circumstances, and in particular when Ambassador (Gun- nar V.) Jarring is about to resume his peace mission, to seize the Se- curity Council with the technical- ities of registration of commercial enterprises in Jerusalem is the height of frivolity and irresponsi- ble malice," the statement said. The council was unable to meet nesses and licensed professionals in East Jerusalem was denounced by the Israeli mission to the United Nations Monday as an attempt to involve that body in irrelevant technicalities at a time when Mid- dle East peace hangs in the balance. A statement issued by a spokes- man for the mission accused Jor- dan of "a brazen attempt to in- crease tension and hamper once more efforts to find a solution to Monday because of the blizzard in the conflict" New York. It charged that the Jordanian Israel Safer Than Reports Indicate These successful mopping - up operations last year did two things: As a corollary to the publicity They put behind bars those who enjoyed recently by the El Fatah were engaged in or were planning in Western newspapers and maga- to carry out acts of sabotage and zines, people got the idea that Arab terrorism was something felt in everyday life in Israel. This is far from the truth. More than 80 per cent of all inci- dents occur within a distance of 1.5 mile of the border. Of those 80 per cent, about three quarters involve shooting from across the border. Of the less than 20 per cent of in- The Central Conference of Ameri- cidents that do occur outside the immediate vicinity of the border, can Rabbis has urged members of most happen in remote parts of the Jewish community to continue the West Bank or Sinai or on dirt their active participation in the roads in the countryside of the civil rights drive and not permit the anti-Semitism of militant Ne- Gaza Strip. By ELIAHU SALPETER (Copyright 1969, JIM, Inc.) Rabbis' Words: Fight Racism Avoid Splits Fortunately—but not by mere accident—incidents seldom occur inside Israel territory. When the terrorists do pull off an act of sabotage like the bombing of the Mahne Yebuda marketplace on a busy Friday morning, the echo in Israel and abroad obscures the rarity of terrorist success against civilian targets. In the 19 months since the Six- Day War, there were only three such cases: two in Jerusalem and one in Tel Aviv. Scores of lesser attempts were discovered and aborted. It is significant that most of the attempts were made in Jerusalem which is much closer to densely populated Arab areas than in Tel Aviv or Haifa. When they tried to drop home-made bombs in the Tel Aviv bus station, the ter- rorists were quickly apprehended and their capture led to the dis- covery of those responsible for similar attacks and attempts in THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Jerusalem. • • - murder; they convinced potential joiners and sympathizers of terror- ists that Israeli police and security services are too efficient for com- fort. This explains why terrorist activities center on the border areas. The local population is not willing to provide them with hiding places and supplies and therefore they plan actions which, hopeful- ly, will enable them to cross back to Jordan territory the same night. Nevertheless, b or der incur- sions can be a matter of life and death for the members of the Israeli patrols. It is a matter of tension and worry for mothers whose sons serve in units station. ed in border areas. It means also, many sleepless nights for officers who are in charge of protecting the border and pre- venting successful penetration by terrorists. But the average Israeli's daily life, unless he happens to live in one of the border settlements, is very little affected by the attempts of Arab terrorists. His car may be stopped once in a while for a police identity-check on the highway; and if he carries a suspicious-looking bag upon entering a movie thea- ter, an eagle-eyed civil-defense warden may politely ask him to open it. But otherwise the streets—and highways—of Israel and of the oc- cupied areas are safer today than ever in anybody's memory. Never during the British Mandate could a Jew travel at night without arms in most of Arab populated areas of Palestine. Very few would dare, even in 'quiet" times, to walk at night inZlablus or Hebron. Today, gros to cause a split between Negro and Jew in this country. In the annual message for Race Relations Sabbath, observed in con- junction with Lincoln's birthday, the CCAR sharply assailed all manifestations of racism, lawless- ness or violence "whether black or white." Referring to the current out- breaks of Negro anti-Semitism, the Reform rabbis voiced condemna- tion of "racism in any forms, whether the anti-Semitic ravings of white Nazis or black agitatiors. It is racism which is the most ter- rible idolatry of our times—the dis- placement of God by Race." The statement pleaded for "un- derstanding" by members of the Jewish community, "we must not allow ourselves to be divided, Jew against black. To condemn all Jews for the anti-black racism of some, is as wrong as to condemn all blacks for the anti-Semitic racism of some:" • - -this is taken-tor- granted. - — -