14 Friday, January 21, 1977
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
A FEATURE SUPPLEMENT
s ponsored by
TARBUTH FOUNDATION
FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF HEBREW CULTU
in cooperation with
RE
THE AMERICAN JEWISH
PRESS ASSOCIATION
No. 24
Published by TARBUTH FOUNDATION, INC. 2 Penn Plaza (Suite 1980) , New York 10001- (212) 947-3745 • President: Dr. Abraham Goodman; Executive Vice President: Dr. Emil Lehman; Editor: Dr. Max Rothschild
HEBREW IN AMERICA
. The American Bicentennial "belongs now to the ages. - In the context of
its many-faceted commemoration, the role Hebrew played in the cultural
history of early America has also found its due recall, though primarily in
Jewish communal observances only. It was featured at meetings, in special
publications and in exhibits, such as in the major display at the New York
City Center by the Tarbuth Foundation, Which dedicated its bicentennial
review to the theme: - Cultural Pluralism — America's Gift to Jewish
History. - Here, as elsewhere, the devout cultivation by the Puritans of
Hebrew as the Holy language, came into proper relief: the Hebrew sym-
bols in the seals ofAmerica's first universities of Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth
and Columbia; the coin mencem-ent addresses in Hebrew at these citadels
of higher learning; and last but not least, the considerations at the Conti-
nental Congress for making Hebrew the national language of the country.
All these memorabilia, owing their origins to the high esteem of Hebrew
in the eves of American Christians, were rightfully noted and emphasized.
What, however, equally deserved recognition, but regrettably found less
attention at large, is the resurgence of Hebrew in American Jewish life and
creativity through the many efforts of individuals and organizations to give
Hebrew its place and vital function on the Jewish scene. and to make it a
pulsating reality in the personal lives of American Jews. Also the
emergence of an indigenous Hebrew literature, rooted in the American
ECHOES
IN PRINT
;
=
SHIR ZAHAV
Title-page of the first collec-
tion of Hebrew poems, with
translation into Yiddish, by
Jacob Zebi Sobel (1831-
1913).
*1,07111
-
•- -;
•
1
PIRCHE SHAARE ZION l•
- • • • - -
1.277172. 1,[17.
4
4
experience, has been barely touched upon in those various bicentennial
exercises, let alone given the appreciation it so well merits. It is for these
reasons that the evolvement of Hebrew in America shall be accorded here
its niche of remembrance and a modicum of valuation.
Our _portfolio of mementos in the columns below, represents only a
fascinating glimpse at some enchanting facets of the compact and continu-
ing Hebrew experience in America. And needless to say that Zionism, the
Jewish re-settleinent in Eretz Yisrael, and finally the creation ofthe State of
Israel have been determining factors for the Hebrew Renaissance on these
shores.
The First Hebrew
Home—
The First Hebrew
School
in America
Inspired by Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the great re-awakener of Hebrew as a
living language, Hirsch Sundel Neumann, an immigrant from Latvia, who
settled in Brooklyn, N.Y. in the early Nineties, set out not only to bring up
his children, Joshua and Emanuel, in Hebrew and to-speak to them in
Hebrew only — he also founded "Shaare Zion, - the first school in America
in which the Hebrew heritage was taught in Hebrew — Ivrith B'Ivrith!
Sundel Neumann became, indeed, - America's Ben Yehuda. -
First Hebrew-Speaking Family in America
7-zp
nr., •mnr,
)
rcsscr.z.
SHP...RE .ZION SCHOOL.
•• --••• -••, _•^ • •
HA-TSOFEH BE-ERETZ
HA-HADASHAH -
Facsimile of first page of
first Hebrew periodical in
America.
( New York, June 1871 )
7=7-
EMANUEL NEUMANN
S. H. NEUMAN.
Father:
Hirsch Sundel
Neumann
•
Hebrew "Textbook," written by pupils of "Shaare Zion"
school in Brook lyn and edited by Sundel H. Neumann.
Son — now elder statesman of Ameri-
can and World Zionism. as a youth with
Hebrew newspaper HaYom. — His
brotherJoshua is Professor Emeritus of
English, Brooklyn College.
Mother:
Danna Esterman
Neumann
From the Galaxy of American Hebrew Poets Dealing with American Themes:
INDIAN LEGENDS • BLACK FOLKLORE • THE AMERICAN LANDSCAPE • THE AMERICAN WOMAN •
EVENTS IN AMERICAN HISTORY
Benjamin Nahum Sil-
kiner (1882-1933), one of
the first and leading Hebrew
poet§in America, introduced
Indian themes into modern
Hebrew literature. (Mul Ohel
Timmorah: — "Opposite the
Tent of Timmorah - ).
),
Israel Efros (1890-
founder of Baltimore Hebrew
College. now living in Israel, is
author. among many other
poems, of "Vigvammim
Shotekim" — "Silent Wig-
warns" and of epic poems on
the Mormons and the
California Goldrush.
Eisig Silberschlag (1903- ).
former Dean of the Hebrew
Teachers College in Boston
and now professor at the Uni-
versity of Austin, Texas. is au-
thor. among other works. of
"Mi-Pi Kushim" — "Out of
the Mouth of the Blacks. -
Ephraim E. Lisitzky
(1885-1962). who served for
many years as a Hebrew
school principal in New Or-
leans. wrote poetry on
themes of Black and Indian
Folklore. ("Meduroth Do' -
Ak hot - — "Dying
Campfires" ).
Hillel Bavli (1893-1961).
Professor at the Jewish
Theological Seminary of
America. was one of the first
Hebrew poets to focus on
daily life in America ( - Mrs.
Wood'') and to translate the
works of Black writers.
),
Gabriel Preil (1911-
lives in New York. is an Hon-
orary Citizen of the City of
Haifa. and has made very
often scenes in New York.
New Hampshire and Ver-
mont, subjects of his poetry.
411--