80 Friday, March 21, 1980 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS A Veritable Treasure for Art Lovers `Chagall by Chagall' Depicts Artist's Genius And I, whom shall I kiss? "Chagall by Chagall" is a very big book. It is a master- I have to find someone. All the same, I can't kiss an old ful addition to the vast collection of art books published by woman, a bearded man. Harry N. Abrams Inc. I'm looking for some beauty or other. The mere fact that it is "Chagall by "Chagall by Chagall" was edited by Charles Sorlier. Chagall" gives em- He has chosen the passages that best describe the artist, as phasis to the fact the artist himself has defined his work and recalled impor- that one of the most tant incidents in his life. distinguished ar- Chagall was born in Vitebsk, Russia, and the shtetl tists of the genera- background is evident in many of his works. tions tells his own Masterfully depicted in the Sorlier-edited book are the story. And the fas- two eras, which are the five themes in the life and work of cinating tale is im- Chagall. The first, of course, is Vitebsk, the shtetl, the plemented by nearly native city, the people, the life that was inspired under the 250 of the artist's Jewish religious environment. The sad and narrow streets creative efforts, in- of Vitebsk, its synagogue, inspired Chagall to state: cluding 77 color "My sad and joyous town! When I was little, I watched pages. you from my doorstep. Here I was born for the second time." This is not only The Paris of the avant-garde is the second scene of the self-portrait of Chagall's artistic maturation, about which the artist said: Marc Chagall. It is In Russia my pictures were without light. Arriving in an evaluative work France, I was struck by the iridescence of color, the play of of the 93-year-old light. We came to Paris as though driven by fate." artist who also is a This becomes a serious theme, with excellently poet of merit. descriptive reflections about France and the Parisian This immense Abrams book con- atmosphere. Love, the theater and the message of the Bible are the tains a score of Chagall's poems other three themes. Chagall states about the Bible and the which he had writ- influence it has upon him and his work: For me, painting the Bible is like a bouquet of flowers. ten in French. There MARC CHAGALL is also a poem by The Bible for me is absolutely pure poetry." Chagall in English, The Wedding," which follows: The Chagall writings are translated in this volume by John Shepley. I like the musicians at weddings, the sounds of their polkas and waltzes. I hurry there too and weep beside Mama Chagall's "The Funeral" I like to weep a little when the badchan, chanting in his high voice cries out: "Bride-to-be, bride-to-be, think a little of what awaits you!" What awaits you? At these words, my head gently detaches itself from my body and weeps somewhere near the kitchens where they are preparing fish. Stop crying. Enough already. People blow their noses and up go whirling clouds of confetti, little bits of paper of different colors. Congratulations! Good luck! Grandfathers and grandmothers, young girls and your men, beggars and musicians, we all stamp our feet, clap, and join hands. We kiss, we sing, we dance, we go round in a circle. "Congratulations!" Remarkable about the excellently edited "Chagall by Chagall" is the extensive bibliography of four solid pages, containing hundreds of references to the creative Chagall career. Then there is the 24-page chronology, detailing the nine decades in the life of the great artist. These factors combine to make "Chagall by Chagall" a truly great book. —P.S. These figurines are from the scores of black- and-white pen drawings by Chagall reproduced in "Chagall by Chagall." .Le Primer Enriches UAHC Hebrew Program Enhanced with an im- ter Bet was chosen to be pressive volume issued to the first letter in the Bi- assist those desiring to be- ble, Alef felt hurt at being come knowledgeable in its left out. In the Midrash, Hebrew learning program, Alef came before God the Union of American He- and said: 'Why did you brew Congregations has choose the second letter published an unusually to be the first letter in the serviceable book. "Alef-Bet Torah?' And God replied: "Bet stands for Bayit, the — a Hebrew Primer." This noteworthy book is word for home, shelter to based on the Hebrew al- the family, protection. I phabet and it contains de- want the people of Israel to finitive explanations, in- know that the Torah will cluding appropriate para- give them shelter, that only when they learn the Torah bles. For the study of Hebrew and understand what is and a knowledge of tradi- right and what is wrong will tions relating to the lan- they know how to get along guage, one of the most fas- in the world. " `Alef stood with its head cinating stories relates to the priority given in Jewish down, ashamed of having tradition. This parable asked to be first. Then God therefore is of immense said to Alef: I will make you value in approaching the the first letter in the Ten Alef-Bet and acquiring a Commandments: I am the Lord thy God." knowledge of Hebrew: * * "When the Hebrew let- Basic Word List in 'My Dictionary' JERUSALEM — Follow- ing the great success of the colored alef-bet poster "Learn Hebrew, Tongue of the Prophets, Language of Today" (The Jewish News, June 29, 1979, Page 1) comes "My Dictionary," a Hebrew-English 500 basic word list using the same let- ters as in the poster. The dictionary is the first to have been compiled from different available fre- quency lists (word-counts of spoken and written He- brew). Each page traces the aleph-bet from ancient He- brew to our day, features the standard vocabulary of the particular letter, gives a list of words associated with Jewish tradition and con- cludes with a saying from the sages starting with the letter in question. "Learn Hebrew" has a spiral binding to permit frequent usage. It pro- vides a new Hebrew learning-aid for all be- ginners, both young and adults. The book is published by Rolnik Publishers — Some- thing Different, POB 17075, Tel Aviv, and the Hebrew Language Division cf World Zionist Organiza- Department for Education and Culture inthe Diasr—va, POB 92, Jerusalem. is a charge.