DETAttifivi4 NE s
odietheilk 102.
'Jew in Contemporary Drama' Views the Jew in Theater
By LEA D. FIELD
the 12th Century to the pre-
Dr. Ellen Schiff has writ- sent.
Divided into eight chap-
ten a most comprehensive
and detailed study of the ters, each one an historical
Jew in Contemporary and dramatic analysis of the
Drama. In her book, "From progress of the Jew on the
Stereotype to Metaphor," dramatic stage, the author
just published by State invites the reader to travel
University of New York with her through the pages
Press, she recounts the his- of the book in a most orderly
tory of the stage Jew from and informative fashion.
Thtre is a complete sec-
tion containing notes and a
* HAPPY HANUKA
bibliography so that the
book at once becomes a fine
FOR
♦
for the student of
YOUR • reference
♦
the theater interested in
"What is a Jew" on stage
and how a theater audience
views the Jew on stage.
While Dr. Schiff seeks
CADILLAC
♦
to emphasize the changes
the character of the Jew
SEE ME
♦
underwent since World
War I, she feels it essen-
tial to understand the his-
torical background of the
Sales & Leasing
♦
Jew in the hands of the
playwrights of the times.
♦ at AUDETTE CADILLAC • In his speech, "Hath not a
♦ 7100 Orchard Lake Rd.. Jew eyes, hands, senses,
feelings and passions,"
Ao at Northwestern,
Shylock means to argue the
West Bloomfield
♦
similarities between Chris-
tians and Jews. However,
♦ (313) 851-7200
from Shakespeare, Milton
and Racine, the Jew on
stage in ancient drama was
• PERSONALIZED SERVICE
regularly portrayed as the
mystic, the greedy, the ag-
GUARANTEED
♦
gressive and undesirable, or
conversely as the simple foil
♦
♦ 1983 :
♦
♦TIM AUDETTE ♦
♦
+******4
THE GIFT
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HANUkA
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0
TREES
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HONORING
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CANDLES GIVE LIGHT . . . TREES GIVE LIFE .. .
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p.
ewish
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Fund
J
27308 Southfield Rd.
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legend, mysticism and is to be commended foi.- the
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realism. More recently scope of her research and for
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there is Paddy Chayefsky's giving us this very first
23077 Greenfield at 9 Mile
"The Tenth Man' s with its comprehensive insight of
(313) 557-1860
the Jew in modern theater.
affirmation of faith.
Citing Actors Maurice
Schwartz, Ben-Ami,
Jacob Adler and playw-
rights like Gordin,
Sholem Asch, Peretz and
Pinski, Dr. Schiff writes,
3 weeks
"The Yiddish stage has
delivery
made a distinguished
contribition to the crea-
S
tive revolution that
began to energize the
theater. It nourished and
projected new images of
LEA FIELD •
Jews."
to provoke laughter. He was
I was particularly im-
Patch
the stiff-necked enemy of pressed with this chapter
Christ.
and these comments since
Include
But as the political events we are this year celebrating
your Name
of the world changed, the the 100th anniversary of
& Address
character of the stage Jew the Yiddish stage in
changed too. The Holocaust America.
-(Di982 by Ethni-Genes
and the creation of the state
The author probes the
of Israel have had a pro- prominence of Jewish char- ■ 1111111111 ■■
found effect upon the acters in drama since World
playwright's conception of War II. She investigates the
the Jew in the theater. They progress of the Jew from
Mr. and Mrs. Arnold Carmen
realized that their depiction stereotype of moneyman
of the Jew was not only of- and villain or patriarchal
request the honor of
fensive but inaccurate. The biblical character to our
Jew was still considered the present 20th Century where
moneyman but not the vil- a Jew can play any part. It is
your presence at a reception
because • the Jew on stage
lain as in former days.
Now they sought to-show parallels the Jew in life.
Through the centuries he
the Jew's sense of compas-
on behalf of the
sion, his sympathy with the has been able to adapt him-
downtrodden — in short, a self to the climate in which
Yeshiva and Mesivta Torah Vodath
the play was cast. He has
"mensch."
Biblical dramas of the had the attribute to survive,
past have also become more to laugh at his misfortunes,
lip-to-date. God has become to grasp at a "straw," to pull
more approachable in the himself up from despair to
20th Century'-:and the- hope, from villain to victim
author cites "Job" in Mac- to hero to every man.
at their home
In her conclusion, the
Leish's "J.B." and Clifford
Odets' character of "Noah" author observes, "For
15927 Hilton, Southfield, Mich.
in "The/Flowering Peach." some eight centuries,
Also consider Sholem dramatic literature
Aleichein's ",Tevye" in preserved the Jew in
Chairman Marvin W. Berlin
stereotype. With the ad-
"Fiddler on the Roof."
In the author's chapter vent of the modern thea-
on the "New Jew," she ter, at the end of the last
Guest Speaker
again takes up her under- century, the thaw set in.
lying theme of the book Today, the Jew in the
as stated in her preface, theater can play any role
"Who is a Jew" and intended for a human be-
The son of the late Rosh Yeshiva
"What is a Jew" on stage: ing."
This is a most interesting
A character says he is
Rabbi Gedalya Schorr Z.L.
Jewish and those around study of "Who is a Jew" and
him acknowledge the "What is a Jew" in dramatic
from New York
literature. Dr. Ellen Schiff
fact.
The history of the Jew
from medieval times
through European and the
Zionist periods to the
Holocaust and creation of
the state of Israel have be-
come the themes of many
plays and thus a reader be-
comes also familiar with
theater as history.
The author's chapter on
the "Jew in a Jewish World"
commands special atten-
tion. It is the story of the
Yiddish theater in America
and it is a gem. Here she
writes, "Since the Yiddish
theater draws its subjects
from an old, rich heritage, it
•is hardly surprising that it
has furnished stories and
themes to challenge the im-
agination of modern
dramatists."
•
Southfield Civic Center
"The Dybbuk" by Anski is
fully discussed for its
Parks and Rec. Bldg.
Put your xxGENES"
ON YOUR Jeansl
seo
Mon., Dec. 21th, 1982
8 P.M.
Rabbi Yetzchok Meier Schorr
COURTESY OF THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES' OF AMERICA
"The Jewish Idea'
RABBI MEIR KAHANE
"Jewish Destiny in the
20th Century"
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 8:00 P.M.
Room #115
Campus Support
WASHINGTON — The
National Hillel Student
Secretariat has begun a
nationwide campaign to
link American college stu-
dents in support of Israel.
Admission:
$2 Adults
$1 Senior Citizens
and Students
9