Posts Tagged American Jewish History

A Woody Allen Thanksgiving

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Knowledge on November 22, 2011

thirteen.org

I want to thank PBS for airing the Woody Allen documentary on television this week. The documentary is three hours in length and part of PBS’ American Masters series. Often I find myself rambling at holiday meals. I stuff my face (my parents are by far the world’s best cooks), think of ways to lovingly tease my brother (I’ll never grow out of the habit), and ponder conversation topics that will solicit the most participation. I already know I’m going to use this Woody Allen documentary as cannon fodder come Thursday, so I’ll share a little with you all as practice.

The first night of the documentary focused a lot on how Woody Allen became the household name he is today. He talks about starting out as a writer, having no intentions of acting. He also had no intentions of being a comedian who performed before an audience. He wanted to be the guy behind the scenes. But people who met him recognized his tremendously entertaining delivery of jokes and lines. Woody was pushed to grow, and thus today we have Woody the writer, actor, director, producer, and personality.

Something else Woody talked about that really struck me was perspective. He explained that early in his career he simply wrote from the male perspective. Not until Hannah and Her Sisters did he really start exploring the female experience. His most recent film, Midnight in Paris, toyed with the idea of perception more than some of his other films. Not only did Woody explore female and male experience, but also simply (and simultaneously complexly) the individual experience with the universe, time, and self-exploration.

Not everyone at my turkey day table will want to talk about Woody Allen, but I’m hoping the topic will be more riveting than the annual conversation about my future.

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Shoah Foundation Institute Update

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Knowledge on November 16, 2011

Steven Spielberg created The Shoah Foundation in 1994 after he made Schindler’s List. The Foundation gathers and preserves interviews with Holocaust survivors. At this point, they have over 50,000 video interviews, in 32 languages, with survivors from 56 countries. Spielberg handed over the reins to the University of Southern California, but still sits on the board and makes major decisions. And this week a major decision was made.

The New York Times reported that the Shoah Foundation is now expanding to include testimonials from survivors of other genocides/mass slaughters from around the world. They have only just begun interviewing survivors from the Rwandan and Cambodian genocides, but are also planning to record accounts from Armenian survivors from the slaughter in Turkey.

The Times was careful to reassure readers that this expansion will not take away from the original purpose of The Shoah Foundation. Rather, the inclusion of other survivors will bolster their goal: to spread the message of ‘Never again’. By integrating testimonials of other survivors, they will reach new peoples and communities around the world.

For more information, check out the Times article, the official website for The Shoah Foundation, or USC’S Shoah Foundation channel on YouTube.

 

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Revisiting “The New Colossus”

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Innovation on November 3, 2011

digitalhistory.uh.edu

Nextbook Press just introduced a wonderful interactive version of Emma Lazarus’ “The New Colossus.” The tool provides background on allusions and does an excellent job of marrying technology to a sonnet written in 1883. When I clicked on “huddled masses,” a blip about Lazarus’ work with Russian immigrants appeared. It talked about Lazarus’ work at “the Hebrew Emigrant Aid Society at 105 East Broadway, where she helped train refugees and she also taught English.”

Reading about Lazarus’ devotion to Russian immigrants made me think about my day in school today. One of my students was asking about my background, particularly wondering from where in Europe my family came. He assumed England or Scotland (kind of amusing because I have no Anglo features), so when I told him Russia and the Ukraine, he was mildly shocked. He didn’t connect Russian ancestry to Jewish ancestry, but for me (and many others), the two go hand-in-hand.

My Bubie’s family hales from Kiev. Sometimes my Bubie shares stories her mother would tell her of the Old Country. During Passover last year, she shared a bunch of stories about continued practices in America. She focused a lot on her parents’ attempt to re-create daily life in Kiev here in Philadelphia. We talked for a long time, mostly her sharing and me commenting. Her stories and my rereading of  “The New Colossus” remind me a lot of JPS’ book 36 Letters. 36 Letters tells the story of one couple as they experience courtship and immigration. The book is amazingly detailed, yet familiar for readers with similar family histories.

As the country celebrates the Statue of Liberty’s 125th anniversary, spend time with not only “The New Colossus” and Joan Sohn’s 36 Letters, but also stories of your own family’s immigration to America.

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Happy Birthday, Oscar!

Posted by Rachel Broder in Jewish Knowledge on July 12, 2011

 Today would be Oscar Hammerstein II’s116th birthday.  Hammerstein was a staple in my house growing up, but only recently did I learn that he had some Jewish blood in him.  Though raised Episcopalian, his grandfather (Oscar Hammerstein I) was a German Jew.  Both of Hammerstein’s music partners were also of Jewish and German descent- Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers.  In celebration of Hammerstein and the bit of Jewish blood in him, I’m going to gush about him.

I loved Hammerstein’s lyrics before I had ever really heard his name.  The Sound of Music and Cinderella (different music from the Disney film, but same plot) were two of my very favorite movies as a child, both songbooks with lyrics written by Hammerstein.  “Do-Re-Mi” and “Edelweiss” were two of the first tunes I really learned to play on the piano in my previous life as a student of jazz piano.  His lyrics are elegant and impossibly beautiful, something I learned as I grew and began to push my way through various piano fake books.  Song after song, Hammerstein achieves something that most musicians can’t realistically even dream of: eternal life.  Kids still swoon to the music in The Sound of Music and adults to the scores of Show Boat, South Pacific, State Fair, Oklahoma!, etc.  Hammerstein also teamed up with the wonderful Jerome Kern (also Jewish), together creating some of my favorite music of all time.  Maybe I’m an old soul, or a pure sentimentalist like my man Hammerstein, but his music makes me melt and I’ll bet an ice cream cone that you can sing along to at least one of his tunes. 

So let us celebrate the Doylestown native’s birthday with a few of the most superb songs ever written.

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Baseball Season Has Arrived!

Posted by Rachel Broder in Link Roundup on March 31, 2011

It’s opening week for the MLB and I’m wearing my red sweater.  Each spring brings the beautiful promise of baseball season and I have to admit that I’m quite excited.  The Phillies have put together a dream team, and though Chase Utley is injured and the always daunting question of “can they actually pull this off” lingers, I am hopeful.  Now, Phillies fans are some of the most superstitious people you’ll ever meet, and my Zayde would be so unhappy with the following statement, but oh boy do I feel good about this season.

Do you have baseball fever?  Have you just washed all of your t-shirts for your team, cursed the guy traded in the off season and threw his shirt on the floor (this one’s for you Jayson Werth), and then started making plans for your viewing of the opening game?  Are you rehearsing your jeers for the first home game you attend this season?  If you’re me, it’s not until May 5th that I get to eat delicious Citizens Bank soft serve ice cream and blend into a sea of red to yell at Jayson Werth. 

If you’re itching for extra baseball this spring season, look no further:

Happy baseball season!  Go Phils!

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A Poetry Contest With A Powerful Subject

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Jewish Books, Jewish Innovation, Jewish Knowledge, Publishing on January 17, 2011

Are you a poet? A historian? A social activist? The Forward is holding a commemorative contest that you might be interested in. From now until February 14th, The Forward is accepting poems that reflect on the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire.

Nearly one hundred years ago, the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City caught fire. While the source of the blaze is still a topic for debate, the outcome was tragic from any viewpoint. With 146 people killed, the Triangle Factory disaster remains the deadliest industrial accident to occur in New York.

In the aftermath of the fire, a lot of questions were raised about the rights of American factory workers. After all, most of the victims of the fire died because their only exit had been locked to prevent people from leaving their posts early. Worse, the workers on the upper floors had no warning, as the building had no alarm system.

Morris Rosenfeld, known as the “poet laureate of the slum and the sweatshop,” wrote a poem to express the grief of the city. The Jewish Daily Forward published it, running it down the length of the paper’s front page. The press was key in initiating a lawsuit against the factory owners, which in turn pushed the nation to demand safety regulation in industry.

One century later, what difference has the Triangle Fire made? What was the tragedy’s legacy? Did it facilitate change, or did the country only react superficially?

The Forward is seeking original, unpublished poems reflecting on these questions. Entries can be in Yiddish or English, and must be submitted by February 14th, 2011 at 5 pm EST. Please see the above link for rules, terms, and conditions.

You can find out more about the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory here. For inspiration, here’s Morris Rosenfeld’s original poem. Spread the word, and best of luck to all who choose to submit their work!

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A Treasured Museum Opens Its Lovely New Doors

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Jewish Innovation, Jewish Knowledge on November 17, 2010

The day after Thanksgiving is usually spent either shopping or lolling about the house in a food coma (or both, if you’re extremely industrious), but if you’re in the Philadelphia area, this year you can do something a lot more worthwhile.

The Majestic New Building

The National Museum of American Jewish History opens its new building to the public on Friday, November 26th. The museum, which first opened in 1976 under Congregation Mikveh Israel (which, FYI, has been around since 1740 and is known as the “Synagogue of the American Revolution”) has been moved to a spectacular new building down the block at Fifth and Market Street. I’ve only seen it in person from the outside, but it’s an amazing piece of architecture. Best of all, it sits proud and visible, adding to the excitement of Independence Mall instead of hiding just around the corner. Jonathan D. Sarna, chief historian at the museum, explains what the new facility hopes to convey:

Some have expressed surprise that Jews took to Independence Mall to educate visitors about the meaning of freedom rather than about more traditional subjects, like the distinctiveness of Judaism, the horrors of the Holocaust and the perils of prejudice. But that is entirely the point: The NMAJH represents a sharp break from decades of focus on Jews as victims and outsiders. It argues, instead, that Jews have arrived in America and feel confident enough to take pride in what they have accomplished under freedom, and to share those lessons with others. Gone are the days when Jews leave Main Street to the gentiles and hide themselves on hard-to-find side streets. Today, taking full advantage of the freedom that the museum itself celebrates, they can look down onto Independence Mall and America’s most hallowed ground.

The opening gala was, by all accounts, a huge success. Jerry Seinfeld hosted the event, Bette Midler performed a stunning concert, and Barbara Streisand attended to check out her section of the “Only In America” hall, which honors 18 Jewish Americans from different fields as chosen by online voters. That’s the most exciting thing about the museum: It’s modern, it’s fun, and it’s extremely interactive. I started my experience with the museum almost a year ago when I voted for my favorite American Jews (Babs was among my picks, of course, along with Henrietta Szold, a founding member of JPS), and I can’t wait to continue the fun when I visit in person.

Tickets are available starting this Friday. Order ahead if you want to visit on the opening weekend! Hope to see you there.

For more info, check out this collection of articles from The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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We Received a Blogger Award!

Posted by admin in Jewish Knowledge, JPS History on July 28, 2010

The JPS blog just received a Beautiful Blogger Award from our friends and co-authors of JPS title Dictionary of Jewish Words: A JPS Guide, Joyce Eisenberg and Ellen Scolnic, who blog at Schmoozing with the Word Mavens.

To claim our reward, we have to share 7 little known facts about JPS and pass the award on to 7 other blogs.

Things you might not know about The Jewish Publication Society:

  1. On July 28, 1893 (exactly 117 years ago today), the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent announced that Henrietta Szold would be moving to Philadelphia from her home in Baltimore to serve as the secretary and first paid employee of JPS. Although she worked under the title and salary of secretary, she served as translator, indexer, fact checker, proofreader, statistician, administrator, and editor, overseeing the publication of 87 books during her tenure. Prior to working for JPS, Szold was elected as the only female member of its publication committee when JPS was founded in 1888.
  2. The first Jewish Publication Society was initially founded in 1845 in Philadelphia, but was dissolved 6 years later after a fire destroyed the building and the entire JPS stock. The American Jewish Publication Society was then established in 1871, but folded only a few years later as a result of an economic downturn and organizational neglect.
  3. The organization was originally called The Jewish Publication Society of America, but later dropped “of America” in 1986.
  4. In the early years, JPS brand tag line was “Israel’s Mission is Peace,” which was written on the organization’s original seal (right). The seal depicted a scene from the book of Isaiah and was only used until 1906.
  5. The extensive index for the original edition of Legends of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg was written on 70,000 index cards. Henrietta Szold fell in love with Ginzberg while working with him on the book. On a trip to Europe, he returned engaged to a younger woman, named Adele Katzenstein, which devastated Szold.
  6. In the beginning stages of World War II, JPS rushed into print Cold Pogrom (1939) to bring greater attention to the plight of European Jewry. In 1941, at the request of the U.S. government, the Society undertook a secret mission by printing in Greek, Russian, Serbian, Croatian, and Rumanian pamphlets that were dropped from planes behind the enemy lines.
  7. The very first JPS book was Outlines of Jewish History, by Lady Katie Magnus, though JPS’s best selling book of all time is the JPS Tanakh, which was first published in 1917 and later updated in 1985.

And here are our choices for blogs to receive the beautiful blogger award:

  1. The Book of Life: A podcast & blog about Jewish books, music, film & web
  2. Jewish Book Council Blog: A blog about trends in the Jewish literary scene, interesting new titles, etc. It also features a bi-weekly author blog series with guest posts by emerging authors.
  3. People of the Books: A blog by the Association of Jewish Libraries dedicated to Jewish book news and reviews as well as information about AJL’s projects
  4. Mixed Multitudes – My Jewish Learning: A blog by My Jewish Learning that explores current events and issues related to Judaism.
  5. The Scroll – Tablet Magazine: Tablet Magazine’s daily blog covering Jewish news around the world.
  6. Jewish Treats: The National Jewish Outreach Program’s blog that offers daily “Juicy Bits of Judaism” including bite-sized facts, actions and prayers that are easy to digest and are a great way to make a daily connection to Judaism in two minutes or less.
  7. Jewish Literary Review: A blog about Jewish books, Jewish novels, Jewish writing, news about books and the occasional author interview.

-Jill Finkelstein

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Jewish Delis: The History of the Nosh

Posted by Rachel Feltman in Jewish Books on June 22, 2010

Have you ever wondered how Delis became such a huge aspect of Jewish American culture? Today, I got the opportunity to flip through Sheryll Bellman’s America’s Great Delis: Recipes and Traditions from Coast to Coast. Bellman explains that the first delis were opened by German immigrants in New York. With buildings hard to come by, most cooks sold their wares in pushcarts. In the early 1900’s, a Jewish population in the city increased so rapidly that they were the largest immigrant group there by 1910. Naturally, Ashkenazim food began to dominate the pushcarts of New York. Soon the Deli business moved inside, and by then traditional European Jewish foods had become synonymous with Delicatessen.

While reading, besides finding out that I might be hot dog royalty (Charles Feltman, a German immigrant, opened the first American hot dog stand 1867), I also learned all about the origins of some of America’s favorite deli foods. Here are some fun facts:

  • Bagels originated in Krakow, Poland circa 1610. They were called beygls, and were originally given as gifts to women after childbirth.
  • Cheesecake was served to Olympic athletes in Greece as early as 776 B.C.E.
  • Most jarred pickles you can find at the grocery store are pickled rapidly using heat instead of long soaks in brine. To get the texture and taste of a genuine pickle, make sure you go to a deli that makes their own. My personal favorite, the half sour dill pickle, is pickled for two weeks. A real full sour takes three months.
  • Seltzer, adopted quickly as a classic deli drink because it complimented the rich food, was once known as Jewish champagne.
  • If they’re made of milk, chocolate syrup, and seltzer, why are they called Egg Creams? Some think it was a witty way of describing the beverage as being rich, since when it was invented (1890) no one could possibly afford to use eggs and cream in a beverage.
  • Jewish macaroons were probably adapted from a recipe created by Italian nuns, while biscotti were most likely inspired by Mandelbrot that Spanish Jews brought to Italy. It’s a small world!

For more facts and a ton of great recipes, check out the book at Bellman’s website: http://sheryllbellman.com

Of course, anyone can see that there just aren’t as many Delis as there used to be, especially outside of New York! Find out how to fight the fast food takeover at http://www.savethedeli.com.

It doesn’t matter where you’re from: Nothing beats an old-fashioned Jewish Deli. Yum!

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Our Name in Lights

Posted by admin in JPS History on June 21, 2010

JPS topped off the PECO Crown Lights on Father’s Day weekend in the City of Brotherly Love to celebrate our 122nd anniversary. Thanks, Philadelphia! Here’s to many more years together.

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