Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 8 PM at Museum at Eldridge Street

Got great stories about looking for the one on-line? The Museum at Eldridge Street is hosting a story slam on searching for love on the internet. Participants can bring friends and share their best, bad dating stories and triumphs at this Moth-inspired story slam. Prizes will be awarded for most outrageous stories. Beer and wine will be served. After the story slam, the Joshua Kwassman quartet will play jazz music. The Museum at Eldridge Street, located in the 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue, provides a magnificent venue to bring your partner and friends.

Writer and actress Rachel Evans, who recently performed Jew Wish, a one-woman show on on-line dating experiences, will moderate the event.

Tickets for Love in the Time of Internet: Story Slam are $10. Half-price admission ($5) for the Museum’s Facebook friends.

WHEN: Thursday, February 9 at 8:00 pm

WHERE: Museum at Eldridge Street, based in the 1887 Eldridge Street Synagogue

12 Eldridge Street, between Canal and Division Streets.

By subway: F to East Broadway; B or D to Grand Street.

Don’t forget to buy your tickets at:

http://loveinthetimeofinternet.eventbrite.com/

There’s always one surefire way to know that the Museum at Eldridge Street is gearing up for a big party – a fridge full of challah!

Join us this Sunday at 1pm for our Tu B’Shevat festival – where we’ll turn these big lumps of dough into delicious challah bread! While you’re at it, enjoy olive tasting, beer tasting and instrument making for the little ones. See you Sunday!

Rabbi Abraham Aaron Yudelovitch

“A kindly-looking, gray-haired, white-whiskered old gentleman,” Abraham Aaron Yudelovitch was a famous Talmudic scholar and a preacher that served as a rabbi at the Eldridge Street Synagogue.[1] Professor Kimmy Caplan, a noted Jewish historian in Jerusalem, has called him “the most fascinating, brilliant and controversial rabbi of the 20^th century.”[2]

Born in Novardok, Russia in 1850, Yudelovitch was recognized as a child prodigy. After studying under the tutelage of his uncle, he attended the Volozhiner Yeshiva. In 1871, at the age of 21, he published his first sefer,[3] entitled Olim Lemivehon (Page Proofs). This was a compilation of halachic responsa and sermons. He served twenty-six years in Russia and ten years in England. Rav Tzvi Hirsch Orliansky, the Maggid of Skidell, described Yudelovitch’s memorable preaching style:

In 1878, when I was learning in Sokolka, I heard a lot about the Rov of Kuzhnetza-that he is a Torah giant who studied constantly and over and above that, is a wonderful preacher whose mouth produces pearls of wisdom.  Erev Shabbos Chazon the word got out that Rav Avrohom Aharon, the Rov of Kuzhnetza, was coming to Sokolka for Shabbos, and the gabba’im of the New Beis Hamidrash (where all the finest scholars and the wealthy men davened)[4] invited him to preach there. By 3 p.m. on Shabbos the new Beis Hamidrash was full, with people standing crowded, waiting for the darshan to begin. (…) His powerful voice and the tune through which he poured out his soul, as well as his lofty ideas and extraordinary explanations of the verses of Eichah-I will never forget as long as I live.[5]

While in Manchester, England, Yudelovitch criticized the plan to establish Uganda as a safe haven for Jews though he was an ardent advocate of Zionism.[6] He came to the US around 1908 to serve American Jewry and filled rabbinical charges in Boston, New Haven, Bayonne and New York.[7] He served as the rabbi of the Eldridge Street Synagogue from 1918 until his death.

During this time, in 1925, Rabbi Yudelovitch traveled to Washington together with Rav Velvel Margolis to thank President Calvin Coolidge for his “Omaha Tolerance Speech” in which he pointed out the importance of providing youth with a religious education. Additionally, the rabbi asked the president to ease immigration restriction.

In 1926, the rabbi stirred controversy yet again when he published a responsum permitting a widowed woman whose brother-in-law was obliged to perform levirate marriage to appoint an agent in her behalf to offer chalitzah[8] in Russia.[9] This issue of the agunah continues to have much relevance today in traditional communities, and has led to renewed interest in the writings of Rabbi Yudelovitch.

Yudelovitch had five children, four sons, and a daughter.[10] He died on February 3, 1930 in the home of his son in Bayonne, NJ and was buried in the Bayside Cemetery, Brooklyn. Thousand of mourners chocked Eldridge Street to attend his funeral. His great grandson, Barry Yood, has become a docent at the Eldridge Street Synagogue where he symbolizes a living link to the history of the synagogue and the Lower East Side.

Works Cited:

Berger, Moshe Z. “Rabbi Avrohom Aharon Yudelovich,” Jewish Press, August 1997.

“Rabbi Yoodelovitch Dies at Age of 82.” The New York Times, Monday, February 3, 1930.

“Self Rule By Jews-Hope of Chief Rabbi.” New York American, March 27, 1919.

Sherman, Moshe D. “Yudelovitz, Abraham Aaron.” In Orthodox Judaism in America: Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook. Westport, Connecticut, London: Greenwood Press, 221.

Yood, Barry. “Zayde’s Shul Revisited.” Congregation Or Zarua, November/December 2008, 8.

[2] Barry Yood, “Zayde’s Shul Revisited,” Congregation Or Zarua, November/December 2008, 8.

[3] Sefer refers to books of rabbinic literature.

[4] “Davene” means “to pray.”

[5] Moshe Z. Berger, “Rabbi Avrohom Aharon Yudelovich,” Jewish Press, August 1997.

[6] Moshe D. Sherman, “Yudelovitz, Abraham Aaron,” in Orthodox Judaism in America: Biographical Dictionary and Sourcebook (Westport, Connecticut, London: Greenwood Press), 221.

[7] “Rabbi Yoodelovitch Dies at Age of 82,” The New York Times, Monday, February 3, 1930.

[8] According to Jewish law, if a man dies childless, his oldest brother is commanded to marry his wife. However, if they do not want to marry they must perform the ceremony of chalitzah (“taking off the shoe”) by which the widow becomes free to marry anyone she chose.

[9] Sherman, 222.

[10] Berger.

Jolson plays Jack Robin, whose mother is entranced by his performances, while his father disapproves.

If you haven’t seen the The Jazz Singer, the 1927 film starring Al Jolson, you really “ain’t heard nothin’ yet.”  With those words, Jolson ushered in a new era in popular culture – the “talkie.”  The film, which will be shown at the Museum at Eldridge Street on Sunday, December 4 is a treat!

The Jazz Singer is based on a story by Samson Raphaelson, a Lower East Side native, who saw Al Jolson perform in 1917 and was mesmerized:  “I shall never forget the first five minutes of Jolson—his velocity, the amazing fluidity with which he shifted from a tremendous absorption in his audience to a tremendous absorption in his song,” he recalled, explaining that he has seen emotional intensity like Jolson’s only in synagogue cantors.

Al Jolson takes on the role of Cantor in The Jazz Singer.

When Warner Brothers acquired the movie rights to The Jazz Singer, the studio decided that the film would be the first feature-length showcase for its new Vitaphone technology, which enabled sound sequences to be interspersed with silent footage.  With singing now a part of the production, Al Jolson, then phenomenally popular, was a natural choice for the lead.

In its day, The Jazz Singer was a sensation!  To a modern viewer, the shift between silent film and “talkie” is fun to watch.  What is strange, what makes us uncomfortable, though, is the fact that Jolson performs at times in blackface, something that hasn’t been tolerated for many decades, even if it was common and popular in its day.  Today, even in an 84-year-old movie like The Jazz Singer, blackface will make most viewers squirm, and it leads to a rather automatic assumption that blackface is a racist act.  But Jolson was no racist, far from it.

At a time when blacks were not seen on the Broadway, Jolson promoted a play by Garland Anderson, which became the first Broadway production with an all-black cast.  He insisted on equal treatment for Cab Calloway, with whom he performed in The Singing Kid.  Jolson and his wife Ruby Keeler were the rare entertainers who invited black singers and dancers their home, and when he died, black actors turned out in force for Jolson’s funeral.  According to the St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture, “Almost single-handedly, Jolson helped to introduce African-American innovations like jazz, ragtime, and the blues to white audiences…[and] paved the way for African-American performers like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Fats Waller, and Ethel Waters.”  Clearly, Jolson felt a kinship with African-Americans

So come to the Museum on December 4^th and see and for yourself.  See Jolson, who was himself the son of a rabbi and cantor who became the most popular star on Broadway, truly the Elvis of his day.  See him sing, shimmy and shake, and see something that only could have happened when and where it did – in the 1920s, on the Lower East Side of New York.

Sunday, November 13^th, we celebrated the 125th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of New York City’s Eldridge Street Synagogue and paid tribute to the Eastern European immigrants who settled on the Lower East Side. Our event was modeled on cornerstone celebrations of a century ago and blended historical and contemporary culture.

Frank London’s All Star Klezmer Brass Band

The celebration kicked off with a performance by Frank London’s All Star Klezmer Brass Band. New York’s Senator Chuck Schumer took center stage and just like the government officials present at the original ceremony, hailed America as the land of opportunity where immigrant communities can flourish.

Senator Chuck Schumer

The event featured remarks by Rabbi Joseph Telushkin, museum leaders, and descendants of the original congregation. Our program also included performances by vocalist Jeremiah Lockwood, and the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. Cornerstone ceremonies often involved creating a time capsule to leave for future generations. In keeping with the tradition, our guests shared their reflections on the past and hopes for the future on a scroll that will be stored and opened again in years from now. 

One of Our Guests Leaving a Message for the Time Capsule

The cornerstone ceremony was followed by an open house where our invitees learned about the history of the landmark and its meticulous restoration. Thank you to everyone who joined us! Visit us again soon!

Thaksgiving postcard, 1908

As we head into the Thanksgiving holiday, our program director and food maven Hanna Griff-Sleven remembers the tastes of her family celebrations.

When my mother was a child, and her family was newly arrived in Portland, Maine from Lithuainia, they didn’t understand Thanksgiving at first.  After my mother, uncle and aunt begged and begged my bubbe, she and my zaide finally understood it was an American holiday, not a Christian one and allowed Thanksgiving.  On the menu for the first few Thanksgivings for the Simansky family were hotdogs, requested by my mother and her siblings because they never got to eat them and it seemed special!  After a while, the dinners became more traditional and I have many fond memories of spending Thanksgiving with my grandparents in Maine and eating turkey and stuffing and all the American trimmings.

Here is a recipe for mashed potato stuffing (Maine is the potato state):

• 8 large potatoes
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup shmaltz (chicken fat), melted
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• small onion grated

Cut the potatoes up and place in boiling salted water.  When done, mash, adding chicken fat, onion and seasonings.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well each time.  Potatoes will be light and fluffy.  Stuff the turkey with this mixture or serve it on the side.

To render chicken fat

Cut up fat from chicken into small pieces.  Place in saucepan with cut up onion.  Fry until onion browns. Then strain liquid from the fat and cool.  Since chickens come with little fat these days, ask your butcher.

And of course there was a sweet potato dish:

Sweet Potatoes Royal

• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 lbs. sweet potatoes, boiled until tender and peeled
• 1/4 cup melted fat or margarine
• 1/2 cup sliced, blanched almonds

 Wash the apricots and soak in 2 cups of water for 2 hours.  The bring the apricots in water to a boil and cook over low heat for 20 minutes or until tender.  Stir in the sugar.  Slice the cooked and peeled sweet potatoes 1/2 inch thick.  Alternate layers of the potatoes with the undrained apricots in a casserole dish.  Pour the fat or margarine over the top.  Bake in 375 degree oven for 35 minutes, basting twice.  Sprinkle with the almonds and bake 10 minutes longer.

On Sunday, November 13 at 1pm, the Museum at Eldridge Street will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the laying of the Eldridge Street Synagogue’s cornerstone. One of our interns provides some historical context.

On Sunday morning, November 14, 1886, a community of Jewish immigrants gathered on the Lower East Side to lay the cornerstone for a new house of worship. Less than a year later, on September 4 1887, the Eldridge Street Synagogue opened its doors. It served as a spiritual haven for the growing numbers of Eastern Europeans who were searching for a space in their new adopted home, New York City, where they could study and pray according to the customs of the Old World.

The laying of the cornerstone was a lavish festivity and congregations spared no expense in their efforts to shape a religious fellowship.[1] It also reflected the integrationist efforts of the immigrants. The foundation rites merged Jewish, Christian and American customs to assert the institution’s devotion to the neighborhood, city, and nation and the immigrants’ commitments to strengthen American values.

The event served as a platform to celebrate the congregation and the Jewish community in New York City, but it also served to address the American public. The laudatory media coverage of these events represented the recognition that the congregation longed for.

The list of invitees included local and uptown officials: politicians, sheriffs, judges, and educators, both Christian and Jewish. Rabbi Henry Pereira Mendes from the congregation Shearith Israel, Rabbi Yitskhok Margolies from the downtown Pike Street Synagogue, Sender Jarmulowsky, the congregation’s president, and Nathan Hutkoff, the congregation’s treasurer took center stage at the cornerstone ceremony for the Eldridge Street Synagogue.[2] The congregation’s leaders addressed the crowds in English and German while they hailed America as the land of freedom where the Jewish community could flourish.

According to historian Arthur A. Goren, the ritual often included depositing a time capsule in the niche hollowed out in the lower half of the stone. Though there is no indication that this is the case at Eldridge Street, if you were to take a glimpse into one of those containers, you might expect to discover: “a history of the United States, the history of the congregation, the constitution of the United States and the constitution of the congregation, lists of the names of the trustees, the building committee, members, the program of the ceremony, coins, (…) from one cent to five dollars, and copies of the daily papers and the Jewish weeklies.”[3] The array of items reflected both the American patriotism and the Jewish particularities of the congregation. More traditional synagogues preferred to emphasize the ethno-religious elements of the congregation. For instance, Goren claims that besides the lists of national and congregational leaders, and a history of the synagogue, the capsule used at the cornerstone ceremony for the Shearith Israel congregation in New York contained mainly Jewish artifacts: “a Hebrew prayer book and the bible, a marriage contract, phylacteries, mezuzah, vials with holy earth from Jerusalem, stone from the western wall and foundation of the Temple.”[4]

Uniting elements of the Old World and the New World, past and present, the Jewish congregations of New York City blended Americanization and Judaism and in the process reinvented a new collective identity.

Works Cited:

Goren, Arthur A. “Public Ceremonies Defining Central Synagogue.” In Elizabeth Blackmore and Arthur A. Goren. Congregating and Consecrating at Central Synagogue. New York, NY: Central Synagogue, 2003.

Polland, Annie. Landmark of the Spirit: the Eldridge Street Synagogue. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009.

We hope you can join us on November 13 for our 125^th Anniversary Cornerstone Celebration! Until then, here is a link on YouTube of one of the songs you might expect to hear at the event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1dy44jV8EM&feature=related

[1] Polland, Annie, Landmark of the Spirit: the Eldridge Street Synagogue (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009), 15.

[2]Ibid., 15.

[3] Goren, Arthur A., “Public Ceremonies Defining Central Synagogue,” in Elizabeth Blackmore and Arthur A. Goren. Congregating and Consecrating at Central Synagogue (New York, NY: Central Synagogue, 2003), 47.

[4] Ibid., 59.

Hanna is a great hostess, whether at home or at Eldridge Street. She loves this photo because, "I look so much like my mother."

Bessie Griff’s Hermits for a Spicy New Year

My mother, in addition to making many apple pies for Rosh Hashanah, also made a selection of cookies for the many guests and relatives that made their way to our house.  Hermits was one of those cookies, a sort of spicy biscotti that is a New England favorite.  September holiday cooking made the house cozy and helped us ease into the back-to school mode.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 c. shortening
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 c. mollasses
• 2 T water
• 2 eggs
• 1 t baking soda
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t ginger
• 1/2 t cloves
• 1/2 t salt
• 3 c. flour
• 1 c. raisins (optional)

Recipe:

• Cream shortening and sugar.
• Add molasses and water.
• Add beaten eggs.
• Add remaining ingredients.
• Bake in logs at 350 degrees for 20 minutes in a greases cookie pan.  When cool, cut into smaller pieces.

With the synagogue so beautifully restored, sometimes we forget how easily it could have been lost. This photograph here, taken by Kate Milford, is a reminder of that precarious time.

Pre-restoration interior, Eldridge Street Synagogue Photo: Kate Milford

With holes in the roof, a collapsed stairwell, and peeling-away paint, “the synagogue was held up by strings to heaven,” according to Roberta Brandes Gratz, founder of the Eldridge Street Project, the non-profit organization that  restored the synagogue and was a precursor to the Museum.

“When I got to the vestibule on the main floor, I found the doors of the sanctuary warped shut. I pulled them open and stepped inside, and my hair stood on end. It was like the Twilight Zone. There were prayer shawls strewn about, and ceramic spittoons on the floor. The prayer books dated from 1909 and had been printed in Vilnius.” So describes Dr. Gerard Wolfe in a New Yorker article dated September 26, 1988. Dr. Wolfe was the first to “re-discover” the main sanctuary after it had been sealed shut for many years.