The Beggar’s Dance that takes place in the wedding scene of the play “The Dybbuk” was enacted in real life today at the wedding of the son of Dr. Raphael Landau, president of the Jewish Community of Cracow. In accordance with custom, the Jewish poor were invited to attend the wedding meal. They came—three thousand of them!
The three thousand poor refused to dine until five zloty (about fifty cents) had been paid to each of them. After considerable bargaining the beggars agreed to dine for three zloty a head. The wedding feast then went forward. It turned out to be the biggest and merriest wedding ever held in Cracow.
The three thousand beggars sang and danced for many hours.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
