The Chicago Civic Opera House was sold out to an overflow audience last night which gathered to attend the annual Chanukah festival, “Light of the Maccabees”, featuring a stirring reproduction of the ancient historical victory of the Jews over their oppressors.
More than 2,000 persons were in the cast. In seventeen colorful scenes in whose dramatic action Francis X. Bushman, well-known screen hero, played the leading role, the story of ancient Hebrews was recaptured to the obvious delight of the audience. Proceeds of the performance will go to educational and relief funds of participating organizations.
Among the members of the cast were Abram Mathews, Victor Victoroff of the Palestine Opera Company, Cantor Aaron Kritz, Charles Deshein, Roger Dekoven, Nathan Vizonsky, who headed the ballet. The script was written by David Edstadt Hirsch and Charles K. Freeman.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.