[The purpose of the Digest is informative. Preference is given to papers not generally accessible to our readers. Quotation does not indicate approval.–Editor.]
That the Jews of today still retain the old Jewish characteristics as described in the Old Testament, is the assertion made by the Hon. J. G. Gardiner, Premier of Saskatchewan, Canada.
Writing in the “Israelite Press” of Winnipeg, the Premier recalls that he was once a teacher in the Jewish colony at Hirsch, Saskatchewan, and observes:
“As teacher of the Hirsch School, I became acquainted with all the Jewish people in the old Hirsch colony. I still have fond recollections of the friendships which I formed then and of the aptitude shown by the Jewish children, many of whom were newly arrived from European countries–in acquiring our language and customs. It has always been a pleasure to know that most of the old Jewish characteristics which are exemplified in the stories of the Old Testament and which are familiar to all Christians, are retained by the Jewish people today wherever found, in spite of the fact that they have wandered through many generations in many countries away from their old land.”
“NOTHING LEARNED–NOTHING FORGOTTEN”
The rejection by the American Federation of Labor convention in Detroit of every proposal regarding the amelioration of the present immigration laws, is criticized by the “Day” of Oct. 14, in an editorial under the above caption.
“Blind and unenlightened is the American labor movement.” the paper writes, “Reactionary and terribly backward is the American Federation of Labor in all questions that have a living relation to actuality. Gompers is dead, but his spirit is still strong, and it is the spirit of the worst reaction.
“No wonder,” the paper further remarks, “that the American Federation of Labor is not respected in Europe. Ramsay MacDonald once said that the American Federation of Labor is behind progress fifty years as compared to the labor movement in other parts of the world. In fact, it is regressing from year to year. As regards immigration its attitude is the same as that of the Ku Klux Klan, of the unbridled jingoists and of all bitter enemies of labor and the labor movement.”
A theatre, office building and theatrical museum will be erected on Second Avenue, near Houston St., New York, by Max Gabel, Yiddish producer and playwright and proprietor of the People’s Theatre on the Bowery. Construction will begin within a month. The expenditure will be $1,500,000 it was stated.
Among the theatre’s innovations will be a revolving stage and a Reinhardt dome. In the museum will be manuscripts of famous Jewish actors and playwrights and other mementos of the Yiddish stage. This will be the third new Jewish playhouse on lower Second Avenue.
Mr. Gabel is President of the Jewish Theatre Managers’ Association and the author of more than 100 plays.
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.
