Jewish History

As I browse through old newspapers looking for interesting things to blog, I came across a story of a January 1916 banquet in Mexico, Missouri. One participant jokingly complained that he didn't get the chance to dance the "kosher turkey-trot."



Was that a real thing?

At first, I thought not. It seems to have been a lyric to a novelty song from 1912 called "At the Yiddisher Ball."



The lyrics:


In our neighborhood we have, what you call,
Once a year a sociable ball,
What a time, there's everything you wish
Ev'ry one is dressed from soup to fish;
You take Rifky, she looks pretty nifty,
Don't you mind to bring the lunch, it only costs you fifty;
There'll be wine and ev'ry thing that's fine
At the yiddish sociable ball.
CHORUS:
At the ball, at the ball, at the yiddisher ball,/
There'll only be class, or there'll be nothing at all,
And when that orchestra plays/ Yiddish kazotskys and Bombershays,
At the ball, at the ball, and the yiddisher ball

We'll make monkey doodles 'round the hall,
Out upon the floor I'll be Jakey on the spot,
Doing the kosher turkey trot,
At that first class yiddisher sociable,
(Remember, fifty cents admits the ladies and the gents)
At that first class yiddisher sociable ball.

VERSE 2:
I have tickets here I don't want to keep,
Say you'll come, I'll give you them cheap;
I'll sing there if you will surely come,
I'll knock them from the seats singing Chill-i-bom-bom;
A theatre won't be half so good
Don't stay away treat yourself just like you should,
Once a year, you know, you should appear
At the yiddish sociable ball.
Click to expand...

I didn't think it was likely that this was turned into a real dance, but, apparently, it was ...at least once.

From Harvard University's Delta Upsilon Quarterly, 1912, a description of a friendly talent competition between Rutgers, New York and Columbia undergrads of that organization.

Columbia's entry:

Columbia pinned her faith on two performers, and they certainly were top-notchers! Sengstaken, at the piano, made that instrument do everything but talk, and to make up for that deficiency, "monologued" at the same time he played. Then Barrett sang two "Yiddisher" songs in true East Side style, and incidentally danced the "Kosher turkey-trot."
Click to expand...
Columbia came in last place, behind Rutgers The New York chapter performed in blackface.




elderofziyon.blogspot.com

The Kosher Turkey-Trot (c. 1912)

Blogging about Israel and the Arab world since, oh, forever.
elderofziyon.blogspot.com elderofziyon.blogspot.com
 
1916 Sykes–Picot Agreement

Speaking of 1916 reminds of the Sykes-Picot Agreement. France and England dividing up the old Ottoman Empire in the Middle East
 
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The Multifaceted History and Culture of Bukharian Jews

Monday, November 28th, 12 p.m. ET The eclectic story of Central Asia's ancient Jewish community—Bukharian Jews—is situated at the lesser-known intersection of Sephardic, Mizrahi and Russian-Speaking Jewish identities. Join My Jewish Learning educator and community builder Ruben Shimonov to...
docs.google.com docs.google.com
 

Today in Jewish History​

• Kamenitz-Podolsk Talmuds Saved (5518/1757)
As a result of the libelous slander of the Frankists (followers of Sabbatai Zevi, the archbishop of Kamenitz decreed that all Hebrew books of the communities in his jurisdiction should be burned. On this day, he suffered a miraculous downfall and the decree was annulled. (Imrei Pinchas, 2003 ed., vol. 1, pp. 496–498)

• Pnei Yehoshua Saved (5463/1702)
The explosion of some barrels of gunpowder that had been caught on fire resulted in the collapse of a number of nearby buildings, placing Rabbi Yaakov Yehoshua Falk in mortal danger. In distress, he pledged that if he would survive, he would commit himself to studying the Talmud and its commentaries. He was miraculously saved, and went on to author his classic Talmudic commentary, Pnei Yehoshua. (Introduction of the author to the above work)

• Temple Cleared in Chanukah Miracle (3622/-139)
After overcoming the Greek forces, the Hasmoneans cleared the Temple from the idolatrous images that had been erected there. (Megilat Taanit ch. 9)
 

Today in Jewish History​

• Jehoaikim Burnt Lamentations (3321/-440)
Jehoaikim, King of Judah, burnt a scroll dictated by the prophet Jeremiahand written by his disciple Baruch son of Neriah. This scroll was the book of Lamentations, and was written to forewarn the king of the imminent destruction of Jerusalem. (Jeremiah ch. 36. Megilat Taanit, perek ha’acharon. It should be noted that other sources provide alternate dates—see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chaim 580:1 and Magen Avraham ad loc.)

Link: Jehoahaz and Jehoaikim

• Death of King Herod (3760/-1)
Death of Herod, King of Judea. Herod seized the rule from the Hasmoneans, after killing them all. Fearing that the rabbis would challenge his authority, he killed them all, leaving only Bava ben Buta. Later, out of remorse for his cruelty, he had the Holy Temple completely renovated.

Link: Herod the Great
 

Today in Jewish History​

• Birth & Passing of R. Dovber of Lubavitch (1773; 1827)
Kislev 9 is both the birthday and day of passing of Rabbi DovBer of Lubavitch, son of and successor to the founder of Chabad Chassidism, Rabbi Schneur Zalman·of Liadi. Rabbi DovBer was known for his unique style of "broadening rivers" -- his teachings were the intellectual rivers to his father's wellspring, lending breadth and depth to the principles set down by Rabbi Schneur Zalman.

Born in Liozna, White Russia in 1773, Rabbi DovBer was named after Rabbi Schneur Zalman's mentor and teacher, Rabbi DovBer of Mezeritch, who had passed away on Kislev 19 of the previous year. Rabbi DovBer assumed the leadership of Chabad upon his father's passing in 1812. In 1813 he settled in the town of Lubavitch, which was to serve as the movement's headquarters for the next 102 years. In 1826, he was arrested on charges that his teachings threatened the imperial authority of the Czar, but was subsequently exonerated.

Rabbi DovBer passed away on his 54th birthday in 1827, a day before the first anniversary of his liberation (see calendar entries for tomorrow, Kislev 10).

Links: A Precise Life;
Four stories: The Rebbe's Son and the Chassid; Two Against One; Yechidut; Yosef the Wagon Driver
 
Over time, the genealogist’s recording of his own family tree branched off, and he uncovered information on the entire Irish-Jewish community. The records span over 70,000 individual names.


(full article online)

www.jns.org

‘Living encyclopedia’ Stuart Rosenblatt donates Irish-Jewish family records to National Library of Israel

Over time, the genealogist’s recording of his own family tree branched off, and he uncovered information on the entire Irish-Jewish community. The records span over 70,000 individual names.
www.jns.org www.jns.org
 

Today in Jewish History​

• Passing of Ravina II; Talmud completed (475 CE)
In the first decades of the 5th century, Rav Ashi (d. 427) and Ravina I (d. 421) led a group of the Amoraim (Talmudic sages) in the massive undertaking of compiling the Babylonian Talmud -- collecting and editing the discussions, debates and rulings of hundreds of scholars and sages which had taken place in the more than 200 years since the compilation of the Mishnah by Rabbi Judah HaNassi in 189. The last of these editors and compilers was Ravina II, who passed away on the 13th of Kislev of the year 4235 from creation (475 CE); after Ravina II, no further additions were make to the Talmud, with the exception of the minimal editing undertaken by the Rabbanan Savura'i (476-560). This date thus marks the point at which the Talmud was "closed" and became the basis for all further exegesis of Torah law.

Links:
What Is the Talmud?
 
Pulver Purim (1804)
"Pulver Purim" was established by Rabbi Avraham Danzig (1748-1820) author of the halachic works Chayei Adam and Chochmat Adam, after he and his family were miraculously saved from a fire on the eve of the 16th of Kislev.

The inferno engulfed many homes, including his own home and the very room where all of his family members were, causing some of the walls to collapse. Rabbi Avraham Danzig then established the 16th of Kislev as a day of celebration for all of his future descendents.
 
Continuing looking at the newspapers from 75 years ago in the wake of the UN Partition vote.

From the Manchester Guardian, December 10, 1947:



From the Palestine Post, December 11, 1947:



Commentary magazine summarized the pogrom in Aden a few months later:


In the riots that broke out suddenly last December 2 after the decision of the United Nations in favor of partition in Palestine, and following an appeal of the Arab League for a three-day strike of protest in all Arab countries, over eighty Jews were killed and as many seriously wounded. Fourteen Jewish houses were burnt to the ground, and many more were looted. Of one hundred and seventy Jewish shops and stores, over a hundred were burnt or looted and the two Jewish schools were burnt out.

It is alleged that the greatest part of the casualties was caused by the military force, the Aden Protectorate Levies, which were called in by the civil authority when the police were unable to deal with the mob. The Aden Levies are composed of Arab tribesmen with British and Arab officers. It was apparently asking too much for them to take firm action against Arab looters attacking Jewish houses and shops. They soon turned to take an active part themselves in the looting and shooting of Jews.
Click to expand...

elderofziyon.blogspot.com

75 years ago: Jews in Arab countries in grave danger

Blogging about Israel and the Arab world since, oh, forever.
elderofziyon.blogspot.com elderofziyon.blogspot.com
 

Today in Jewish History​

• Alexander in Jerusalem (313 BCE)

On Kislev 21 of the year 3448 from creation (313 BCE), there occurred the historic meeting between Shimon HaTzaddik and Alexander ('the Great") of Macedonia. (Source: Megillat Taanit)

The Samarians, bitter enemies of the Jews, had convinced Alexander that the Jews' refusal to place his image in their Temple was a sign of rebellion against his sovereignty, and that the Holy Temple should be destroyed. The Kohen Gadol ("High Priest") at the time was Shimon HaTzaddik, the last of the "Men of the Great Assembly" who rebuilt the Holy Temple and revitalized Judaism under Ezra. On the 21st of Kislev Alexander marched on Jerusalem at the head of his army; Shimon, garbed in the vestments of the High Priest and accompanied with a delegation of Jewish dignitaries, went forth to greet him. The two groups walked towards each other all night; at the crack of dawn they met. As Alexander beheld the visage of the High Priest, he dismounted his horse and bowed respectfully; to his men he explained that he often had visions of a similar-looking man leading him into battle. Shimon HaTzaddik brought the emperor to the Holy Temple and explained that Judaism prohibits the display of any graven image; he offered to name all the male children born to priests that year "Alexander" as a demonstration of loyalty to the emperor (which is how "Alexander" became a common Jewish name). The Samarians plot was rebuffed, and Kislev 21 was declared a holiday.

According to an alternative version (see Talmud Yoma 69a), this episode occurred on the 25th of Tevet.
 
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