The Washington herald., 1908-01-10

passed away when Abraham GOldfaden
died to-day at his residence, 2lS East
/ Eleventh street.
de was a poet, dramatist, philosopher,
friend and intimate of Dr. Hartzel and of
Mex Nordeau, co-laborer with Israel
Zmgwill in the Zionist movement, and
persioner of Baron Rothschnd
For the past three years Goidfaden has
written steadily for the Yiddish theaters
of this city, and it was in comedies Of his
that Bertha Kalieh was playing on the
/ Bowery when she was discovered" and
transplated TO Broadway
sixty-eight years ago Abraham Cold
faden was born at Constantine. Russia.
Of parents too poor to send him to
university. but while he worked-as a
child to DO his part for the support Of the
family, he prepared himself for academic
work, and later. stin supporting himself.
1 he was graduated from the University OF
Odessa.
/ Entered Zionist Movement.
/ His first literary work to bring him fame
was "a poem Progress" a strong appeal
! to his fellow-Jews for a Matchmaking
movement long before the efforts Of Gang
will and others in that direction attracted
worldwide attention. Throughout all his
other activities he has continued his
Zionist work. II was that that brought
him Baron Rothschild for patron, and
his last words We're;
"Ach. mein Colt, Zion
After his first important poem. Gold
/ faden for a few years led romantic
/ life. writing songs and singing them 10
Mis- improviseG tunes as he tramped about
many countries OF Europe. minstrel.
| but a minstrel with d deep motive. for
ne sang 10 his people OF their former
/ greatness as a nation and pictured to
them the national greatness they could
again attain if they would but return
TO Zion
After he ceased wandering about in
his minstrel life, Goldfaden took 10 play
writing, his first play 10 be produced
being a comedy called "Schmendrick.
This did not have q success which en-
couraged bis friends 10 hope for his career
in dramatic literature. but ne believed
In himself, and soon justified that be-
lief
He soon wrote n play in the form of
q book for light opera called Sulamith,
which he was glad 90 sell TO a Budapest
manager for 80 gulden- The story is and
the Yiddish actors here believe il. that
the purchaser Of 'Sulamlth made a mill
lion Eulden out of the musical play. and
it is certain that if has been trans
lated for stage use into very many Ian
guages.
Fame Extended Over World.
Then he went to Paris to live. and
wrote many plays and poems and
philosophical essays. His fame as
scholar and poet extended TO Jewish
colonies all over the world. and in many
countries clubs were formed and named
i'm mis- honor. where Jews met 10 read
his poems and study his philosophy.
He continued 10 write plays, but only
for the Yiddish theaters. and while his
fame among his people grew. his in
come remained small Fifteen years
ago he came 10 this country and started
a "Goldfaden's Weekly" printed in
Yiddish, and after the manner of Puck.
The Ghetto offered no market for such
wares. and two years later Goldfaden
returned 10 Paris
in Paris. three years ago, Leopold
Yaehtner, proprietor and manager of
the Bowery Theater, then called the
Windsor (but since changed to the
Kalich, in honor of the translated
starr. found Goldfaden in Paris i'm
want. lie had as an income only the 40
francs a month which was the amount
of the RothschiId pension. and such
small sums as he received from poems
he coca sionaHy wrote His whole in
terest was in the Zionist movement It
filled his mind bet left his purse
empty.
Manager Yschner, soon after his re-
turn 70 New York. sent GoIdfaden 600
francs and told him 10 come to this
country. whore the Yiddish theater
managers would take care Of him.
Jews Fond of the Theater.
There are four theaters in New York
devoted exclusively 10 fiddish drama, the
Kalich, Peoples, Grand, and ThaIia.
Their patronage is large and constant
Magistrate Roesch, who has lived among
or been officially related TO the people Of
the Ghetto all his life said TO reporter
recently:
a Jew who earns So a week spends s.
week for the theater New Workers
outside Of the Ghetto do not know what
an amusement-loving people those Of the
Ghetto are"
The four theaters named gave Gold
faden so a month and he wrote for them
He had a technical knowledge Of the
stage, and rehearsed his own plays, which
were generally comedies Of Yiddish home
like, usually set back in time a century
or two for the sake of costume.
He has been called the "Yiddish Shakes
peare, and some have thought that this
conveyed a hint that he found much in
spiration in the plays of the master As
for this, the actors at the Kalich were
his plays were first produced, said that
ne had drawn upon Shakespeare only once
for the material of a play, and then he
announced the fact. That was in a play
which was adapted from Two Gentlemen
of Verona
The author is survived ny d wife he
married in his own country foTty-eighe
years ago. The Hebrew Actors Club is
arranging for the funeral. which viii be