The American Jewish world. [volume] (Minneapolis ;) 1915-current, 1922-05-05
THE AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD
THE AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD
A Talk With David PinSki
PREMIER YIDDISH DRAMATIST INTERVIEWED BY RABBI
C. DAVID MATT
C.. DAVID MATT


notable program at the Shubert thea
ter, Mr.. David Pinski granted an in
terview to a representative of the
American Jewish World, with whom
he spoke Interestingly on the future
of Yiddish literature in America and
in other lands. Asked whether Yid-
dish has a future in America Pinski
replied that the best proof of that is
the growth and development of all
forms of Yiddish literature of late
years in America as instanced by the
number of playwrights, poets, journal
lists and authors. Their number, if
anything is increasing, and the quail
ity; as we'll as the quantity, of their
literary output is equal in merit to
that of any other land.
The Failure of ode Zeit."
"But the untimely end of Die Zeit,'
the Poalei Zion Yiddish daily in New
York, of which you have been editor
and which recently suspended, isn't
this proof that Yiddish literature in
this country is doomed?" Mr.. Pinski
was asked.
'Not at ALL" replied Mr.. Pinski.
ode Zeit was a success as far as it
went, but it started with too great a
handicap. It's initial expense was too
great and it's capital too small, but
during the last few months there had
been such an improvement in it's cir
cumstances that had there been more
funds at our disposal to begin with
we would have been able to continue"
Non-Jews Appreciate Yiddish.
When asked as to the attitude of the
4D ;~I
more intimately, to Pinski himself, the
dramatist showed pardonable enthusi-
asm. His works had been translated
into most modern languages and pro-
duced in many countries. Mr.. Pinski,
by the way, when he returns East will
shortly leave for England where his
"The Treasure" is to be produced by
Paul Key. In addition his dramas
are in the curriculum of many Ameri-
can universities. But Pinski spoke i'm
personally of Yiddish drama in gen
eral. "The non-Jews are enthusiast
tic admirers Of the Yiddish drama.
They see in it the true expression of
the Jewish culture. When the Art
Theater was established in New York
for the production of Jewish plays, it
became the Mecca Of the non-Jewish
lovers of the stage. If the Jews in
America only realized it, it is in Yid-
dish literature that they can find their
position as a cultural factor in
America. If every group is to make
it's contribution to the sum-total of
American culture, then it is through
Yiddish literature that the American
Jew can make his finest contribution.
And as far as the authors are con-
cerned, this interest in Yiddish by the
non-Jew is powerful incentive.
Naturally, the greater his audience,
the greater impetus for the artist to
create.
Hebrew Supreme in Palestine
"But are you not nationalist, be-
lieving in the Jewish future in Pale
stine?" Pinksi was asked. "Then
what of the future of Hebrew?"
81 am a bilinguist," replied the
dramatist. AS far as Palestine is
concerned, Hebrew must and will be
the language of the country, but in
the Diaspora, Hebrew will be regarded
only as the sacred language of re-
ligion. But the medium of expression
for the Jewish soul, will continue to
be Yiddish. The relationship of He