The Southern Jewish weekly. [volume] (Jacksonville, Fla.) 1939-1992, 1941-10-24
ShoIem AIechem .
(COpyrghted)
Especially written for the Southern Jewish Weekly
BY JENNY ROBERTS
Part vi
MARK TWAIN MEETS sHOLEM ALECHEM
(COpyrighted)

About the time Sholem reached
the age of forty, the Yiddish read
ing public began to make frequent
requests that he give readings of
his work. He gave the first read
ing in KEW and was received with
tremendous acclaim. It was not
long after this, his first public ap-
pearance, that Sholem began to
respond to requests for similar
performances in every major city
in Russia, Austria-Hungary, Ger
many and France. Finally he set
tied in Switzerland with his fam
lily, and there continued his public
readings. While in Switzerland
Sholem met Bailik, the great He
brew poet. For many years the
author and his wife educated their
children in Swiss schools and there
enjoyed happy and plentiful life.
Sholem, his wife, and youngest
son, left Russia in 1907 bound for
the United States, having lost all
their worldly possessions-their
costly library and accumulated
wealth because of the pogroms
prevalent in Russia at that time.
Everything the molesters could
lay their hands on was destroyed.
It was early in November when
Sholem Alechem arrived in New
York City for the first time. The
day was cold; penetratingly damp.
One would have thought that for
sentimental reasons the clouded
horizon would have had a depres-
sing effect on Sholem Alechem,
but no such thought evidenced it.
self from the humor and cheerful
ness he portrayed. He was gay
and found it easy to laugh and be
friendly. At first I felt a bit un-
easy in his presence, but this feel
ing soon disappeared because his
kindly face, ever ready smile and
constant sense of humor, soon Gre
ated a delicate nearness and
warmth about him. Before knew
it 1 felt as if 1 had known this
wonderful person all my life. I
later learned that Mrs. Sholem
Alechem was a very practical per-
son. Sholem was a sentimental
person, an idealist-a dreamer.
One of the authors dreams at
that time was to have his plays
produced, and several plays were
soon produced after his arrival
here. Adler produced Stempenyu,
and Tomashevsky staged Teve Der
Milchecker, both with great sue
cess. Sholem was lauded every
where. The Yiddish reading public
in every large city requested that
he appear to give readings as he
had done on the continent.
A special gathering was held in
one of the leading theatres in
New York City in honor of Sho-
lem, many famous artists con-
tributing to the evenings enter
tainment. Sholem provided the
highlight of the evening by read
ing a few of his favorite humor-
GUS sketches. Rabbi Maslensky,
Rabbi Judah Magnes, Baroness
and Slmyria Levin among many
other famous personalities attend
ed the evenings entertainment.
In 1907 Sholem Alechem was in
PRODUCED to Mark Twain, and that
meeting proved to be most mem
orable. After being formally in
PRODUCED Mark Twain said to
Sholem, IT have heard that you
have been called the Yiddish Mark
Twain. This makes me very proud
but would be even happier II
were to be honored by being called
the American Sholem Alechem."
Sholem was not of an envlous
nature but he could not help but
see the writing on the wall, and
he bitterly foresaw the decline of
q Yiddish reading public as the
people would wean themselves
further and further from speaking