Itche Goldberg

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Itche Goldberg (born 22 March 1904) is a Yiddish writer of children's books, poet, librettist, educator, literary critic, camp director, essayist, literary editor, Yiddish language and culture scholar, and left-wing political activist. He has devoted his life to the preservation of the Yiddish language and secular Yiddish culture.

Goldberg photos: 2004[1], 1935[2]

Contents

[edit] Early Years

Goldberg was born in Apt, Poland, and grew up in Warsaw, Poland, attending Poznanski Teachers Seminary. In 1920 he moved to Toronto,Canada, studying philosophy, German and political science at McMaster University. While in Toronto he taught Yiddish at The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring school; it was in Toronto that his leftist/pro-communist sympathies matured[3]. He moved to New York in the late 1920's, and continued teaching Yiddish there as well as in Philadelphia, but left the socialist Workmen's Circle schools for the more radical Arbeter Ordn Shuln[4]. The education schism, with Goldberg and many schools leaving the Arbeter Ring to form the Ordn network, was part of an exceedingly vituperative break within the leftist Yiddish community between the communist and socialists. (The most common description the communists had for their socialist rivals was "socialist fascists." [5] )

[edit] Yiddishist

Passing on the Yiddish tradition to future generations has been a mainstay of his life. From 1937 to 1951 he was editor of Yunvarg[6], a children's magazine (albeit, written for students at pro-Communist oriented schools). He wrote many children's stories, and his book, "Yiddish Stories for Young People" is still being used at Workmen's Circle schools.[7] From 1970 to 1985 he was professor of Yiddish language and literature at Queens College (C.U.N.Y.). He may be currently best known as editor from 1964 to 2004 of the longest running journal of Yiddish literature, Yiddishe Kultur. The frequency of publication went down during this period, as Yiddish writers and speakers gradually died off. The final edition was in 2004. Yet, he clings to the notion that Yiddish can still be a living language. [8]

[edit] Leftist

Goldberg, a secular Jew, has been closely associated with left-wing causes for many years. There were probably several threads to his attraction to a radical cause. His close associates in Toronto were communists, including his brother-in-law, who shared his revolutionary world view of social justice. [9][10] He saw the Soviet Union as the salvation for the Jewish national and social problems.[11] Also, he describes an embedded rebelliousness in the those doubly alienated, "suffering and benefiting from 'rejection [and persecution] by the Gentiles, but also their own rejection of the narrowness of the rabbi and merchant dominated shtetl life'". [12]

Shortly after coming to New York he became director of the Arbeter Ordn Shuln, and helped set up a nationwide network of these schools, reaching a peak number of 140.[13] Best described as supplemental schools, they aimed at promoting Yiddish identity, as well as inculcating the concepts of class consciousness and social justice. For decades beginning in the 1920's, including two as director, [14][15] he was associated with Camp Kinderland,[16] known as a red diaper baby camp.[17][18] From 1937-1951 he was national school and cultural director of the Jewish People’s Fraternal Order, [19] a branch of the pro-Communist International Workers Order. At its peak after World War II the JPFO had 50,000 members.[20]

Over time he transitioned to democratic socialism, eventually seeing the Soviet Union as an anti-model.[21] By the 50's his break with Stalinism was complete, particularly after the Soviets executed Jewish writers in 1952.[22] Beginning in 1957 Yiddishe Kultur co-sponsored an annual public remembrance of the 12 August 1952 murders.[23] Nevertheless, he has remained a central figure in the Jewish Left for decades. [24].

[edit] Reputation

"Itche Goldberg is priceless." [25]

"Over the decades he grew as an innovative literary researcher and a beloved teacher of Yiddish language and literature, from elementary school level to the university." [26]

"It is rare to encounter a man who has achieved as much as Itche has, but that is not what truly makes Itche unique. What sets Itche apart from those few who can match his accomplishments is his continued passion to learn, explore and delve further into the subjects he studies." [27]

"A titan, a brilliant scholar of literature. A master teacher of generations." [28]

"One of the most foremost scholars of Yiddish culture." [29]

"Erudite head of the erstwhile communist Yiddish cultural world." [30].

His writing has been described as "imbued with understanding and compassion, and possessed of the rarest ingredients, a subtle, sparkling, and heart-warming sense of humor." [31]

"Today's eldest left-wing Yiddish pedagogue." [32]

"Master Yiddish editor, educator, scholar, and writer" [33]

"Itche Goldberg has pretty much single-handedly kept the Yiddish Left going for the last 30 years." [34]

"The oldest writer ever to have published a new book." [35]

"Mir shatsn op ayer vunderlekhe arbet l'toyves der yidisher kultur vos hot baraikhert dem gontsn Yidishn yishev. (“We honor your wonderful work for the benefit of Yiddish culture which enriches all of Yiddish heritage.”) [36]

Regarding Yiddishe Kultur: "Itche Goldberg is the dynamic force behind this publication. [37]

[edit] Age 100

In honor of his 100th birthday the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus had a concert which included a musical adaptation of I.L. Peretz's "Oyb Nit Nokh Hekher", with libretto by Itche Goldberg.[38] In another 100th tribute, Jerrold Nadler honored him in the House of Representatives by saying: "Mir shatsn op ayer vunderlekhe arbet l'toyves der yidisher kultur vos hot baraikhert dem gontsn Yiddishn yishev." (English translation ``We honor your wonderful work for the benefit of Yiddish culture which enriches all of Yiddish heritage.) He is now 102 years of age with, still, a very sharp mind. [39] His last book was "Essayen Tsvey" ("Essays Two"), in 2004, at age 100. In honor of this publication, a commemoration of his life was held 25 July, 2006, sponsored by YIVO and League for Yiddish. A Josh Wiletsky documentary was made of his lfe at age 101, "Itche Goldberg, A Century Of Yiddish Letters"[40], and was shown at this event.[41]

[edit] In his own words

"The split in the Socialist ranks was very powerful, and harmful and it was about attitudes to the Soviet Union". [42]

"The need to keep Yiddish alive in one shape or another is very basic. And after what we went through -- the loss not only of six million but also Eastern Europe -- do you allow a culture to drift away and stop existing?" [43] "Somehow it has to be there." [44]

"There was no question about our Jewishness or Jewish consciousness and the Jewish consciousness led us very naturally to the Soviet Union. Here was Romania, anti-Semitic; Poland, which was anti-Semitic. Suddenly we saw how Jewish culture was developing in the Soviet Union. It was really breathtaking. You had the feeling that both the national problem was solved and the social problem was solved. This was no small thing. It was overpowering and we were young."[45]

"We're dealing with a language that is about 1,000 years old and a literature that is 600 or 700 years old. What developed was an extraordinary and profound modern literature which would become the equivalent of French and German literature."[46]

"I only have two dreams. One dream is that someone will knock on the door and I will open it and they give me a check for $150,000 for the magazine. Second dream is that someone knocks at the door and I open it up and he gives me a corned beef sandwich. Those are my only two dreams. I'm not asking for much. Really, I'm not. And I think they're both reachable." [47]

"They were killed simply because they were Jewish intellectuals. Their Jewishness was the reason. They were all stamped as spies." [48] (Re' 1952 Stalin victims)

"So a generation passes."[49]

"Nonsense" (his response to the idea that Yiddish is dying) [50]

[edit] Librettist

1953 - "The first annual concert of the Jewish Cultural Clubs and Societies features the sister chorus of the JPPC, the Jewish People's Chorus of New York (JPCNY) conducted by Maurice Rauch, performing the first of many dramatic chorales written by Itche Goldberg in collaboration with Rauch as composer" [51]

1981 Yiddish musical play: "Tevye's Hodl"

Musical adaptation of I.L. Peretz's "Oyb Nit Nokh Hekher" [52] [53]

[edit] External links

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