YIDDSH 10 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Sholem Asch, Irving Place Theatre, Nuremberg Laws
A Light Ahead discussion
● Takes place in shtetl
● Fishke der Krumer: “Fishke the Crooked/Lame/Cripple”
○ Very common in a shtetl for everyone to be known by some kind of handle
○ Closeknit community; everyone knows everyone’ business; some person could
end up with a bad handle “Mimi the thief”
○ Based on novel “Fishke der Krumer
● What’s the overall view? What concept of the shtetl is presented in this film?
○ Higher class ran the city, deciding everything; disregarded the poor
○ Backwards minded, seemed like most people were desperate
■ People encountered in the movie were at the bottom of the totem pole
■ Hospital scene; religious beliefs in the way of treating patient
● Elders didn’t want to allocate money to hospital, but synagoges
and stuff
○ Not only highbound in their orthodox beliefs, but corrupt as
well; sending money to their own personal pet projects
instead of something that would benefit the community
○ Being a RELIGIOUS person doesn’t mean one is a GOOD
person: RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY
■ Hiding under the guise of being very religious
■ “Better to be a Jew without a beard than a beard
without a Jew”
● Having an outward appearance of following
certain religious teachings/practices which
SHOULD inspire them to contribute to
wellbeing of the town
● Why do so if we can heal ourselves through prayer? God decides
who dies and who doesn’t. Just be a good Jew!
○ Relevant today! Pro-life arguments (God intended so);
excuse to get rid of healthcare (“no one dies without
healthcare”); vaccination debate
■ Elders believed there was sickness because of violation of religious law
● Women going in the river during Shabbat (Sabbath)
● Superstitious act brough upon cholera
● Counterargument in this film: Mendele (author and character): yes, it’s God’s will, but it’s
also God’s will to have a hospital and clean the river
○ God also gave us a brain and we are supposed to use it! (build a hospital, bring
in doctors, clean out the river)
■ Cholera epidemic broke out not because the girls bathed during Sabbath,
but because the river was polluted!
● Ideas of Haskalah
○ Aligns in that in which we need to both preserve our identity but stay updated
with modern science and medicine; let science, reasoning, knowledge into our
lives to be able to move forward
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Very common in a shtetl for everyone to be known by some kind of handle. Closeknit community; everyone knows everyone" business; some person could end up with a bad handle mimi the thief . Higher class ran the city, deciding everything; disregarded the poor. Backwards minded, seemed like most people were desperate. People encountered in the movie were at the bottom of the totem pole. Hospital scene; religious beliefs in the way of treating patient. Elders didn"t want to allocate money to hospital, but synagoges and stuff. Not only highbound in their orthodox beliefs, but corrupt as well; sending money to their own personal pet projects instead of something that would benefit the community. Being a religious person doesn"t mean one is a good person: religious hypocrisy. Hiding under the guise of being very religious. Better to be a jew without a beard than a beard without a jew . Having an outward appearance of following certain religious teachings/practices which.
