http://www.jstandard.com/content/item/ en _JStandard@js.com Copyright 2012 2012-05-25T03:04:29+00:00 /content/item/23351 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/for_centennial_of_agnons_first_novella_a_search_for_books/#When:03:04:29Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 The works of Shmuel Yosef Agnon, Israel’s only winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, are on the shelves of nearly every Israeli bookstore. Readers seeking S.Y. Agnon’s writing can access several editions of his novels, novellas and short stories. Except one: the first edition of his first book. This year, on the 100th anniversary of that book’s publication, an Israeli organization is searching for the first copies of Agnon’s first novella, “And the Crooked Shall Be Made Straight.”The works of Shmuel Yosef Agnon, Israel’s only winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, are on the shelves of nearly every Israeli bookstore. Readers seeking S.Y. Agnon’s writing can access several editions of his novels, novellas and short stories. Except one: the first edition of his first book. This year, on the 100th anniversary of that book’s publication, an Israeli organization is searching for the first copies of Agnon’s first novella, “And the Crooked Shall Be Made Straight.” Agnon felt “as one who was born in Jerusalem.”An unusual tale lies behind the book’s first printing: Yosef Haim Brenner, who in 1912 was a more prominent Hebrew author than Agnon, liked the latter’s writing and sold a pair of suspenders to fund the novella’s publication. At the time, Agnon had published popular short stories but no longer works. Brenner printed 50 editions of the novella in Jerusalem, sending 30 to a small community of Hebrew speakers in New York who had emigrated from Agnon’s native Galicia, an area that overlaps the border of present-day Poland and Ukraine. A century later, just two of those 50 editions have been located: one in Israel’s national library and the other in the Agnon family’s private collection. Agnon House, the group that maintains the author’s Jerusalem home as a museum, is on a mission to find others. Although the writer, who died in 1970, lived in Jerusalem, “And the Crooked Shall Be Made Straight” is among his few works that were printed there. “We saw a lot of symbolism in this,” said Eilat Liber, director of Agnon House. “He wanted to live in Jerusalem. In his [1966] Nobel Prize speech, he said he felt ‘as one who was born in Jerusalem,’ “even though he was born in Galicia.” The hunt has taken Liber far from Agnon’s beloved city, with Agnon House searching the United States for books. The search has yielded nothing, not even a few leads, although Liber hopes to find copies in American libraries and private collections. During a cursory search, JTA was able to locate copies of a later 1912 printing of the book from Jaffa at Brandeis and Hebrew universities — but not a first edition. The search is one of a few efforts this year to celebrate “And the Crooked Shall Be Made Straight,” which follows a childless couple through tragedy in Agnon’s native town of Buczacz, in present-day Ukraine. The novella’s first English translation is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Michael Kramer, the translator, praised Agnon’s rich and intricate language. Agnon’s writing in the novella and in later works is laden with allusions to the Talmud, Midrash, Bible, and chasidic tales. Using the book’s first edition, Kramer said, will allow him to translate with greater accuracy and better knowledge of Agnon’s intent. “When I started translating the book, it was clear that it was a kind of mission impossible,” said Kramer, a professor at Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv. “On the one hand, I wanted to create a text that would render the story in an interesting and accessible way, but on the other hand, reading Agnon in Hebrew demands the kind of cultural literacy that is untranslatable.” To stay faithful to Agnon’s textual references, Kramer is using the King James Bible and legalistic, Talmudic language. He believes the story, despite the esoteric nature of Agnon’s writing, is relevant to American Jews. “It reminds me of [Nathaniel] Hawthorne’s ‘Scarlet Letter,’”Kramer said. “What Hawthorne did for Puritan New England, Agnon did for 19th-century Jewish life in Galicia. It’s a story about the constancy of life that will attract all readers.” The window Agnon provides into the world of Eastern European Jewry also has begun to attract a new generation of Israeli readers to the author, says Liber. “For many years, Israelis didn’t want to know about Jewish life in the exile, and now there’s more interest in Yiddish and in the generation of Agnon,” Liber said. “Israelis are going to Poland and Ukraine not because of the Holocaust but to see the synagogues and shtetls.” In another aspect of the celebration, Liber plans to lead a trip to Galicia to explore Agnon’s roots. That world may seem alien to today’s readers, but Alan Mintz, an Agnon expert and translator, said that “And the Crooked” was revolutionary to Hebrew readers a century ago, when most books about Eastern Europe satirized life there. “He took a chance writing his first longer work going back to Eastern Europe and showing that this is a world in which serious ethical and human dilemmas could be portrayed,” said Mintz, a professor at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York. While the translation’s publisher, Matthew Miller, thinks Jewish readers will enjoy the novella, he expects that many copies will be bought for college classes on Hebrew literature. Miller’s Toby Press has published some of Agnon’s more well-known works, such as “To This Day” and “A Simple Story.” Lamenting a decline in Jewish literacy among American Jews most likely to read novels, Miller hopes that this book will introduce readers to the wide variety of Jewish texts. “It would be nice if a modern American Jewish reader would discover that Jewish literacy,” Miller said. “Maybe Agnon will be a spur to regain it.” JTA Wire Service Books 2012-05-25T03:04:29+00:00 /content/item/23234 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/world_class_basketball_clinic/#When:07:30:55Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 Tamir Goodman Courtesy JCTTamir Goodman, a.k.a., the “Jewish Jordan,” and former IDF soldier invites children to take part in a world class basketball clinic on Sunday, May 20. The event, from 3:30 to 5:15 p.m., is at the Jewish Center of Teaneck. Goodman is founder/director of Coolanu Israel, a non-profit dedicated to teaching Jewish values and Israel education through basketball programs. Call (201) 833-0515, ext. 200 or www.jcot.org. Sports 2012-05-18T07:30:55+00:00 /content/item/23238 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/gift_of_music_gala1/#When:07:30:36Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 The school will honor Francisco J. Núñez, founding director of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, of which the Young People’s Chorus at Thurnauer is an affiliate. He recently received two accolades: a 2011 MacArthur Genius Fellowship Award and a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from First Lady Michelle Obama. The evening will also feature Bob McGrath from Sesame Street, as well as Colin (violin) and Eric (cello) Jacobsen, artistic directors of The Knights orchestra. Call (201) 408-1465 or thurnauer@jccotp.org. Music 2012-05-18T07:30:36+00:00 /content/item/23236 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/golf_events_planned/#When:07:30:36Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 “Pars for Parkinson’s: The Paul Kudowitz Memorial Golf Outing” is set for Sunday, May 20, at Tarry Brae Golf Course in South Fallsburg, N.Y. The event begins with breakfast at 9 a.m., shotgun start at 10, and includes a kosher barbecue, raffle, golf shirts, and prizes. The event is named for Dr. Paul Kudowitz, who was killed in 2010 by a hit-and-run driver while walking home from shul in Englewood. It is co-chaired by Debby and Dr. Lou Flancbaum of Teaneck. Flancbaum, a surgeon, had to retire at age 53 in 2007 after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Call Lou Flancbaum, (201) 862-0575 or louflancbaum@aol.com. • Jewish National Fund will hold its annual New Jersey Golf Glassic on Monday, June 4, at 10:30 a.m., at Echo Lake Country Club in Westfield. The honorary tournament sponsor and chair is Saul Leighton, Bayway World of Liquor. The day includes golf, brunch, cocktails, dinner, and awards ceremony. Sponsorships are available. Joel Leibowitz, (973) 593-0095 ext. 820, http://www.jnf.org/echo, or jleibowitz@jnf.org. Sports 2012-05-18T07:30:36+00:00 /content/item/23237 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/bike_to_fight_hunger/#When:07:30:30Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 p>The second annual Wheels for Meals Event: A Ride to Fight Hunger in Bergen County is set for Sunday, June 10, beginning with registration at 7 a.m. The event is sponsored by Jewish Family Service of Bergen and North Hudson. Biking enthusiasts of all levels are welcome to participate and multiple distance courses are offered, including a 5k walk. There will be an on-site toddler loop, sponsor expo, music, and refreshments. All non-competitive rides and the walk start and finish at the Jewish Home at Rockleigh. David Feuerstein, a local teen volunteer, created Wheels for Meals. Last year’s inaugural ride raised more than $50,000. Lori Stokes of Channel 7 ABC Eyewitness News will be on hand to greet riders, along with sponsors, including representatives from Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, the Tenafly Bicycle Workshop, Rema Foods, Optima, and The Drive 4 Rebecca. Information, (201) 837-9090 or RidetoFightHunger.org. Sports 2012-05-18T07:30:30+00:00 /content/item/23233 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/concert_dedicated_to_philanthropist/#When:07:30:13Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 The Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra will dedicate its May 19 concert to Rosalind Stone. The performance will be held at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in Teaneck at 8:30 p.m. Guest artists include cellist Emma Schmiedecke, a recent winner of the Rosalind and Joseph Stone/Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra Young Artist Competition; vocalist Ja’Neil Humphrey; and trumpeter Reginald Pittman. Rosalind Stone, a Julliard graduate who died in April, and her late husband, Joseph, were the founders of the Bergen Philharmonic’s Young Artist Competition. They were also the founders of The Friends of the Bergen Philharmonic and longtime members of the Jewish Center in Teaneck. Call (201) 837-1980 or www.bergenphilharmonic.org. Music 2012-05-18T07:30:13+00:00 /content/item/23200 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/gift_of_music_gala/#When:07:36:09Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 The JCC Thurnauer School of Music at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly will hold its 22nd annual Gift of Music Gala Benefit Concert on Wednesday, May 23, at 7:30 p.m. The school will honor Francisco J. Núñez, founding director of the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, of which the Young People’s Chorus at Thurnauer is an affiliate. He recently received two accolades: a 2011 MacArthur Genius Fellowship Award and a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award from First Lady Michelle Obama. The evening will also feature Bob McGrath from Sesame Street, as well as Colin (violin) and Eric (cello) Jacobsen, artistic directors of The Knights orchestra. Call (201) 408-1462 or akenny@jccotp.org. Music 2012-05-11T07:36:09+00:00 /content/item/23199 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/spring_book_programs/#When:07:30:25Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 p>This month and next, the Museum of Jewish Heritage — A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City will present book programs about modern Jewish history. On Wednesday, May 23, at 7 p.m., in advance of the summer Olympics, author David Clay Large will discuss his new book “Munich 1972: Tragedy, Terror, and Triumph at the Olympic Games.” Author Marni Davis will present her book “Jews and Booze: Becoming American in the Age of Prohibition” on Sunday, June 10, at 2:30 p.m., followed by a whiskey tasting. Call (646) 437-4202 or www.mjhnyc.org. Books 2012-05-11T07:30:25+00:00 /content/item/23196 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/artists_beit_midrash_show_opening/#When:07:30:25Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 After a year-long study of the Book of Job, the Artists’ Beit Midrash of Congregation Beth Sholom in Teaneck will open its spring show “Tackling Job” with a reception at the synagogue on Wednesday, May 23, from 4 to 6 p.m. Twelve artists will exhibit works in a variety of media and will discuss their interpretations of the text. The Artists’ Beit Midrash brings together artists of varying levels of skill and different media and challenges them with the in-depth study of texts, such as the Bible and Talmud. With the assistance of educators, rabbis, scholars and artists/critics, participants create works of art and artistic expression. Participants include printmakers, potters, poets, collagists, painters, and musicians. This year’s program was led by Harriet Finck, who served as both text and art teacher. Finck, originally trained as an architect, is also a collagist whose works have been shown in the tri-state area, as well as Chicago and Boston. She teaches at the Art School at Old Church in Demarest. The show will continue through Monday, May 28, which coincides with the second day of Shavuot. The Beit Midrash will hold an Artist Talk Back, at the end of Shavuot services. Call (201) 833-2620 or office@cbsteaneck.org. Arts 2012-05-11T07:30:25+00:00 /content/item/23081 http://www.jstandard.com/index.php/site/photograph_show_at_the_jcc/#When:07:31:05Z Notice: Undefined offset: -1 in /var/www/vhosts/jstandard.com/httpdocs/system/core/core.functions.php(663) : eval()'d code on line 43 “He is watching,” a photograph by Robert Kern. Courtesy JCC“Nature and People: Photographs by Robert Kern,” is on display through May 25 at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in Tenafly. A meet-the-artist reception is on Sunday, May 6, from 1 to 3 p.m. Call Rochelle Lazarus at (201) 408-1408 or visit the JCC website at www.jccotp.org. The show is an ongoing study of mans’ creations in nature. Most of the imagery comes from the New York and New Jersey area. Arts 2012-05-04T07:31:05+00:00