I never really was a fan of the Algemeiner Journal growing up. I thought that as part of my "responsibility" to Lubavitch I had to buy the paper, just like the Kfar Chabad. What I never did understand was why it was so important to have pictures of heavily-bejeweled overaged women sipping champagne with Rabbi Arthur Schneier at a dinner for "Ketzelle" and Yeshivat Beit E-l, or why it was so important to have Sam Domb mentioned there every single week. I believe others had the same questions, and it showed in the ever-decreasing number of subscribers. Gershon Jacobson himself, for some reason, didn't notice that fact, he would say "אין מעקסיקע אליין האב איך צען טויזנט שובשקרייבערס" . Anyway, times have changed since then, and never more so since the passing of its beloved "REDAKTER" and founder Reb Gershon Ber.
New blood has taken over the reins, and with that comes new ideas. There now is much to read, and not just the same old news that we read elsewhere translated to Yiddish. On the advice of our commentor "C" I have taken a new interest in the paper and in the online edition, and boy, was I surprised. Now chock full of sheine vertelach, Zichraynes, opinions, as well as news, the paper can now keep you occupied for the full 45 minute train ride home!
In today's day and age of "שיינע שידוך געשלאסען בבית קאסאן-טאהש" and other Yiddish "stories" of non-interest that the other Yiddish papers provide, the market of un-Satmar affiliated Yiddish readers is ripe for the taking. If they'd like they can really jump start this baby and have a 30-year head start to boot. I don't know if that's what the Jacobsons have in mind but they seem to be headed in the right direction.
Let's hope they don't blow this chance.
?דו הערסט מיר יוס'ל
YYJ "IS" the right diretion
ReplyDeleteYasher keyach HT. Good piece there.
ReplyDeleteI don't read it always, just occasionally, but there has definitely been significant change lately. The new dor has really jazzed it up - in more ways than one, e.g. changing the cover, new content, and a much bigger presence online, for example. It's interesting how Hirsche-Dovid Katz has become a big part of the Algemeiner lately. Also, interesting is that recently they removed the mh"m after the Lubavitcher Rebbe on the page in the back where they have his Tayrehs.
A question that remains to be seen is how much effect it will have on the decline of Yiddish among Lubavitchers and non-Chagas Chassidim.
Re R. Arthur Scheier - I once heard that he was related to the family of the AR, and that that was signified by the surname Schneier (like Schneiersohn). However, I think Kurenitzer said that that is not the case, that he is not of such descent. So I guess R. Marc Schneier won't become a Lubavitcher Rebbe and the Hampton Shul won't be the next 770 then. ;-) (joke !)
Re R. Gershon Ber - well, evidently when he started the paper, there was still a large amount of older more modern, non-Charedi or Chassidic Yiddish speakers whom he served with it, picked up after der Morgen Zhurnal went under, so mimeilah he had alot of stuff related to that demographic. That group has significantly declined however, over the years, so there may be less of that in the future.
ReplyDeletesam domb (dumb?)is most likely paying for his articles to be published. Another fine example of blurry line between article & advertisement.
ReplyDeleteRe: the "blurry line between article & advertisement." Brings to mind the weeks of non-articles about the "Chizuk Mission to the FSU" that has been written about in the English Hamodia.
ReplyDeleteNever has so much been written about so little. Never are there more than 8 people in the picture, even when speaking of an assembly before supposed large crowds, and never can you make out any of the faces. They probably shlep the same 3 "Baalei Tshuvah Kolel Yungeleit" around to all those cities. I would not be surprised if Reb Matisyohu Solomon had the wool pulled over his eyes big time by Mr. Neustadt of the VLNY.
Now you may commence attacking me as a "hater".
ר' איד אז איהר קענט שוין יא אזוי גוט אידיש, טא וואס באדארפט איר זיך ברעכן די ציין אויף גויאיש
ReplyDelete?ווער ברעכט זיך די ציין
ReplyDeleteאזוי בלינד צו זיין? זעה נאר וואס ס'הענגט אוי די רעכטע זייט אין די סעקשין וועלכע הייסט "לינקס בלאגס" , א לינק צום אלגעמיינער סייט
ReplyDeleteHirshe-Dovid Katz recently put out a book (in English) about Yiddish. He says that the future of Yiddish is with Charedim/Chassidim. I understand that some of the Yiddishistishe types were not happy with him saying that openly. Maybe that is connected to his move to the Algemeiner.
ReplyDeleteI just saw a nice, fourteen page article by him about Yiddish, written for a forthcoming encyclopedia (also in English). See http://www.yivo.org/downloads/Yiddish.pdf
If they (the Yiddishisten) don't understand that then that's their problem. The fact remains that only by the Charedim will there a continuation of Yiddish without the "culture" of it.
ReplyDeleteר' איד טאמער מיינט איהר אז איהר פארמאגט ניט קיין קאלטשער (קולטור), האט איהר א שטיקל טעות. א שאד נאר וואס איהר הלכה למעשה פראוועט איהר ענקער קולטור אויף גואיש בשעת ווען ענקער יידיש איז אהן א שיעור בעסער און שעהנער
ReplyDeleteאנאנעמוס
ReplyDeleteטא וואזשע ווילט איר איך זאל טוהן, שרייבען נאר אף אידיש?