Simkhas Teyreh with Sholem Aleikhem

(Photo via Jewpostcard.ru)

A picture that should bring tears of joy to any parent's eyes, a father spending quality time with his young daughter, helping her with her Simchas Teyreh flag. But wait! what's this? Who are these western-looking gentlemen whose photos adorn the walls of their humble home? Are they Rabbonim? Roshei Yeshivah? Ayskim BeTzorchei Tzibbur? nooo! It's Sholem Aleykhem or some other Shvartz Yohr! Now why would a frum-looking Yid with a Bord un Kaften have such individuals as his role models?

Commenter "A Yid" had this to say on Circus Tent: :א בחור צו די שחיטה

"There is a card with the photo of "Sholom Aleichem" (Rabinovich) on the wall. As far as I understood it depicts some scene from his books, that why his picture is there. Most probably, the designer wasn't frum. But he wanted his publishing house to cater to a wide variety of customers. At least part of maskilim of that time didn't have hateful feelings towards Yiddishkayt. They fell in the trap of Haskoloh, Communism or whatever else, but they still could have some (positive) sentiments and feelings (towards Yiddishkeit) I assume. It wasn't so black and white, like evrey Maskil being a hard-core hater of Yiddishkayt. Life was hard. It was like a Klipoh of Avoydoh Zoroh before. We can't really imagine how hard it was not to fall into it."

I thank "A Yid" for the link.