[Page 260]

A short while later there came to Rakishok a dramatic director from Warsaw who, with the cooperation of some interested townspeople, produced a play in the hall of the fire department. I went to see the play and, as was then the custom, dancing followed the end of the performance. I mingled with the dancing couples, hoping to bump into the performing artists, but no such luck. My ambition was to meet real flesh and blood artists face to face, and to experience the feeling of what it is like to actually stand on the stage.

A few years later, a wonderful theatre company came to Rakishok. The director chose some local talent, including me, and together with the actors he brought, we successfully performed a number of plays. I played the part of the matchmaker in the play "Hertzele Meyuchos." To this day I remember the poke I received from the "mekhutn" (son-in-law’s or daughter-in-law’s father). In those days the theatre performances were more realistic--a poke was actually a poke, and a slap was a slap.

The theatre fascinated me, so I decided to produce a play in a private home, and for this I chose "Mit Dem Shrum" (With the Current) by the well-known Yiddish author, Sholom Ash. I was also instrumental in establishing a small amateur theatre and musical group. One of the performances was: "Oh, You Tiny Little Candles"--a reference to the Hanukah lights. I gave my little sister a part in the play.

We followed this up with one-act plays by the famous humorist author Sholom Aleichem. Admission was free, and we always had a full house. Those who could not find room inside stood on the window sills. We enlivened the town, and enjoyed the popularity and the acclaim of the viewers.

Years later, we put on plays from the repertoire of the famous playwright, Y. Gordin. With the passage of time, new business enterprises were opened in our town and Rakishok experienced a period of growth. A bank was opened which necessitated the importation of bookkeepers from larger cities. Some of the newcomers also had a passion to perform in Yiddish theatre, and their enthusiasm gave Rakishok a shot in the arm. This brought intensive theatre activity, and the theatre was now moved to a large auditorium with a real stage where we could have stage scenery, props, and decorations.

In 1915 I was mobilized and served in the Russian army. At the end of 1922, I returned home and brought with me many plays from the Russian theatre where I worked as a make-up artist. Rakishok received me with open arms, and I found in the theatre there a wide range of activity. We concentrated on plays and dramas by Sholom Aleichem, Yaakov Gordin, D. Pinsky, and Yud Leib Peretz. It became clear to us that through the medium of the theatre, we could disseminate Yiddish culture: every performance made a cultural impact on the audience and brought joy to the town. Throughout, we maintained a high standard, and our repertoire contained only the best creations of the Yiddish classicists. We never considered literary trash.

I left for South Africa, but the Yiddish theatre continued to function in Rakishok. According to the reports I received in 1928, there were several dramatic groups with talented actors who performed under a collective directorship. Evidently, each group wanted to preserve its own character. Some of the actors belonged to the Culture League which at that time was illegal.

I regret that I do not have precise details concerning the Rakishok Yiddish Theatre, which occupied a respectable position in the communal and cultural life of the town.

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