[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 3, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      IN HONOR OF SHOLEM ALEICHEM AND TO CONGRATULATE LIMMUND FSU

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                          HON. JERROLD NADLER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 3, 2009

  Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember and honor the 
life of acclaimed Russian-Jewish writer and humorist Mr. Sholem 
Aleichem, whose 150th birthday was this past Monday, March 2, and to 
congratulate Limmund FSU on the events it is sponsoring this week in 
New York City, Tel Aviv, and Kiev to commemorate this momentous event.
  Born as Sholem Rabinovitch on March 2, 1859 in Pereyaslav, Ukraine, 
Sholem Aleichem showed his writing talents at a young age. In 1879, he 
began publishing stories in Hebrew. Just a few years later, in 1883, he 
began publishing stories in Yiddish and, because Yiddish was not 
considered by some appropriate for legitimate writing, he adopted his 
now famous pseudonym: Sholem Aleichem.
  This was the beginning of a long and distinguished literary career, 
in which Sholem Aleichem wrote and published dozens of short stories, 
plays, and novels in Yiddish, Hebrew, and Russian. He is best known for 
his writing in Yiddish and his role as one of the preeminent Yiddish 
authors. His efforts, through his own works and his promotion of the 
writing of others, did as much as anyone to promote Yiddish as an art 
form.
  His works were widely popular, as they were both meaningful and 
humorous with an ability to teach and entertain. They also reflected 
the real lives and problems of their readers. Through his work, Sholem 
Aleichem left behind a rich portrayal of Jewish life and culture in 
Eastern Europe and Russia at the turn of the century. In fact, it was 
his stories that were the inspiration for the popular musical, Fiddler 
on the Roof. It is no wonder that he became known as the ``Jewish Mark 
Twain.''
  Well after his death in New York City in 1916, his popularity 
continues to this day. His timeless works have been translated into 
many languages, including English, making accessible his unique 
literary talents to millions more. Monuments have been erected to him 
in Kiev and Moscow. And, in New York City, East 33rd Street, between 
Park Avenue and Madison Avenue, is named ``Sholem Aleichem Place.'' It 
is only fitting that we pause on this, the occasion of his 150th 
birthday, to celebrate Sholem Aleichem and his contribution both to 
Jewish life and culture and to humanity as a whole.
  Indeed, people will be remembering Sholem Aleichem all around the 
world thanks to the efforts of Limmund FSU. Limmund FSU is a volunteer 
organization whose goal is to help build bridges between Russian-
speaking Jews and their Jewish history and culture. I want to take this 
opportunity to congratulate Limmund FSU on the events it is sponsoring 
this week to honor Sholem Aleichem. It could not have picked a better 
person to honor and I want to thank everyone involved for their 
tremendous efforts.

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