re: "the goldene medina"

[Robert Cohen <rlcm17...>]

Just remember that this phrase--which is often and characteristically used 
in immigrants' songs sarcastically rather than celebratorily--e.g., in 
response to the 'streets not (after all) being paved with gold'--also got 
re-interpreted to refer to a country (ours, sadly, and even more so--*much* 
more so--today) in which gold--money--rather than, e.g., learning, piety, 
kindness, good works, etc.--was the measure of all things.



>Anybody see the rebroadcast of AVALON on cable recently? What a beautiful 
>explication of three (and four) generations of the American Jewish 
>immigrant experience. And, yes, I realize that the actors weren't all 
>distinctly Jewish. Nevertheless, I found it a profoundly moving story and 
>an accurate portrayal of what we lost and gained in the goldene medina.
>
>Eliott Kahn
>
> >
>
>

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