Re: Shtetlization

[Ari Davidow <ari...>]

At 03:48 PM 1/2/01 -0500, you wrote:
>Enjoyed Ari's musings on Shtetl romanticism, but also don't think the posting
>tells the full story (which it probably wasn't meant to do).  Here's a couple
>comments:
>
>1)  As a fan of the European klezmer recreationists (Budowitz, Khevrisa, Di
>Naye Kapelye-- sorry Josh and others to throw you guys together again), I think
>the best bands are attempting to reclaim and celebrate the artistry of European
>Jewish life.  I agree that in less-skilled hands this can degrade into
>romanticism.  

Since two of those bands released albums this year and both were in the "Top10 
of 2000" list, and the third's praises I sang just this weekend, I am 
disinclined to disagree. None of the musicians involved were on my mind; rather 
it was the specific term, "Shtetl," and my feeling that it has come to 
represent a myth that wasn't. But as I explored that thought, I also realized 
that there was more to the story. Some of that, I hope, came through.

>2) I had a problem with the following statement Ari made:  
>
>"the real flowering of Yiddish culture happened not in those towns, or the even
>smaller villages, but in the cities--in places like Vilna, the Jerusalem of
>Lithuania, or in Warsaw, where Habima and so much of Yiddish Theatre was 
>born...

to which you wrote:

>Ouch!  One of the things that has impressed me in my readings of the Pale is
>the extent and sophistication of Jewish cultural and social organization in 
>even
>the smallest of settlements.

Pete, the ouch is mine. You are right. Certainly relative to towns as we think 
of them today, shtetlakh had a lot going on. On the other hand, towns today 
also have a host of organizations--take a look at the signs as you enter many 
small towns with their various lodges, then consider the Church- or synagogue- 
or school-related organizations. There is a lot there. But to what degree were 
those small towns different in their suspicions of new things, or their freedom 
from conformity? I'm not sure they were.

Yet, in reacting to the term, "shtetl," and to its romanticization, I went too 
far in condemning shtetls for what they were not, as well. My exageration, and 
an anti-romanticization as flawed as what I criticize.

There is more to say, certainly, in response to the very thoughtful comments by 
George Robinson and David Chevan, but I want some time to think things over. 
Mostly, I feel very grateful for the comments received so far as they have 
helped me clarify my own thoughts and helped me clarify what I might have 
written had I been a better writer and a better thinker. In the meantime, I 
don't want to cut off any emerging discussion.

ari


Ari Davidow
ari (at) ivritype(dot)com
list owner, jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
the klezmer shack: http://www.klezmershack.com/

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