Customer Reviews

A Living Lens: Photographs of Jewish Life from the Pages of the Forward

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The Forward captured and related news for the new Jewish immigrants, and for some of them not so recent, in both a special political and social way.

Obviously, with my name as a Christian Irishman, I did not live the experience, but my significant other grew up in the rare environment of a Leftist (read, Socialist) community in the Bronx that continues to enrich the American political experience, as well as the peculiarly American, secular Jewish experience.

As a fourth-generation Irish-American, I am obviously somewhat removed from immigrant issues. On the other hand, the family oral tradition very strongly pointed out why my ancestors fled Ireland during the potatoe famine of the mid 1840's and how English political suppression of the Irish led to my family's connection to events in today's Ireland.

This book, specifically the photos and 'back stories', enable all of us of whatever immigrant background to re-live some specific moments in the American immigrant past that led to the building of a great community and to our country, whatever its faults.

While new immigrants arrive from the Caribbean, Africa, Eastern Europe, India, etc., and have their own stories to tell with their own ethnic language newspapers, The Forward will continue to stand as a model of 1) helping new immigrants adjust to their new homeland; 2) keeping them informed of news of their former homeland(s); 3) providing advice as to how to adjust to their new land. These are, perhaps, timeless topics in helping new immigrants adjust to their new land and circumstances.

The book and photos should serve as a rich tribute to striving immigrants of whatever religion, regional, or racial background to show how almost every new arrival wants to 'fit in' and contribute. Maybe this book, in some small way, will add a few "positives" to the current, embarrasing, and rediculous controvery over immigration.

A Living Lens is a wonderful collection of photographs that not only demonstrate everyday life of Jews throughout the United States but it is accompanied by a rich text authored by witnesses to this history. Of all the photography books about the Jews of the 19th and 20th centuries thids one ranks at the top. A must see and read.

A delightful, hefty volume that shows photographs from the past 110 years of both The Forverts (in Yiddish) and The Forward (English) newspapers of New York City. How amazing that this photo archive was not discarded in an economy move of "old stuff."

A WONDERFUL COMPILATION OF SCENES OF LIFE LONG GONE.....VERY NOSTALGIC.....IT TAKES ME BACK TO AN ERA THAT MY GRANDPARENTS LIVED THROUGH..

I found this book very informative and very interesting. I enjoyed reading all the Jewish history in it. I was very interested in the information about Poland because my father's father was born there and I have a lot of his papers from when he was born in what was called Austria-Poland (even his birth certificate). It brought back many memories of my grandmother, who would take me to the Lower East Side of Manhattan where my father was born and we would shop in the specialty stores there and to the Jewish Theatre when I really didn't understand Yiddish but kept asking what they were saying and I did enjoy going. I have been recommending this book to friends and neighbors and have it on the coffee table in my living room and anyone who picks it up is fascinated by it, regardless of religion.

CAROL ESGAR

As the grandchild of Polish / Ukraine immigrants who read the Forvitz, this book lovingly captures the memories of a time long gone.

This collection and commentary was great....and more than met our expectations. It sits now on our coffee table for all to review and reminisce.

Beautiful book, well written. A book for anyone to share with their children to teach them an important part of our US history.

Earlier this year, I had participated in a tour, including the old Forward Building in Lower Manhattan, with our guide being one of the photographers for this beuatiful book. I was so happy with the book which arrived in exellent condition.

Thank you.

Renate Stone