Chawe Leie git szabes

Chawe Leie git szabes (Eve-Leah, Good Shabbat). Published by the S. M. P. Kr. (Society of Polish Painters in Kraków). Posted in Lemberg (Lviv) on 25 July 1902.

Although Yiddish-speaking communities still exist, they are now the exception. Prior to the Shoah, Yiddish was the first language of millions of Jews in Eastern Europe and Jewish migrants around the world, making Yiddish theatre a mainstream concern and (potentially) big business. This card shows Sally Weisenfreund (ca. 1873–1934), likely with her husband Philip Weisenfreund (ca. 1860–1913). The song “Eve-Leah, Good Shabbat” highlights the achievements of Jewish wives and mothers in making all the requisite preparations for shabbat while also staying well groomed. The Weisenfreunds’ youngest son, calling himself Paul Muni (1895–1967), embarked on a successful Broadway and Hollywood career. His roles included the male leads in “The Life of Louis Pasteur” (1936), which earned him an Oscar, and “The Life of Emile Zola” (1937). Slightly varying layouts indicate that this postcard was published at least twice.

Postcard from the book: Jews in Old Postcards and Prints