Last night, I had the opportunity to watch the captivating documentary ‘Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness’ at Cinema du Parc. This recent biography offers a profound exploration of the life and legacy of Sholem Aleichem, a prolific writer whose works resonate deeply with the complexities of Jewish life in the Polish/Russian countryside during a tumultuous era.

A Language Shaped by History and Identity

Sholem Aleichem (1859-1916) documented the challenges faced by the Jewish community in the Polish/Russian countryside during a turbulent time. Having lived there for centuries, Jews navigated the influences of modernity, blending their cultural traditions with ideas from France (emancipation), America (liberty), socialism, and resistance against the Czar’s rule.

In that era, most European Jews spoke Yiddish, a language that evolved over a millennium from a fusion of Hebrew, German, and Slavic languages. Sholem Aleichem chose to write in Yiddish, though this coincided with a shift among Jews favouring the language of their host countries over their ancestral “mame loshen” or “mother tongue” at home.

The Shtetle and its Inhabitants

Aleichem’s works, centred around the Shtetle and its inhabitants, reflected his time and place, amplifying the voices of average Jews in the Polish and Russian countryside. Notably, characters like Tevye, the Milkman, and Motl, the Cantor’s son, populated his narratives, forming the basis for “Fiddler on the Roof.” “Die Kleine Menshelech,” a play based on these characters, catalyzed the revival of Yiddish in Israel during the 1970s, following its decline, particularly during the Holocaust, where six million Yiddish speakers were among the victims.

Preserving Yiddish Culture

Currently engrossed in a documentary about Yiddish culture, I ponder the fate of the Yiddish language three generations post-Holocaust. Does anyone still speak or remember Yiddish? The documentary ‘Yiddish: a Tale of Survival highlights the importance of preserving the language and the culture it represents.

Historical Turmoil

Amid the compelling portrayal of Sholem Aleichem’s ideas and accents in English, ‘Sholem Aleichem: Laughing in the Darkness’ reveals a troubling historical truth: the systematic attacks against Jews in Poland and Russia starting in 1881. Before this, Jews and others lived together relatively peacefully, but the sudden eruption of violence, notably the anti-Jewish pogroms following the Czar’s assassination in 1881 and recurring in 1905-06, disrupted this harmony.

Aleichem himself experienced the horrors of the 1905 Kyiv pogrom, hiding with his family in a hotel for three days during the event. The documentary aptly captures these tumultuous times and their impact on Jewish communities.

In hindsight, the insufficient reaction to violence against Jewish citizens in Poland and Russia foreshadowed later tragedies. The Nazi regime, observing the world’s indifference, adopted similar tactics, culminating in the orchestrated destruction of Jews during the Holocaust. Regrettably, echoes of this state-sponsored brutality persist today in places like Syria and have manifested throughout history in the Soviet Union, North Korea, and Iran.

Shaping Our Future

As the credits roll, I am left pondering the enduring legacy of Yiddish culture and the profound impact of historical events on its fate. This documentary reminds us of the rich tapestry of Jewish life and the sobering lessons history imparts about the consequences of indifference to injustice. ‘Laughing in the Darkness’ serves not only as a tribute to Sholem Aleichem but also as a solemn reminder of the enduring relevance of his works in understanding the past and shaping the future.