February 29, 2026
WILL WALLACE STOP
THIS JEWISH PLAY?
SAYS HE HAS NOT GIVEN PER-
MISSION FOR IT.
But the Congregation Tefares Israel
Declares He Has Signified His
Willingness to Let Sunday
Performance Proceed.
Although the Jews of the Tefares Israel congregation, who are to present "De Boba Yochne," a dramatic opera in the Shubert theater Sunday evening, March 8, claim that they have a permit from Judge W. H. Wallace guaranteeing that they shall not be arrested or indicted. Judge Wallace says he has made no decision in the matter.
"First time I ever heard of Tefares Israel," the judge replied to a questioner. "Didn't know they were going to give a show in the Shubert theater on Sunday. I cannot say what I shall do, because I never cross bridges until I come to them."
When word of the judge's indecision was brought to a dozen Jews who were in M. Herowitz's meat market at 509 Independence avenue yesterday evening, there was a great shaking of heads. The men, all well along in years and heavily bearded, had been busy studying the lines they will have to speak in the play for it is to be a home talent performance. A man who was reading from a grayish book, grew silent and Herowitz, who was standing behind his chopping block humming the lines of a song he is to sing, snapped his jaws together. Not a word was spoken for two minutes. Then Herowitz filled and lighted his pipe and stepped from behind his counter. He took the pipe from his lips and spoke slowly through his beard:
"You bring us news. I do not understand. The judge has given us a permit, but we cannot be sure what he may yet do."
TO FURNISH A SYNAGOGUE.
"Yes, we will charge for tickets, but we will use the money to furnish a house of worship for our congregation. We are not rich people and we do not desire to beg. Why should we not give our time and our voices for this drama? We hurt no one, and we furnish our synagogue."
Everyone paid respectful silence for a full minute after Herowitz quit speaking, for he is assistant director of the proposed performance and his daughter is to be leading lady. At last another black-bearded man spoke:
"It is the last few weeks that we bought the church at Tracy and Seventh. It is small but a nice house. We want money to furnish it for a synagogue. We cannot give the opera on Saturday, for that is our Sabbath, and we take Sunday because many of us cannot open our shops on that day because of the court."
"DON'T PREJUDICE THE COURT"
As the reporter took his leave, five or six of the bearded men followed to the door.
"I beg of you, kindly," two or three of them said, "not to write anything to make the court go back on his word. We want the money for our synagogue."
The play, "De Boba Yochna," which the Tefares Israel Jews are rehearsing, and for which their wives and daughters are making many brightly colored gowns and robes, is a five-act drama. For fear, though, that those who attend may not receive their money's worth, half a dozen songs are to be sung by the sweetest voices of the congregation during the intermissions between the five acts.
Every word spoken will be in Hebrew. Even the judge, who closed sacred concerts in the Willis Wood theater and shut up A. Judah's playhouse on Sundays, should wish to indict the congregation of Tefares Israel, he would have to send interpreters with his deputy marshals in order to secure any evidence that a play, and not a son and prayer service, is in progress.
Labels: churches, grocers, Independence avenue, Jews, Judge Wallace, Seventh street, theater, Tracy avenue
