100 Years Ago In the Forward

It was “he-said, she-said” as the case of Mr. and Mrs. Levine was heard before Judge Whitney in the New York Supreme Court. “You’re a dog and a monster,” was among the printable terms of approbation that Mr. Levine, a lawyer who defended himself, frequently heard from his wife as she claimed that he was the one constantly abusing her, both verbally and physically. But his major issue wasn’t his wife’s cursing, it was her family. Apparently, Mrs. Levine’s parents and 12 siblings could be found all about the Levine household at various hours of the day and night. Fed up, Mr. Levine finally had the police escort them out. But it was Mrs. Levine who had an ace in the hole when a Bronx landlord, Frederick Marx, took the stand and told the court that Mr. Levine had recently rented an apartment for “his wife,” who turned out to be not the Mrs. Levine in the courtroom, but some other lady entirely.

75 Years Ago In the Forward

Many years ago, his dream was to become a rabbi, and he still remembers swaying over a tome of Talmud. When he waxes nostalgic, he can still call up passages of the Bible and recite them by heart. But now, Samson Raphaelson, is one of the most successful screenwriters in Hollywood. When Ernst Lubitsch needs a screenwriter, he calls Raphaelson. He’s also a successful playwright. One of his plays, “Accent on Youth,” is enjoying great success right now on Broadway. Born on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, Raphaelson was raised by his grandfather, who was a rabbinical assistant at the Pike Street Synagogue. He is best known as having written the screenplay for the first talkie, “The Jazz Singer.”

50 Years Ago In the Forward

Famed Broadway impresario Billy Rose announced plans to give his entire sculpture collection, valued in the millions of dollars, to the new national art museum in Israel. He added that he contracted Japanese architect Isamu Noguchi to design the area in which the sculptures were be exhibited. Rose also said that he planned to purchase more sculptures to enrich the collection. The museum’s curator, Karl Katz, noted that Rose’s sculpture collection is the largest privately held collection in the world.

This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.

We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover.

This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.

With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.

The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.

Don't just read the Forward - invest in it. Make a gift today.

Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

Support Our Work