B. Kovner

In 1918, a Jewish humorist defied the health department and sneezed — or did he?

Read this article in Yiddish Editor’s Note: The more things change, the more they stay the same. This piece appeared in the Forverts, in Yiddish of course, during the influenza epidemic of 1918. Today, as the coronavirus spreads, health authorities are telling us not to touch our face, which is very difficult. Back then, they…