June 5, 2009

100 Years Ago in the Forward

Bootmaker Yekl Chernobelsk is currently thought to be on the lam in Cleveland after it was discovered that he was married to two women simultaneously. Both wives contacted the Forward — and both sent the exact same photograph, along with a list of their demands. His first wife, with whom he has two children, lives in Winnipeg, Canada, and simply asked that Chernobelsk have pity on their family and send a writ of divorce. The second wife, who lives in Toronto, knows Chernobelsk as “Yosef Cohen, only spent a month with him, but has an eight-month old baby as a result.” She wrote the Forward that she’s not angry and that she offers him the chance to return to Toronto to live with her and their young child. If not, she says, he should send some money for child support. And, failing that, a divorce.

75 Years Ago in the Forward

Polish Nazis have developed a new method for bringing their anti-Jewish threats to fruition. They are now picketing outside Jewish-owned stores in Warsaw and preventing Christian customers from entering. They also recently attacked Jews in the center of the Jewish quarter, on Nalewki Street. And in the Warsaw suburb Stare Milosne, local hooligans attacked Jews on the street and smashed the windows of Jewish-owned stores. Christian customers there were blocked from entering these stores. Most of these young hooligans are followers of the new Polish political party, Nara, which is an imitation of the Nazi Party. Jewish leaders have asked the government to intervene, and meetings of local Jewish councils have been held to discuss how to deal with the ongoing attacks.

50 Years Ago in the Forward

Israel’s Cabinet met to discuss how to handle the problem of Egypt’s confiscation of Israeli ships and goods as they attempt to pass through the Suez Canal. This has become problematic for the Israelis, who have increasing trade with African countries and require free passage for their ships via the canal. Although the ministers involved did not issue a statement or speak to journalists about their discussion, the Israeli press was rife with reports about what would be done about the situation, including a plan to take control of Egyptian ships outside Egyptian territorial waters. With this report as an excuse, the Egyptian government has put itself on war footing with Israel.

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