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Lovers of great literature will love this week’s reminiscence with Bel Kaufman, the granddaughter of Yiddish writer Sholem Aleichem, best known for his many stories about life in the shtetl, including one that was adapted as the musical Fiddler on the Roof. Aleichem died in 1916 and Bel died in 2014. But Monday Morning Radio Host Dean Rotbart and his son, Maxwell, interviewed Bel, then 102 years old, in late 2013 for a Jewish-oriented radio show the father-son duo hosted. Bel not only shares her recollections of her famous grandfather, she also talks about her own career, having penned the 1965 bestseller, “Up the Down Staircase.” Caution: Bel is a bit difficult to understand, as was her right as a centenarian. But you’ll want to listen closely anyway, so you don’t miss any of her pearls of wisdom. Photo: Bel Kaufman and her grandfather, Sholem AleichemOriginally Posted: January 19, 2014Best of Monday Morning Radio Adaptation: April 12, 2021Monday Morning Run Time: 23:14
This week we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week. Join Amie and Tami as they discuss their reads, Dear Committee Members by Julie Schumacher and Up the Down Staircase by Bel Kaufman--both books about teachers and teacher life! We reminisce and remember our days in the classroom AND we celebrate those still teaching (through distance learning).
Eric Metaxas moderates a lively panel discussion with author Thomas Howard, director Norman Stone, actor Antone Rodgers, and author Bel Kaufman following a screening of the film, C.S. LEWIS: BEYOND NARNIA in April 2004 in New York City. Tom Howard recalls his first meeting with C.S. Lewis and the conversation ends with a fierce debate […]
Bel Kaufman, the 102-year-old granddaughter of famed Yiddish author Sholem Aleichem, is the guest on the January 19, 2014 edition of Radio Chavura. (L) Bel as a child with her grandfather, Sholem Aleichem; (R) A recent photo of Bel Kaufman. Born Solomon Naumovich Rabinovich in 1859, Sholem Aleichem is best known for writing the stories that were eventually adapted for Broadway and film as 'Fiddler on the Roof.' Often referred to as "the Jewish Mark Twain," Aleichem was born into a Hasidic family and grew up in a shtetl in what is now the Ukraine. He resettled in New York City in 1905 and passed away in 1916. Aleichem had six children. His daughter, Lyalya, a Hebrew writer, was Kaufman's mother. In her exclusive interview with Radio Chavura, Kaufman observes, "I am the only person in the world at this time who [personally] remembers Sholem Aleichem." Although Kaufman was five years old when her famous grandfather died, she still has clear memories of him. She recalls that Aleichem used to say to her, "'The tighter you hold my hand, [the better] I will write.' So," Kaufman jokes, "anyone who enjoys his writing has me to thank." Kaufman, who lives in Manhattan with her 97-year-old husband, is a successful author in her own right. In 1965, she penned the bestselling "Up The Down Staircase," which recounted the life of a first-year public school teacher in New York City. The book was made into a film in 1967, starring Sandy Dennis as the teacher. Be sure to subscribe to the free weekly Radio Chavura e-newsletter and program guide at: www.SubscribeChavura.com. Read more about Bel Kaufman and her Radio Chavura interview here.
Bel Kaufman, American humorist and acclaimed author of "Up The Down Staircase" made a visit to Iona College. Ms. Kaufman's book topped the New York Times best-seller list for 64-weeks and has been translated into 16 languages. It is still in print today and has sold over 7 million copies worldwide since its publication in 1963. It was also turned into a prize-winning motion picture.