The Gershwin Brothers’ Jewishness
One of the reasons I love reading The Jewish Press is because it has certain features that you would not find in many other Jewish periodicals. One such feature that I always look forward to is by columnist Saul Jay Singer whose “Collecting Jewish History” showcases prominent Jewish celebrities or achievers in the political, business, entertainment, or sports worlds (and that also includes some interesting memorabilia associated with them), in which they may not necessarily be very observant Jews in the traditional sense – but Singer always seems to find some Jewish spark within them that reflects their Jewish soul, and indicating that they had not totally abandoned their Jewish roots.
In his April 4 column he featured one of my all-time favorite 20th century classical music composers – George Gershwin, along with his brother Ira Gershwin, who collaborated with him as a lyricist on many of his Broadway musicals as well as his most prominent “folk opera,” Porgy and Bess.
George Gershwin was in fact very unique in that he composed music for both the Broadway stage and Hollywood films, but more significantly he also composed wonderful classical music pieces for symphony orchestras that were performed in many concert halls throughout the world. His most famous orchestral compositions being Rhapsody in Blue, Concerto in F, Cuban Overture, and An American in Paris. The only other composer that is similar to him in that regard, who also achieved great success in both the classical music world as well as on the Broadway stage, who also happened to be Jewish, was Leonard Bernstein. And the reason why I am a big fan of both of them (Gershwin and Bernstein) is because I too am a classical music buff and appreciate the contributions that they have both made to the more “modern” classical music world. This is why I was very excited to read that week’s column and I must say I was not at all disappointed.
Regarding the Jewishness of George and Ira Gershwin, here are some little-known facts that Singer has uncovered regarding both of them that I believe deserve to be highlighted.
They grew up on the Lower East Side among the bustling Jewish community during the early 1900s, and frequented the Yiddish theatre that was very popular among Jews at that time. Their grandfather was a rabbi in Europe so they had some traditional Jewish background, and their mother claimed to have a kosher home although they were otherwise not very religiously observant. But the spark of Jewishness that Singer discovered about George was in his music. In particular, he believed the opening musical phrase of his celebrated Rhapsody in Blue is greatly reminiscent of the great liturgy of many Yamim Noraim mournful tunes that he evidently heard in his childhood. He also pointed out that one of his famous songs from his opera Porgy and Bess called “It ain’t necessarily so,” despite its very cynical lyrics that Ira provided, is in fact the exact same tune that we all recite when we are called up during the reading of the Torah, and that he believes is no coincidence in contradicting the lyrics that accompany it.
But most telling is the fact that both George and Ira, despite their more secular upbringing, refused to marry non-Jewish girls, as Ira was married to the same Jewish woman his entire life, and George who unfortunately died in his late 30s of a brain tumor, remained single his entire life because none of his more longtime girl friends were Jewish. This certainly stands out compared to our modern times in which the current rate of intermarriage is extremely high among the more secular Jewish world.
Evidently 100 years ago, the idea of marrying outside of one’s faith was thankfully not a very viable option.
Josh Rosenthal
Queens, NY
The Sham Iran Nuclear Deal
Are things “coming to a head concerning Iran’s nuclear program”? (“Trump: Absolutely No Nukes for Iran,” editorial, April 18).
The Obama-Biden negotiations with Iran are a perfect case to explain why Americans have lost confidence in Washington’s foreign policy in the Middle East. Obama arrogantly told Americans and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran was in the Middle East’s best interest.
Obama wanted Americans to think the JCPOA would be a diplomatically successful agreement with Iran. But it wasn’t verifiable and Iran was never in full compliance with the JCPOA. It was not diplomatically successful; it was a diplomatic embarrassment.
In 2018, President Trump withdrew the U.S. from the “deal.” President Trump then began a maximum-pressure campaign of economic sanctions against Iran.
President Biden immediately resumed “indirect” negotiations with Iran, even as Tehran financed terror groups across the Middle East. The “indirect” talks failed to produce positive results for U.S. Middle East policy. By the end of Biden’s presidency, the U.S. had little diplomatic credibility in the region.
Since President Trump’s return to the Oval Office, he has pursued “direct” negotiations with Iran. Negotiations are underway between Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and his counterparts.
Reportedly, U.S. and Iranian teams will soon begin more “indirect” negotiations. If the two sides cannot agree on whether the talks should be “direct” or “indirect,” more delay and frustration could result.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi recently said about the negotiations: “There is no reason for much optimism, and there is no reason for much pessimism either.” This is progress?
James Patterson
Washington, D.C.
(not the novelist)
