YIVO Institute Mounts Exhibition on Jews and Entertainment in the Early 20th Century

(New York, NY November 6, 2015) – With his fake beard, putty nose, and thick Yiddish accent, the “stage Jew” was once a common character in vaudeville, part of a genre that mocked immigrants and minorities. Essentially a variant of blackface minstrelsy, the music that accompanied these “Jewface” performances was not only performed on stage, but was also published as colorfully illustrated sheet music so fans could play them at home.

Outrageous and offensive by today’s standards, these “Yiddish” dialect songs sung by these figures exploited a variety of unpleasant stereotypes about Jews. The sheet music produced for the genre engaged some of the same unpleasant stereotypes.

While the genre was initially created by gentile performers to make fun of Jewish immigrants, it was eventually taken over by Jews, who apparently felt that they could do a better job mocking themselves. Irving Berlin, Fannie Brice, and Sophie Tucker were just a few who wrote and performed these Yiddish-inflected songs.

Based in part on the sheet music collection of The New York Times’ Sunday Magazine critic-at-large, Jody Rosen, YIVO presents Jewface: “Yiddish” Dialect Songs of Tin Pan Alley. A lost historical phenomenon, “Jewface” sheet music provides a look into the ways in which early 20th century entertainment mocked Jews, engaged Jews, and developed Yiddish-accented English for comic effect.

For press inquiries, contact:

Dr. Eddy Portnoy
Senior Academic Advisor & Director of Exhibitions
(212) 294-6139