If you've walked on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and 10th Street outside the Chase branch, then you've likely noticed the five-pointed gold stars set into granite celebrating names such as Abraham Goldfaden, Bessie Thomashefsky and Michal Michalesko ...
[Top two photos from 2014 by Derek Berg]
In 1984, Abe Lebewohl, who owned the Second Avenue Deli in this corner location, installed this Yiddish Walk of Fame to commemorate when the area was a vibrant Yiddish theater community in the early 20th century.
In recent years, many of the stars in the double row have become worn down or broken and are mostly illegible. Higher rents forced Second Avenue Deli to vacate here in 2006. (Lebewohl was murdered in March 1996.) Since then, the building's landlord, Jonis Realty, who's responsible for maintaining the sidewalks, hasn't apparently done much to repair the stars (though at the same time they didn't have them removed).
There's now a fresh movement afoot to preserve and protect the Walk of Fame in an effort led by the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and several other community groups. Yesterday, EVG regular Daniel noted that reps for Friends of the Abe Lebewohl Yiddish Walk of Fame were collecting signatures of support on this corner...
Here's more on the history of the Walk of Fame ... via the GVSHP...
The Second Avenue Deli closed its doors at this location in 2006. Luckily, the Walk of Fame remained despite the closure. But now this civic tribute is deteriorating. Friends of the Abe Lebewohl Yiddish Walk of Fame is working to promote the history and culture of Yiddish Theatre and the neighborhood inspired by the granite stars first embedded in the sidewalk of Second Avenue by restauranteur Abe Lebewohl. GVSHP is proud to be working with fellow stakeholders, with the support of the Lebewohl family, to secure the future of this important piece of our neighborhood history.
Here's what they have planned ...
Friends of the Abe Lebewohl Yiddish Theatre Walk of Fame seeks to preserve, educate, inspire and reinstall a recreation of the historic plaque tiles in the area of cultural relevance and with long term stewardship. We will work to gently remove the original plaque tiles.
Exhibit them as part of a permanent or traveling exhibition. Support programming that highlights the Yiddish Theatre and the neighborhood, and inspire the continuation of the rich artistic tradition. And we will commission a recreation of the original plaque tiles to be reinstalled somewhere relevant and nearby, with long term stewardship as our goal.
Learn more about the preservation efforts here.
Finally, something worth preserving.
ReplyDeleteWhen the 2nd Ave Deli closed/moved uptown they should have had these tiles removed and taken with them to install in their restaurant or in the sidewalk out front. But I guess it was too much effort and/or cost for them to be bothered. Shame on them. Abe would not have been pleased.
ReplyDeleteThe current situation is poor at best and what is being proposed is less than good. What should happen is for these tiles to be removed by an architectural restoration firm, restored properly and reinstalled diagonally across the street in the small park named for Abe Lebewohl The current family members who own the 2nd Ave Deli (they have two locations now...one on 33rd Street near Third Avenue and one on the corner of E. 75th St and First Avenue) should make a large contribution to this effort by matching dollar for dollar private or corporate donations raised through a public awareness campaign on the street at the location.
Sadly though, most people who live in or visit the EV these days have limited knowledge about the Jewish Theater that was prominent in the EV at one time. That will make this project difficult to bring to fruition, but it is not impossible. L'Chaim (To Life)
If only the street beneath your feet could speak.
ReplyDeleteI maybe wrong but doesn't Fred Wilpon, owner of the Mets, own that building? Just saying, why doesn't he preserve the sidewalk. He's got plenty and has made plenty off the city. Give something back besides a lousy team.
ReplyDeletecmarrty..Sterling Equities? Why would they own anything on the LES...They are big-building Midtown folks.
ReplyDeleteeveryone's a critic...
ReplyDeletethe tiles commemorate the jewish theater DOWN HERE, mot on 33rd street.
ReplyDeletetrue, if abe had not been shot he would certainly have maintained the stars.
we all miss him.
Why not install them in front of the movie theater on 12th and 2nd, which back in the day was a famous Yiddish theater? Seems like a more natural fit. And yes, even all these years later, Abe, a goodhearted, kind, decent, neighborhood-oriented mensch, is missed. May the monsters that killed him burn for Eternity.
ReplyDelete@cmartyy
ReplyDeleteWilpon doesn't have shit since he and his equally stupid greedy brother gave millions to Madoff to handle. It's why they didn't resign Danny Murphy and they are in flirting with last place. And they also piss a lot of money away lobbying to build a mall in a park area that got judicially shot down.
The obvious home for these would be in front of what is now the City Cinemas Village East at 12th St., which was originally the Yiddish Art Theatre where many of these actors undoubtedly performed. It was built as a Yiddish theater, and the main auditorium has been beautifully restored and highlights the 6-pointed Stars of David. The cornerstone of the building is even inscribed in Yiddish! This would be a meaningful tribute to a glorious part of vanished East Village history.
ReplyDelete3:03
ReplyDeleteIt made the papers about 25 years ago. They may have sold the property by now but at one time they did own it. And I think there was another property involved... maybe the building at the SW corner of 9th and 2nd.
It makes absolute sense to move these to the 12 Street cinema.
ReplyDelete