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Kochba, which ran for quite some time. Its success
was beyond our expectations, and its influence
was felt for a long time. Everyone was
impressed by the strong and beautiful voice of the
actress, Feyge Pomerantz, the daughter of Sholem
Yitshe, the town water-carrier. She played the
role of Dina, Bar Kochba's sweetheart. Her songs
continued to be sung by everybody in town for
many years to come.
This, too, was a brave deed of Hershl
Chasid'sencouraging a poor girl, a seamstress
by trade, by teaching her to act, preparing her for
a leading part that she filled so successfully.
Hershl played Bar Kochba himself; he wore a
black cape, a sort of pelerine from the Napoleonic
era, and a wide-brimmed toreador's hat, making
a tremendous impression on the public.
The townspeople waited impatiently for the
big day when the curtain would rise on the
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THE EARLY DAYS 81
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r
charming play, the content of which and the cast
names they knew long beforehandfrom those
lucky enough to attend rehearsals (held mostly
on Saturdays). The putting on of plays involved
great effort not only for the actors, who had to
overcome the opposition of their parents, memorize
their parts, prepare the appropriate costumes,
etc., but also for the devoted helpers, the "technical
corps," who had difficult tasks: to get censorship
permits from officials, which required traveling
to the big city (Lublin or Warsaw); finding
somebody to use his "pull" to get that permit; to
prepare the hall and stage; to bring in benches
from the synagogue (mostly by stealing) and chairs
from private homes; finding large lamps to light
the hall (also taken from the synagogue); borrowing
stage props, such as furniture; bringing a
make-up specialist from the big city; engaging
musicians (klezmer) to play before and during
- - 44.11
Members of Tarbut committee with author Rachel Feigenberg, 1929. Sitting, right to left: Y. Garmi (Grimatlicht),
N. Veyner (Blau), the author Feigenberg (Emory), Y. Samet, M. Volvushes. Standing, right to left: Kahn, M.
Varshniter (Henech), Doy Ivri (Volvushes), M. Grimatlicht.