JEWISH LITERATURE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19798, 19 November 1927, Page 20

JEWISH LITERATURE.

LECTURE TO LYCEUM CLUB.

LIFE OF ISRAEL ZANGWILL.

'One of the most brilliant men in the realm of Jewish literature was Israel Zangwili," said Mr R, A. Singer in an address on "Jewish Literature," to the literary circle ol the Lyceum Club last evening The speaker was introduced to the members by Mrs. W. H. Parkes. Israel Zangwili, whose death occurred this yeai at the age of 62, was known to the speaker as a boy and the history ol his life was very remarkable. Ho was one of the hundreds of thousands ol Jews who were excluded from Russia dur liig the Nineteenth century. When these people were put out of Russia they poured all over the 'world, and Zangwili and his parents went to England, which at that time contained, and still does contain, one of the finest schools in the world, the Jews Free School, situated in the east end of London Over 3000 children were educated at this school at the entire expense of the voluntary contributions of the Jews of London. Zangwili became a pupil and was afterwards a graduate at the London University At the ago of 19, Zangwili gave up pupil-teaching, chiefly owing to consider able ill-feeling between the headmaster, Moses Angel, and himself, and became a great novelist and a great power in the world, one of his finest books being, "Children of the Ghetto." Mr. Singer read, with fine dramatic interpretation, a short story written by Zangwili, called "The Sabbath Breaker." which was, in his opinion, one of the finest short stories ever written. It was a beautiful gift that this lonely Russian immigrant had left, not only to England, but also to the whole world.