After work today, I went for a walk to explore some more of the neighborhood around me. First though, a side trip.

I was looking around in Google Maps (map) when I saw a reference to a place called FrankenStuffs, so I have to look it up right? I love these things! (pictures!) I’m sad that most are sold 😦

I stopped first in our courtyard, having noticed, yesterday, a dedication sign. It is dedicated to Sholem Aleichem. Who is that you ask? None other than the “Yiddish Mark Twain”.

When they first met in real life, as the story goes, at a Manhattan hotel in 1906, Aleichem was introduced as “the Yiddish Mark Twain.” Upon hearing this, Twain halted the speaker: “Please tell him that I am the American Sholem Aleichem.”

( “When Sholem Aleichem Met Mark Twain | Jewniverse.” 10 Jan. 2014, http://thejewniverse.com/2014/when-sholem-aleichem-met-mark-twain/. Accessed 26 Jun. 2017.)

In fact, these buildings (including the one I am living in now) are known as the Shalom Aleichem Houses, and were originally created as a housing complex for residents with an interest in and concern for the preservation of secular Yiddish culture. Who knew? Turns out, you did. At least you are probably familiar with one of his stories. What comes to your mind first when you think of Yiddish stories? Think about it for a half a minute. Undoubtedly, you thought of Fishke the Lame, and who could blame you? Second only to that is Tevye the Dairyman, which is the basis of some musical no one has ever heard of called Fiddler on the Roof (no reference).

Anyways, there’s this nice plaque in the courtyard, which I didn’t take a picture of. I did take some nice pictures of the courtyard, though.

Almost ethereal, right? I did nothing to those pictures except increase the color saturation.

This was supposed to be a photo tour, but some kind of schmutz got on my lens. I’ll try again another day.

Shalom.