The Providence Passover Journal and the Third Seder 

             The Providence Passover Journal is truly a Rhode Island creation which inspired groups in New York, Chicago and Philadelphia to create similar publications.  Published in Providence between 1929 and 1964, it came out of the work of the Poale Zion, a Zionist labor organization of the early 1900s from Russia.  This group, after many twists and turns, arrived in North America along with the immigration of Russian Jews.  In Providence, the Poale Zion merged with a similar German group and formed the Third Seder, at which support was given for the Histadruth (the Israeli trade union labor group established in the 1920s).  The cover illustration of the Passover Journal shows the stalwart Israeli farmer striding into the future.

             Alter Boyman, along with Henry Burt and Morris Beeber, was the driving force behind the Third Seder.  They thought that this third night would be good, since the first two nights were probably celebrated with family and friends.  This special Seder was  not for religious purposes, but a time for entertainment – songs, speakers and fellowship.  Speeches were made about the farms and life in Israel.  Some support for this Seder came from the Rhode Island Jewish Federation.

             At this Seder the Passover Journal was given out.  Articles in the journal concerned both agriculture – farms and cooperatives for produce distribution – and trade schools, loan associations and the cultural life of the workers.  There was always a satirical letter from a “friend” (Alter Boyman) which made gentle fun of Jewish life in Providence, but also praised the good works of Jewish organizations in the city, among them the free loan associations, women’s groups, the Miriam Hospital and the Orphanage.  Local Rabbis and authors wrote articles: Rabbi Eli A. Bohnen, Rabbi William G. Braude, Rabbi Morris Schussheim, Rabbi Meir Lasker (son-in-law of the Boymans), Dr. Harry Broadman, Selig Greenberg, Morris Shoam, Nathan Resnick, Harry Beck, Dr. Harry Elkin, Jerry Segal-Foster, and Beryl Segal.  Even poets contributed: Solomon Lightman, Samuel Sherman, Bas Tuvya (Janet Shoham-Resnick), and Dr. Phillip M. Philips.

             The journal was written in English and Yiddish, with English in the front half, reading the pages from left to right, and Yiddish in the back half, beginning with the last page and reading from right to left; it joined up in the center.  The final Seder in Providence was in 1964.

             These journals are a treasure trove of information about the times. In addition to the articles, there are advertisements from businesses long gone, many in both English and Yiddish.  You can access those we have at: http://www.rijha.org/collections/periodicals/providence-passover-journal/  While it isn’t a full run, this is the most complete collection available, and we at the Rhode Island Jewish Historical Association are very excited to own and be able to showcase these unique publications.  For more information about the Journal, check the article by Beryl Segal in Notes 8.1 November 1979, pp. 55-61 at http://www.rijha.org/publications/notes/ also available on this site.