- Title: In the Pale
- Author: Henry Iliowizi
- Publisher: Henry T. Coates & Co.
- Estimated year of printing: 1900
Notes:
First published in 1897 by the Jewish Publication Society of America, In the Pale is a collection of stories from the Russian Jewish population living in what was known as the Pale of Settlement. The Pale of Settlement was a western region of Russia that existed from 1791 to 1917 in which Jews were allowed reside, and were forbidden to live elsewhere. Life in the Pale was hard and economically bleak, but Jewish culture was still embraced and able to thrive amongst the population.
The book summarizes itself nicely: “These tales of fact, folklore, and fiction may serve to open a window of the great dungeon wherein at least half of scattered Israel suffers, worships, and dreams. Living in a gloomy present, and ever picturing a golden future; languishing in wretchedness here, while never losing hope in a blessed hereafter, it is a race that has learned to weep and laugh at the same time.”
The enforcement of the Pale largely ended with the beginning of World War I in 1914, when large numbers of Jews in the Pale fled into the Russian interior in order to escape the invading German army. This was shortly followed by the February Revolution in 1917, which resulted in the end of the Russian Empire
The author, Henry Iliowizi (1850 – 1911) was himself born and raised in the Pale, before leaving and studying in Romania, Berlin, London, Paris, and then teaching in Morocco. He became a Rabbi, and immigrated to the United States in 1880, ministering in Virginia, Minneapolis, and Philadelphia before leaving for England in 1910.
The first edition of this book from 1897 is common, but this 1900 printing is surprisingly scarce — WorldCat shows no copies in libraries, and no copies are offered for sale on AbeBooks.
Further Reading:
UPenn Online Books Page: Henry Iliowizi