Miriam Shomer Zunser (November 25, 1882 – October 11, 1951) was an American journalist, playwright and artist. She was a significant promoter of Jewish culture prior to World War II.[1]

Miriam Shomer Zunser
Miriam Zunzer
Born
Manya Shaikevitsch

(1882-11-25)November 25, 1882
DiedOctober 11, 1951(1951-10-11) (aged 68)
NationalityAmerican
SpouseCharles Zunser
ParentNokhem Mayer Shaikevitsch (father)
RelativesAnna Shomer Rothenberg [be] (sister)
Rose Shomer Bachelis [d] (sister)
Abraham Shomer (brother)

Life

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Shomer was born Manya Shaikevitsch in Odessa, Russian Empire, to Nokhem Mayer Shaikevitsch, a novelist and playwright, and his wife Dinneh Bercinsky. Her family emigrated in 1889 to New York. She was known by her nickname, Minnie.[2] After graduating high school she worked as a librarian while attending art classes taught by Henry McBride at the Educational Alliance.[1]

In the 1920s, Zunser began writing Yiddish theater, sometimes cowriting with her sister Rose. As Yiddish theater lost popularity in the 1930s, Zunser began writing in English for the Broadway stage.[2]

In 1932 Zunser was a co-founder and initial president of MAILAMM, the America-Palestine Institute of Musical Sciences (known by its Hebrew acronym), a society for the study and promotion of Jewish music in Palestine and the United States.[1][3] Later, she was treasurer of the Jewish Music Forum [d].[4]

Having worked with Henrietta Szold, she was the founder of the Brooklyn chapter of Hadassah Women's Zionist Organization of America. She also was a delegate to the American Jewish Congress in 1917.

Zunser died in New York City.

Personal

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In 1905 she married Charles Zunser, son of the poet Eliakum Zunser. They had three children.[1] Her sister was the Yiddish folksinger Anna Shomer Rothenberg [be].

Publications

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  • The master of Thronfield; a play in 4 acts, built on the story of Jane Eyre. 192?. With Rose Shomer.[2]
  • Fortune's fool; a musical comedy in two acts and four scenes. New York: 192?[5]
  • A child's kingdom. New York: 192?[6]
  • Goldenlocks and the bears. New York: 192?[7]
  • Yesterday : a memoir of a Russian Jewish family. Published in 1939 by Stackpole Sons. Republished in 1978 by Harper & Row.[8]
  • Avinu Shomer (אבינו שמ״ר). Yerushalayim: Aḥiʼasaf, 1953.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Goldstein, Eric L. "Zunser, Miriam Shomer". Jewish Women in America: an Historical Encyclopedia (New York: Routledge, 1997), vol. 2, p. 1549-1550. Published online via Jewish Women's Archive. jwa.org. March 1, 2009.
  2. ^ a b c "archives.nypl.org -- Miriam Shomer Zunser papers". archives.nypl.org. Retrieved 2023-10-16.
  3. ^ "About Us". American Society for Jewish Music. jewishmusic-asjm.org. Retrieved 2017-08-06.
  4. ^ "Miriam Zunser, Author and Play Wright, Dead; Impressive Funeral Held". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. October 15, 1951.
  5. ^ Zunser, Miriam S, and Rose S. Bachelis. Fortune's Fool: A Musical Comedy in Two Acts and Four Scenes. New York, 1920.
  6. ^ Zunser, Miriam Shomer; Badanes, Ida. The child's kingdom; a play in one act. [New York]. OCLC 44707068.
  7. ^ Zunser, Miriam Shomer; Badanes, Ida. Goldenlocks and the bears; a drama for children, old and young, in four acts. [New York]. OCLC 44707209.
  8. ^ Zunser, Miriam Shomer; Leider, Emily Wortis (1978-01-01). Yesterday: a memoir of a Russian Jewish family. New York: Harper & Row. ISBN 0060125535.
  9. ^ Bachelis, Rose Shomer; Zunser, Miriam Shomer; Ṿaisman, Aharon (1953-01-01). אבינו שמ״ר / (in Hebrew). ירושלים: אחיאסף. OCLC 19146464.
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