The really interesting story of "The Golden Land" is about its creation and impact in the md-1980's.

Originally directed by Howard Rossen, it was then adapted by Jacques Levy  who had co-created songs with Bob Dylan and had directed "O Calcutta."  The show became a bridge from the immigrant generation to their children.  It made the Yiddish language accessible and endearing.  The show also introduced the Yiddish world to Bruce Adler who became the quintessential song and dance star of the Yiddish theatre and the concert circuit.

It was a musical masterpiece created by Zalmen Mlotek that told the immigrant story in the words and melodies of the immigrants themselves. (continued below)

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ABOUT JACQUES LEVY

by Moishe Rosenfeld

Jacques Levy had recently directed "Oh! Calcutta" at the Entermedia Theater, and came on board to direct a revival of "The Golden Land" at the American Musical Theater Festival in Philadelphia, a year following our original production at the Norman Thomas High School in New York. His earthiness and wonderful sense of humor were immediate openings for a friendship among him, Zalmen and me. He was super creative and street smart, and Zalmen and I felt protected by his charm and confidence. One day he offered to help us translate some of our Yiddish songs to English. Well not exactly “translate.” His lyrics would re-imagine the songs so that we could develop the characters of the play as real people whose stories could be followed by the audience. “Are you a lyricist?” I asked innocently? “Am I a lyricist?” he replied. “How would you describe someone who just wrote a song with Bob Dylan?” Jacques had actually written the lyrics for “Hurricane” the ballad of Hurricane Carter which had been a super hit only a year earlier. “Holy shit,” I thought. “Nice,” I said. As it turned out, he not only wrote gorgeous poetry and lyrics, but he had a deep love and respect for the Jewish immigrants of the previous generation and their Yiddish culture that was what The Golden Land had been created to celebrate. Song after song, Jacques gave the immigrant characters the voice that American audiences would appreciate and relate to. He took a Second Avenue silly song “I Like She” by Aaron Lebedeff, and turned it into “Oy I Like Him” a song of yearning by a young Yiddish newspaper salesgirl for Yosl - a customer who loved Yiddish poetry. And in the course of the play, they become a couple and experience the many phases of adapting to life in The Golden Land. Working with him was so energizing, and inspirational. He “got” Zalmen and me, and honored our priorities and taste. We worked on songs together. He took an old Yiddish folk song “A Khulem” (a dream) and created a dream about Saidye and Yosl’s life together in a" bungalow beside the sea” - presumably in Brighton Beach. I remember one evening during rehearsal, Jacques sang his lyric for me and Zalmen, and we called our stars Bruce Adler and Eleanor Reissa to play it for them … They were dressed in tux and gown … apparently there was a gala that night for the American Musical Theatre Festival. (and I didn’t even know about it … but that’s beside the point)... Jacques and Zalmen performed the song for them. They fell in love with it. We had our moments of tension and disagreement -- and Jacques, who had been a trained psychologist, knew how to throw a hand grenade into a dispute between Zalmen and me and leave the room. But his brilliance, and his wisdom remain the characteristics that were most endearing and memorable.

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The shows that we brought to the Folksbiene in 2012 and 2016 were revivals.  though very well received, they didn't have the impact of the 1980's productions.