Funeral services were held yesterday for Benjamin Rothman, a Yiddish theatrical press agent and a stage and film producer, theater operator and publisher, who died Friday at the age of 76. Born in Poland, he came to the U.S. in 1920. During the inst 45 years he handled publicity for more than 300 Yiddish-language theatrical productions including “The Megilla of Itzik Manger” when it played in New York.
Mr. Rothman represented such personalities as Boris Tomshefsky, Itzek Feld, Maurice Schwartz, Menasha Skulnik, Molly Piccn, Jacob Ben-Ami, Celia Adler and otda Kaminska. In 1954, he produced the first Israeli play in English, “Sands of the Negev,” and in 1959 he produced a touring version of the play, “The World of Sholom Aleichem.” Mr. Rothman also produced in 1966 a documentary film, “The Last Chapter,” depicting 1000 years of Jewish life in Poland.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
