The Stage of My Life

... Bialystoker stage actor, Israel Beker, lives in Israel, a prominent director of the Habimah National Theatre in Tel Aviv. His dramatic presentations in the United States, Europe, Latin Amer- ica and other parts of the world have made major con- tributions to Yiddish theater. Beker spent World War II exiled in the Soviet Union, studying acting in the Jewish “State Theater in Moscow. He also achieved fame by producing and appearing in a number of films. He is an artist of renown in Israel and in other countries; his paintings and drawings are well received. His art book appeared as part of the festivities in connection with the sixtieth anniversary of Habimah. At the beginning of this album, titled The Stage of My Life, Beker wrote a long introduction. We reprint excerpts below, describ- ing Beker’s relationship with Bialystok.) ...