Jacob P. Adler recalls that he was the first to whom they turned with the plan to establish a Yiddish theatre in Odessa. It  had been decided that Adler and Rosenberg should prepare the troupe, and Spivakowski should travel to Peterburg in order to obtain permission to play and also copy plays while there.

"Spivakowski descended from a respectable family, which among its members were many doctors and lawyers -- Jacob P. Adler recalls -- He also was very imposing and influential. He knew French perfectly and dressed very nicely. His clothes were a model; he was simply considered a model. He therefore had access to wealthy people, especially his wealthy relatives. Because of this, it was not difficult for him to get the necessary sums of money for the creation of a Yiddish theatre.

In the span of several weeks Spivakowski in Peterburg received permission and the censors and founded the troupe, which -- according to Adler -- was advertised as the "first Yiddish troupe in Russia under the leadership of Yakov Spivakowski."

According to B. Gorin and Israel Rosenberg, who was an actor for Abraham Goldfaden, after earlier traveling to Odessa and decided here to found a Yiddish theatre. Apparently, in Odessa he he united with Spivakowski: "Rosenberg and Spivakowski have become attracted to the Odessa folksinger, put together a troupe in which there joined: Jacob Katzman, Mendel (Max) Abramovich, Ari Shrage, Aron Tager, Boris Altman and Sophia Oberlander. They rented the Remeslengi Club (where a German troupe had previously played), and for the first time in Odessa (according to Y. Riminik -- 23 January 1879) they began to play Yiddish pieces. The first evening  they played three vaudevilles: "Fir far pertseleyene teler," "Di shveblekh," and "Di dray toybe," all written by A. Goldfaden. Besides this, the folksinger of the night sang couplets from  Goldfaden's repertoire. The audience licked its fingers, and the same program continued for several times. It turned out that Rosenberg and Spivakowski, who already had been thought of as a great artist, were afraid to rely entirely on the folk singers of the night and therefore they started with vaudevilles, which were closer to them. The first entire piece was "Brayndele Kozak" by A. Goldfaden. People simply stood on their head. Such a large audience came to see the comedy. The Podriatshiks, who had returned from Bucharest, miracles took place in the Yiddish theatre. The folksinger picked up the couplets from Goldfaden's pieces and brought them into the Yiddish houses. And this all ignited the curiosity to see what they were playing in the Yiddish theatre. After they put on "Shmendrik" and "Di kaprizne tokhter (The Capricious Daughter)." In the last play there also debuted the late, famous Yiddish actor Jacob P. Adler."

As Adler tells it, Spivakowski was the main coupletist of the troupe. He used to throw out cynical expressions and two-word phrases while singing couplets. The actors therefore used to call him "Der reiner."

During the first productions in Odessa, Spivakowski also used to by necessity play several roles in one play.

"The director of the troupe -- B. Gorin writes -- lived a good life. The business in the theatre was good, and the actors wore top hats, long "winchikovs," which then were in fashion, and suede gloves. Around the time (1879) Goldfaden decided to travel to Odessa. ... They (Goldfaden and Libresko) arrived by themselves, without the troupe, but this was enough, that Rosenberg and Spivakowski should cease to give their productions. In Romania no author's rights were recognized, but in Russia the right of the writer was granted to him so that foreigners should not use his works, except that it was enough that Goldfaden himself came, that the previous campaign should step aside. This company had other plays -- Latayner's and Hurwitz's -- only with his arrival did they lose any desire to make Shabbat their own. The fear and treachery for Goldfaden was very great among the actors, and they called him "Rabbi" and "Father."

Adler recalls that Goldfaden even then had tried to override Spivakowski, that he should join in his troupe, but soon Spivakowski joined Goldfaden's troupe, and shortly thereafter (25 May) with several actors left to go on a tour across Russia and Poland (1879). At the same time, Spivakowski everywhere had access to these circles of intelligentsia. He used to visit the most beautiful Jewish houses and show his sympathy and respect for the Yiddish theatre everywhere. He even used to visit rabbis, and they were invited to come to the Yiddish theatre, showing what a good shul this is for the public, especially for the craftsman and worker.

The Polish Jews had -- according to Jacob P. Adler -- very much loved Spivakowski as an actor, and the name "Spivakowski," as the Polish Jews had said it, was very popular in Poland

In the same year (1879) Spivakowski played in Warsaw under this and Israel Rosenberg's direction and brought from Riga Mrs. Berta Berlin (later -- Tanzman). here they united with the Warsaw actors and played in the Eldorado Theatre until the government banned Yiddish theatre, and Spivakowski continued to perform in A. Goldfaden's troupe in Odessa.

B. Weinstein recalls in his memoirs: " ... The only non-Jewish coupletist that Odessa had then already known well was a certain actor with the name of Spivakowski. He also used to play with a Russian operetta troupe that used to give performances four times per week in the same Marienteater. The other three evenings there there used to perform Goldfaden's Yiddish troupe."

"But in a short time after -- recalls B. Gorin -- we meet him (Spivakowski) already in the province in Tuvia (Naftali) Goldfaden's troupe. It is easy to convince you that he did not please God, and he was very angry at the founder of the theatre." This was even the si...h that Spivakowski convinced Grikh Omer to bring over from Romania Mogulesko with his troupe in Goldfaden's place.

"We can't decide -- writes B. Gorin -- whether Spivakowski was the first who gave advice to Omer and gave him this plan, whether there were already those who wanted to settle with Goldfaden, but what is certain is that Omer sent Spivakowski as an envoy to Romania, he should bring Mogulesko with his troupe. In Iasi Spivakowski met Itzhak Libreski, who until a short time back was the right hand of Goldfaden. In Odessa Goldfaden dismissed him from his position and sent him home to Iasi. He therefore was angry with Goldfaden, and Goldfaden's enemies put together a troupe and traveled to Odessa. Mogulesko and Latayner were then in Botoșani, and they barely made it through. They grabbed the proposal like a hot stone and all four immediately left for Odessa."

According to Yitzhak Libresko as he tells it in his memoirs, there Spivakowski arranged several evenings in the Christian "Max Garden," in which Spivakowski read and therefore received several hundred francs, and when they arrived in Odessa, they did not meet anyone playing in the Mariinsky Theatre, because Abraham Goldfaden had played then with his troupe in Nikolayev, and Naftali Goldfaden in Kishinev.

But Spivakowski, it turns out, did not remain a long time in Odessa. According to Nathan Levin, in 1880 with three singers as a quartet, he used to perform in the entertainment  in Spivakowski's Russian troupe in Minsk in the Governor's Garden. And according to Adler, in 1882 they, together lived through the pogrom in Niezshin. Soon thereafter there again was issued a ban on playing Yiddish theatre. The troupe disbanded and Spivakowski returned to Southern Russia.

After the large ban (17 August 1883), when all the Yiddish actors had left Russia, Spivakowski, with his troupe (Lazer Zuckerman, Aba Shoengold, Sarah Goldstein Karp, Goldschmidt, Y. Weinstock, Saul Esinstein, the Kaufmans, et al.) and also the prompter Berner, traveled to Konigsberg (Prussian), where they played for two months, then for two weeks in Danzig, and from there they went away to Berlin.

After playing for a certain time in Germany, Spivakowski still with several actors, traveled to Warsaw, where they used to perform in the Eldorado Theatre with "concerts" (due to the ban on playing theatre). At the same time -- B. Gorin writes -- people complained about how to package an act of a play and sometimes a whole play under the name "concert." It often happened at such concerts that in the middle of a scene they announced that a pristav has arrived in the theatre, and while speaking, people on the stage started to sing just into the world. The actors did not want to play like that and individually they left to seek their happiness in other countries. ."

For a certain period of time, the traces of Spivakowski's activity are lost. At first, in 1887, we see him, together with Abraham Goldfaden in New York.

Jacob P. Adler admits, however, that when he came to New York, he met Spivakowski and Goldfaden there. They turned back and forth. Then two Yiddish theatres existed in New York, and they had at their head Hurwitz and Zilberman. Both of them did not want to enter. All three of us turned around and looked at the pieces of sky that were visible between the skyscrapers of the New York streets. Seeing that there was no place for us in New York, we decided to leave from there. Goldfaden left for Galicia, and started playing Yiddish theatre there. I went back to Russia: "for me I returned to my Russia, -- he said -- as good as it may be in America with all its golden luck, it is much better in Russia."

According to David Kessler, the entire time Spivakowski was with the actor-strikers (against Goldfaden), and after the strike he entered and played with the troupe.

Boris Thomashefsky recalls that for a short time Spivakowski was with him as a partner in Boston and Baltimore, and during the short time that Spivakowski was in America, he earned a great name, but after receiving permission(!) to play in Russia, he went back there.

Returning to Russia, Spivakowski began to direct by himself or in partnership with troupes and gained great popularity.

R. Granovsky writes: "At that time I met the actor and theatre entrepreneur Spivakowski, who came with a troupe to Odessa to play Yiddish theatre. In order to obtain a permit, he turned to the engineer Gurland, with whom I worked and then lived on after I left the position. Spivakowski's request was that Gurland, through his influence, should help him. Gurland introduced me to him, and I became friends with him. From this friendship I told (Isaac-Joel) Linetzky and invited him to help obtain a permit for Spivakowski. Linetzky said to us: "I have a piece of advice ... let Spivakowski himself turn to Osip Mikhailovich Lerner and give him a few rubles,[and] he will do it for him."  ... I went in Linetzky's name, and I obtained a permit to play Yiddish theatre in German ..."

In 1892 Spivakowski played in Warsaw. Esther-Rokhl Kaminska recalls in her memoirs that Spivakowski arrived, together with Fiszon and his troupe and played in the Eldorado Theatre. He performed as "Bar Kokhba" in Gutzkow's "Uriel Acosta" ("Uriel" -- Julius Oskar), but he did not have success. Then he took several young actors and played with them on the same street in a hall that was called "Chateau de Fleur." Kaminska portrayed such a production: "Here there was a small stage. He put on "Shulamis," and played Absalom himself. He was wrapped in a red blanket, from under which his black pants and shorts could be seen. He looked so funny that I understood even then that this was not a theatre play."

In the course of many years later, Spivakowski continued to occupy one of the most prominent places as an actor. He usually led troops in partnership with Fiszon or Sam Adler.

About the conditions under which the troupes used to come out to play Yiddish theatre in Czarist Russia, Noakh Prilutski tells us: I think -- the first time in my life (1905) I was in the Yiddish theatre -- in Peterburg, while Spivakowski's troupe appeared in one of the most beautiful theatre halls of the city. This troupe had bought the right to play on the banks of the Neva for a very expensive price: it had to give away twenty-five percent of the gross income from every evening of the "Bloyen tseylem (Blue Cross?)." ... The troupe was not yet able to play in Yiddish. It was called, "Nyemetska-Yevreyskaya troupe," and therefore, one half of the actors had to speak half-German on stage, and the other only half-Yiddish..."

The actor Yermiyahu Adler tells us that during a ban on Yiddish theatre in Russia, Spivakowski directed and acted in Russian in Goldfaden's "Shulamis."

In actors' circles, there was also an uncontrolled news that Spivakowski was baptized. At any rate, he certainly had baptismal beauty, which made it possible for him to be in the city, which was outside the Jewish domain in Czarist Russia.

Around 1911 Spivakowski left Russia and began to wander about with small troupes across Western Europe, mainly in Switzerland and Belgium.

Abraham Reisen portrays his meeting with Spivakowski in Belgium: "The strongest impression on me then was in Antwerp in 1913, [where] the Yiddish actor Spivakowski, who already was an impoverished man, both as an actor, as well as a wealthy man. Such a kind of philosophical calm, as it was then noticed in Spivakowski's holding on to his big-human smile, and his acceptance-love of all the insults, as a fallen star, was difficult to find and it evoked in me the feeling of sympathy, regardless of what kind of Spivakowski-actor was far from me. ... In Antwerp he already existed with is former name, played in small roles in the local Yiddish theatre, which consisted of the Waxman troupe, and even in that the troupe was of the unimportant actors.

"He had great pleasure when he participated in my "evening," which indeed took place in Antwerp's Yiddish theatre, playing in my one-acter, "Gute brider (Good Brother)." He played one of the merchants and he really played such a small and unimportant role with a lot of humor and understanding for the type of a Warsaw antique dealer in general. When I expressed to him -- already after playing, in an exaggerated form in order to encourage him -- my opinion about his playing, he blushed like a young actor just starting out. He was happy that there was still someone who appreciated his stage art and, as if intoxicated by his success, murmured "What then? If we want, we can do something else." ... He had demonstrated  that, not looking, he was an actor from the former operettas and melodramas. He nevertheless was familiar with the Yiddish literature, remembered with love and with pleasure the names of I.L. Peretz, it is not surprising that he also knows Sholem Asch personally, the author of "God of Vengeance," and even in this -- according to my opinion -- a golden drama that took part already in the last years.  ... He generally was a mentsh with intelligence, noble manners, and with a true, golden heart, as such good people call the nation."

After the war, Spivakowski arrived in London, and here he soon felt the indifference shown to him. The possibility to act in the Pavilion Theatre was not given to him "although he still had -- as Y.M. Blang writes -- enough ability to perform in certain roles. To save himself and his family from hunger, he gathered a few amateurs, and with them performed several Yiddish and Russian plays. It is understood that this was not far enough to better his material condition. In addition, he became ill and went from one operation to another. Rarely, when someone remembered him in his bed, he lived and walked the streets of London sick and deeply depressed, or sat for hours in the various restaurants of Whitechapel, where the Yiddish actors and actresses gather. He was always seen as a silent person, and if the old Spivakowski spoke, what he portrayed, the role he once played in the Yiddish theatre world and how all the current famous Yiddish actors, who are scattered in various parts of the entire world were once his disciples. All these attempts (calls to help Spivakowski) did not always yield [results], and it goes without saying that the fault in this was [due] also to a certain part of the actors, who unfortunately did not pay the proper attention to their rabbi. ... While he lay in the hospital, God forbid, no actor was mentioned, but someone better known Herr Bleker (brother of the actress Rachelle Rosenfeld), and the writer of this account, who came out with a big protest call to create help for the unfortunate family of the old actor. Some actors showed up and an event was arranged ( on 4 April 1918). Some time later he also mentioned Mr. Morris Moshkovich and wanted to pay off some debt with a performance. ... The last hours of Spivakowski were horribly tragic. ... His only hope was that he would still have the opportunity to see Jacob Adler, who needed every minute to come to London. he was sure that Adler would take care of his family. However, he did not have the luck to see him. When Adler came straight from the train to Spivakowski, he was already met with a "too late." "

On 25 September 1919 Spivakowski passed away in London and came to his eternal rest in Edmonton Cemetery.

Boris Thomashefsky, who in 1916 met Spivakowski, played Yiddish theatre with "amateurs" in Paris' Latin Quarter, characterized him as such: " ... Spivakowski is (was) firstly, the great Yiddish theatre director, indeed the greatest of all. Secondly, Spivakowski  was one of the former, presumed great stars. Spivakowski was an aristocrat in Life, and also the first Yiddish actor who knew how to maintain himself as an aristocrat on the stage.  ... He was a great musician and had a wonderful voice. He played on the Russian stage and dedicated himself to Yiddish He also was an intelligent human being, spoke Russian well, a beautiful German and a little French. He was strongly loved by the better Yiddish audiences. He was accepted on the Yiddish stage as an actor."

Sh. E. from Pinchas Tanzman.

• B. Gorin -- "History of Yiddish Theatre," Volume I, pages 208, 210, 220-21, 238, 241; Volume 2, page 53.

• Boris Thomashefsky -- Thomashefsky begegent in pariz a gefolgenem groys idishn aktor, "Forward," N.Y., 2 January 1916.

• David Kessler -- Der ershter idisher aktorn-strayk, "Tog," N.Y., 18 March 1917.

• Jacob P. Adler -- 40 yor oyf der bine, "Di varhayt," N.Y., 11, 15 January; 12, 19 April 1917.

• Necrology in "Tsayt," London, 26 September 1919.

• Jacob P. Adler -- Yakov spivakowski in di enshtehung fun yudishen teater in rusland, "Di tsayt," London, 31 September, 1 October 1919.

• Y.M. Blang (A. Sokhatshevsky) -- Di tragedye fun a yudishn shoyshpiler, "Lodztgbl't," 15 October 1919.

• Noakh Prilutski -- "Yidish teater," Bialystok, 1921, page 5.

• Esther-Rokhl Kaminska (memoirs) -- "Der moment," Warsaw, 8 October 1926.

• Y. Riminik -- Ershte finf yor idisher teater in odes, "Di royte velt," N' 12, 1926.

• R. Granovsky -- Yitzhak-Yoel Linetzky, "Pinkus," N.Y., 1927-28, pages 215-216.

• Zalmen Zylbercweig -- "Hintern forhang," Vilna, 1928, pages 94-97.

• Y. Riminik -- Di ershte trit funm idishn teater, "Der hamer," N.Y., February 1928.

• B. Weinstein -- Di ershte yorn fun idishn teater in odes un in nyu-york, "Archive," Vilna, 1930, page 244.

• Abraham Reisen -- Milkhome-yoren, "Tsukunft," N.Y., April 1930.

• Emilia Adler -- Dos lebn fun a idisher akterise, "Di yudishe velt," Cleveland, 21 October 1930.