“Serge July’s Love Dictionary of New York: A Must-Read for Anyone Interested in the City’s History and Culture”

Serge July, Love Dictionary of New York. Lead, 2023

First of all, I take my hat off to this collection, a brilliant discovery by its inventor who had the brilliant idea of ​​associating the genre of the dictionary with love and no longer with Latin versions or Greek themes.

This very interesting collection has become a must, everyone wants to be part of it and the present volume on New York provides further proof of this. Raymonde, Franco-American fell in love with it and quoted me the following sentence: if you make in New York, you can make it anywhere else… .

And it is true, this is also confirmed by this imposing volume by its size and by the extent of its documentation. Its author, who is not unknown, unveils the mystery of a city that multiplies paradoxes, never sleeps (like Tel Aviv) and is home to the largest Jewish community in the world. But the Jews don’t have that monopoly, the sense of community there NY; the term community is considered legitimate and not something that hinders national unity.
I don’t want to take anything away from the charm or the charisma of this city-world, but I must add that to live well there, you have to be young, beautiful, rich and in good health.
These developments of Serge July on this city that he adores speak to me too, but I saw from the Madison Avenue apartment where I lived old men running to deliver parcels; I say: run! In the country, France where the social security deficit is endemic, without it bothering anyone, it is a rare, even extremely rare sight. For a city like NY and its wealthy residents, blocking the country because of a retirement and so contested, is unthinkable and unthinkable…
Apart from these few reservations, Serge July’s book is remarkable from every point of view. But I don’t know where to start since the schema is the same, the alphabetical list. But let’s start with generalities, the world-city is the one that was founded by people from elsewhere, the world-city where everyone feels at home and where communities end up merging even if you have multiple little Italy or others. Anti-Semitism is present there and has even tended, in recent years, to strengthen there, but it does not have the same causes since few are those who can claim direct credit from the Pilgrim Fathers…
Luckily, SJ talks about the DNA of the city, founded by people from the United Provinces whose major virtue was to flee religious intolerance and promote the development of free enterprise, without the slightest difference between the candidates . However, this was precisely what was lacking in Christian Europe in 1650, the date of the foundation of the city of NY. And each time he talks about it, the author emphasizes the existence of religious tolerance: all training courses, all companies are open to everyone, no racial, religious or denominational clause limits the conditions of membership. And it seems to me that the author has clearly sorted out the problems: NY only became NY by breaking down the barriers separating men from other men who only wanted to earn an honest living. For once the alphabetical order serves historical origins.

SJ was right to talk about the DNA of new institutions and newcomers… We always put forward the choice of freedom, the refusal of any dogmatic and religious hatred. This is the secret of the success of New World, to move away from theological quarrels and to deal only with the factors of unity and progress.
This dictionary gives pride of place to both personalities and major events that mark the history of NY and the USA as a whole.
This policy formed opinion and founded identity. The USA has adopted a policy of welcoming Jews to its territory, which has had some restrictions. But the Jewish factor is adequately represented here. There is a note on the “First Jew”, charged by his religious community to plead their case with the authorities of the United Provinces. Yiddish is not forgotten. And indeed, what would NY be without its Jews and without Yiddish, certain terms of which have infiltrated the English vernacular?
Reading these 712 pages in one go is beyond the strength of even an experienced reader… But this book gave me so much joy because it reminded me of many things about NY.
I advise everyone to read this book, slowly, without rushing, stopping at the subjects that interest them…

Maurice-Ruben HAYOUN

Professor Maurice-Ruben Hayoun, born in 1951 in Agadir, is a philosopher, specializing in Jewish philosophy, German and Judeo-German philosophy from Moïse Mendelssohn to Gershom Scholem, a French exegete and historian. he is also Professor at the University of Geneva. His latest work: