"A Bintel Brief" was a Yiddish advice column, starting in early 20th century New York City, that anonymously printed readers' questions and posted replies.
[1] Recent Jewish immigrants, predominantly from Eastern Europe, asked for advice on various facets of their acculturation to America, including economic, family, religious and theological difficulties.
[10] The original printed Yiddish format, which The New York Times described as "homespun advice .. which predated Dear Abby,"[11] continued at least until 1970.
[14] The column began as a response to a January 1906 letter-to-the-editor requesting assistance,[15] which he published under the name "Bintel Brief" (a bundle of letters).
[17] The focus of the Jewish Daily Forward's Bintel Brief column was "every aspect of the immigrant experience.