AIMS AND PURPOSES OF THE IAYC

Vision Benefits of Belonging to IA YC

* To access leyenkrayzn, shmues grupes, * To support Yiddish club conferences. shrudir, choral, choirs, large or small clubs, To take Yiddish out of isolation, unite, classes from elementary, secondary, post and give it a strong international presence. secondary to adult and make them aware of The IAYC conferences are a source of their rich heritage. interaction for groups, and meeting like-­ minded people to hearing and meeting the * To become a clearinghouse for the creation best resource people be they writers, and distribution of Yiddish educational and scholars, teachers, musicians, actors singers, program materials. or organizers.

* To encourage and initiate research of * To access and arrange touring groups, existing or new material-be it educational, speakers, singers, theatre groups, musical music, art or literarure and make it available performances etc., via currently existing to the clubs. newsletters or the electronic media.

* To encourage new writers by giving them a * To have Yiddish groups and organizations forum in our newsletters or local papers that benefit from such efforts. Cooperation is the have a Yiddish column. basis of success. Each type of activity adds greatly to the overall knowledge and interest * To encourage the formation of new groups of the Yiddish Community. in various formats wherever possible, be they large or small. * To join with other like-minded people all over in sharing the camaraderie, joy, * To encourage groups to issue newsletters pleasure, knowledge, ideas and support even if it is only once or twice a year. of a larger group activity.

* To lobby Holocaust committees to include MISSION Yiddish poetry and songs in their memorial programs. * To provide a global perspective and network for Yiddish groups-be they large * To encourage younger people to take or small. classes, or form them, wherever possible. To those who are already learning the language, * To exchange educational and culrural encourage them to explore their Ashkenazic materials produced by the clubs and by roots through history, music and literarure­ associated organizations. the history and literarure in translation, if necessary. * To experience a sense of unity while striving to keep our language, literarure * To lobby all types of Jewish schools, be they and culrure alive. Hebrew Day Schools, Hebrew Schools or Sunday schools, to include Yiddish classes in As the sole international organization their curriculum. fostering Yiddish clubs, the IAYC is in the forefront of extolling the benefits of our * To lobby universities to include Yiddish mame-loshn. Your participation is needed. courses in their Jewish Srudies Program. The greater the number of us participating They should include Yiddish language, in Yiddish activities the greater will be the literarure and eastern European history. pleasure and enjoyment

3 Yiddish Group: Members of the IAYC

North York Canada Lomir Redn Yiddish Oub Toronto Canada Fraynd fun Yidish Winnipeg Canada Mame Loshen Group Winnipeg Canada Women's Yiddish Reading Circle Winnipeg Canada Yerushe Grupe Kfar Truman Israel Sirkin Yiddish Club Natal South Africa Durban Yiddish Club Madrid Spain Yiddish Circle in Madrid AZ Peoria Madison Yiddish Club AZ Phoenix Beth El Yiddish Club AZ Scottsdale Congregation Kol Ami Yiddish Oub AZ Scottsdale Freileche Mentshn of Temple Solel AZ Scottsdale Har Zion Yiddish Club CA Berkeley Berkeley/Richmond JCC Yiddish Club CA Berkeley Joys of Yiddish Conversation Group CA Encino Storefront Yiddish Club CA Los Angeles Los Angeles Yiddish Culture Club CA North Hills Yiddish Culture Club - Valley Branch CA Oak Park Haverim CA Palm Desert L'Chayim Yiddish Culture Club CA Palo Alto JCC Yiddish Oub CA Redondo Beach Temple Menorah Yiddish Club CA Sacramento A. Einstein Sr. Community Yiddish Club CA San Diego Yiddish Circle: Lawrence Family JCC CA San Diego Yiddishe Culturele Grupe CA San Francisco Jewish Folk Chorus of San Francisco CA San Leandro Jewish Currents Discussion Group CA San Mateo Peninsula JCC/ AR Yiddish Club CA San Rafael Keep Yiddish Alive CA Sherman Oaks Yiddish Reading Group CA Walnut Creek Contra Costa JCC Yiddish Club co Boulder Boulder Yiddish Vinkl CT New Haven Yale-New Haven Yiddish Reading Cir W CT Southbury Heritage Village Yiddish Reading Circle CT Stratford Bridgeport JCC Yiddish Club CT West Hartford Sophie Kellin Yiddish Literary Society FL Boynton Beach Palm Beach Arbeter Ring Leyen Krayz FL Delray Beach Palm Greens Yiddish Oub FL Gainesville Gainesville Yiddish Vinkl FL Lake Worth Mameloshn Yiddish Club of Willow Bend FL Miami Beach Yiddish Literary Circle FL Sarasota Kobernick Yiddish Vinkl FL Sunrise Circle of Yiddish Clubs FL Tallahassee Tallahassee Yiddish Oub FL Tamarac Kings Point Yiddish Club FL West Palm Beach Menke Katz Leyen-Krayz FL West Palm Beach Yiddish Culture Group of Century Village FL Boynton Beach Palm Shore Yiddish Club GA Atlanta Atlanta yidish libhobers

4 Yiddish Group: Members of the IAYC

GA Atlanta Renaissance Yiddish Club IL Chicago Hallmark's Yiddish Group IL Highland Park Central Avenue Synagogue IL Highland Park Yiddishe Frynt IL Oak Park MameLoshn IL Urbana Der Prairie Yiddish IL West Chicago YIVO IN West Lafayette Yiddishe Kultur Klub KS Overland Park Kansas Knockers KY Lexington Yidish umbastoymt KY Louisville Yiddish Tish MA Malden Salem Towers Yiddish Club MA Newton Centre Orchard Cove of Canton, MA MA Worcester B.I.S.O.N. MD Rockville Yiddish of Greater Washington MI Farmington Hills Kowalskiy Yiddish Vinkl MI Southfield Freylikhe Fraynd MN Minneapolis Minneapolis JCC Yiddish Vink.I NC Charlotte Charlotte Yiddish Institute NE Omaha Lomir redn yidish NJ Fair Lawn Khaverim far Yidish NJ Jersey City Yiddish Oub of Bayonne NJ Monroe Township Oearbrook Yiddish Club NJ Teaneck Teaneck JCC Yiddish Oub NV Las Vegas Yiddish Friendship Oub NV Las Vegas Yiddish Vinkl of Las Vegas NY Bronx Nekhe Farber Yidish Leyenkrayz NY Brooklyn Marsha Love Yiddish Oub NY Eastchester Eastchester Yiddish Group NY New Paltz New Paltz Yiddish Club NY New York Avrom Kahn Leyenkrayz NY New York Sholem Aleichem Club of PAS NY New York Arbeter Ring/Workmen's Circle NY Plainview Yiddish Vinkl NY Plandome Undzer Leyenkrayz of RSNS NY Rochester Rochester JCC Yiddish Club NY Somers Heritage Hills Yid. Conversation Group NY Tonawanda Mameloshn Mayvinim OH Cleveland Cleveland Yiddish Cultural Committee OH Columbus Undzer Shprakh OH Shaker Heights Di Yiddish Groupe OH Toledo Pelham Manor Yiddish Oub OR Eugene Yiddish Club of Eugene, OR PA Haverford Haverford Yiddish Club PA Pittsburgh Yiddish Laybt PA Wyncote Kum Red Yidish TX Houston Houston Yiddish Vink.I WA Seattle Seattle Yiddish Group WI Milwaukee Milwaukee Yiddish Oub

5 International Association of Yiddish Clubs (IA YC)

International Association of Yiddish Clubs Conferences

I Univ. of MD Dr. Harold Blac~ Dr. J. Sunshine & S. Verner May 29 - June 3, 1993 II Toronto, ON Bess Shockett October 7 - 10, 1994 III Miami, FL Ruth & David Barias March 1 - 4, 1996 IV Fairfield, CT J. Douglas, S. Dowling, R Millman May 22 -26, 1997 V UCLA, Los Angeles MelRogow August 27 - 30, 1998 VI Chevy Chase, MD Dr. Harold Black & Elaine Mann Sept. 14-17, 2000 VII Milwaukee, WI Paul Melrood April 12-15, 2002 VIII Baltimore, MD Sylvia Schildt Sept. 4-7, 2003 IX Minneapolis, 1'vfN Roz Baker June 2-5, 2005 X Teaneck, NJ Samuel Kutner July 6-9, 2006 XI Oeveland, OH Harold Ticktin Aug. 3-6, 2007 XII La Jolla, CA Norman Sarkin Oct. 24-27, 2008

International Association of Yiddish Clubs Board of Directors

Roz Baker Minneapolis 1'vfN Cantor Hale Porter Los Angeles CA Cookie Blattman Tamarac FL Dr. Motl Rosenbush Kensington MD Prof. Al Feldman Phoenix AZ Helen Smolkin Toronto ONT Prof. Raphael Finkel Lexington KY Harold Ticktin Shaker Heights OH Gerald Gerger W. Bloomfield MI Prof. Iosif Vaisman Arlingtonn VA Barbara Goldstein Houston TX Lenora Zimmerman Skokie IL Troim Handler Cranbury NJ Rochelle Zucker Winnipeg MAN Philip "Fishl" Kutner San Mateo CA Dr. Barney Zumoff Brooklyn NY Paul Melrood Milwaukee WI

International Association of Yiddish Clubs Advisory Board

United States World-Wide

Zachary Baker Palo Alto CA A. Lichtenbaum Buenos Aires Argentina Ruth Barlas Boynton Beach FL Bobbi Zylberman Victoria Australia Debra Biasca Boulder CO Oscar Antel Winnipeg Canada Dr. Allan Blair Columbus OH David Kunigis Cote St. Luc Canada Morrie Feller Phoenix AZ Prof. E. Orenstein Westmount Canada Aaron Lansky Holyoke MA Prof. Y. Niborski Malakoff France Marcia Levinsohn Silver Spring MD Leybl Botwinik Netanya Israel Lilke Majzner Los Angeles CA Daniel Galay Tel Aviv Israel Chana Mlotek Bronx NY Dr. A. Nowersztern Jerusalem Israel Hilda Rubin Rockville MD Dr. Jack Halpern Saitama Japan Boris Sandler New York NY Prof. Yoshiji Hirose Okayama Japan Henry Sapoznik New York NY Prof. Dovid Katz Vilnius Lithuania Binyumen Schaechter New York NY Frida G. de Cielak Tecamachalco Mexico Sylvia Schildt Baltimore MD Heather Valencia Stirling Scotland Simon Swirsky Cleveland OH Richard Carlow Madrid Spain FannyYokor Atlanta GA Dr. Joseph Sherman Oxford United Kingdom

6 Keynote Speakers in Plenary Sessions

BORIS SANDLER Iosif Vaisman has a deep interest in Eastern was born in 1950 in European Jewish history and culture. In Beltz (Besarabia). He 1994 he and his wife Shura created Virtual graduated from the Shtetl - the first comprehensive website Music Conservatory in dedicated to Yiddish language and culture. Kishenev. He played He was a moderator of Mendele, the major violin in the Moldovian Yiddish language and culture online forum Symphony Orchestra. and has written many articles on Yiddish In 1983 he received the culture and history. He has served on highest degree in boards of Yiddish organizations, including Literature from the League for Yiddish, Yiddish of Greater Literary Institute Washington, and the IAYC. (Academy) in Moscow. Interest in Yiddish and Jewish culture runs Sandler wrote for the "Sovetish Heymland," deep in the family: Vaisman's daughter the Moscow Yiddish newspaper, and created Asya is a doctoral student in Yiddish at a Yiddish Show on the Moldovian State Harvard and his brother Alexander is a Television - "On the Jewish Street". well-known Jewish artist.

He is the author of two documentary film YALE STROM is a scripts: Until his immigration to Israel, he photographer, was Yiddish Editor of the bilingual journal writer, playwright "Undzer Kol" in Kishinev. From 1989-1992 and a pioneer Sandler was the President of the Yiddish among revivalists in Cultural Organization of Moldavia. conducting field research in Central Sandler edited "Kind un Keyt". His works and Eastern Europe have been translated into Russian, English, in addition to being French, German, Hebrew and Rumanian. He in the Balkans is Editor-in-Chief of the Yiddish "Forverts" among the Jewish and editor of the Forward radio show. and Rom (the gypsy) communities. PROF. IOSIF VAISMAN was His 12 CDs run the gamut of traditional born in Chernovtsy klezmer to "new" Jewish music. His research in 1962. He has a has resulted in photo documentary books, PhD from the several documentary films, and CD Russian Academy of recordings. Sciences and teaches bioinformatics and Yale is the author of "The Book of Klezmer computational and "The Absolutely Complete Klezmer biology at George Songbook." Mason University. His research interests focus on Yale has been a popular performer at prior computational analysis of protein structure conferences and has received high ratings and function. He has published over 50 His group will performt the last evening, in research papers and book chapters and addition to his closing lecture served on international editorial boards and Elizabeth Schwartz, his wife, is the lead research funding panels. singer in his klezmer band, Hot Pstromi.

8 In Ondenk-In Memoriam

Dr.HAROLD BESS SHOCKETT BLACK, IAYC Past stepped forward President was born in, after the first Goniondz, Poland. His conference and said family left for Mexico that she would chair where he attended the the next conference. first Jewish kheyder in It took place October Mexico City. Then 7-10, 1994. they moved to the U.S. just in time for the Bess and Barry were Great Depression. the first Canadian contacts of The The president of Yiddish of Greater Yiddish Network. She knew all and had a Washington asked if he would like to be on story to tell. She was the Executive Director the Board. In time he became president. of the Canadian Committee for Yiddish. He had a bright idea, why not hold a conference of Yiddish Clubs so they could Bess was the go-to Board member when it exchange ideas and share materials? came to writing criteria and standards that the Board had set up for the operating Harold Black was a City Planner He had two procedures for IA YC and the conferences. Masters degrees, one in Sociology and one in Urban Planning and a Ph.D. in Urban Bess spoke in a soft manner, but her advice Planning. was always full of insight and clarity.

SY GRAIVER took MIKE BAKER over the treasurer's grew up speaking position after Morrie Yiddish. His father Feller. He was born in and grandfather NYC and lived with were rabbis. He his wife Pearl in received his Bayside, NY. He was advanced degrees an executive for a life­ at VPI, and did insurance company. research at General During World War II Mills .. Mike left to he was in the United establish his own States Navy. business.

Seymour's father came from Slonim, now Mike and friends started Lomir Redn Belarus, and his mother from Vini tsa in the Yiddish. It was successful for a while. Then Ukraine. The family lived in the Workers 14 years ago the Bakers started a Vinkl at Cooperative Colony-one of the original the Minneapolis JCC. Each month another Jewish workers labor cooperatives. member plans and implements a program.

His Yiddish training and activites included His son, Zachary, was the head librarian at the IWO elementary and mitlshul where he YIVO and now heads the Judaic Library at met his wife Pearl. Seymour was a counselor Stanford University. in Camp Kinderland, an active member in a leyenkrayz and the Friends of Yiddish. Mike was the first Treasurer of IA YC.

9 The XII IAYC Conference Committee - La Jolla

Conference Chair Norman Sarkin The Committee

Norman was The next page has the full list of members born in and the important roles they have played. Johannesburg, South Africa, BELLA SUCHET, co-chair, is second in his father in command. Since each year the Sarkins Lithuania and spend time in Israel with their family, it is his mother in essential to have a take-charge person be at South Africa. the helm. Bella's effort during these The family months resulted in a smooth transition. moved to the mining town Bella is well known for helping to run a called Nigel Senior Center at Chabad in University City where Norman on a volunteer basis for 7 years and won attended elementary school. the Jack Stern Volunteer Recognition Award for making a significant As there was no English high school in Nigel contribution to Jewish Family Service. he went to Johannesburg where he attended Jeppe H.S. for Boys as a boarder. After high DEBBY DAVIS, co-chair and leader of The school he attended the U. of Witwatersrand in Second A venue Klezmer Ensemble will Johannesburg and studied accountancy. His perform on opening night and lecture as father died and Norman had to return to well. Her ensemble is well known by all. Nigel to support the family. BARRY BERELOWITZ handles the local After a few years the family returned to recordkeeping and is indispensable as an Johannesburg where Norman joined his advisor on many issues. His accounting uncle, also an immigrant from Lithuania, who experience is important. We are fortunate owned the largest commercial bakery in indeed to have Barry on the committee. South Africa. In 1961 he entered the life insurance industry. From his first year he RAQUEL LEISOREK'S Yiddish club will qualified for the "Million Dollar Round perform Mayn Sheyne Meydl. It was made Table" (and he has done so every year since). into a video and all of the IAYC clubs He is one of 300 in the world that is a charter received a copy. She also will be a key member of the "Top of the Table". participant in a panel at the conference.

In 1977, Norman along with his wife Heather JUDY RIEKE, Sarkin' s personal secretary, (whom he married in 1962) and their children is the key liaison with the IAYC. She is the Alan and Ingrid immigrated to the U.S. major contact and her swift and efficient handling of a myriad of details cannot be Norman's passion is Yiddish. He learned to stressed too much. speak Yiddish in the United States even though his parents spoke Yiddish to each Every committee person plays a key role in other but only English to him. Every year having a smooth period leading up to the Norman spends 3 months in Tel Aviv where conference. They will be honored at the his daughter and grandchildren live (his son conference and group photos will be taken. lives in China). In Israel Norman attends the Sirkin Yiddish group every Monday. At his The board has found it to be a pleasure urging, this group joined the IA YC. working with all of them.

10 International Association of Yiddish Clubs

Twelfth Conference• October 24- 27, 2008

Friday, October 24, 2008

1:00 - 8:00 p.m. IA YC Conference Registration (Orchid Room) 1:00 - 11: 00 p.m. IA YC Lounge (Orchid Room)

3:00 - 3:30 p.m. IA YC Conference Orientation Session - Ballroom • Philip Fishl Kutner: Editor of Der Bay

3:30- 4:45 p.m. First Yiddish Teacher's Panel - Ballroom Using Songs in Teaching Yiddish

Moderator: • Archie Barkan: Woodland Hills, CA The Panel: • Cookie Blattman: Tamarac, FL • Elisheva Edelson: San Diego, CA • Cindy Paley: Sherman Oaks, CA • Lori Cahan Simon: Beachwood, OH

6:00 p.m. Milton Katz Memorial Evening:

Shabes Blessings - Grand Ballroom, Cantor Hale Porter: Los Angeles, CA

Dinner - Grand Ballroom

Opening Ceremonies: Greetings & Introductions

• Norman Sarkin: Conference Chair • Paul Melrood: IAYC President 8:00 p.m. Evening Entertainment Grand Ballroom

• Jack Lewin: Yiddish Actor Konferentsn - A Satire

• Archie Barkan: Raconteur Yiddish, Yinglish and Borscht

• Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble: Celebration 350 - From Seville to Second A venue Debby Davis: Bandleader & Singer

l3 Saturday Program - October 25, 2008

7:00 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. Dr. Ray Fink: Shabes Services - Hebrew Dr. Merkle Karlen: Shabes Services - Yiddish Portion 7:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast - Grand Ballroom, Main Floor 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Exhibitor and Vendor Booths Open 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. IA YC Conference Registration (Orchid Room) 8:00 a.m. - 11.00 p.m. IA YC Lounge (Orchid Room)

9:15 - 10:30 a.m. Plenary - Session A

The 12th Harry V. Lerner Memorial Lecture - Grand Ballroom • Dr. Jonathan Sunshine: Introduction Yiddish of Greater Washington, President

• Boris Sandler: Editor of the Forverts Di evolutsye funder yidisher literatur nokh der tshernovitser konferents biz haynt

10:30 - 11:00 a.m. Intermission 11:00 a.m. -12:15 p.m. Lectures/Workshops - Session I

• Sabell Bender: "Oy He Left Me For My Sister"- Melodrama and Shund

• Dr. Itzik Gottesman Khanike and Christmas in Yiddish Folklore

• Adrienne Cooper: One of the most influential performers of Yiddish vocal music

• Troim Handler The Songs of Mark M. Warshawsky (1840-1907)

• Ron Robboy On the Trail of Der Yidisher Kauboy

12:15 Noon - 1:45 p.m. Lunch - Grand Ballroom, Main Floor 2:00 - 3:15 p.m. Lectures/Workshops Session - II

Teacher's Panel II-Curriculum Content • Hilda Rubin - Moderator, Rockville, MD • Frida Cielak - Mexico City, Mexico • Ruth Goodman- Wilmington, DE • Sheyndl Liberman - Los Angeles, CA • Prof. Iosif Vaisman - Arlington, VA

• Cantor Hale Porter Influence of Yiddish Theatre & Music on U.S. Culture

• Prof. Chaim Berman Evolution of the Yiddish Schools and the Labor and Radical Movements

14 • Debby Davis The Life and Music of Molly Picon

• Vivian Felsen Chemovits un di idishe imigrantn in amerike

3:15 - 3:45 p.m. Intermission

3:45 - 5:00 p.m. Lectures/Workshops Session- III

Yiddish Club Panel on Programming • Roz Baker - Moderator, Minneapolis, MN • Prof. Al Feldman - Scottsdale, AZ • Joseph Grinberg - San Francisco, CA • Varda Grinspan-Fair Lawn, NJ • Racquel Leisorek - San Diego, CA

• Hershl Hartman The Yiddish Surge in Current Hollywood Films

• Prof. Joel Schechter Yiddish Theater in the 1930s in America

• Prof. Robert Zelickman The History of Recorded Klezmer Music 1908-2008

• Miriam Koral The Passionate Ones: Yiddish Women Poets

6:00 p.m. Dinner - Grand Ballroom, Main Floor

The Workmen's Circle/Arbeter Ring Gala Evening

7:30 p.m. Third IAYC Lifetime Yiddish Service Award Presentation:

• Norman Sarkin: Conference Chair

• Sabell Bender: Introduction • Hersh] Hartman: Introduction • Lilke Majzner: Recipient

8:00 p.m. Bob Kaplan: President, The Workmen's Circle/ Arbeter Ring:

8:15 p.m. A Besere Veit: Yiddish Songs for Our Times

The Workmen's Circle Star Revue

• Adrienne Cooper: North American Yiddish Diva • Reyzl Kirkel: Denver-based Yiddish storyteller • Heather Klein: An up and coming performer on the national Yiddish song scene • Mitch Smolkin: Toronto-based international star of production and song

15 Sunday Program - October 26, 2008

7:00- 8:45 a.m. Continental Breakfast- Grand Ballroom, Main Floor 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Conference Registration (Orchid Room) 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. Exhibitor & Vendor Booths Open 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. IA YC Lounge (Orchid Room)

9:00 -10:15 a.m. Plenary Session B - Grand Ballroom, Main Floor

SAJAC (South African Jewish American Committee) Lecture Brian Marks: Editor

• Prof. Iosif Vaisman: George Mason University The World Wide Shtetl: Yiddish on the Internet

10:15 - 10:45 a.m. Intermission

10:45 - Noon Lectures/Workshops Session - IV

Teacher's Third Panel-Pedagogical Methodology

• Miriam Koral Moderator Venice, CA • Yakob Basner- Seal Beach, CA • Kolye Borodulin - Staten Island, NY • Alva Dworkin - Southfield, MI • Marcia Gruss Levinsohn- Silver Spring, MD

• Prof. Sandy Lakoff & Prof. Elie Shneour The Life and Work of Zalman Shneour

• Prof. Julius Scherzer Growing up in Czemowitz

• Rokhl Zucker Der yidish radyo, haynt

• Dr. Barney Zumoff My Experience as a Yiddish Translator

Noon- 2:00 p.m. Lunch on Your Own

2:00 - 3:15 p.m. Lectures/Workshops Session - V

• Kolye Borodulin Experiments with Culture in Birobidzhan

• Frank Handler Esther Frumkin, Yiddishist, Feminist, Bundist

• Rachel Leah Jablon Yizker Bikher, Rhetoric and Jewish Identity

16 • Prof. Meinhard Mayer The Yiddish and German Poets from Czemowitz

• Harold Ticktin The Roots of Jewish Humor

3:15 - 3:45 p.m. Intermission

3:45 - 5:00 p.m. Lectures/Workshops Session- VI

Teacher's Fourth Panel - Organizational Fuhtre • Adrienne Cooper - Moderator New York, NY • Prof. Al Feldman - Scottsdale, AZ • Rachel Leah Jablon - Randallstown, !vID • Cantor Hale Porter - Los Angeles, CA • Lori Cahan Simon - Beachwood, OH

• Dr. Zack V. Chayet Yidish in Meksike

• Sonia Pressman Fuentes Mayne Yidishe Tate-Mame (My Jewish Parents)

• Dr. Amelia Glaser Remembering the Old Country in the Old Country

• Peter Louis The Jews of South Africa

5:00 - 6:00 p.m. Intermission

6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Dinner - Grand Ballroom, Main Floor

Lawrence Family SD JCC Evening Program Jackie Gmach: Program Director

7:30 Roz Baker: Scholarship Committee Michael Baker, Harold Black, Seymour Graiver, & Bess Shockett Scholarship Recipients: Rachel Leah Jablon, Reyzl Kirkel, Lori Cahan Simon, :Mitch Smolkin,

Norman Sarkin: Conference Chair Bella Suchet: Conference Co-Chair Debby Davis: Conference Co-Chair Introduction of La Jolla Conference Committee & Group Photos

8:00 - Racquel Leisorek: Introduction Mayn Sheyne Meydl -(My Fair Lady) San Diego Yiddish Oub

Hot Pstromi Klezmer Group Yale Strom & Elizabeth Schwartz

17 Monday Program-October 27,2008

7:00 - 8:45 a.m. Continental Breakfast - Grand Ballroom, Main Floor

8:00 a.m. - Noon IAYC Conference Registration: (Orchid Room)

8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Exhibitor & Vendor Booths Open

8:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. IAYC Lounge: (Orchid Room)

9:00 - 10:30 a.m. Plenary Session C

Arbeter Ring (Workmen's Circle) So. Cal. Lecture Dr. Eric Gordon: Executive Director

• Yale Stom: Ethnomusicologist Labushnik Loshn: The Secret Language of the Klezmers

10:30 - 10:45 a.m. Intermission

10:45 a.m. - Noon Plenary Session D

Yiddishkayt LA Program Aaron Paley: Chairman & Founder

• Cindy Paley: Recording Artist, Cantorial Soloist Yiddish, Broadway and Beyond

12:00 Noon - 1:00 p.m. Luncheon - Grand Ballroom, Main Floor

1:00 - 1:30 p.m. Closing Ceremonies

Paul Melrood: IAYC President Recognition of IAYC Club Delegates Group Photos

Fishl Kutner: Editor, Der Bay Conference Report Good and Welfare

Announcement of the Thirteenth IAYC Conference Location

Introduction of the Thirteenth IA YC Conference Chair

Closure

Networking, Networking, Networking

18 TWELFTH IAYC CONFERENCE - PRESENTERS/PERFORMERS

ROZ BAKER is Mrs. Yiddish of Minneapolis, Minnesota. She has led the Minneapolis Vinkl, and chaired the Ninth IAYC conference in Minneapolis Gune 2005). It was voted the number one conference for camaraderie. Roz has held the position of IAYC Vice President and along with her late husband Michael o"h has been a mainstay of our organization. Roz will moderate a panel of four successful IAYC club leaders at this conference and share her vinkl's successful ideas with attendees from other Yiddish clubs. ARCHIE BARKAN is a humorist, storyteller and singer. He brings a taste of the "Borscht Belt" comedy circuit. From 1957 to 1977, Archie performed as an emcee and entertainer in hotels in the Catskills, Miami Beach, Atlantic City and the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania. His shtick is half in English and half in Yiddish. He plays piano, sings, tells stories, vocal impersonations and encourages audience participation. He is a Yiddish translator and has taught Yiddish at Santa Monica Emeritus College and at Elderhostels. YAKOB BASNER comes from Riga, Latvia, where he attended Yiddish and Hebrew school. He survived the ghetto of Riga, and the concentration camps of Kaiserwald, Stutthof, Buchenwald, Leitmeritz, and Terezin. Since coming to the U.S., Yakob has been teaching Yiddish, conversation, reading and writing. He received his teaching credential in Yiddish from the State of California. His lyrics have been set to music and performed by the Los Angeles Jewish performance ensemble Synergy. SABELL BENDER is an authority on the history of the Yiddish theatre. Her programs include monologues and scenes from Yiddish plays and slides of original productions. She performed in many of Yiddish theatre's great plays. As head of the Theatre Arts department of the Oakwood Secondary School she taught acting, directing, theatre history, character study etc. and directed plays and musicals. She combines her love of theatre and Yiddish culture into her dramatized lectures on Yiddish theatre. PROFESSOR "CHAIM" BERMAN is Professor Emeritus of history at the University of Minnesota. He taught in the Yiddish schools while attending Columbia University, and has published articles dealing with contemporary Jewish history and frequently lectures in Yiddish. He is very well known as a presenter by IAYC conference attendees. His lecture at the IAYC Minneapolis Conference was definitely one of the conference highlights

COOKIE RUKHELE BLATTMAN is Vice President of the Circle of Yiddish Clubs of South Florida, which is a member of the IAYC. She started a Yiddish conversation group at Kings Point, Tamarac, Florida, and another club at the nearby Senior Center. Cookie is a professional Yiddish singer/ entertainer with a recently released CD. She has performed at several of our prior IAYC conferences, and is on the Board of Directors of the IAYC.

20 TWELFTH IAYC CONFERENCE - PRESENTERS/PERFORMERS

NIKOLAI KOLYE BORODULIN is a native of Birobidzhan, the Jewish Autonomous Region, and has lectured widely on this area. As the Assistant Director of the Center for Cultural Jewish Life of The Workmen's Circle/ Arbeter Ring, he is very involved in Yiddish curriculum development. He is on the editorial board of Jewish Currents and has presented at previous IAYC conferences. His lectures have been received with great enthusiasm.

RACHEL LEAH JABLON is a Ph.D. candidate in the Comparative Literature Program. Her specialties are Jewish literature and film, with a focus on the Holocaust, and identity studies. Her dissertation, "Rhetoric and Holocaust Memorialization: The Legacy of the Holocaust in Jewish America," explores American museums with Holocaust exhibits, Jewish genealogical Web sites, yizkor books, and contemporary Jewish "legacy-pilgrimage" literature.

·ZANE BUZBY is a television producer and director and has directed over 200 episodes of network television including Golden Girls, Newhart, and Married ... with Children. She is the Executive Director of The Survivor Mitzvah Project which is a humanitarian effort dedicated to providing financial aid to elderly and forgotten Jewish Holocaust survivors scattered throughout Eastern Europe. She will be both a presenter and exhibitor.

DR. ZACK V. CHAYET is a United States citizen and a Mexican national who practices and teaches International Law. His graduate degrees are from Harvard University Law School and a Doctorate in Jurisprudence from the University of Denver College of Law. He is the founder/ owner and senior managing partner of Chayet International Counsel. Dr. Chayet' s lecture at the conference is entitled the "Yidn fun Meksike."

FRIDA (GRAPA DE) CIELAK is the author of ARELE, the Yiddish Workbook set for Beginners, author of 40 afi.os de LA NAYE, the first 40 years of the NAYE Yiddishe Shul-1.L.PERETZ School in Mexico City and Founder of its first Audiovisual Center and Children Library. Also, she was founder of the International Yiddisher Briv-Fraynd Club (Pen-Pals) in Yiddish and her Website is at: http:/ /www.arele.yiddish.com.mx

ADRIENNE COOPER has performed and recorded with The Klezmatics, Hasidic New Wave, The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band, Kapelye, and Frank London's Shekhine Big Band. Ms. Cooper received her musical training at the Rubin Academy in Jerusalem, Israel and holds B.A and M.A. degrees in history from Hebrew University and the University of Chicago. Ms Cooper is the Assistant Executive Director of the Workmen's Circle/ Arbeter Ring.

21 TWELFTH IAYC CONFERENCE - PRESENTERS/PERFORMERS

DEBORAH DAVIS grew up in Brooklyn with her grandmother who introduced her to the music of the songs of NY Yiddish musical theatre. Her tum to music came with her move to San Diego. She earned her degree in opera performance at U.C. San Diego. Deborah and clarinetist, Professor Robert Zelickman formed the Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble. Deborah was ordained as the first Humanistic Jewish cantor and is a cantor at a San Diego congregation. ALVA DWORKIN graduated from the Detroit, Michigan W.C. Mitlshul. Her parents spoke Yiddish and were active in the Workmen's Circle. She has Master's Degrees in Art Education and in Human Development and was a nursery school teacher in 2 Jewish schools. Alva taught Yiddish at the W.C. shule, Haddassah adult Yiddish classes and facilitates a Yiddishkayt group at the Jewish Center for the Institute of Retired Professionals. She is a member of "Freylake Frayndt" a Yiddish speaking women's group. ELISIHEVA EDELSON was born in Monterrey, Mexico, and has performed Jewish Folk and Popular music since a very young age. She sings in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino, English and Spanish. Elisheva was the Jewish Music teacher at the "Yiddish School in Mexico City" and conducted the children's choir. She has four recordings in Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino and has released her first CD album in Yiddish. Elisheva graduated from the Yiddish Teachers Seminar in Mexico City. PROFESSOR ALBERT E. FELDMAN received his degrees from Boston University and was a professor of biology for 46 years. He studied German and passed his doctoral exams in German. Al became familiar with the origins of Yiddish words derived from German. He founded the Temple Solel Yiddish Club in 2000, now a chapter of the IAYC and introduced "Yiddish in English" as a short course at the Scottsdale Community College. Al is an IAYC Board member. VIVIAN FELSEN is a Toronto translator and visual artist who long has been active in Yiddish circles. She translates both French and Yiddish into English. Vivian was the recipient of the Canadian Jewish Book Award in 2001 for her English version of Montreal of Yesterday by Israel Medres, a classic about Jewish immigrant life in Montreal before WW I. Her translation of his "Between the Wars" won the prestigious Segal Award. Now she is giving talks to Jewish organizations on Yiddish-related themes. SONIA PRESSMAN FUENTES was born in Berlin of Polish parents, and grew up in the New York Catskills. She had a 36-year career as an attorney and was one of the founders of NOW (National Organization for Women). She is a member of the HIAS Hall of Fame, a well-known author and very active as a conference speaker. Her memoir is "Eat First--You Don't Know What They'll Give You: The Adventures of an Immigrant Family and Their Feminist Daughter."

22 TWELFTH IAYC CONFERENCE - PRESENTERS/PERFORMERS

PROFESSOR AMELIA GLASER teaches Russian literature at the University of California, San Diego. She is currently at work on a book about Jewish-Slavic relations in Russian, Ukrainian and Yiddish literature. In addition to courses in Russian and comparative literature, she teaches classes on Yiddish literature. She is the translator as well as co-author of an anthology of Yiddish poetry titled "Proletpen: America's Rebel Yiddish poets." RUTH FISHER GOODMAN was educated at the Workmen's Circle Yiddish School in NYC where her teacher was Yudel Mark. She is a retired reading specialist and now teaches Yiddish and courses in Judaic Studies at the University of Delaware Continuing Education Program. Her translation of "Der Yidisher Poyps" by Yudel Mark is her third award-winning book. Her other books are: "Pen Pals" (ages 9-13) and "Easy Steps to the Hebrew Aleph Bet." FRANK HANDLER has delivered hundreds of lectures on Jewish history for organizations and Elderhostels since his retirement as a history teacher in Long Island. He and his wife, Troim, entertain with bilingual Yiddish/English programs in New York, New Jersey and southern Florida. Frank earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from NYU. His specialties are, Great Jewish Mishpokhes, Forgotten Jewish Women and Modern Zionism. TROIM KATZ HANDLER taught Yiddish in the summer programs at Oxford University in England, worked with Professor Kazuo Ueda of Japan on two books, was secretary to o"h Itche Goldberg, taught in Long Island, New York shuln, lectures often, is a long time member of the IAYC board, where she chairs the Committee for Selecting Club Materials. In 2002 the IAYC published her Yiddish-English book of love poetry, "SIMKHE."

HERSHL HARTMAN ascribes his Yiddish abilities to 3 sources: his bube, who lived with his immigrant parents and "took care" of him in his native Brooklyn and The Bronx; his education in the shuln, mitlshul and kursn of the Jewish People's Fraternal Order (IWO); and as a reporter, for the morgn frayhayt. His work includes being the Education Director of The Sholem Community in Los Angeles, a member of the Arbeter Ring District Committee, and a Secular Jewish/madrikh/Leader. HEATHER KLEIN performed the role of Rivka Shmuel in the National tour of Meshuga Nutcracker with the National Jewish Theater Festival and Zerlina with Bay Area Classical Harmonies in San Francisco. Heather has performed in Yiddish at The Jewish Music Festival in Berkeley, Bible by the Bay, at the IAYC Conference in Cleveland and been a scholarship participant in KlezKanada. Ms. Klein performs with Ensemble Vocalis. She received her Masters degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

23 TWELFTH IAYC CONFERENCE - PRESENTERS/PERFORMERS

MIRIAM KORAL is a native Yiddish speaker who is the Founder of the California Institute for Yiddish Culture and Language (CIYCL), a non-profit group dedicated to preserving and promoting Yiddish. She has published prose and poetry in Yiddish and English, and is a Lecturer in Yiddish at UCLA and American Jewish University. She has taught Yiddish poetry and literature at the Tel-Aviv Yiddish Program and the Vilnius Yiddish Institute.

PHILIP "FISHL" KUTNER was raised on a poultry farm in NJ and taught vo-ag and earth science. His interest in Yiddish came from his mother. He is a storyteller and editor of Der Bay, an International Anglo-Yiddish newsletter and webmaster of its website. Fishl is Chairman of the Northern California Workmen's Circle District and President of the San Mateo County Council of the Blind. He is one of the founders of the IAYC.

PROFESSOR SANFORD LAKOFF is Emeritus of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego. Born and raised in New Jersey, he earned a B.A. at Brandeis and a Ph.D. at Harvard. He taught at Harvard, Stony Brook, and the University of Toronto. He is the author or editor of twelve books, including "Equality in Political Philosophy," "Democracy: History, Theory, Practice," and "Max Lerner: Pilgrim in the Promised Land."

RAQUEL LEISOREK graduated from Der Yiddisher Seminar in Mexico City, Mexico. Her graduate courses were in Yiddish, history, Hebrew, English and pedagogy, She has taught in the Mexico City Yiddishe Shul for 28 years, until relocation to San Diego, California Since then she has taught Yiddish to groups in Chabad, JCC of La Jolla and Congregation Beth EL Raquel leads the Yiddish Circle at the Lawrence Family San Diego JCC in La Jolla and a Yiddish Adult Group. MARCIA GRUSS-LEVINSOHN is Director of the Jewish Educational Workshop. She is a Yiddish teacher, Chair of the Yiddish Network of CAJE (Coalition for the Advancement of Jewish Education), and has been a regular presenter at IAYC Conferences. She has authored three widely read Yiddish books for children. Marcia has attended every IAYC Conference, and her presentations have received high ratings. She leads two senior shmueskrayzn

JACK LEWIN played Yiddish theater from 1950 to 1965 in Melbourne, Australia under the direction of Rachel Holzer, Jacob Waislits from the Wilno Troup, guest directors; Zygmunt Turkov, Ida Kaminska, Joseph Shain and others. Since 1965 he has been very active in Yiddish cultural life in Los Angeles having performed at Yiddishkayt festivals and frequently in the Yiddish Kultur Klub in Los Angeles.

24 TWELFTH IAYC CONFERENCE - PRESENTERS/PERFORMERS

SHEYNDL LIBERMAN is a graduate of Advanced Courses in Yiddish from the Y.L. Peretz Shule in Montreal, Canada. Liberman is the former director of the Workmen's Circle Kinder Shule. She has taught Yiddish at the Westside Jewish Community Center, Santa Monica City College, UCLA, and at the American Jewish University since 1980. Ms. Liberman is currently a literacy coach with LAUSD. She was born in the Ukraine and went to Montreal and then to Los Angeles. PETER LOUIS specializes in mergers, acquisitions and divestitures. He practiced as an Attorney and Conveyance of the Supreme Court of South Africa, specializing in corporate law. Immigrating to the United States, he became in-house counsel to an international company. He co-founded Keystone International, which became a dominant M&A brokerage firm with offices throughout Florida. He is an associate member of the American Bar Association. PROFESSOR MEINHARD (HARDY) MAYER was born 1929 in Seletin, Bukovina (then Romania). He learned Yiddish, Ukrainian, Russian, German and was in Romanian camps 1942-44. Prof. Mayer received his Ph.D. in Math-Physics at the University of Bucharest and taught there and at the University of Vienna, Brandeis University and Indiana University. He is Professor Emeritus, UC Irvine. His research field is: Mathematical Physics and Elementary Particle Theory. DR. IOSIF GRINBERG graduated Hebrew school (Tarbut) and studied in a Romanian gymnasium. During WWII his family was evacuated to Samarqand in Uzbekistan. He entered the Medical Institute in Stanislaw (West Ukraine) and graduated in 1949. In 1991 they immigrated to San Francisco. In 2006 Iosif founded the Yiddish Club at the San Francisco JCC. Iosif 's first language is Yiddish and is fluent in Romanian, Russian and Ukrainian. CINDY PALEY sings Yiddish, Hebrew and Ladino songs. Her love of Yiddish music and culture began as a child at the Valley Kindershule in Los Angeles. As a music educator, cantorial soloist and song leader, Cindy encourages audience participation. She designs creative services for Shabbat, holidays and celebrations. Cindy's records, include; S'iz Yontev Kinder! Lomir Zingem, Yavo Shalom, and Chanukah, Passover and Shabbat CDs.

CANTOR HALE PORTER has had concerts at New York's Avery Fisher Hall, Detroit's Cobo Hall, New Jersey's Garden State Arts Center, L.A.'s Wilshire Ebel and Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. He soloed with the Israel Pops Orchestra. Hale's baritone voice has been heard in Miami, Las Vegas, and the Catskills. He is a Cantor and voice coach, and has a program of songs that includes Yiddish classics and grand opera. •l

25 TWELFTH IAYC CONFERENCE - PRESENTERS/PERFORMERS

RONALD ROBBOY was a research fellow at YIVO, taught Yiddish literature at UC San Diego, and participated in the international conferences on Yiddish theatre at Oxford. One of the West Coast's initiators of the klezmer revival in the US in the 1970s, Robboy was the leader of the Big Jewish Band. He was Senior Researcher for conductor Michael Tilson Thomas's Thomashefsky Project, conducting archival research, translating texts, and reconstructing musical numbers. HILDA RUBIN is a Vice President of Yiddish of Greater Washington, chairs its Cafe Kasrilevke, leads Kum Shmooz a Yiddish conversation group and is artistic director of Di Shpilers. She was a reading specialist in the Prince George's County schools and has taught Yiddish classes in synagogues and in adult education classes. Hilda adapts materials from the Yiddish classics for presentation. She is a popular IAYC Conference presenter, and has attended every conference. PROFESSOR JOEL SCHECHTER is professor of Theatre Arts at San Francisco State University, where he teaches theatre history, popular theatre, and Jewish studies courses. He has written several books about circus and satire, and created a series of comic strips on Yiddish culture with the illustrator Spain. His new book is titled: "Messiahs of 1933: How American Yiddish Theatre Survived Adversity through Satire."

DR. JULIUS SCHERZER was born and lived in Czernowitz, located in the province of Bukovina. He grew up under fascism and communism before, during and after World War II. He lived under the Romanian communists after the war. He came to this country in 1963. He has a Ph.D. degree in chemistry and a Master degree in environmental engineering. Julius has worked in the academia and in industry, has published several scientific books, over 50 patents and over 40 scientific articles. ELIZABETH SCHWARTZ recordings include the soundtrack for the docu­ mentary film L'Chayim, Comrade Stalin!, Garden of Yidn and Klezmer: Cafe Jew Zoo, Dveykes (Adhesion). Schwartz is featured in the documentary Goldfadn 's Legacy The Yiddish Edith Piaf. She sang at New York's landmark Orthodox Eldridge Street Synagogue with her all female klezmer quartet. Schwartz is a filmmaker. She will perform with her husband, Yale Strom.

PROFESSOR ELIE A. SHNEOUR is the son of the noted poet and novelist Zalman Shneour. Dr. Shneour was born and educated in France until he escaped with his family through Spain after one year of Nazi occupation and came to the United States in 1941. Dr Shneour has a Ph.D. in Physiological Chemistry from UCLA. He served on the faculties of the University of California at Berkeley, Stanford School of Medicine, University of Utah and directs the Biosystems Research Institute in La Jolla.

26 TWELFTH IAYC CONFERENCE - PRESENTERS/PERFORMERS

MITCH SMOLKIN is a Yiddish singer, actor, cantor and cultural innovator. He is from Toronto where he directed the Ashkenaz Festival from 2001 to 2006. Mitch currently teaches Yiddish at the Bialik High School He was the emcee of the Cabaret at the IAYC Baltimore conference. In La Jolla Mitch will be one of the stars of the Saturday night Workmen's Circle Gala Star Revue. He comes from a family with strong Yiddish ties.

LORI CAHAN-SIMON sings with her Yiddish and klezmer ensemble, the Cleveland Workmen's Circle Klezmer Orchestra, and at the Yiddish in the Park Concerts in Cleveland. She is Director of the I.L. Peretz School children's chorus and teaches Yiddish Culture and Language through visual, performing, and culinary arts. Lori earned an M.A. in Art Education from Case Western Reserve University. She moderates a list for Yiddish teachers on the Internet. HAROLD TICKTIN is an attorney. He was honored by Workmen's Circle as Man of the Year. He is President of the Cenacolo (Italian Literary Society), Past President of Temple Ner Tamid and the Ohio Chapter of AJC. Harold is conversant in 6 languages and leads a Yiddish Vinkl. He has had over 400 articles published in the Cleveland Jewish News, NY Times, Midstream, Moment, Jewish Frontier, Congress Monthly and the Jerusalem Post.

PROFESSOR ROBERT ZELICKMAN, clarinetist, is a Lecturer of Music at UC San Diego. In addition to teaching clarinet and performing contemporary music, he conducts the UCSD Wind Ensemble and lectures on The Symphony and Jewish Music. He is a member of the San Diego Chamber Orchestra, has performed with the San Diego Symphony, and the San Diego Opera. Robert is the co-director of the Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble. Zelickman earned his BA at UCLA and a MFA from Cal Arts. ROCHELLE ZUCKER is a graduate of the I.L. Peretz Folk School Yiddish Dayschool and Mitleshul in Winnipeg. Rochelle is an accountant and worked for over 30 years in the Finance Department for Air Canada. She is a member of the Group for Yiddish Heritage and The next Generation Yiddish reading group. She has attended 6 IAYC Conferences. Since April 2007 she has been hosting a weekly half hour Yiddish Radio show on CKJS Winnipeg (www.ckjs.com). DR. BARNETT 'BARNEY" ZUMOFF is an internationally renowned endocrinology teacher and researcher, has published over 250 papers and is Professor of Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He is a Past President of the Forward Association, co-President of the Congress for Jewish Culture, Vice-President of the Folksbiene, Vice-President of the Atran Foundation, was a long-time President of the Workmen's Circle/ Arbeter Ring and has published 12 volumes of Yiddish translations.

27 Der Bay

The International Anglo-Yiddish Newsletter

------January 2008 Vol. XVIII No. 1 ------

The XII IAYC Conference: From Czernowitz to Cyberspace and Beyond

Yiddish, you have come a long way! San Diego—Here We Come!

Little could the conveners of the Czernowitz The 2008 12th IAYC Conference Site Selection Confernce in 1908 have anticipated the Committee has come up with a winner. La Jolla obliteration of most of the Yiddish-speakers is the premier section of San Diego, and the of Europe, the founding of Israel with its conference will be situated in the beautiful concomitant reestablishment of the Jewish La Jolla Marriott Hotel located within a short Homeland (and its diminishing Yiddish), or walking distance from the Jewish Community the powerful tool of the Internet in producing Center, restaurants, an exclusive outdoor mall a “Virtual Shtetl.” and the skywalk spanning the busy twelve-lane highway. The setting is breathless. Our 12th IAYC conference will examine the last 100 years of Yiddish, and look into the future. La Jolla is the location of the world renowned We most likely can no more predict the next Salk Institute, the University of California at hundred years than the Czernowitz conveners San Diego, and the world-famous Scripps could foretell the actual series of events that Memorial Hospital with its Research Center. characterized the Yiddish world of the 20th century—but it will be very exciting. For scenery, the nearby shoreline is the most memorable of La Jolla's districts. La Jolla is Specifically, how will the IAYC mark this 100th home to one of the most spectacular waterfronts anniversary of the first-ever Yiddish in Southern California, with remarkable caves, conference? What will be the ways in which cliffs, beaches and sunsets. the parent organization will assist the hundred local clubs celebrate this centennial? These Norman Sarkin and his committee are getting resources will be emphasized at the conference off to the fastest start of any conference to date. as well as in the club materials to be sent out. He came forward in Cleveland and said that La Jolla wants the next IAYC confernce! In anticipation of the worldwide interest in this theme, Der Bay has announced that it will act Norman is a Yiddish-speaker from South Africa as the clearinghouse in listing any and all local and belongs to a S.D. South African Jewish Club. major events commemorating the Czernowitz He said that because of Mexico City’s closeness Conference. It is hoped that not only will it we may anticipate a notable attendance from bring more attention to the event, but assist the Mexico’s Yiddish-speaking community. planners in avoiding conflicting dates. It will also act as a resource to identify those key Major events will appear in the separate listing: speakers and entertainers. www.derbay.org/calendars/kalendar.html Der Bay The International Anglo-Yiddish Newsletter

------February 2008 Vol. XVIII No. 2 ------

The XII IAYC Conference, La Jolla, CA, Oct. 24-27, 2008 IAYC to Launch IAoYT

A New Organization The Theme Approach

With the overwhelming success of the IAYC, To identify the individual sessions for it is time that the same principles that were attendees, the program will list the areas of learned in organizational club formation be concern for each presentation/workshop. They applied to Yiddish teaching and Yiddish will be: T for teachers, C for clubs, M for music teachers. and A for all others. Each of the sessions will attempt to have at least one in each category. The Grassroots Movement Thus one could follow a thread or theme throughout all the sessions or pick and choose. In the past, charismatic individuals have been You do not have to select beforehand! the driving force in initiating and fostering new groups. The IAYC has shown that when Levels of Yiddish Teaching dedicated individuals convene they can be a powerful force in organizing a group. Experienced teachers know that there is a great difference in teaching any subject when your IAYC Role in IAoYT Formation pupil ages are; pre-school, elementary, teenage, college or adult/senior. Their attention span, The sole interest is to have the venue for retention ability, background experiences and lighting the fire of the new organization. Once motivation all are criteria in creating syllabi for the conference is over the IAoYT will be on its the different age groups. own. If the group wishes to have future meetings at IAYC conferences, it gladly will be There is a wealth of learning materials and accommodated. However, until it is able to lesson plans that have been created for shules, reach a critical mass, it should piggyback at etc. especially in the U.S. and Canada that are other potentially accommodating meetings available from the Arbeter Ring, YIVO and such as Yugntruf’s Sof Vokh, KlezKamp, etc. especially the schools in Montreal and Toronto.

Teacher’s Program at the IAYC Conference Contact Information

To initiate this effort the IAYC will include a Visit the website at: www.derbay.org/lajolla/ series of lecture/workshops that will be open to all attendees without having to sign up Call Conference Chair, Norman Sarkin for local beforehand. It will include successful Yiddish information and the ad journal at: 858-731-3116. teachers at various levels. The program is being Call Fishl Kutner for program, vending, and finalized and your input now is welcomed. registration questions at: 650-349-6946.

Der Bay

The International Anglo-Yiddish Newsletter

------March 2008 Vol. XVIII No. 3 ------

The XII IAYC Conference, La Jolla, CA, Oct. 24-27, 2008 Our Evening Programs

After a day filled with learning, listening, introduced young rising performers who are watching and making new friends you will lean becoming names on the Yiddish Circuit. As back and be entertained. Each evening will be they are added, their names will be placed on filled with great entertainment. the IAYC updated list found on the website (listed below). Opening Night IAYC will feature its Third Lifetime Yiddish Cantor Hale Porter will say the blessings and Service Award. We are proud to announce greetings will be given by IAYC President, Paul that this year’s award will go to the brilliant, Melrood. Then Conference Chair, Norman Lilke Majzner, leader of the LA Yiddish Sarkin will introduce His Honor the Mayor. Culture Club, the #1 Yiddish club in the West. She follows in the footsteps of Chana Mlotek Our entertainment begins this first night with and Simon Swersky. master raconteur Archie Barkan. You will recognize him, for he will be the moderator of Final Night the first afternoon teacher’s panel. He also performed at a previous conference when the First we shall honor the IAYC “Scholarship” IAYC was at the UCLA Conference Center ten Award winners and Norman Sarkin’s stellar years ago. La Jolla Committee. It will be the start for a great night of entertainment. Next Debby Davis and The Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble will perform. Several Raquel Leisorek’s San Diego Yiddish Club members of the band have been in the music will perform Mayn Sheyne Meydl, which is the department at U.C. San Diego. As a group they Yiddish version of My Fair Lady. There was a are a musician’s dream. In addition to being wonderful video made of the first performance magnificent performers, both singer Debby and and distributed to the IAYC clubs. Professor Bob Zelickman will be presenters. Closing out the evening will be Yale Strom, the Second Night leading ethnographer-artist of klezmer who will perform with his wife Elizabeth Schwartz This will be a very special time, for it will and his West Coast group, Klazzj, be the third consecutive conference that the Arbeter Ring/Workmen’s Circle has Conference website: www.derbay.org/lajolla/ sponsored the Saturday Evening Gala Event of Conference Chairman: Norman Sarkin Stars under the leadership of Adrienne Cooper E-mail [email protected] and Zalmen Mlotek. Each year they have Confernce Questions: Fishl: [email protected] Der Bay

The International Anglo-Yiddish Newsletter

------April 2008 Vol. XVIII No. 4 ------

The XII IAYC Conference, La Jolla, CA, Oct. 24-27, 2008 Keynote Speakers in Plenary Sessions

The Plenary Sessions He translates from Yiddish, Russian and Polish into English for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Each morning starts with a plenary session (everyone Museum in Washington, D.C and has run Yiddish in the Ballroom.} These lectures are by experts in workshops in Brussels, Paris (at the Medem their field. They will be recorded and the CD will be Bibliotheque with Professor Yitzhok Niborski), sent to member clubs as part of the IAYC packets. Washington, D.C., and at the IAYC Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Motl is the current Vice Boris Sandler President of the IAYC. “Di evolutsye fun der yidisher literatur nokh der tshernovitser konferents biz haynt” Yiddish of Greater Washington is one of the Yiddish organizations that benefits from his efforts. Another Boris Sandler was born in Beltz (Besarabia), major interest is the new Yiddish dictionary, for he is graduated from the Music Conservatory in Kishenev a major participant in bringing this important work and wrote for the Moscow Yiddish magazine to fruition. "Sovetish Heymland." Later he joined its editorial board. In 1989 he created a Yiddish Show on the Yale Strom Moldovian State Television - "On the Jewish Street." “Labushnik Loshn: The Secret Language of the Klezmers” He is the author of two documentary film scripts. From 1990 till his immigration to Israel in 1992, Yale is a director, composer, musician, writer, he was the Yiddish Editor of the bilingual journal photographer and playwright. He is a pioneer “Undzer Kol" in Kishinev and President of the among klezmer revivalists in conducting field Yiddish Cultural Organization of Moldavia. research in Europe among the Jewish and Rom communities. His work focuses on all aspects of Sandler authored 7 fiction books and edited the Jewish and Rom culture, from post-WW II to the children's magazine “Kind un Keyt". His works present, especially the use and performance of were translated into Hebrew, Russian, Rumanian, klezmer music. He is on staff at U.C. San Diego. English, French and German. Since 1998 he has been Editor-in-Chief of the Yiddish Forverts. From 1999 to Yale Strom is the world’s leading ethnographer- the present, editor of the Forward radio show. artist of klezmer. He has published 10 books, directed 6 films and leads 2 klezmer bands—Hot Dr. Motl Rosenbush Pstromi in New York, and Klazzj in San Diego. He "Der aroysfoder fun yidish" performs with his wife, Elizabeth Schwatz. “The Challenge of Yiddish Today” Conference website: www.derbay.org/lajolla/ Dr. Rosenbush is a native Yiddish speaker who was born in Lublin, Poland. Motl was chairman of the Conference Chairman Norman Sarkin: Russian Department at the University of New [email protected] Hampshire. He has developed Yiddish-speaking Yugntruf svives in New York City. Conference questions Fishl: [email protected] Der Bay

The International Anglo-Yiddish Newsletter

------May 2008 Vol. XVIII No. 5 ------The XII IAYC Conference, La Jolla, CA, Oct. 24-27, 2008 Conference Presenters

In previous issues we have covered the: Frank Handler: Esther Frumkin, Yiddishist, Feminist, Bundist • Keynote Speakers: Boris Sandler, editor of the Forverts, Dr. Motl Rosenbush and Yale Strom Hershl Hartman: Yiddish Surge in Current Hollywood Films • Entertainment: Archie Barkan, Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble, Workmen’s Circle Gala Dr. Miriam Koral: Yiddish Poetry

Revue of Stars, Hot Pstromi Klezmer Group, Dr. Sandy Lakoff and Dr. Elie Shneour: The Life Mayn Sheyne Meydl (Live), Cindy Paley and Work of Zalman Shneour

• Formation of the International Association of Dr. Peter Louis: The Jews of South Africa Yiddish Teachers IAYT (4 panels with a moderator & 4 Yiddish teachers in each panel) Prof. Meinhard Mayer: Yiddish and German Poets from Czernowitz

Presenters Cantor Hale Porer: Influence of Yiddish Theatre

and Music on U.S. Culture Roz Baker: (Panel) Yiddish Programming Ideas Ron Robboy: On the Trail of Der Yidisher Kauboy Sabell Bender: The Underworld of Sholem Asch

Prof. Chaim: Berman: Evolution of Yiddish Schools Prof. Joel Schechter: Yiddish Theater in the 1930s in America and the Labor and Radical Movements Prof. Julius Scherzer: Growing up in Czernowitz Cookie Blattman: A Yidishe Shtunde Harold Ticktin: The Roots of Jewish Humor Kolye Borodulin: Experiments with Culture in Birobidzhan Prof. Robert Zelickman: The History of Recorded Klezmer Music 1908-2008 Sabina Brukner: The KlezKamp Experience Rokhl Zucker: Yiddish Radio (Haynt) Dr. Zack Chayet: The Jews of Mexico

Adrienne Cooper: Yiddish Songs of War in Dr. Barney Zumoff: My Experience as a Yiddish Translator Women’s Lives Conference Registration Form is on page 15. Debby Davis: The Life and Music of Molly Picon Conference website: www.derbay.org/lajolla/ Vivian Felsen: Czernowitz and the Early Jewish Immigrants to North America Conference Chairman - Norman Sarkin: [email protected] Sonia Fuentes: Mayne Yidishe Tate-Mame

Dr. Amelia Glaser: Remembering the Old Country Conference Co-chair – Bella Suchet [email protected] in the Old Country

Troim Katz Handler: The Songs of Mark M. Conference Questions - Fishl: [email protected] Warshawsky (1840-1907)

Der Bay

The International Anglo-Yiddish Newsletter

------June 2008 Vol. XVIII No. 6 ------The XII IAYC Conference - La Jolla, CA - Oct. 24-27, 2008 Conference Exhibitors & Vendors

On the website and in previous issues of Der Bay we A Preliminary List of Exhibitors & Vendors have covered the following areas of interest at the upcoming twelfth IAYC Conference: California Inst. for Yiddish Culture & Language Cindy Paley • Keynote Speakers: Boris Sandler, editor of the Congress of Secular Jewish Studies Forverts, Dr. Motl Rosenbush, IAYC Vice Pres. Cookie Blattman and Yale Strom, renowned ethnomusicologist. Der Bay Dr. Barney Zumoff • Entertainment: Archie Barkan, Second Avenue Forward Association Klezmer Ensemble, Workmen’s Circle Gala Frida Cielak Revue with Adrienne Cooper, Mitch Smolkin, Hatikvah Jewish Music Heather Klein, Hot Pstromi Klezmer Group, Heather Klein Mayn Sheyne Meydl (Live) and Cindy Paley. Hot Pstromi Klezmer Band International Association of Yiddish Clubs • Orientation session and The List of Presenters KlezKamp at lectures and workshops and their topics were Lawrence Family JCC listed last month. Lori Cahan-Simon Los Angeles Yiddish Culture Club • Formation of the International Association of Marcia Gruss-Levinsohn Yiddish Teachers (IAYT), 4 panels with a Marriott La Jolla Hotel moderator (Archie Barkan, Dr. Motl Rosenbush, Mitch Smolkin Miriam Koral and Adrienne Cooper) and 4 Mitzvah Survivor Project Yiddish teachers in each panel. Troim Katz Handler Schwartz Judaica Located immediately outside of the main ballroom in Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble the hallway will be all of the exhibitor and vending Sonia Pressman Fuentes tables. This is where the escalator comes up from the Valley Chapter - L.A. Yiddish Culture Club lobby area. There will be 24 long tables and it is Vilnius Jewish Library Project anticipated that there will be between 30 and 36 Vivian Felsen exhibits/vendor displays at any one time on Yiddishkayt LA Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Workmen’s Circle Los Angeles District Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring If you have questions about vending/exhibition space, contact Fishl Kutner at: 650-349-6946. There is no Conference Registration Form is on page 15. charge for presenters or entertainers who wish to have Conference website: www.derbay.org/lajolla/ a reserved space and the only cost for others is to place Conference Chairman - Norman Sarkin: an ad in our conference journal. Remember that the [email protected] conference website has a great deal of updated Conference Co-chair – Bella Suchet information about La Jolla, the hotel, the entertainment [email protected] and the programming. See the next column for the Conference Questions - Fishl: [email protected] website, key phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Ph: 650-349-6946 Der Bay The International Anglo-Yiddish Newsletter

------September 2008 Vol. XVIII No. 7 ------The XII IAYC Conference - La Jolla, CA - Oct. 24-27, 2008 3rd IAYC Lifetime Yiddish Service Award

"Poland was at the end. She got word to Szlama in an island in Buchenwald that she was still alive. Two days Jewish later he was at her side. history. There will never be They lived in Belgium from 1945-1950—“a anything like wonderful time, also a tragic time," says Lilke, it again.” As the Bund reorganized, she worked with children—many orphaned and with Cercle Lilke Majzner Amicale, a fraternal group. She was arrested was born in after making a speech in Antwerp, and was in Lodz into the a Belgium jail before Prime Minister Spaak, a Nutkowicz Socialist with Bund connections, got her out. family. Her parents were Szlama and Lilke came to Detroit where she rooted in the attended Wayne State Univ. earning an Early Bund, the Socialist Jewish party that won a Childhood Teaching Certificate. Both joined majority of the Jewish vote in Poland between the the Arbeter Ring, and she taught in its shule. two world wars. She attended the Medem School of the Tsentrale Yidishe Shul Organizatsie, a day In 1955 they moved to Los Angeles and school sponsored by the Bund. Every subject was became active in the Bund and in the Yiddish- taught in Yiddish, except a mandatory course in speaking Artur Zygelboim Branch of Arbeter Polish language and literature. Ring. They attended lectures at the LA Yiddish Culture Club, and Lilke began lecturing there. Lilke's memories are filled with impressions of At the same time, she attended the University political organizing and school summer camps. of Judaism, received her teaching credential, The Depression was around the globe, anti- and taught in the Workmen's Circle schools. Semitism was rife in Poland, the Spanish Revolution broke out and the Soviets sent their She became president of the L. A. Yiddish enemies to the gulag and worse. But it was a full, Culture Club, where she works tirelessly for youthful life, lived entirely in Yiddish. the furtherance of Yiddish. Her articles are in the Forverts and in the Kultur un lebn. Driven from her family's home when the Nazis invaded in 1939, Lilke her brother Alec and father Conference Registration Form is on page 15. found refuge in the Piotrkow ghetto. There she Conference website: www.derbay.org/lajolla/ met her neighbor, Szlama Majzner, who was also Chair: N. Sarkin: [email protected] involved in clandestine political organizing. Lilke Co-chair: Bella Suchet: [email protected] survived six concentration camps, Bergen Belsen Questions: Fishl: 650-349-6946 Der Bay

The International Anglo-Yiddish Newsletter

------October 2008 Vol. XVIII No. 8 ------The XII IAYC Conference - La Jolla, CA - Oct. 24-27, 2008 The Final Preparations

The Yiddish Teacher’s Section Major Sponsors

This is the final issue of Der Bay before what may Arbeter Ring/Workmen’s Circle: The only major well be an historic conference. The IAYC is hosting fraternal organization fostering Yiddish. For the an honors group of Yiddish teachers who will be in 3rd year Adrienne Cooper leads a star-studded the process of discussing what and how to teach revue. Pres. Bob Kaplan will honor Lilke Majzner. the Yiddish language and culture across pre-school, shule, university and adult/senior levels. The Arbeter Ring/Workmen’s Circle So. Cal. District: organization may be called the IAYT— The The talented and very popular Executive Director International Association of Yiddish Teachers. Dr. Eric Gordon will introduce the Sunday morning plenary speaker, Prof. Iosif Vaisman The group will decide the feasibility of this organization being involved in Yiddish teacher Katz Family of Milwaukee: They will sponsor the accreditation, acting as a job clearinghouse, Friday evening performance. IAYC President Paul forming a curriculum bank for Yiddish materials, Melrood will introduce the night’s show of Archie holding conferences, acting as a scholarship and Barkan & The Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble. fellowship clearinghouse. Lawrence Family San Diego JCC: Program Four of the seven conference time-slots have been Director, Jackie Gmach will introduce The Sunday delegated to the teachers in the beautiful Orchid evening entertainment of Mayn Sheyne Meydl plus Room. There will be panels of a moderator and four Hot Pstromi Klezmer Band and Yale Strom experienced teachers. These include all four levels of age groups. Harry V. Lerner Memorial Lecture: Dr. Jonathan Sunshine, President of Yiddish of Greater If the organization is as successful as the IAYC, then Washington will introduce Boris Sandler, editor of this truly will be an historic conference. To mark this the Forverts, at the Saturday plenary session. significance key people in the Yiddish community and Yiddish teachers have been asked to submit a SAJAC: Brian Marks is the editor of the South single page giving their ideas and suggestions about African Jewish American Community of San the future of Yiddish teaching. This will then be Diego. Conference chair Norman Sarkin is one of distributed to those Yiddish teachers attending as the founding members as is co-chair Bella Suchet. well as the contributors. Yiddishkayt LA: It is the major organization in the Native Czernowitz Lecturers at the Conference west sponsoring Yiddish. President and Founder Aaron Paley will introduce the recording star, and All three have PhDs and cover a wide band of Yiddish teacher, Cindy Paley. interests and achievements. Prof. Meinhard Mayer and Dr. Julius Scherzer both were classmates of Conference Registration Form is on page 15. Dr. Modechai Schechter, o”h. The third is Prof. Iosif Conference website: www.derbay.org/lajolla/ Vaisman of Mendele fame and one of the premier Chair: Norman Sarkin: [email protected] Yiddish websites—Virtual Shtetl. Questions: Fishl: 650-349-6946, [email protected] Twelfth International Association of Yiddish Clubs Conference La Jolla, California, October 24-27, 2008

FRIDAY Session II Teacher’s Panel II – Curriculum Content Fishl Kutner – Editor of Der Bay Hilda Rubin – Rockville, MD– Moderator Orientation Session 3pm Frida Cielak – Mexico City, Mexico Ruth Goodman – Wilmington, DE Teacher’s Panel I - Teaching Yiddish Through Song Sheyndl Liberman – Los Angeles, CA Archie Barkan – Moderator, Woodland Hills, CA Prof. Iosif Vaisman – Arlington, MD Cookie Blattman – Tamarac, FL Elisheva Edelson – San Diego, CA Cantor Hale Porter Cindy Paley – Sherman Oaks, CA Influence of Yiddish Theatre & Music on U.S. Culture Lori Cahan Simon – Beachwood, OH Prof. Chaim Berman Evening Program/Entertainment 6pm Evolution of the Yiddish Schools and Katz Family of Milwaukee Sponsor the Labor and Radical Movements Norman Sarkin – Conference Chair Paul Melrood – IAYC President Debby Davis Cantor Hale Porter – Shabes Blessings The Life and Music of Molly Picon

Archie Barkan – Raconteur Vivian Felsen Yiddish, Yinglish and Borscht Czernowitz and the Early Jewish Immigrants in North America Second Avenue Klezmer Ensemble Debby Davis – Leader, Vocalist Session III Celebration 350 From Seville to Second Avenue Yiddish Club Panel on Programming Roz Baker – Moderator, Minneapolis, MN SATURDAY Prof. Al Feldman – Scottsdale, AZ Joseph Grinberg – San Francisco, CA Dr. Ray Fink: Shabes Services – Hebrew Varda Grinspan – Fair Lawn, NJ Dr. Markle Karlen: Shabes Services – Yiddish Racquel Leisorek – San Diego, CA

Harry Lerner Memorial Lecture Hershl Hartman Dr. Jonathan Sunshine – Pres. YGW The Yiddish Surge in Current Hollywood Films

Boris Sandler – Editor of the Forverts Prof. Joel Schechter Di evolutsye fun der yidisher literatur nokh Yiddish Theater in the 1930s in America der tshernovitser konferents biz haynt. Prof. Robert Zelickman Session I The History of Recorded Klezmer Music 1908-2008

Sabell Bender Miriam Koral “Oy He Left Me For My Sister”—Melodramas & Shund The Passionate Ones: Yiddish Women Poets

Zane Buzby Workmen’s Circle Gala Banquet Survivor Mitzvah Project Norman Sarkin – Conference Chairman Bob Kaplan – Workmen’s Circle President Adrienne Cooper Yiddish Songs of War in Women's Lives THIRD LIFETIME YIDDISH SERVICE AWARD Sabell Bender – Introduction Troim Handler Hershl Hartman – Introduction The Songs of Mark M. Warshawsky (1840-1907) ***Lilke Majzner*** – Recipient

Ron Robboy Workmen’s Circle Gala Revue On the Trail of Der Yidisher Kauboy Starring Adrienne Cooper & the W.C. All Stars Lunch – Noon Roz Kirkel, Heather Klein & Mitch Smolkin

Twelfth International Association of Yiddish Clubs Conference La Jolla, California, October 24-27, 2008

SUNDAY Sabina Brukner The KlezKamp Experience Dr. Harold Black Memorial Lecture Zack Chayet Dr. Motl Rosenbush Yidish in Meksike "Der aroysfoder fun yidish" The Challenge of Yiddish Today Peter Louis The Jews of South Africa Session IV Teacher’s Third Panel – Pedagogical Methodology Dr. Amelia Glaser Miriam Koral Moderator Venice, CA Remembering the Old Country in the Old Country Yakob Basner – Seal Beach, CA Kolye Borodulin – Staten Island, NY Evening Program/Entertainment Alva Dworkin – Southfield, MI Marcia Gruss Levinsohn – Silver Spring, MD Yidishkayt LA Program

Dr. Sandy Lakoff & Dr. Elie Shneour Roz Baker The Life and Work of Zalman Shneour Introduction of Scholarship Recipients

Prof. Julius Scherzer Norman Sarkin & Bella Suchet Growing up in Czernowitz Introduction of La Jolla Conference Committee

Rokhl Zucker Mayn Sheyne Meydl – (My Fair Lady) Der yidish radio (haynt) af yidish San Diego Yiddish Club

Dr. Barney Zumoff Hot Pstromi Klezmer Group My Experience as a Yiddish Translator Yale Strom & Elizabeth Schwartz

Lunch MONDAY

Session V Vendors and Exhibitors until Noon Adrienne Cooper Yiddish Songs of War in Women's Lives Paul Melrood – IAYC President

Sonia Pressman Fuentes Introduction of IAYC Officers & Trustees Mayne Yidishe Tate-Mame (My Jewish Parents) Michael Baker Memorial Lecture Frank Handler Esther Frumkin, Yiddishist, Feminist, Bundist Yale Strom – Ethnomusicologist Labushnik Loshn: Prof. Meinhard Mayer The Secret Language of the Klezmers The Yiddish and German Poets from Czernowitz Cindy Paley – Recording Artist & Cantorial Soloist Harold Ticktin “Zing Along with Cindy” The Roots of Jewish Humor Group Singing and Dancing

Session VI Announcement of the Next IAYC Conference Site Teacher’s Fourth Panel – Organizational Future Adrienne Cooper Moderator New York, NY Introduction of the Next Conference Chairperson Prof. Al Feldman – Scottsdale, AZ Fishl Kutner – San Mateo, CA Lunch & Recognition of Delegates Cantor Hale Porter – Los Angeles, CA Socializing (Networking, Networking, Networking) Lori Cahan-Simon – Beachwood, OH Sightseeing/Departur 2

The Status of Yiddish The Survivor Mitzvah Project and the IAYC Conference By Philip “Fishl” Kutner It is dedicated to providing direct financial aid to those elderly Jewish Holocaust survivors scattered At each International Association of Yiddish Clubs throughout Eastern Europe who are isolated, sick, (IAYC) Conference, the newly- elected board meets impoverished, and receive no financial aid from any to assess the progress and plans for the future of the other agency. organization and its almost 100 member clubs. Their families and communities destroyed by the The status of Yiddish today, in the recent past and Nazis, they struggle to survive in their few what it most likely will be in the immediate future, is remaining years, lacking the means to buy even the far different than it was in our grandparent’s time. most basic of human necessities: food, medicine, heat The concept of a Yiddish club as we know it today and shelter. Most live alone in harsh conditions. Our would be foreign to them. While there were writing project, by bringing help quickly and directly to circles akin to a shraybkrayz today, the current these survivors, helps ensure that they may live out situation where most clubs permit a fairly large their last years with some measure of comfort, percentage of English would be an unheard of support, and dignity. situation. It is interesting to note that up until the 1920’s at all Arbeter Ring branches the minutes and Editor’s note: Zane Buzby and Chic Wolk will be at meetings were held in Yiddish—today none does. the conference in La Jolla. You will be able to see and hear first hand about their great philanthropic The status of any situation must be understood in project. Don’t miss their booth. the context of from where it came so that it can assist us in foretelling the immediate future. Are there Zane will be one of the presenters. She is a television perceptible trends in the Yiddish world? If there are, producer and director and has directed over 200 what are they and what do they portend for the episodes of network television including Golden IAYC and other Yiddish organizations? Girls, Newhart, and Married…with Children.

• Interest is growing in Klezmer/Jewish music— Bill Averbach’s Klezmer Bands especially among the younger set. I still have the Austin Klezmorim going strong, and • The attitude of Israelis toward Yiddish has need to send you a couple of new releases we have. changed. No longer do they see it as threatening. Also we are playing a very special concert at Festival Hill Institute in Round Top, Texas. This is an honor • Germany is rapidly increasing in its Jewish to be invited to perform. Their web site is: population (mainly from Easter Europe) and http://www.festivalhill.org/ Yiddish is being taught in several universities. We’ll be performing there October 12th.

• Eastern Europe is again having Yiddish programs My newest group is called the Carolina Klezmer and festivals (including Birobidzahn—albeit not Project. We are a new band up here in Charlotte (the geographically in the area.) new Yids on the block) and this city reminds me of Austin 30 years ago. Although there is already a • Several excellent new Yiddish dictionaries recently Klezmer band here the Community is tiny and the have been published or will be in the near future. music thing is not happening....yet.

• New Yiddish publications are now available while I started this band about two years ago. It is small some of the others are disappearing Gilgul, Tam and we are really a Klezmer band in that we are not Tam, Vayter are excellent additions. a concert band but a utility group for weddings and B’nai Mitzvot; we can play just about anything and • Access to the Internet is becoming much more often do. Anyway, I was hoping to get listed on your prevailing (4 years ago about 40% of Der Bay readers site. Any help there would be great. had e-mail addresses—today it is 70% Here is the contact info about the band:

• The quantity and quality of Yiddish websites Carolina Klezmer Project (and blogging) and websites are increasing and 3736 Foxford Place, Charlotte NC, 28215 using Yiddish fonts. Ph: 704-966-6873 Email: [email protected] 3 Why did the conference take place in Czernowitz? Nathan Birnbaum This question seems to have earnestly interested scholars and commentators for nine decades. Many He was the mastermind of the 1908 Conference, answers based on geographical, political, and other and deserves a place in this enumeration. A serious considerations were offered, and most of product of an intermarriage between a galitsian them are definitely valid. Czernowitz was very hasid and a daughter of a mitnagid rabbi, conveniently located. Birnbaum during his life embraced many disparate views and persuasions. People in Czernowitz enjoyed much greater political freedoms than their neighbors across the Birnbaum was a towering intellectual figure, a borders. The proportion of what we would call political leader who coined both the terms Zionism "middle class" in the Czernowitz Jewish population and Yiddishism and founded the movements was several times higher than in any other major described by these terms, he played a pivotal role Jewish center in Europe. in shaping the Jewsih ideological and cultural landscape of this century. Birnbaum’s move to Czernowitz was famous for what was known as Czernowitz in 1908 and his decision to convene "Czernowitz Toleranz", which can be illustrated by the Conference there was not an accident. He the fact that by 1908 Czernowitz was the only city had chosen the place that was fit for the task. in European history, where the mayor, the city’s representative to the Parliament, and the Rector The Czernowitz Conference significantly of the University, were Jews. influenced Jewish nationalist movements in Bukovina and Galicia, in particular in Czernowitz. However, one very important reason escaped Jewish students at the Czernowitz University most observers. Czernowitz has always had an started registering as "Jews" by language and ability to produce and attract a disproportionate nationality, although Austrian laws did not number of "unconventional" personalities, people, recognize either of those (Yiddish language for whom Yiddish has borrowed a wonderful and Jews as ethnic group). word "tshudakes". Unlike the English "eccentric" that incorporates negation, "tshudak" shares the Violators were punished and sometimes expelled root with the word "chudo", which means from the University, but this did not stop the "miracle"... campaign. A mass demonstration in support of Yiddish was staged during the Census in 1910. All The list of Czernowitz "tshudakes" is long. A three major Jewish political forces (zionists, liberals grandson of the Great Maggid, the last of the - Jewish People’s Party, and socialists) called for great hasidic masters and a distinguished indicating Yiddish as a "spoken language" expounder of the Torah, who surrounded himself ("Umgangssprachen") in the Census forms, despite by the ceremonials and luxury unheard of among the ban on using "unrecognized" language and the hasidim, and was known as a "king in Israel". severe intimidation by the government.

The most gifted of his six sons ran away from The greatest success the demonstration had in home, and for a time joined the militant maskilim Czernowitz: 75 % of the Jews indicated Yiddish as in Czernowitz. One of the founding fathers of their language (cf. Cracow - 25%, the whole Galicia modern molecular biology, known for the and Bukovina - ca. 50%, S. M. Dubnov, 1923). discovery of the rules of DNA composition, is also known as an astute cultural and social critic and In the 1920’s and 30’s Czernowitz had lively and also as an excellent poet. diverse Yiddish cultural, literary, and political activities. Twenty Yiddish periodicals served as A grandson of the Czernowitz Chief Rabbi became an indicator of this. It boasted the largest in the one of the foremost Muslim theologians and world number of titles of Yiddish periodicals per ideologues of this century, a close friend of Saudi capita of Jewish population: 3.9 titles/10,000 (Vilna royals and a cabinet minister in the newly had 3.4 (18 titles) and Warsaw - 2.4 (83 titles), independent Pakistan. L. Dobroszycki and B. Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, 1977).

There was an outstanding psychologist whose Editor’s note: Prof Vaisman is a leading authority attempts to combine world revolution, cosmic of Yiddish on the Internet. His website, Virtual energy of orgasm, and capitalist business practices Shtetl, is a must to visit. He will be presenting the all ended tragically for him. He was a brilliant Sunday morning plenary lecture at the IAYC Yiddish poet, who played not only with words, but conference in La Jolla Oct.24-27. This article is at: also with his own identity. www.ibiblio.org/yiddish/Tshernovits/iiv.html . International Association of Yiddish Clubs 12th Conference * La Jolla, California * October 24-27, 2008

Registration Options: Choose option A, or any combination of B, C, D or E

A. Full Registration $325.00: Includes Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast, lunch and dinner, Sunday breakfast and dinner, Monday breakfast, lunch plus all entertainments & sessions. 3 KOSHER DINNERS ADD $30.00 – LUNCHES PAREVE

B. Friday only $85.00: Includes Friday dinner, orientation and entertainment. KOSHER DINNER ADD $10.00

C. Saturday only $125.00: Includes Saturday morning services, breakfast, lunch and dinner and access to all Saturday meetings, lectures, presentations and evening entertainment. KOSHER DINNER ADD $10.00

D. Sunday only $95.00: Includes breakfast and dinner and access to all Sunday meetings, lectures, presentations and evening entertainment. KOSHER DINNER ADD $10.00

E. Monday only $85.00: Includes breakfast, lunch, lectures and the special closing ceremony.

Please circle your request, fill out the form below and mail with your remittance.

RESERVATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY JULY 1st. AFTER JULY 1st PLEASE ADD $20.00

CANCELLATIONS: Conference (not hotel) refund after Sept. 1st will be reduced $100 on full attendance. Daily rate refund will be reduced by $85 per day. No refunds after Oct. 1st 2008.

HOTEL RESERVATIONS: Call 858-587-1414, Conference rate is $119.00 + tax per night, single or double occupancy 3 or 4 is $129 plus tax. Must say “Attending IAYC Conference” to get this low rate. You are responsible for your hotel reservations and must book by Oct. 1st to guarantee the conference rate--if still available. Same rate 3 days before and after conference.

NEED A ROOM MATE, HAVE SPECIAL NEEDS, OR HAVE A QUESTION, Please call Fishl at 650-349- 6846.

Please print and mail this page and check to: Amount Enclosed $______

Fishl Kutner: 1128 Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA 94403 - Make checks payable to IAYC La Jolla

Title______Name(s)______Address______City______State/Province_____Country______Apt_____E-Mail______Zip______Phone Number______Fax ______

Are you a: Conference Presenter?___Vendor?___Yiddish Teacher?___Klezmer Group Leader?______

\ Yiddish Club Leader?____Member?____Name of Club?______

1 International Association of Yiddish Clubs Twelfth Conference Committee: La Jolla

Chairman: Norman Sarkin 1st Co-Chair: Bella Suchet 2nd Co-Chair: Debby Davis Secretary: Eleanor Krut Treasurer: Barry Berelowitz Local Registrars: Millie Chazin Julian Chazin Ben Gurfinkel Violet Gurfinkel National Registrar Debbie Herman Correspondence: Gertie Lurie Freda Swersky Mary Schechter Journal Book: Ronnie Diamond Public Relations: Sadie Berelowitz Programs: Fishl Kutner Welcoming: Bella Suchet Marlene Berelowitz Sidney Gardner Linda Lewis Meet & Greet: Fanny Krasner Lebovits Fundraising: Stan & Beverly Berger Newsletter: Dorrit Geshuri JCC Liaison Jackie S. Gmach Transportation: Norman Sarkin (Ooud 9 Super Shuttle) Vendors: Fishl Kutner Liaison Officer: Judy Rieke Menu Bella Suchet Shabes Services Dr. Ray Fink Dr. Merkle Karlen Betty Quiroga Website: Tomasz Pado Photographers Len Blattman Martin Brandfon

11 Exhibitors & Vendors

A Czernowitz Poet Arbeter Ring/fhe Workmen's Circle Arbeter Ring West Coast Region Arele Cookie Blatbnan California Institute for Yiddish Culture and Language Adrienne Cooper Creative Seminars Debby Davis Der Bay Vivian Felsen Forverts Sonia Pressman Fuentes Galeria Jan Dr. Amelia Glaser Ruth Goodman Troim Katz Handler Hatikvah Hatikvah Music International Hot Pstromi Klezmer Band International Association of Yiddish Clubs Naomi Karz Jacobs Heather Klein Lawrence Family San Diego JCC Marcia Gruss Levinsohn Los Angeles Freiheit Gezang Farein Los Angeles Yiddish Culture Club Mitzvah Survivor Project Musewn of Family History Cindy Paley Prof. Joel Schechter Dr. Julius Scherzer Second A venue Klezmer Ensemble Lori Cahan-Simon Mitch Smolkin Yale Strom Vilnius Sumner Institute Vilnius Jewish Library Project West Coast Jewish Theater Yiddishkayt LA Dr. Barney Zwnoff

12