Newsletter SPRING 2017

Home , Aaron Zeitlin, Celia Dropkin, Lazare Saminsky, Melech Ravitch

15 West 16th Street New York, NY 10011-6301 yivo.org · 212.246.6080

Letter from the Director

» Contact What does Jewish “continuity” mean? During World tel 212.246.6080 War II, YIVO leaders believed that the continuity fax 212.292.1892 of the Jewish people depended on the survival of yivo.org cultural memory, which meant the preservation of General Inquiries the documents and artifacts that recorded Jewish [email protected] history. They risked their lives to preserve these Archival Inquiries artifacts and today YIVO is ensuring their permanent [email protected] preservation through the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Photo/Film Archives | [email protected] Sound Archives | soundarchives yivo cjh org Collections Project. But preservation of documents @ . . is not enough. They must be read and understood, Library Inquiries put in context, and given life through narratives. We [email protected] must look toward innovative educational programs, as well as digital means of reaching Jews around the world who have been » Travel Directions cut off from their history, language, and culture by the catastrophes of the The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is located in the Center for Jewish History at 15 West 16th Street between Fifth and 20th century in order to rebuild our understanding of our history and sense Sixth Avenues, New York, NY 10011. of our future. This is YIVO’s challenge. I hope you will join us in meeting it. by subway

14 St / Union Sq. L N Q R 4 5 6

14 St + 6 Ave F L M PATH 18 St + 7 Ave 1

Jonathan Brent 14 St + 7 Ave 1 2 3 14 St + 8 Ave A C E L Executive Director by bus

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is the leading academic center for East » Hours [ closed on major federal and jewish holidays ] European and Russian Jewish Studies in the world, specializing in Yiddish language, Gallery Hours Administrative Hours literature, and folklore; the Holocaust; and the American Jewish experience. YIVO Sun 11:00am – 5:00pm Mon–Thu 9:00am – 5:00pm preserves, studies, shares, and perpetuates knowledge of the history and culture Mon+Wed 9:30am – 8:00pm Fri 9:00am – 4:00pm of East European Jewry to advance scholarship, to strengthen community, and lay Tue+Thu 9:30am – 5:00pm Fri 9:30am – 3:00pm Library Hours a foundation of self-knowledge and pride for future generations. Sat closed Mon–Thu 9:30am – 5:00pm News

Edward Blank Joins YIVO Board Retired New York telemarketing pioneer Edward Blank joins YIVO’s Board of Directors. Ed received his BA in Economics from the City College of New York and attended NYU Graduate School of Business. He is a board member of the City College 21st Century Foundation and is a member of its Finance Committee. Ed is a member of the National Board of the Jewish National Fund and co-chairman of the Audit Committee. Ed serves as a Board Member of the American Friends of The Museums of Israel and The Forward and is a member of AJC, ELEM and the World Jewish Congress.

YIVO Opens UK Office YIVO now has a London office to serve as a hub for programs Dos telerl fun himl (The Plate from the Sky) by and projects in the United Kingdom. Among the treasures Alef Katz was published in New York, 1934 and in the YIVO Archives are rare historical materials about the illustrated by the artist Yosl Cutler. It is a children’s modern Jewish experience in Great Britain, many of them poem about an enormous plate of food that is unique and not found in any other collection. The Lithuanian dragged to earth from the sky by an old magician. embassy in London will host a reception for YIVO on November The cornucopia of food on the plate could feed all 29, 2017 and, on November 30, an exhibition on YIVO’s archives of the poor, hungry people, but they are blocked on Jews in Great Britain, including Lucien Wolf’s archives. by a space alien who protects the plate. The people rise up to attack him and those who get to YIVO Visits Naples, FL for No Asylum Screening the plate wind up riding on it to a wonderful green In January, the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of land free of hunger and poverty. This book and Southwest Florida and GenShoah SWFL hosted a screening of other items will be included in Yidishe kinder, an No Asylum: The Untold Chapter of Anne Frank’s Story. Director exhibition for Children’s Day on April 30. Paula Fouce and YIVO Executive Director Jonathan Brent held [see upcoming programs.] a Q&A afterwards. No Asylum is the little-known story of Otto Frank’s desperate attempts to secure American visas before going into hiding with his family in 1942. Based on recently- Create A Lasting Legacy... discovered letters by Otto Frank in YIVO’s archives, No Asylum interviews Anne Frank’s surviving family about her father’s efforts. Their story mirrors the experiences of many struggling You can make sure your wishes are fulfilled by writing through today’s refugee crisis. Over 300 people attended. a will so that your assets go to your loved ones and the causes you care about.

A simple way to ensure that the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research can help Jews worldwide to reconnect with their own history and to safeguard it for generations to come is a Gift in your Will or Living Trust. By including a bequest to YIVO in your Will or Living Trust, you will make a profound difference in our capacity to bring our materials to more people around the world and help ensure Jewish continuity.

For more information, please contact Irma Friedman, Director

PHOTO BY AGNEŠKA AVIN of Development at 212.294.6156.

Abraham Joshua Heschel School Visits YIVO Parents from the Heschel School attended a breakfast and tour of YIVO in March. Executive Director Jonathan Brent presented a history and overview of YIVO and its unique resources and initiatives; YIVO Board vice-chair Irene Pletka spoke about her own history with YIVO; and Alyssa Quint, Scholar-in-Residence of the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Collections and Heschel School parent, introduced the riches of the Esther Rokhl Kaminska Theater Museum Collection, part of the Vilna Collections. Guests viewed original archival treasures including the letters of Otto Frank, Sigmund Freud, and Marc Chagall, and the remarkable “Book of the Children,” a registry of over 14,000 students’ and 715 teachers’ signatures from the Lodz Ghetto’s schools. The visit concluded with a tour of the exhibit, “The Strashun Library: Treasures Rescued from the Ashes of Vilna.” Jonathan Brent with Yvette and Albert Marrin, members of YIVO’s Gaon Legacy Society. A program from a staging of Aaron Zeitlin’s Yiddish translation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest by celebrated director Mordkhe Mazo, c. 1930. YIVO Archives.

In truth, the “translated and improved” phenomenon of degrading translations accounts for only a tiny fraction of translations for the Yiddish stage. Thousands of surviving programs and placards in YIVO’s Esther Rokhl Kaminska Theater Museum Collection (part of the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Collections) reveal translation—good and artistic translation— to be a crucial ingredient to the Yiddish theater during its most creative decades, especially in the interwar period. Yiddish translations of world theater reflect the players’ thirst to broaden their theatrical vocabulary, to stretch their emotional reach, and their desire to contain cultural multitudes. The presence of translated works on Yiddish stages throughout Poland and America during this era reflects not a shortage of native Yiddish imagination, but rather translation’s importance to the creative foundation of a language. Translation gave translators a unique communion with a fellow playwright of a different era or language as the original authors’ inspired, inky words flowed through his or her pen. For Yiddish theater participants of this era, who were almost all multilingual and prided themselves on their worldliness, translation created cultural bridges that allowed creativity to BY ALYSSA QUINT travel in both directions. The most important example is Sh. Scholar-in-Residence of the Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Collections An-ski’s The Dybbuk, a work that itself coalesced from Yiddish, Hebrew, and Russian, and played in many languages after its “Ibergezetst un farbesert” (“translated and improved”) is a explosive first Yiddish run. Translation brought Yiddish theater phrase associated with Yiddish translations of Shakespeare’s plays into conversation with theaters and studios of other languages so for the American stage in the early twentieth century. It meant that trends of staging, set design, and acting technique flowed that the Yiddish translation made the original worse, sometimes freely across linguistic borders. Ibergezetst, and, yes, farbesert. egregiously worse. What did it really mean? Ibergezetst un INSIGHTS FROM THE YIVO ARCHIVES YIVO THE FROM INSIGHTS farergert (“translated and worsened”). Read the full article at vilnacollections.yivo.org/Translated-Theater.

Join our global community of online learners! You can explore Jewish history and culture and access YIVO’s unique collection of archival materials from the comfort of your home. Delve into our first two courses – sign up today!

Join Prof. Samuel Kassow for a survey of the 1000-year history of Jews in Eastern Europe.

YIVO-Bard Winter Program on Ashkenazi Civilization This past January, over 100 students attended YIVO’s Winter PRESENTED BY Program on Ashkenazi Civilization, which featured eight courses spanning a broad range of topics, from Modern Yiddish Theater EDWARD BLANK to Baruch Spinoza, Jewish Humor, and the short stories of Isaac AND FAMILY Babel. The Winter Program on Ashkenazi Civilization offers an Explore the music, integrated curriculum in the culture, history, languages, and folktales, rituals, and literatures of Eastern European Jews and the Jewish Diaspora. superstitions of Jewish These short, intensive seminars are open to all. This year they Eastern Europe with were centered on the theme of “Jews in Revolution.” Courses Prof. Itzik Gottesman were taught by leading academics in the field, including Sam and special guests. Kassow, Steven Smith, Richard Wolin, Alyssa Quint, Eddy Portnoy, and Jonathan Brent. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS surviving components are being digitized and reunited online. online. reunited and digitized being are components surviving library’s the Project, Collections Vilna YIVO Blank Edward the of part As 1980s. the in rediscovered and gentiles righteous and inmates ghetto by saved and hidden were York. Others New in YIVO to sent 1945 and in U.S. Army the by recovered were These Question. Jewish the of Study for Institute the to sent were books some But destruction. WWII: during Jews Vilna’s of fate the shared library The books. rare and old of collections for center its once a renowned Library, cultural 2017) 22, (JANUARY Library Strashun the of Future and History The presented. Weissberger Teter, Magda Rose, E.M. Barbara and Kieval, Hillel Kertzer, David Israeli, Raphael Bemporad, Elissa Scholars regions. across centuries the over libel blood the of impact the explored conference YIVO’s endures. lie devastating this yet happened, never murders ritual alleged These memory. cultural Europe’s into seared children—is Christian killed Jews 9, 2016) (OCTOBER Event Imaginary an of Impact Enduring The Now: and Then Libel Blood The YIVO hosted a conference on the Strashun Strashun the on aconference hosted YIVO The blood libel—the accusation that that accusation libel—the blood The ARCHIVAL ACQUISITIONS ARCHIVAL Leivick, Melech Ravitch, and Marc Chagall. The collection also contains contains also collection The Chagall. Marc and Ravitch, Melech Leivick, H. Dropkin, Celia Molodowsky, Kadya Zvi Greenberg, Uri including writers, and artists notable many and Shumiatcher, Hirshbein, between correspondence includes It wife. his Shumiatcher, Esther poet Yiddish the and Hirshbein Peretz dramatist Yiddish the of manuscripts ShumiatcherEsther Part II the Papers donated of Peretz Hirshbein Hirshbein and Jessica Civilization of aWarrior of Illusions Leonardo: Third The autobiography, unpublished his and him by authored works philosophical contains also archive York. Saminsky’s New in Emanu-El Temple of director music the was he 1920. U.S. in years, the 34 For to immigrated Saminsky travel, of years afew After composers. Jewish of works contemporary the for foundation the as melodies liturgical ancient using for 1908. advocated in He founded Music Folk Jewish for Society Petersburg St. the of activities the to contributors and participants active most the of one was Saminsky Korsakov. Rimsky- Nikolai of guidance the under studied he 1906in where Conservatory Petersburg St. the from graduated Saminsky Ukraine, in Born life. his of period American the on afocus with memorabilia other documents, correspondence, personal programs, music), chamber works, choral symphonies, cantatas, (operas, scores published and manuscripts music of consists archive His Jewish prominent received recently YIVO of abilities. his artistic facet another on light shed 1920s, which the during Hirshbein by done paintings watercolor 50 over are there Additionally, Tahiti, Mexico. and Argentina, India, Egypt, Japan, China, to world the around travels Hirshbein’s the documenting many photographs, 1,000 approximately Lazare Saminsky’s passport, 1919. Archives. YIVO passport, Saminsky’s Lazare and Alex Weiser. Alex and Julie Weinberg, Hill,David Alyssa Hertzberg, Adam Roberts, Lainie and Fefferman, composers: emerging Jewish American young by works classical new featured concert The art. of works new of creation the informs identity and history Jewish how exploring question, this embraced Concert Young Artists Krum Sidney Fall YIVO’s music? their influence Americans as and 2016) 2, (NOVEMBER Allen Lewis Rickman. Original score by Steve Sterner. Steve by score Original Rickman. Lewis Allen Sydney, and Jacqueline Swartz, Kaig Shmulenson-Rickman, Yelena Sebastian, Kevin Quinton, Everett Maurice, Samantha by Performed stage. Yiddish the on plays popular most the of one was it “shund,” critics, by “trash” or Considered immigrants. Jewish dysfunctional of agroup with ride awild is Shame!” and “Money, Love, heart, of weak the for Not Rickman. Lewis Allen writer/director by translation English anew in YIVO at presented was 1910 melodrama legendary Zolotarevski’s Isidore stage, 2017) 6, (FEBRUARY Money, Love, and Shame! Young Jewish American Composers composer, folklorist, intellectual, and music activist. activist. music and intellectual, folklorist, composer, (1882-1959), Saminsky a Lazare of archive the , which contains numerous handwritten handwritten numerous contains , which How might composers’ identities as Jews Jews as identities composers’ might How Once a staple of the popular Yiddish Yiddish popular the of astaple Once photographs, clippings, . and

PHOTO BY STEVEN PISANO SPRING / SUMMER SEASON PROGRAMS with YIVO and American Society for Jewish Music. Jewish for Society American and YIVO with partnership in Society, Historical Jewish by American Hosted it. seen never you’ve as cinema Yiddish presents program This picture. Yiddish the of out entirely left be to intriguing too was topic the homosexuality, surrounding taboo the Despite MUSIC PROGRAM and Isle the of Klezbos Celluloid Closet Yiddish The WEDNESDAY, MAY |7:00PM 24 Kumove. Shirley by Yiddish the from Margolin Truth: Anna of Poems The Bitter the from Drunk Drunk discuss will Club Book 16th the of Street meeting This BOOK CLUB The Poems of Anna Margolin Truth: Bitter the from Drunk MONDAY, MAY 8|7:00PM York immigrant experience. New the and history, culture, Jewish from inspiration its takes music that of explores Annie Gosfield This composer concert CONCERT Annie THURSDAY, MAY 4|7:00PM Studies. Judaic and Hebrew of Department Skirball byNYU’s Co-sponsored conference. day-long this in public the with findings their share they as Union Soviet the in Jews the of History AComprehensive on working scholars renowned from hear to opportunity unique this for us Join CONFERENCE of the Jews inthe Soviet Union History Comprehensive A from Findings Being aJew in Soviet the Union: MONDAY, MAY 1|10:00AM world. Jewish this in children of lives the discuss Kirshenblatt-Gimblett Barbara and Seidman, Naomi Udel, Miriam Kassow, Samuel Scholars diaspora. Ashkenazi growing the in and Europe Eastern throughout blossomed culture War II, Jewish World Before PANEL Growing Jewish Discuss: Up Leading World the Around Scholars from SUNDAY, |2:00PM 30 APRIL History. Jewish for by Center Co-sponsored War II. World before children Jewish of lives the by inspired puppetry and storytelling, sing-alongs, for us Join ages. all of children for immersion cultural and activity of A morning Children’s Day SUNDAY, |11:00AM 30 APRIL Archive atyivo.org/Video. andAudio the comfortof yourownhomewithourVideo You canwatchrecordings ofmanyourprograms from Gosfield Portrait Concert Gosfield Portrait , translated , translated TUESDAY, 13 |6:30PM JUNE Jews THURSDAY, |7:00PM 22 JUNE violin,music with cello, and piano. chamber and songs of a variety feature will concert This world. Jewish the around all from inspiration its takes music whose Saminsky, Lazare composer of legacy the Explore CONCERT ARTISTS YOUNG KRUM SIDNEY York, 10065 St, NY New 1E65th Emanu-El, Temple ATION: LOC Archive Saminsky of Lazare Jewish Songs and Dances: Music the from WEDNESDAY, 21 |7:00PM JUNE tradition. lieder Yiddish the on lecture pre-concert the W. delivers Neil Levin, Music, in Residence in Professor Visiting E.Leibowitz Anne YIVO’s evening). (song Liederabend classical atraditional of setting music chamber intimate the in presented poetry, and song Yiddish of treasures to devoted program nostalgic elegant, An ANNE E. LEIBOWITZ MEMORIAL CONCERT EveningAn Song of Yiddish — Liederabend A Yiddish Miryem-Khaye Seigel, and Eliza Bagg. Eliza and Seigel, Miryem-Khaye Biezunski, Eléonore include Singers songs. art theater, and folk, Yiddish including lyrics Yiddish with music of breadth the 2017 of class showcasing program’s summer language Yiddish YIVO’s of graduation the of celebration in A concert CONCERT PROGRAM ZUMER WEINREICH URIEL Celebration Song Yiddish Summer WEDNESDAY, 2|6:00PM AUGUST screening. the after aQ&A for join will Galay Asaf Director documentary. this in how Discover creativity. his of source vital a were women these translators, simple Beyond him. behind translators of a“harem” dozens of with winner, wrote Prize Nobel and writer Yiddish famous Singer, the Bashevis Isaac Q&A AND SCREENING The Muses of Bashevis Singer TUESDAY, JULY 11 |7:00PM by YIVO’s Jacob Kronhill Professor, Visiting Jack Jacobs. Presented phenomenon? this explain can What movements. left-wing different of anumber in positions visible highly held Jews centuries, 20th early 19th and late the In BOOK TALK For tickets more and information: and the Left Reconsidered Left the and Monday –Wednesday, 10:30am-3:00pm Monday or email email or Call 212.294.8301Call 6108 ext.

Visit yivo.org/events Visit boxoffice HOURS: @ yivo

. cjh » . org » YIVO gratefully acknowledges the

[Left to right] YIVO following individuals, foundations, Board vice-chair corporations, and government agencies Irene Pletka with for their support in 2016. Elaine Oneill-Hess, executive director of the Kronhill Pletka In addition, we extend our gratitude Foundation. to all YIVO members, each of whom is critical to our success. OUR SUPPORTERS PHOTO BY MELANIE EINZIG

$1,000,000+ $5,000-$9,999 Dorothy and Neil Grand Anonymous Nan C. Bases Jerome Grossman and Robin Wagman Elias Cohen Foundation Rita Grunwald Lillian J. and Joel Z. Cohen Estelle Guzik The Harold Reich Goldmann Charitable Trust Feygele Jacobs and Michael Cholden-Brown $500,000-$999,999 Charles Granfeld Foundation The Herman Kaiser Foundation Ruth and David Levine The Hesiman Memorial Trophy Patricia and Jeffrey Kenner Rosemary Horowitz Robert Kern The Marcia Israel Foundation Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett The Rosalie Katz Family Foundation Alys Kremer $100,000-$499,999 Ewa Kuryluk Anonymous Ina Lancman Chava Lapin Atran Foundation Inc. Harry and Sadie Lasky Foundation Joan Larsen Estate of Rosalind Kaplan Lillian and Andrew Meyers Leona and Meyer Laskin National Endowment for the Humanities Jonathan Mishkin League for Yiddish, Inc. Elisa New and Lawrence Summers Arlene and Arnold Richards Michael Luckens Irene Pletka & The Kronhill Pletka Foundation Joanna and Daniel Rose Laurel Mark Righteous Persons Foundation Stuart Schear and Jeffrey Shandler Barbara Mazur Seedlings Foundation Francesca and Bruce Slovin Florence & Laurence Spungen Family Foundation Susan Milamed and Jack Jacobs Estate of Rose Stein Audrey and Mark Mlotek United States Department of State Irene Pipes $50,000-$99,999 U.S. Embassy in Vilnius Barbara Pringel and Morton Wise Amy Goldman Fowler Dorothy and Harold Wittcoff Rick Richman Estate of George G. Gallantz Barbara and Steve Wolf Jacob Rosengarten Jessica Hirshbein Florence Ruderman The Shine Trust Simon Schama The Joyce B. Tatal Trust Renata and Peter Singer $1,000-$4,999 Debra Smith 1865 Mutual Benevolent Society Marian and Abraham Sofaer Mary and Ira Alpert Renne and Stephen Steinig $25,000-$49,999 Ruth and Kenneth Altman Heddy Steinman The Derfner Foundation Joan and Robert Arnow Loyce and Abraham Sulkes The Anne E. Leibowitz Fund Estelle Beckson Dorothy and Andrew Tananbaum Estate of Sheldon W. Nash Eve and Anthony Bonner Tartell Family Foundation Frances and Jonathan Brent Henry & Marilyn Taub Foundation Miriam and Alan Brody Ukrainian Jewish Encounter Initiative Abby and David Cohen Karen Underhill and Richard Meller $10,000-$24,999 Alice and Theodore Cohn The Wagner Family Foundation Rosina K. Abramson and Jeffrey E. Glen Consulate General of Romania in New York Deborah Waroff Estate of Marilyn Apelson Jacob Einhorn Jane Weitzman The Eli & Edythe Broad Family Foundation Helene Emanuel Judith Winograd Charles H. Fuchsman Trust Miriam and Samuel Engel Irina Zhabinskaya and Mattias Zhabinsky The Goodwill Foundation Estate of Daniel Eth The Frieda & George Zinberg Foundation, Inc. Susan and Roger Hertog Feuerring Foundation Ruth Hochberger and Martin Flumenbaum Rhoda and Stanley Fischer Arlene & Arnold Goldstein Family Foundation Charlotte Frank and Marvin Leffler The Naomi Prawer Kadar Foundation Cheryl and Mark Friedman Shirley Katz-Cohen Miriam and Richard Friedman CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED JANUARY 1, 2016 - DECEMBER 31, 2016 Joanna and Emil Kleinhaus Doris Fromberg Ruth Kremen Ronalee and Russell Galbut Estate of Stella Meierfeld Louis Garbaty Betty and Leo Melamed Morris Gelb The Milch Family Foundation GFF Foundation Susanne and Jacob Morowitz David and Lucille Gildin Family Foundation New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Elisabeth and Max Gitter Your Gift will help YIVO to preserve Martin Peretz Margaret and Perry Goldberg Caryl Ratner The William P. Goldman & Brothers and digitize our exclusive archival Samuel Revusky Foundation, Inc. materials and ensure that the flame Frances and Laurence Weinstein Joan and Robert Goldstein of Jewish culture and memory is Linda Witham and Eugene Finkin The Goodman Inter Vivo Trust Yad Vashem Larry and Yvette Gralla preserved for future generations.

To make a Major Gift or to remember YIVO in your will, please contact Irma Friedman, Director of Development, at 212.294.6156 or [email protected].