The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community
January 1995 Vol 5 No 1
Der Redaktor Zvee Scooler As the fifth continuous year of publishing der bay Henry Sapoznik Mendele onlin e commences, there is a sense of satisfaction in seeing this newsletter grow from a single sheet sent to 200 As part of a forthcoming documentary on readers in the San Francisco Bay Area to over three Yiddish radio called "The Stations That Spoke times that size. Each month its issues are sent to Your Language: Yiddish-American Radio 1925- e\'ery state in the U.S. and other countries. T he 1955", many of Zvee Scooler's "Grammeister" rotating database is now over 1250 highly selected people in the U.S. and 300 key people in the other broadcasts from 1945-1960 are among the over countries. It continues to accept no paid ads and all 1,500 broadcasts being preserved and cataloged. support comes strictly from contributions. It is planned that after the airing of this docu The editor wishes to thank Prof. Eli Katz for his mentary on National Public Radio in Dec. of wonderful monthly column in 1994 and to welcome J 995, many of these rare and wonderful shows the periodic guest columnists in 1995-cspccially Dr. Sheva Zucker. will be reissued. Those interested in following BEST OF BACH postings from Mendele online the progress of the research in this fascinating wi II be a f eaturc of each issue in 1995. Let's hope that subject can send their names and address to: Zelig will continue to be prolific in his writings and haYe the health to continue to inform us from hi s rich 'The Station That Spoke Your Language Project" Yiddish background. Living Traditions Nonnan Miller's world-wide list of Mendele 430 W. 14th Street, NYC 10014 online is a Yiddish news source of daily information and dialog. Postings from Mendclc onlinc arc now a Leybl: "A hartsiger gut morgn aykh" was the sign regular part of der bay . Why not get online and on of the still active 96 year old veteran become part of this new generation of Yiddishists. newscaster and journalist Benjamin Gabiner. It's FREE! With CD-ROM capability on the computer, your Patshe-patshe kikhelekh: yidishe editor has access to the US telephone directory. This is excellent for genealogical searches and locating vertershpiln far kleynvarg long-lost friends/relatives. Other services FREE to Shikl (Joshua) Fishman Mendele online contributors are: information on Yiddish teachers, clubs, Klczmer groups, computer mavens, and 137 In shaykhes mit miki safadis (un Marion contacts worldwide in The Yiddish Network (TYN). Herbst's) onfreg vegn patshe-patshe kikhelekh un Compiling and updating lists of Yiddish clubs, andere yidishe vertershpiln far kleynvarg, hobn teachers, Klczmer bands, radio announcers. and Cele Fishman un Beyle Gatesman mikh gebetn computer mavens arc important functions of der bay. Information is free to contributors who send a SASE. ibergebn az zey haltn in tsugreytn tsum druk a Der bay is a clearinghouse for translators, teaching zam1ung fun etlekhe tuts azelke verter-shpi]n (mit positions, club programs, and gigs. Philip "Fishl" transliteratsiyes un iberzetsungen). Zey betn Kutner, 1128 Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA alemen zey tsutsu- shikn vertershpiln vos zenen 94403, is your editor. Use the home phone (415) 349- zey bakant (shikn af mayn "ayen-post"- adres) un 6946. E-mail address is [email protected] Make zey zogn tsu ontsugebn di nemen fun ale checks for der bay's support payable to the Peninsula tsushikers vemens vertershpiln zey vein JCC (PJCC), and send it and all mail to the editor. araynnemen in zeyer zamJung. internatsionaler kalendar Ravel's Chants Hebraiques Jan Ruhen Frankenstein Mendclc onlinc 2 Every Mon. , 1:00 P.M., Yiddish Club, 7000 Canal Blvd, New Orleans, Call .504-288-0325 The first encounter of Maurice Ravel with Jewish 2 Every Mon., 5:00 P.M. Yiddish Culture Soc. of folklore was 1910 as he wrote his "Chants Populaires" Jerusalem, 10 Rechov Sholom Aleichem, with folksongs of different languages, one or them he Call 02-712-218 called "Chanson Hebraique" though its main language 2 First Mon. each month, 1:30 P.M, The Yiddish was Yiddish. It is the popular song "MEYERKE". Circle, JCC, La Jolla, CA, Call 619-458-1302 The text of the song is: 3 Every Tues., Noon-1:20 P.M., Yale-New Haven Yiddish Reading Group, Dwight Hall Library, Meycrke mayn zun, Meyerkc mayn zun ! New Haven, CT, Call Sid Resnick 203-387-4184 zi veystu far vemcn du shtcyst? 4 Weds., 2:30 P.M. , Kadimah Meeting, Leo Fink -Lifney meylekh malkhcy hamlokhim, tatcnyu. Hall 7 Selwyn St., Elstemwick, Australia, Call Meyerke mayn zun etc. 61-3-523-9817 vos vcslu oysbctn bay im? 4 Every Wed., 2:00 P.M., Tamarac Library -Boney, khayey, mzoney, tatenyu. Yiddish Club, Tamarac, FL, Call 305-726-0288 4 Every Wed., 10:00 A.M., Yidishkayt, Meyerke mayn zun etc. Santa Barbara, CA, Call 805-962-0770 oyf \ 'OS darfs tu boncy? 5 Every Thurs., Noon, Santa Barbara Leyenkrayz, -Bonim oyskim batoyre, tatcnyu. Santa Barbara, CA Call 805-962-8451 7 Every Sat., 7:30 P.M. Yiddish Culture Club of Meyerke mayn zun etc. Los Angeles, 8339 W. 3rd St A Los Angeles, CA oyf vos darfstu khaycy? Call 213-275-8455 -Kol hakhayim yoydukho, lalenyu. 8 Sun. (2nd), 10:00 A.M., Minneapolis, MN, JCC Yiddish Vinkl, Call 612-377-5456 Meyerke mayn zun etc. 8 Sun., 7:30 P.M., "Paved With Gold" Eng/Yid oyf vos darfs tu m1.oncy? Musical, Boca Raton, FL, Call 305-973-3768 -ve'okhalto ve'sovoto uveyrakhto, latenyu. 8 Sun., 1:00 P.M., Svive Leyenkrayz, Albert L. Schultz, Palo Alto, CA, Call 510-886-1888 The original song contains another strophe: 9 Mon., Yiddish Humor, Troim Katz Handler, Mcyerkc mayn zun etc. ORT, Royal Palm, FL, Call 407-684-8686 zi veystu ver du bist? 9 Mon., Every, I P.M. , Yiddish Club, 7()(X) Canal -Hincni he'oni mima'as, tatenyu. Blvd, New Orleans, LA, Call .504-288-0325 9 Every Mons. 5:30-7:30 P.M., Jewish People's Later Ravel again dealt with Jewish moli\'CS writing Philharmonic Chorus, Mcburney Y, 23rd St. W of his "Deux Melodics Hebraiqucs" and again the term Seventh Ave., 2nd Floor, Call, 2 12-619-4()99 Hebrew was not the correct one. The first "Kaddish" is 11 Tues., (2nd) Soc. for the Preservation of mainly Aramaic and is the original text of the Kaddish Yiddish, Solel Temple, Encinitas, CA, prayer. The second is this wonderful philosophical Call 619-436-0654 meditation "Fregt di velt di alte kashc" - a mid- stage 12 Th., Mitog-tish, for faculty & students of between a song and a wordless Nigun, conserving the Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, riddle in !he intonation of the answer without words. Call 415-723-7589 Fregt di vclt an altc kashe: 15 Sun. , 2:00 P.M., Yiddish Humor, Pesach Fiszman, FOY, NYC, Call 212-924-5890 Tra-la trn-di-ri-di-rom - - 22 Sun., "What You Always Wanted lo Know cntfert men: About Yiddish", Yiddish Culture Club of Orange Tra-di-ri-di-rey-lom, Co., JCC, Costa Mesa, CA, Call 714-751-0608 oy-cy, tra-di-ri-di-rom! 22 Sun., 1:30 P.M., Yiddish Song Circle, Un az men vii, ken men oykh zogn: San Francisco, CA, Call 415-668-2284 Tra-i-dim? 26 Thurs.,Yiddish Humor, Troim Katz Handler, Blaybt dokh vaytcr di altc ka<;hc: Brandeis; Delray, FL, Call 407-684-8686 Tra-la tra-di -ri-di-rey-lom. 29 Sun. (Last Sun. of each month), 5:00 P.M., Manhattan Leyenkrayz, Call 212-874-4765 The text and partiturc arc in: Fritz Mordcchai 30 Mon., Yiddish Humor, Troim Katz Handler, Kaufmann: "Die schoensten Lieder der Ostjuden", Lake Worth, FL Call 407-684-8686 Berlin 1920, 1935, Jerusalem 1971. In Menachcm 31 Tues., UC-Santa Barbara Arts & Lectures, Kipnis: "Hundcrt Folks-lidcr" Buenos Aires 1949. Brave Old World Klezmer Band Campbell Hall, And in the 4-volume "Anthology of Yiddish Folksong" Santa Barbar;a, CA; Call 805-893-3535 edited by Aharon Yin.km ct1.ki ct. al., Jerusalem. ~ New from Wayne State University Press ~
I Want to Fall L.ike This Selected Poems of Rukhl Fishman A Bilingual Edition
Rukhl Fishman Translated by Seymour tevitan Introduction by David C. 11ioskies
HRukhl Fishman was a I Want to Fall Like This showca:ses the inspired poetry of Rukhl Fishman modern lyric poet who found (1935-1984), the youngest and only American-born Yiddish poet of within the confines of a the "Yung Yisroel." This group of young poets and writers from secular kibbutz language and across the world settled in Israel after World War II, and used Yiddish, memory enough, love and instead of Hebrew to bridge gaps across time and place. natural beauty enough, to Readers can trace Fishman's American influences to Malka Heifetz sustain and enrich her muse through all the seasons of the Tussman, the Yiddish moderniist poet, who was Fishman's mentor year. So much contained and role model and from who she derived her literary style, as seen in within so little. Like the land her preference for free verse aind sparing use of rhyme, her delight in and the people of Israel. Like puns and wordplay. Yet in subject matter, Fishman's poetry differs Yiddish. Like poetry itself. 11 greatly from the poetry of her contemporaries. Neither erotic, -David G. Roskies, From the biblical, nor political, her poetry concentrates instead on simple Introduction subjects- nature and animals and the world around her. What makes her poetry brilliant is its ability to illuminate these subjects with fresh curiosity and intimacy. Her later poetry reveals a lfar less rosy view of the world, parallel ing the changes in her own lif,e. As Fishman matured and her health turned poor, she began to ponder the passage of time by viewing nature through a darker and nnore restrictive lens. From this she created some of her most thoughtful and stirring work, all of which is captured and expertly translated in / Want to Fall This. Ruhkl Fishman is the author of two volumes of verse in Yiddish, Zun iber alts (Sun Over Everything) and Demer nokhn regn (Thistles After Rain), and two bilingual selections of poems in Yiddish and Hebrew, Shamayim B'eysev/ Him! tsvishn grozn (Heaver. in the Grass) and Vi/de tsig (Wild She-Goat).. The winner of the prestigious Manger Prize for Yiddish literature in 1 978, she moved from the United States to Israel in 1954, where she lived until her death in 1984. Seymour Levitan was educated at the University of Pennsylvania and Simon Fraser University. IHis translations of Yiddish poems and stories are included in Voices Within the Ark, The Spice Box, Identifica tions, The Penguin Book of Yidofish Verse, A Treasury of Yiddish Stories, and other anthologies. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia. Wayne State University Press The Leonard N. Simons Building 206 page5, 1 illu5tration 4809 Woodward Avenue ISBN 0-8143-2541 -6 S15.95 paper Detroit, Ml 48201-1309 Publication Date: November 22, 1994 Telephone: 1-800-WSU-READ (1-800-978-7323) FAX: (313) 577-6131 ______. (1 1::J. TlJ l'N 11 :1 )
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(He is a wonder-ful person, and lzaly Zemtsovsky Mendele onlinc contact with him should be for your pleasure). This book is the first and only anthology of For the moment I'm a Russian citizen but Yiddish folk songs with music published in stay in Madison this academic year thanks to Russia. The songs are published as originally my dear wife Alma who is working here. We documented, and interesting variants are very hope to be in the USA much longer provided in the commentary. The Yiddish thanks to my Jewish studies in the USA (I'm a texts are published in transliteration utilizing participant of two joint Russian-American the Soviet (sorry!) system of Yiddish roman programs in Jewish music). ization, for w hich a guide is provided. Russian I was born in St. Petersburg (Russia) in 1936 translations, most of them in verse, have been to a very Yiddish family which descended from created for the majority of songs, and English Nevel shtetl (this is the former Vitebsk synopses are given for all selections. gubernia well-known thanks to Mark Shagal). I You know, of course, the name of Moshe was named 'Izaly' because of my grand-father's Beregovsky (1892-1961). It was I who twice have name 'Israel' who passed away in 1934 but in saved his musical archives -- from Kiev to St. Russia that time was not so easy to have such Petersburg in 1966 and from St. Petersburg to Jewish name and my family decided to change the USA two years ago (thanks to the support it a little with some associations with a flower of the YJVO). 'azalea' which blossoms just in Russian In Oct 1992, on Chanukah, in St. Petersburg February. Yiddish was our family's language I organized the First Intl. Conference on Jewish but, in my antisemitic time, not for children, Music. Now l am working on the unpublished unfortunately: it was a language for adults, for materials of Moshe Beregovsky, David Maggid, relatives who would like to say something Michael Gnessin and Zusman Kisselgof from secretely from us, the kids, and from 'goim Russian Archives. l would be glad to find the hazeirim', of course. But I was inquisitive and archives of Lazar Saminsky, Jewish composer mastered my Yiddish 'in silence' ... and scholar, partly because I am Sominsky 1 graduated in St. Petersburg with degrees/ myself from one mother's side (from other diplomas from three faculties: as folklorist J mother's side I am Berezin, and from father's have gained from extended contact, both side I'm Monosov and Zemtsovsky, -- all last personal and professional, with eminent names are from Nevel). Russian folklorist, professor Vladimir Propp, As to my Yiddish, today it's passive, and with whom I studied for fifteen years, and he that is so naturally in my Russian-Soviet case. became my second father (my own father was I'm much more familiar with Jewis h music, killed by Nazis in 1941); as musicologist and and my first Russian musicological publication composer simultaneously in our Conservatory. in Yiddish song dated 22 years back, in 1973. At Now I'm a full professor, doctor and so forth, that time it was a sensation, a kind of a bomb... head of Folklore Department of the Russian Such is my saga in brief. Being 58 years young, I Institute for History of the Arts, and Vice start new life mainly in the Jewish field and I President of the Jewish Musical Society of St. feel myself 'at home', but I am in need of the Petersburg. I have already 19 books and about Yiddish cultural society. Let it will be not so 400 scholarly articles including a few of Jewish active but thanks to you, I hope, I will be much folk music (in Russian). My last publication - more close to my linguistically hidden native "Jewish Folk Songs", St. Petersburg, 1994. 448 culture. My dream is to apply my big knowl pages with music, in three languages - edge in Slavic-Turkic-Baltic- Finnish musical Yiddish, Russian, English. This is a gift edition field and to put it into my Jew ish ethnomu with nice illustrations. 1 hope the distributor of sicological studies. Thank all of you in advance this book in the USA will be John Rauch, for your attention and s upport. President of the Center for Jewish Culture and Editor's note) lf you wish to contact 1:zaly, his Creativity, Los Angeles. His address: 423 E-mail address is: kunanbay(alfacstaff.wisc.cdu N.Palm Dr. # 102. Beverly Hills, CA 90210. FAX Dr. Rauch is at the Center of Jewish Culture & Creativity 423 N Palm Dr 11102, BL•verly Hills, CA 90210 *NEW* EASTERN EUROPEAN JEWISH The Eighth Annual Klutznick Symposium HISTORY AND KHAZAR STUDIES LIST Mary Ellen Read Mendele online Mcndde Online Creighton University's Klutznick Chair in Are you interested in research on the origins Jewish Civilization and Center for the Study and history of Eastern European Jews? Are you of Religion and Society wilJ host the Eighth fascinated by the medieval multi-ethnic Annual Klutznick Symposium to take place Khazar Empire of the northern Caucasus and in Omaha, Nebraska on Sunday September 17 Eastern Europe, and the influence of Judaism and Monday September 18, 1995. The theme among the Khazars? Would you like to of the Symposium will be "Representations exchange ideas and information with fellow of Jews through the Ages." professors, students, researchers, and other Western history is replete with interested people? represen1tations of Jews. This symposium wiU If you have answered yes, then I would like explore those representations in theater, art, to invite you to join the newly-formed EEJH music, fiction, political propaganda, religious (Eastern European Jewry History) conference literature, various forms of popular culture, on the Internet. We already have almost 200 and any ,other field of endeavor. The Program users! Committiee is interested not only in what the The list has been set up as an easy way for representations have been, but also in what people who are interested in the history of they tell us about their creators and about the Khazars and Eastern European Jews to time in which they were created. communicate. Those chosen to participate in the The following topics are especially relevant: symposium will be expected to submit their papers int a scholarly form appropriate for 1. The medieval Jewish empire of publication. They will also have twenty Khazaria; minutes to present the essential elements of 2. Ethnic, cultural, and religious heritage their papers in a manner suitable to an of the Jews of Eastern Europe; audience comprised of the general public and 3. Migration patterns from the pre-Khazar scholars. Please note that the reading of era to modernity; academic papers would not be appropriate. 4. Archaeological discoveries in Eastern Subsidies for the presenter's costs of Europe pertaining to the hjstory of Jews and transportation and accommodation will be Khazars; provided. It is expected that the symposium 5. Analysis of published works about papers will be published in book form. Eastern European Jews. For further information contact Maryellen Our geographic focus will be on the regions Read, c/ rJ The Klutznick Chair in Jewish now comprising the nations of Latvia, Belarus, Civilization, or Bryan Le Beau, Director of the Lithuania, Ukraine, Poland, Slovakia, Russia, Center for the Study of Religion and Society. Hungary, Roumania, Moldova, Kazakhstan, One page abstracts and vitae should be Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, submitted to either Ms. Read or Dr. Le Beau and the Balkan nations (Bulgaria, Serbia, by April 1, 1995. Croatia, etc.) However, relevant history regard ******************************* ing Jews from other regions of the world will The Klutznick Chair in Jewish Civilization be acceptable, especially within the context of * (e-mail: [email protected] interrelations among Eastern European Jews phone: 402-280-2303) and Jews from other places. * Center for the Study of Religion & Society * (e-mail: blbea [email protected] To subscribe to the EEJH forum, send e-mail phone: 402-280-2652) message to: [email protected] * Creigh1ton University Your message must say: subscribe eejh * 2500 Ca1lifornia Plaza, Omaha NE 68178 The Compression of an Expression A Traveling Jewish Theatre by Zellig Bach Mendele onlinc by James Kleinmann Originally it might have been in full "afn (af For the very first time in its sixteen year dem) shteyn gezogt'' (meaning "may it befall a existence, A TraveJing Jewish Theatre has its stone") came to be condensed and compressed own home! To celebrate and mark this to "mishteyns-gezogt" almost beyond achievement, we're reaching back to our recognition. beginnings! The Last Yiddish Poet, not seen Today the expression serves to belittle some in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1983, was thing or someone ("a writer is he, mishteyns hailed by The New York Times as an example gezogt"), in the olden days it was, as Herzog of 'Theatrical brilliance ... " by the LA weekly noted, a warding-off device against sicknesses as "A celebration of a dying Language" and by or malevolent spirits that lurked everywhere the San Francisco Chronicle for its "Stunning and inhabited every possible space (and non use of music, masks and puppets." New Age space), ready at all times to do their mischief. Journal wrote: "No one really knows Yiddish The general meaning of the expression was, any more, yet the actors seem possessed by it, May it go away iber ale viste felder un velder transforming themselves into a procession of over all desolate and dismal fields and forests, characters who sing, chant, and dream in this and attach itself to a stone so it wouldn't harm language, joke and tel1 lies ... ". a living soul. We invite you to join our celebration Jan. The psychological reason for the compres 19 -Feb. 26. Bring your group to see the play sion, I believe, is the universal superstition that that moved audiences in Berlin, Prague, pronouncing a word that connotes ill is tanta Jerusalem, Wroclaw, Amsterdam, Los mount to touching it, and thus provoke it to Angeles and New York. Corey Fischer and attach itself to the speaker. So the compression Albert Greenberg wrote and wiIJ perform. served as protective avoidance. For more information call 415-399-1809.
Peninsula Jewish Community Center 2440 Carlmont Drive Belmont: California 94002
United Jewish Community Centers The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community
February 1995 Vol 5 No 2
Der Redaktor Our New Swiss TYN Contact by Linda Bolzern For the many people who helped support der bay this last month a true thank you. As a one person Thank you for sending me your newsletter and operation the best one can do is to rely on the yes, I will be glad to be your contact person for The generosity of readers like you. Der bay continues to Yiddish Network. accept no paid ads and all support comes strictly Much to my regret I don't speak Yiddish I can from contributions. · understand it because I speak German and under Several new publications, cassettes and CDs stand Swiss-German which had some common roots arrived this month. One is an interesting Hebrew with Yiddish. I love Klezmer music,, being an old Yiddish dictionary (hard cover) published in "folk music fan from the 1970's"-fox me "Dona Argentina. Several people have seen it (including Dona" will always be a Donovan so111g. I am a librar Bess Shockett of Toronto) and find it excellent. ian and translator. I am presently reorganizing our Stephen at the WC Book Center has it, or the author's small synagogue library in Berne. We have abso son, Manuel Krupin, 310-391-9659 in Los Angeles. lutely no Yiddish books, and I don't know anyone One of the best kept secrets is DER ONHEIB a who speaks Yiddish. In Zurich there, is a large great periodical edited by Osher Schuchinsky in collection. Oddly enough, 4-5 times a year there is a Miami. ln the Dec. 14, 1994 issue Rabbi Samuel Klezmer group giving a concert, andl mainly to a non Silver wrote about Walter Artzt and his wonderful Jewish audience. In the last two yeairs I have heard: poetry. This is the same wonderful Mr. Artzt who Govern from Vienna-excellent musicians. They will send FREE to any Yiddish club his hard cover explained the music and culture. They played many book with his poetry in Yiddish and facing pages in songs from the Vilna Ghetto. translation. Osher is at 7601 Byron Ave #3E Miami The Black Klezmer Ensemble from Paris- Beach, FL 33141. Walter (Velvl), is at 333 Sunset A Jew, an American Woman, and a Black American. Ave., Palm Beach, FL 33480. Good musicians, they played mostly instrumentals Ruth Levitan just sent in a nyer of 3 English & which I don't care for so much, but they played in a Yiddish video tapes or audios. I haven't seen or heard good theater to a full house. them, but her work has been very worthwhile. Ruth is A local a:roup from the teacher sem1inary under the at 251 Arkansas Dr., Brooklyn, NY 11234 direction of Fran~is Lilienfeld. Very good, but not Nonnan Miller's world-wide list of Mendele professionals. online is a Yiddish news source of daily information Francois Lilienfeld gives a few conicerts every year. and dialog. Postings from Mendele are now a regular He is very good. I'm sending you his program from part of der bay . Get online and become part of this his "Yiddish Musical" it was "cute". The songs were new generation of Y iddishists. It's FREE! Each great, the acting left something lo be desired. month several of our readers get help getting online, I don't know the people whose names and so call and become part of this new generation. addresses you sent me. I have very little contact with Der bay is your clearinghouse for translators, people outside of Berne. In Switzerland "distance" leaching positions, programs, and gigs. There is no has another dimension than it does i1n America. It listing charge. Philip "Fishl" Kutner, 11 28 takes one and a quarter hours to go to Zurich, but it is Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA 94403, is your not something I would undertake without a great deaJ editor. Use the home phone (415) 349-6946. E-mail of thought and preparation. address is fishl @well.sf.ca.us Make checks for der I will keep my eyes and ears open and send you bay's support payable to Peninsula JCC (PJCC), and anything about Yiddish that comes my way. send it and all mail to the editor. internatsionaler kalendar 7 Every Tues., 7:30 P.M. , San Francisco Jewish Feb Folk Chorus JCC of SF, CA, Call 415-239-6785 1 Wed., 1:30 P.M., YIVO, Dr Heszel Klepfisz, 8 Wed. (2nd), 7:30 P.M., Mamaloshn Mayvonim "Diaspora Era in Jewish History", Temple Beth Buffalo, NY (Visitors welcome) Call 716-834-7075 Sholom, Miami Beach, FL Call 305-931-1622 10 Fri., 8:00 P.M., "Recent Yiddish Songs From 1 Wed., Yiddish Humor, Troirn Handler, Russia", Irena Lekhtman in Concert Brandeis, Delray Beach, FL, Call 407-684-8686 Southfield, MI, Call 810-557-8599 ' 1 E~ery Wed., 2:30 P.M., Kadimah Meeting, Leo 12 Sun. (2nd), 10:00 A.M., Minneapolis JCC Fmk Hall 7 Selwyn St, Elstemwick, Australia, Yiddish Vinkl, Minneapolis, MN Call 61-3-523-9817 Call 612-377-5456 1 Every Wed., 2:00 P.M., Tamarac Library 12 Sun., 1:00 P.M., Svive Leyenkrayz, Albert L. Yiddish Club, Tamarac, FL, Call 305-726-0288 Schultz, Palo Alto, CA, Call 510-886-1888 1 Every Wed., 10:00 A.M., Yidishkayt, 12 Sun., 2:00 P.M., "Molly Picon Return Santa Barbara, CA, Call 805-962-0770 Engagement", Plantation, FL Call 305-973-3768 1-7 The Last Klezmer: Leopold Kozlowski, His Life & 12 Sun., The Last Klezmer: Leopold Kozlowski, UC Music, Yale Strom (Opening night) Red Vic Theater, Berkeley, CA CaJI 415-668-3994 Theater, San Francisco, CA Call 415-668-3994 12, 26 (2nd & 4th) Sun, 2:30 P.M., Tokyo Yiddish thru 3/25, Sats. 5, Suns I & 4 P.M., TOO JEWISH, Club, JCC of Tokyo, Japan, Call 03-3400-2559 Musical Comedy Revue, starring A vi Hoffman & 14 Tues. (2nd), Society for the Preservation of Ben Schaechter, NYC, Call 212-967-7079 Yiddish, Solel Temple, Encinitas, CA, thru 4/5, Wednesdays, 2:00 P.M., Lecture Series, Call 619-436-0654 Is Aronin (Moderator), PBCC & Herzl 14 & 28 Tues. (2nd & 4th), 1:00 P.M., About Institute, Off Campus-Palm Isles, FL; Yiddish, JCC of Metro. Detroit, MI, Call 407-499-2735 Call 313-967-4030 thru 4/7, Fridays, 2:00 P.M., A Musical Adventure 14 Tues., All Day Seminar, Davids, Ft. Lauderdale, Thru The Jewish Calendar, Elliot S. Schwartz, FL, Lectures at 2 & 4 P.M. Cali 305-973-3768 PBCC-Lake Worth, FL; Call 407-499-2735 15 Wed., 1:30 P.M., YIVO, Yehudah Elberg, 2 Every Thurs, Noon, Santa Barbara "M Tsanin: The Versatile Writer", Temple Beth Leyenkrayz, Santa Barbara, Sholom, Miami Beach, FL Call 305-931-1622 CA Call 805-962-8451 15 Wed. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Peninsula JCC Yiddish 3 Fri., 1:30 P.M., Di Repetitzye, Berkeley Yiddish Club, Belmont, CA, Call Fishl 415-349-6946 Folk Players, JCC of San Francisco, CA, 16 Thurs., 7:30 P.M., Re-enactment of a shtctl Call 415-292-1261 wedding, Yugntruf, Columbia University, New 3-7 The Last Klezmer: Leopold Kozlowski, Town York, NY Call 212-787-6675 Theater, San Jose, CA Call 408-287-1433 16 Thurs., 2:00 P.M., "Molly Picon Return 4 Every Sat., 7:30 P.M. Yiddish Culture Club of Engagement", Boca Raton, FL Call 305-973-3768 Los Angeles, 8339 W. 3rd St A Los Angeles, 16 Thurs.,Xiddish Vinkl, Troim Katz Handler, CA Call 213-275-8455 Brandeis; Delray, FL, Call 407-684-8686 5 Sun., 2 & 7:30 P.M., Brave Old World, 17 Fri., 1:30 P.M., Di Repetitzye, Berkeley Yiddish So. Palm Beach Co. Jewish Federation, Folk Players, Marin JCC, San Raphael, CA, Sieman Hall, Boca Raton, FL: Call 407-852-3241 Call 415-479-2000 5 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Yugntruf Conversation Group 19 Sun.,1:30 P.M., Yiddish Vinkl, Alts Khayim, for Beginners, Manhattan, NY, Call 212-280-1168 West Palm Beach, FL, Call 407-684-8686 5 First Sun.~ 1:30 P.M., Yiddish Song Circle, 20 Mon. (3rd), 1:30 PM, Circle of Yiddish Clubs, San Francisco, CA Call 415-668-2284 Soref JCC, Plantation, FL, Call 305-792-6700 6 Every Mon., 1:00 P.M. , Yiddish Club, 7000 22 Wed., 1:30 P.M, YIVO, Dr Eugene Orentstein, Canal Blvd, New Orleans, Call 504-288-0325 "The 3 Pillars of Jewish Historiography in 6 Every Mon., 5:00 P.M. Yiddish Culture Soc. Poland", Temple Beth Sholom, Miami Beach, FL of Jerusalem, 10 Rechov Sholom Aleichem 26 Sun., Noon, Gala Celebration of YIVO 50th Call 02-712-218 ' Jubilee (Featuring YOSL MLOTEK), The 6 First Mon. of each month, 1:30 P.M, The Alexander, Miami Beach, FL, Call 305-672-7296 Yiddish Circle, JCC, La Jolla, CA, 26 Sun. (Last Sun. of each month), 5:00 P.M., Call 619-458-1302 Manhattan Leyenkrayz, Call 212-874-4765 6 Every Mon., 5:30-7:30 P.M., Jewish People's 26 Sun., 2:30 P.M., David Braun, Graduate student Philharmonic Chorus, Mcburney Y, 23rd St. W in Linguistics at MIT, (Yiddish Lecture Series) of Seventh Ave., 2nd Floor, Call, 212-619-4099 Arbeter Ring, Brookline, MA, Call 617-566-6281 7 Every Tues., Noon-1:20 P.M., Yale-New 28-4/4, Tuesdays, 2:00 P.M.,Yiddish Language, Haven Leyenkrayz, Hillel House, New Haven , Lit. & Theater, Ruth Barias (lecturer), CT, Call Sid Resnick 203-288-8206 PBCC, Lake Worth, FL; Call 407-499-2735 ROMANIZATION, YIVO-STYLE by Shleyme Axelrod, A. Abramson, M. Herzog, z. Bach Mendele online I. What follows is a simplified version of the romanization (transcription) convention developed by YIVO. It is easy to use, once you have gotten the hang of it--not a daunting task. The scheme is quite straightforward, and it provides a uniform way to write any Yiddish word in any Yiddish dialect; if you can say it, you can write it, and be sure that your readers will know just how you're saying it. What more can be asked of a transcription scheme? Mendele subscribers are encouraged to use the YIVO system, in the interest of clear communication; but it is not a requirement for submissions.
2. The first column gives the names of the Yiddish letters and letter-combinations; the second column gives their approximate sound equivalents, for the most part in English; be warned that some of the English examples will be interpreted differently by native speakers of English from various dialect regions. The third column illustrates the transcription with Yiddish words. (The letters in square brackets in the first column occur only in words derived from Hebrew or Aramaic; their transcription in the third column is preceded by (H].) Writers not familiar with the Yiddish alphabet can ignore the first column altogether. 3. Note that the consonants and most of the vowels are pronounced in much the way that some other European languages pronounce them. There are a few possible exceptions, arising out of dialectal differences. For example: the Yiddish word for "good" is ALWAYS spelled giml-vov tes, and the table shows that the Standard pronunciation of the vov (except when it's at the end of a syllable) is like the u in English "put"; so the Standard pronunciation is /gutl, rhyming with English "put". But the dialects of many native speakers call for pronouncing this vov as Iii, and these speakers would say and transcribe the word as /gitl; such variants are welcome on Mendele. 4. The diphthongs may require some thought at first; /ey/ romanizes the sound in "Hey!" or "grey"; /ay/ stands for the sound of the "ay" in "Mayan" or the "y" in "my"; and /oy/ transcribes the "oi" sound in "oil" or "noise" (so the familiar expression of complaint or pain or surprise is romanized Joy vey/, and the Standard Yiddish for "my mother" is written /mayn mame/.) 5. The shtumer (silent) alef has no sound equivalent or transcription. In Yiddish, it is written at the beginning of words before the vowels and diphthongs pronounced /u/, /oy/, /i/, /ey/, and lay/. APPROXIMATE SOUND: ROMANIZED (TRANSCRIBED)
LEITER NAME EQUIVALENT AS
VOWELS AND DIPHTHONGS shtumer alef (silent) pasekh alef a as in father a in gas 'street' komets alef o as in sort o in yom 'years' u as in hut o in hot 'has' vov u as in put u in un 'and' oo as in goo (syllable-final) u in du 'you' yud [Between i as in fit and ee as infcctj i in Lish 'table' [closer to feet] i in 7.i 'she' tsvey yudn (2 yuds) ey as m grey cy in eynikJ 'grandchild' pasekh tsvey yudn y as in sky ay in fayer 'fire' vov yud oy as in boy oy in moyl 'mouth' ayen e as in end c in cntfer 'answer' CONSONANTS AND CONSONANT CLUSTERS beys or beyz bas in ball b in brem 'eyebrow' [veys or veyz] v as in heavy [H] v in mazl-toiv 'congratulations' tsvey vovn (2 vovs) ti v in vursht 'salami' giml gas m give gin gornisht 'nothing' dalcd d as in done d in dorf 'village:' hey has in hot h in hungerik 'hungry' zayen z as in zebra z in zumer 'summer' fkhes] ch as in German "achtung" [HJ kh in bokher 'young man' khof kh in khapn 'to c:atch' tes t as in time t in tuml 'noise' [tof] " fH] tin toyre rforah' yud (before a vowel) y as in yet yin yagdes 'ben-ies' [kof] k a'> in kill fH] k in kosher 'kosher' kuf II k in kamf 'struggle' lamed I a'> in lake I in tuft 'air' mem mas in mark m in mentsh 'person' nun n as in neck n in nudnik 'bore' samekh s as in self s in samet 'velvet' rsin] II [H] s in soync 'enemy' [sofl " [Hl s in toes 'error' pcy pas in pack p in poni m 'face'' fey fas in fence f in frish 'fresh' tsadek ts as in fruits ts in nayntsik 'ninety' reysh r as in French "rue"* r in royt 'red' shin sh as in show sh in shande 'shame' r..ayen shin s as m measure zh in zhuk 'bectl,e' daled zayen shin J a<; tnJump dzh in dzhez Jazz' tes shin ch as in chair tsh in kvetshn 'to squeeze'
* i.e., trilling either the tip of the tongue or the uvula. Some General Points (adapted from Zcllig Bach, Mendele 4.102)
Each letter (or letter combination) in the third column has a specific sound. Remember that the YIYO scheme is meant to be efficient, unambiguous and easy to use; unnecessary letters just confuse the reader. So: 1. No double consonants; they don't tell you anything. Write: ale, alemen, bobe, f eder, got [God], shabcs, yidish (NOT alle, allcmen, bobbe, fcdder, gott, shabbes, yiddish). 2. Excise the puste (empty) h's, since they pn)\'ide no additional information: No 11 h 11 after the stressed vowel in words of German origin. Write: amol, yor, geyn, shteyn (NOT amohl, yohr, gehn, shtehn). And no "h"s after the final vowel in words of Hebrew or Slavic origin; they don't add any inforn1ation either. Write: khalc, kale, khevre, meL<;ie, take (NOT khalch, kaleh, khevreh, metsieh, takch). 3. Skip the shtumc (silent) e's: Write: bisl, fargesn, gutn, lakhn,. 7jsn, shtctl (NOT bisel, fargesen, guten, lakhcn, 1.isen, shtctel). Sheva Zucker: On Her New Quarters for Circle of Yidldish Clubs New Yiddish Textbook Going into its 19th year, The Circle of In Writing Yiddish; an Introduction to the Yiddish Clubs recently moved into new Lan~ua~e & Culture I had two goals in mind. quarters at the Sore£ JCC in Sunrise, Florida. First, I wanted to introduce students to the A new Book & Resource Center iis being set spoken language rather than textbookese. Each up in Building B, room 103. In addition to unit, therefore, contains a conversation on a materials in Yiddish there will he collections given topic such as health, clothing, food, of English publications about Yiddish history, wm, )ewi~Tt Ttuna-ay, e\t:., MIO \'nt! ~lt: voc.-a.b Ynera'rme and mm,'ic. ulary to discuss this topic. Each unit includes a With the new enlarged facilities, The good number of idiomatic expressions so that Circle is looking for donations of books as students will get the flavor of the spoken lan well as volunteer services in publicity, typing, guage. Second, I wanted to introduce students receptionists, etc. to literature at a very early stage. I felt this to be Sunny Landsman, longtime ,coordinator crucial because for most students, if the Yiddish with The Circle, is their representative on the world exists anywhere, it does so in books and International Yiddish Club Confarence not, as it once did, in the home, and in the Committee. Leading the Circle is a Presidium marketplace. Therefore, each unit contains a consisting of Fred Silberstein, Lil Blackman, literary or cultural/ historical selection as well Irving Lewkow, and Sol Tursky. Sunny wrote as folksongs appropriate either to the theme or that 'The Circle of Yiddish Clubs" is affiliated grammar of the unit. Volume one includes with the Workmen's Circle (Arbeter Ring) selections from Sholem Aleichem, Kadye and with the WC Cultural Foundation. Molodowsky, Rokhl Boymvai Itzik Manger,. Visitors are warmly welcomed. Aaron TseitJin, and Rabbi Nakhman of Telephone the Sore£ JCC at 305-792-6700.
~rd\~\c;N I m. wl?i\ m; naamg~ abua\ Cne\m MIO. Hershele of Ostropolie. These readings intro Gilbert & Sullivan Yiddish Lig;ht Opera Co. duce students to the richness of Yiddish litera ture and culture as well as to the complexities This highly talented group has undertaken of Yiddish syntax and stylistics. the task of making the preservation of Yiddish Each unit, except for the Review Units fun and highly entertaining. Their repertoire dealing with the Jewish holidays Purim and contains the Mikado and Der Yidldisher Passover, is divided into two lessons. Lesson A Pinafore. Starting back in 1952, Kadimah, a contains a conversation. Lesson B, a literary, Brooklyn chapter of Hadassah, first performed folkloristic, or historical selection on the same a Yiddish version of "HMS Pinafore". Two theme that utilizes the vocabulary of the con years later the Gilbert & Sullivan Light Opera versation section and also introduces new Company of Long Island was founded. vocabulary and grammar. Every lesson/ unit Later, Al Grand transcribed the script into contains a vocabulary list, appropriate proverbs phonetic Yiddish. In 1980 The Company put and songs, explanations of grammar, and both together a half hour mini-versioin containing a written and oral exercises. Some units also dozen songs. This was followed by a Yiddish contain supplementary reading selections version of The Pirates of Penzance calJed Di and/ or songs. Yam Gazlonim. Blending Victor:ian satire with I have tried to present a systematic study of Jewish humor produced a remarkable show. the Yiddish language which also captures the Names of the characters in Yilddish are humor and pathos of Yiddish-speaking life. hilarious. Little Buttercup became Kleyne The Yiddish experience is the Borsht Belt and Putershisl, and the admiral Sir Joseph became, the Holocaust and a great many in between. Reb Yosl Yitzkhak. When it came to the line, I hope I have conveyed something of the "He is an Englishman", it was translated to "Er essence of that experience in a way that appeals iz a guter Yid". to both young and old, secular and religious. To contact the group, call 516-483-0464 THE}EWISH FORWARD
FOUNDED APRIL 22 , 1897
THE FORWARD ASSOCIATION, INC. 45 East 33rd Street New York N.Y. 10016 (212) 889 - 8200 • Fax (212) 684-3949 Dem tsentn detsember, 1994
Liber Fishl,
A dank far shikn mir 'Der Bey", vos ilch leyen mit groys interes. Ilch bin zikher, az ayere leyeners vein zayn f arinteresirt tsu visn, az shoyn a sakh yorn redagir 11 ikh in "Forverts'; an opteyl "In der velt fun yidish , vu ikh druk barikhtn un korespondentsn fun yidish-klubn un yidish-vinklen funder gantser velt. Ikh farbet ale leyeners vos fim on mit azelkhe klubn, zey zolln mir shikn kurtse barikhtn vegn di yidish-tetikeytn in zeyere klubn un shte:t.
Zint dem yor 1970 fir ikh on tsuzamen mit mayn froy Chana oykh in "Forverts" an opteyl "Perl funder yidisher poezye", in velkhn mir drukn lider fun yidishe poetn un oykh opshatsungen vegn di shraybers. Khuts dem drukn mir shures fun yidishe lider vos leyeners gedenken un zey fregn undz tsi mir kenen dem gantsn tekst fun di lider un tsi mir veysn ver es hot di lider geshribn. Mir hobn shoyn geentfert un gedrukt a sakh toyznter lider, vos a teyl fun zey zaynen keyn mol f rier nisht geven gedrukt. Mir hobn a teyl fun di lider arayngenumen in undzere lider-bikher "Mir Trogn A Gezang" un "Perl Fun Yidishn Lid".
Mir farbetn ale leyeners fun "Der Bey" undz tsu shikn lider oder shures fun lider vos zey gedenken, oyb zey viln visn ver es hot zey geshribn un oykh oyb zey zenen gedrukt, vu zey kenen di lider gefinen. Briv tsu mir darfn geshikt vem oyfn adres fun:
The Jewish Forward, 45 East 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016.
Mir vein entfern oyf yeder frage in "Forverts" un oykh drukn di barikhtn fun di yidish vinklen.
Ikh dank aykh far drukn dem briv in ayer noentstn numer "Der Bay".
Mit frayndshaft, ayer
Joseph Mlotek Recent Match-ups for Feyder Fraynd Thank-yous to Zellig Bach and Mikhl Herzog by Dr. Allan Blair by Sol Steinmetz Mcndclc online
Our Yiddish Pen-Pal Program I deeply appreciate Zellig Bach's "Campaign for a is working new edition of Steinmetz's book". very well. Allow me to correct Here are the recent match-ups. the e-mail addresses at the U. of AL Press. They are: [email protected] and Pamela Abramson Seymour Schaffner [email protected] The title is "Yiddish Debra Halper Biasca Celia Jones (Australia and English: A Century of Yiddish in America". Matt Dailey Anna Vcrschik (Estonia) Oykh a hartsikn yasher-koyekh tsu undzer Penina Finkel Jonathan Einhorn khoshevn khaver un lerer, mikhl herzog, fam ershtn Rapahael Finkel Abram Fleischman (Latvia) band fun zayn monumentaler "der yidisher Harvey Freidman Leah Zazulyer shJ?rakh- un kultur atlas" vos ikh hob gehat der koved Elliot Gertel Jason Payne un d1 hanoe tsu bakumen fun im a por teg tsurik. kh'muz Kaylee Goodman Minna Blayer zogn a por verter vegn dem af english az ale zoln f arshtcyn: Kirsten Hoge (England) Chaja Arolowitsch This work-in-progress, "The Language and Leon Janis Sergey Berkner (Russia) Culture Atlas of Ashkenazic Jewry", is one Lisa Leah Jenschke Katrin Hcllerstein of the great monuments of Yiddish scholarship. Marvin Sean Martin Aviva Tai (Israel) (mikhl) Herzog is performing a tremendous Colleen McCullum service to Yiddish Jay Lee dialectology and linguistics in bringing to completion Sheldon Clare Robin Sasson (South Africa) the work conceived by Uriel Weinreich, of blessed Brian Zumhagen Rosa Linger (Latvia) memory, and launche~ b~ hi~ ~nd Profcs~or Herzog. We do have a waiting list, and a need for The introductory matcnal 1s bnlhant, especially Chapcr IV (The Canadians in both the Systematic Dialectology of Yiddish), and the Central and Western series of maps arc provinces. stunning in their detail and compre I am very particular in my matching hensiveness. The work is bilingual, equally useful to process. Thus a larger pool of people is needed. Yiddish speakers and Anglophones ~ot proficic~t i~ Dr. Allan Blair 56 S. Roosevelt Ave, Columbus, OH 43209 Yiddish. No scholarly work on the dialects of Y1dd1sh E-mail [email protected] can be done today without reference to this great work.
Peninsula Non-Aolll Orooruollon l Jewish Community Center USA:lstoge 2440 Carlmonl Drive PAID Belmont. Callfornla 94002 Petmlt No. 3 Belmont. Com. The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community
March 1995 Vol 5 No 3
Der Redaktor Yiddish Teacher in Sweden Jewish Cultural Experience
Best of Bach is the newest Many thanks for the issue of For the twelfth consecutive feature to receive wide acclaim. der bay. As I am teaching Yiddish year the Arbeter Ring/Workmen's This Y iddishist is the source of in Stockholm, I am of course :inter Circle Jewish Cultural Experience many remarkable debates and ested in all material availabk~. By offers a remarkable series of extensive Yiddish knowledge in the way, I want to tell you lthat I events. It features a wide array of his postings on Mendele online. It use the romanization, YIVO-style outstanding performances, classes, is hoped that even more of us wi 11 in my course. It is very good and and workshops by musicologists, go online. This past month five easy to learn. In Sweden and historians, writers, sociologists, people called in and were helped Europe they often use other tran - political scientists, film makers, step-by-step to get online. If you scription ways, mostly very incon journalist, and theater directors. are one who has trouble with sequent. With the YIVO roman An exciting weekend is set for VCR<;, this is much easier, it is ization it is easy to find the pro July 14-16. Ellen Kellman and like using a TV set. nunciation in Weynraichs Yiddish Sarah Schwartz present Yiddish Norman Miller's world-wide Dictionary and in Der Arbayter Women's Voices: Identity and list of Mendele online is a Yiddish Rings Mir trogn a gezang. Mostly Continuity at Circle Lodge under news source of daily information. we read and write with Hebrew the auspices of Workmen's Circle. Postings from Mendele are a part letters, sometimes we transcribe. Saturday features an evening of der bay.. Get online, become I see that Sheva Zucker has performance of recitation and song part of a young, new generation of written a book: Yiddish: An Intro in both the original and English Y iddishists. Each month several duction to the Language and Cul explication. The highly talented of our readers are helped getting ture. Where can I buy this book? performers will be Irena Klepfisz online, so call and become part of How much does it cost? Please (poet), Adrienne Cooper (singer), this new generation. write me as soon as possible. and Joyce Rosenzweig (pianist). Sheva Zucker's column this Yours sincerely, Later in the summer (August 6- month is a prelude to what will Lennart Kerbel 11), a full five-day seminar appear periodically. Her new Solhems Hagvag 144 enti tied "Mothers, Daughters and Yiddish textbook is quickly 163 56 Spanga, SWEDEN Sisters: Jewish Women's' Studies" becoming the standard. will be presented. This month the overseas mail Book of Fables: It is designed to air urgent and was particularly heavy. The Yiddish Fable Collection contemporary problems which Der bay is your clearinghouse of Reh Moshe Wallich preoccupy the prominent Jewish for translators, teaching positions, spokeswomen in academe, the arts programs, and gigs. There is no Der bay's 1994 feature writer, and literary areas. It will also listing charge. Philip "Fishl" Prof. Eli Katz, has just hadl this examine and identify women's role Kutner, 1128 Tanglewood Way, magnificent translation rele:ased. in the workplace, community, San Mateo, CA 94403, is your This is the first English translation congregation, family, leisure, and editor. Use the home phone (415) of these 34 charming tales. This is social configurations. 349-6946. E-mail address is a lively translation presented along These programs are part of a fishl @well.sf.ca.us Make checks with the original Yiddish. It. is a full season of summer Judaica of for der bay's support payable to publication in the Jewish Folklore Arbeter-Ring summer programs Peninsula JCC (PJCC), and send it and Anthropology Series from the held at Circle Lodge, Hopewell and all mail to the editor. Wayne State University Press. Junction, (Dutchess County) NY. internatsionaler kalendar
MARCH EVERY MONTH 4 Sat., Quad City Arts, Rock Island, IL; Brave 1 Every Wed., 2:30 P.M., Kadimah Meeting, Leo Old World Klezmer Band, Call 309-793-1213 Fink Hall 7 Selwyn St., Elstemwick, Australia, 5 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Yiddish Paper Cutting, Deborah Call 61-3-523-9817 Ugoretz, FOY, NYC, Call 718-224-5497 1 First Wed, 1 P.M, Rancho Bernardo JSC Yiddish 5 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Mikado, Gilbert & Sullivan Club, Rancho Bernardo, CA, Call 619-674-1123 Yiddish Light Opera Co., Staten Island, NY, 1 Every Wed., 2:00 P.M., Tamarac Library Yiddish Call 516-483-0464 Club, Tamarac, FL, Call 305-726-0288 7 Tues., Noon, W. C. Branch 1100 Shmes-Krayz, 1 Every Wed., 10:00 A.M., Yidishkayt, District of Columbia, Call 301-464-3992 Santa Barbara, CA, Call 805-962-0770 9 Thurs., (2nd) 2:00 P.M., JCCNV Midweek 2 Every Thurs., Noon, Santa Barbara Leyenkrayz, Yiddish, Fairfax, VA, Call 703-323-0880 Santa Barbara, CA Call 805-962-8451 11 11 11, Sat. (8:00 P.M).& Sun., A Gantze Megile , 4 Every Sat., 7:30 P.M. Yiddish Culture Club of Golden Peacock Performance Troupe, Featuring Los Angeles, 8339 W. 3rd St A Los Angeles, CA also Benyumin Schaechter with Songs & Call 213-275-8455 Tales, Center for Cultural & Jewish Life at the 5 First Sun. of each month, 1:30 P.M., Yiddish Arbeter Ring, Call 800-922-2558 xt 523 AND Song Circle, San Francisco, Call 415-668-2284 12 Sun., 10:30 A.M., (Continuation of above) 6 Every Mon., 1:00 P.M., Yiddish Club, 7000 "Purim Around the World 11 & 11 The Canal Blvd, New Orleans, Call .504-288-0325 Bobover Purim Play" , Prof. Shifra Epstein, 6 Every Mon., 5:00 P.M. Yiddish Culture Soc. of 12 Sun., Musical Festival, Plantation, FL, Jerusalem, 10 Rechov Sholom Aleichem, Call 305-973-3768 Call 02-712-218 12 Sun., 2:30 P.M., Marion Aptroot (Yiddish 6 First Mon. of each month, 1:30 P.M, The Yiddish teacher at Harvard Univ.), Yiddish Lecture Series, Circle, JCC, La Jolla, CA, Call 619-458-1302 Arbeter Ring, Brookline, MA, Call 617-566-6281 6 Every Mon. 5:30-7:30 P.M., Jewish People's 12-17 26 Elderhostel, Yiddish Humor, Troim Katz Philharmonic Chorus, Mcburney Y, 23rd St. W of Handler; Ovieda, FL, Call 407-684-8686 Seventh Ave., 2nd Floor, Call, 212-619-4099 12 & 26 Sun. (2nd & 4th), 2:30 P.M., Tokyo Yiddish 7 Every Tues., 7:30 P.M., San Francisco Jewish Club, JCC of Tokyo, Japan, Call 03-3400-2559 Folk Chorus, SF JCC, Call 415-239-6785 17-19 Fri-Sun, Yiddish Writing in the Nazi Ghettos, 7 Every Tues., Noon-1:20 P.M., Yale-New Haven D. Roskies, S. Kassow, R. M. Shapiro, Leyenkrayz, Hillel House at 35 High St., New NYBC, S. Hadley, MA, Call 413-535-1303 Haven, CT, Call Sid Resnick 203-288-8206 19 Sun., Faye Kellerstein in performance at the 7 Every Tues, 6-8 P.M, Workmen's Circle Chorus Bloor JCC, Toronto, Call 416-633-6558 New York City, Call 800-922-2558 19 Sun., 1:30 P.M., Yiddish Vink!, Alts Khayim, 8 Wed. (2nd), 7:30 P.M., Mamaloshn Mayvonim West Palm Beach, FL, Call 407-684-8686 Buffalo, NY (Visitors welcome) 716-834-7075 19 Sun., 8:00 P.M., "Purim Tale" by Sholom 8, 15, 22, Wed. (2nd, 3rd, & 4th), 7:30 P.M., Unzer Aleichem, Der Yidisher Kultur Club, Shprakh, Columbus, OH, Call 614-231-2244 W. Lafayette, IN, Call 317-423-2953 12, 26 Sun (2nd & 4th), 2 P.M., Svive Leyenkrayz, 21, 28 Tues., 7:30 P.M., Yiddish For You, Rabbi J. Albert Schultz, Palo Alto, CA, Call 510-886-1888 Raiskin, Burlingame, CA, Call 415-349-1610 12 Sun. (2nd), 10:00 A.M., Minneapolis, MN, JCC 23 Thurs.,Yiddish Humor, Troim Katz Handler, Yiddish Vinkl, Call 612-377-54.56 Brandeis; Delray, FL, Call 407-684--8686 12, 26 Sun. (2nd & 4th), 2:30 P.M., Tokyo Yiddish 26 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Annual Seder, at Brotherhood Club, JCC of Tokyo, Japan, Call 03-3400-2559 Synagogue, FOY, NYC, Call 718-224-5497 14 Tues. (2nd), Soc. for the Preservation of Yiddish, 26 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Mikado, Gilbert & Sullivan Sole! Temple, Encinitas, CA, Call 619-436-0654 Yiddish Light Opera Co., Hadassah, Elizabeth, 14 & 28 Tues. (2nd & 4th), 1:00 P.M. About Yiddish, NJ, Call 908-354-6311 Jewish Community Center of Metro. Detroit, MI, 26 Sun., 8:00 P.M., The Klezmer Conservatory Call 313-967-4CB0 Band of Boston, University of Toronto, FOY, 15 Wed. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Peninsula JCC Yiddish Sub-comm. Yiddish Studies U of T, Jewish Club, Belmont, CA, Call 415-349-6946 Studies Program U of T, Call 4 l 6-7'ir7-0526 20 Mon. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Circle of Yiddish Clubs, 28 Sun., 2:00 P.M., "Coming to America", Soref Jewish Community Center, Plantation, FL, Yiddish Culture Club, Jewish Community Center, Call 305-792-6700 Costa Mesa, CA, Call 714-755-0040 26 Sun. (Last Sun. of each month), 5:00 P.M., 31-4/2 Institute for Yiddish Culture, deLido Manhattan Leyenkrayz, New York City Hotel, Miami Beach, FL, Call 305-973-3768 Call 212-874-4765 ')'lN (squandered) \J1))'ln~!5 p)I'.:, 1'N \Jl';(il
Ul'Jl';(l1l';(Y.1 ))!) U1)'))'j? ".\J'l1?;{) ')'lN 1\JU'Y.1 )J)'!) U)' l~(realize) )9~J 1Jl';t'.l 1'l )J)'n )''l)'?:{9 )'\JJ~P '1 \J'Y.1 ,,,, ,n111\!/ nn~ )'\J\!/1)' '1 \J1l';(i ,, \J'Y.1 )lN ;(marble beasts) \JU'1J )'))'1?:{Y.11l';(Y.1 \JJl';(l j?11;<'-)') )'N )Vl Jl;{Y.) ~ 11;<) \:>)')1) 1'N ))')) '1 l~ \J)?;{l )'Y.) 11.\J))'il )'j.J'\JJ'J )'J?;{Y.1\!/ 11)111 '.:in ilJ))'" (without fail) D\!/i1··1)lY.)J i'N 1~ )\JJl';(i1)') p?;til o'.:,n,-n,:1 11!5 o,n,:1-,,)'J pn~:i, ))N Ol'np l"P (make a pil\Jrimage) )''Y.1?;{\Jl';t)l';( 1)'J)'J\!/\J))'Y.) 1)11 )l!S )J"\J )'U')))'l " JY.11:::>11 0)'1 ))!) l))J"\J91;{-l)'1-1)l\J)lJ1l'-l '1 \'.>11;<1 ~ 11';(!5 U)'Y.))'\J (suitable) )'j?'U~9 )"P \J'l ))')m )"P )il;{)))'l \J'l PN Ul;{1 Ul;{)) il';(!S .. DJ))'-n,J, .\J'l l'N U"ll ,nnN l'N'U ,~ .\J1?;t-P''"i1 )\!/'1?' ))!) )l9~Y.) 1)'1 ')')N )l'~Pl';t1\Jl';( \'.)9))il o,n,-n,:1 iYi )Y11 1?:{l ,O'l l'N unn ,P1?;t'-1') \'.>l'~)') o';q)'-11'J 1)'1 ? )'ill:( F'$ )Yr.l \'.>r.l1p 'lll'.< ')) 1'N '~ ,Yj.Jl:(1j7 )'N '::! ,Y\!.111'.m 1'N ))1111}') \)>z:m 1 11?;{1 J'il U)'19VU ')'lN U)')lp )'N 1'1 )Y1Wl (without a doubt) p!Su 'JJ 1)) \JJ?;()) l?:{19 .(Glendale) J"i))'Jl )'N (Cypress Hill Road) \JU'11\J 1)'\!/'i?' 1))1 m 1)l~)lJ9 i)l\J~:11)' '1 ))!) )'N )?;{ \)))'JP ,\J11';(!5 1'N 1)l1"N U?:{1 PN 1\!/!)N ))N . (stop) \)J)l\)\!))')9?;{ 1'1 \:>)?;{)) PN )l'.j?))91)'j?'\JJ')) . \!/'!)'~Y9U 1m )YY.1 ')11';(1 , (entrances) • )'1 ')')N )"l \JYn )))))) \'.>U)l1 ))!5 . (landscape) l)ny,w:i,,N )'j?'\JUVl Y!S''-' ~ 1m o,w-n,:1 (enjoy, benefit) " )U'lY)" Yj.Jl';t\J \JJ'11 1'N ::PlN )13 WJ,?;{i1J'J PY' i~!S (spiritual ex1Perience) '• J\!/Y.1J ,11 1n ~ \J'Y.1 \Jll)'1J, , 11;i)l)) )li)l''.'l \J>Y.) ))N \J))'j? \JJ,'J~J, 111N l'N Ul';()) \J)'l;{9 )U')))') ~ ))!) .,,, ~ 01'N 1)'11';( mm ))l))'l 1)'11;< ))'))l"J 1'N 1)l\Ji)l1))il 1\!/!)N ))N 1YP'J1))'.::l )):1lVl \Ji?;{i 1)'i))) 1)'\J1)l)) )'i)l"l ))N U1)lJ,U1\!/ '1 )J)l)) 'HI';( Yj.J>\JJ>)) ))N (writers) 0,1:i,r,r.1 )'\!/'1" .)lj?\!.I\J'JU1) ~ ')')N \!/\Jl;{J , )W)) j?'1)lJ)lJ i)l"l )~ ))lY.))j.J)l) )i))>!) ))\lj>\)'Jl;<9 ))N )lJ))j)\)J)j? )l)l'.:,l';( \J9'1il 1)11 )'N . 11 1YP''.l"N The Mt. Carmel Cemetary in Queens is ,Y1Y1)~ )\!/'l)~ ,)l'' (avenue, main road) the "home" of dozens, if not hundreds, 1'Y.1'il';(J)) 11,0J'J))-O)J\lj '11!)" ))N • :)>J))-01?\!.I of Yiddish writers and cultural and political i)'\!/'\JU>?l';('~l;
When Changing a Name is a "Zgule" ... Greek, Hebrew, and •· Targemloshn "Sgule" is a Hebrew word, pronouncesd in Yiddish After th,e return from the Babylonian exile, Hebrew zgule, and means remedy, solution. I wish to speak had ceased to be the common spoken language of the today about several such "remedial" solutions. Jewish people. Aramaic became the language of the There is a Hebrew saying "m'shane mokem, home and street, and the religious leaders resorted to it m'shane mazl" (when one changes his place of to make the Bible more accessible to the people. residence where he had bad luck, his luck wiJI also The trarnslation of the holy Hebrew text into the change). Aramaic vernacular was called Targum, literally Similarly, when a person is very ill and his translation.· "Targem," as it is pronounced in Yiddish, imminent demise is feared, there is an orthodox means only one thing: the translation of the Bible into tradition to change his name (often to Khayirn, which Aramaic. No definite article is used. Several years ) means life, for a man; to Khaye, for a woman). Then, after entering kheyder a boy learns what Targem ) when the malkhamoves, the Angel of Death, checks means. his "calling" papers before knocking on the door (very In time the Targum translation entered the canon of polite, he), and says: "I came here for so-and-so religious readings of the Jewish people, and enjoyed a (name)," he is told: "Sorry, there is no one here by sanctity of its own. The Talmud then enjoined the this name, we have ---" (and he is told the *new* reading of the weekly Toyre passage ("parshe") twice name). in Hebrew and once in Targum. Much of the Talmud In a recent posting (4.224, p. 2) I mentioned the was written in Aramaic, and many prayers were censorship of newspapers in Lithuania in the early and composed in this language. To this day the traditional middle I 930's. Herewith some interesting details: kadish, and the kol nidre prayer with which the Yom On March 2, 1930, the daily Yiddish newspaper Kiper services start, are recited in their original *Folksblat,* with which I later became associated as Aramaic. co-editor, was closed by the censors for ten days for I. When you arc told, or read, something overly some transgression against the regime. complex and obtuse, and you decide, without any Since the order to close the paper referred by name further deliberation and without giving it a second solely to the "Folksblat", it was legalistically thought, that it is not worth your while to even try to interpreted to mean that it can be understand it or to pursue it, you flatly dismiss it by published by any *other* name. The publisher, di saying "That's Greek to me." yidishe bildungs gezelshaft in lite (The Jewish 2. Years aigo when I was in Paris I met a former F.ducation Society in Lithuania) therefore continued to Hebrew teacher of mine, a beloved mentor, who issue the paper each day under a *different* name, by instilled in me a deep love and respect for languages. the simple device of adding different adjectives to its He was then studying in the Linguistics Department of name: Thus on March 3, 1930, the very day after the the Sorbonne, specializing in Semitic languages. closing order, the closed _Folksblat_ became One evening, a young student in his class sat next consecutively "idisher folksblat," "undzer folksblat," to him, andl when she casually took a glance at his "kovner Folksblat," umophengiker, morgn, ekhter, notes, she exclaimed in French "That's Hebrew to µmparteyisher, algemeyner, emeser, and, finally, me," mcanimg that she could not make out his ..,oyfrikhtiker Folksblat," a total of ten "new" names. scribbles. On July 1934 the "Folksblat" was closed again, this I regret not knowing French to quote her exclama time for a period of three months. But the paper tory phrase verbatim, but it has about the same mean continued to be published, as before, under "different" ing as the English "That's Greek to me." In this case names, one week, for example, it carried the name of she was correct, for he took his notes in Hebrew... the day, thus: erev-shabes blat, zuntik-blat, montik-, 3. In Yiddish, when what you are told something, dinstik-, rnitvokh-, donershtik-, fraytik-, and some that is unintelligible and just plain gibberish, and you other names "funder haftoyre un funder khad-gadye" wish to express your immediate disregard and total (fictitious, unusual names). *) dismissal, you say "Bay (ba) mir iz es targemloshn." As we all know, censorship did not help tyrants "Loshn," means language, tongue, as in "mame and dictators to stay in power, and it too was, from a loshn." Targemloshn is a clear reference to Aramaic. historical point of view, no more than a wishful You don't say "Bay (ba) mir iz es Ararnish" "zgule". [Aramaic]. This would be a neutral statement, not unlike mentioning any other language that you don't *) Haftoyre -- selection from the Prophets read after know or understand. But when you say "Bay (ba) mir the weekly section from the toyre; Khad Gadye -- one iz es targemloshn," it has a particular tart bite to it. kid (a tsigele), recited at the end of the Passover Don't ask me why. seyder service. . The Best of Bach: From Mendele Online
Two Stories about the Vilner Go'en his head bent, weighted down, as it were, with meditations and holy thoughts. Further to my JX)Sting "The Honorific Reb" Two boys were standing on the sidewalk. As the (4.269,6): go'en walked by, one youngster whispered to the The word go'en (Hebrew and Yiddish) means other: "Dos iz der vilner go'en" (this is the go'en from excellency, eminence, pride, from the Psalmic phrase Vilne). · "gaon Jaacob" -- the pride of Jacob. The go'en stopped and, turning to them, said to the It was the official title of the heads of the Babylonian boy who made the remark: "Vil nor vestu oykh zayn a academies, closed for over thousand years. vilner go'en." Since then only one scholar has been accorded this This is a ]Play on words: "Vil nor" -- literally, if you title: Elijah of Vilna, the famous town of uninterrupted will want, if you will apply yourself; and "vilner"- religious study in Lithuania. Only he is known as der hailing from the town of Vilne. go'en, der vilner go'en (1720--1799). I find the combined two stories charming. The first In the ullraorthodox Anglo-Jewish press one sees one illustrat<::s the belief that the immensity and depth of frequently-- in reJX)rts, news stories, and even in public his thinking was so powerful and all-absorbing that advertisements (about gatherings, banquets, etc.)--an they overrodle the natural stimuli impinging upon his abundance of serial honorifics such as ha'rav ha'go'en senses of hearing and sight. (Rabbi, Go'en), occasionally even a "triple decker" The second illustrates his plain humanity: that he ha'rav, ha'go'en, ho'admur (Rabbi, go'en, mentor, could hear even the whispering voice of a young boy. teacher). The frequency of these titles makes one suspect that many of them are exaggerated and Tseylem kop undeserving. It would seem logical, and even natural, that in the With reference to Leon Lipson's story (4.275,2), realm of a singularly exceptional and phenomenal Polish Jews, and probably especially khassidim, called super-intellectual brilliance the likelihood is great that Jews from Lithuania "tseylem kep" (heads with a there would be one to a generation. cross, or a ciross in their heads). In Einstein's lifetime, for instance, there were other Lithuanian Jews, di litvakes, were misnagdim (a great, extraordinary physicists -- Enrico Fermi and Hebrew-derived word meaning "opponents" of the Niels Bohr come to mind -- but there was only one khassidim). They were led by the vilner go'en and his Einstein whose theory has revolutionized in one stroke disciples who conducted a fiery opJX)sition to the the entire field. khassidic movement. Similarly with the honorific go'en in Jewish The khassidic Jews, whose religious life was full religious life. There is only one go'en to a generation, with joy, warmth, and hislayves (rapturous ardor and or to several generations. The appearance of a go'en ecstasy), considered the litvakes cool-headed, cold, and does not preclude, of course, other great Tamudists to cerebral, in sum, without feelings, without emotions, function in the same period. and therefore nicknamed them "tseylem kep." Well, The flaunting embarrassment of such honorifics in litvakes turnied it around, and asked: "Why is a the Jewish religious leads to an inflation-devaluation litvisher yid called a "tseylem kop"? and, ultimately, to a loss of the sense of scale. Their own answer: Many years ago I heard two stories about "the vilner go'en" that seem to me related in a special way. "When a llitvak wants something, or insists on something, l1eygt er zikh in der breyt, like this -- , un in One day when the go'en and his talmidim (students) der leyng, like this I, and together the two lines form a were absorbed in learning, there was a sudden storm, cross(+) ... with prolonged thunder and lightning. This called for (If you tel11 this story, you make a horizontal hand the pronunciation of special benedictions: For thunder gesture from right to left when you say "leygt er zikh in -- "Btessed art thou. .. with whose JX)Wer and might the der breyt" (breyt meaning width), and a short vertical universe is complete;" and for lightning -- "Blessed art hand gesture when you say "leygt er zikh in der leyng," thou ... who produced the works of creation." leyng meaning length.) The phrase "leygt er zikh in der All yeshi've students made both brokhes, -but the breyt un in der leyng" means that he makes every effort go'en. The explanation was given that he was so to accomplish what he set out to do. immersed in learning and thought, that he did not hear Thus, a derogatory nickname that attacked the very the thunder, nor did he see the lightning. core of one's faith (in the recited story above the cross And then there is the other story: "followed" the misnaged even into his grave), turns in After an erev-shabes (Friday night) service, he this "explanation" into a compliment, namely that a walked home by himself, again, as was his wont, with litvak is a man of action and drive. P.S. In case you did not guess it, I am a litvak. Overseas Mail
Yiddish in Finland changed thei1r language into Finnish was the growing From Helsinki: Johnny Mangaard (TYN) Contact fennomanism, the strengthening Finnish nationalism, which was at its worst during the thirties. The other The first Jews that we know visited Finland in the reason must have been that Jews already were capable end of 17th century were Sefardim from Hamburg, to use Finnish as well as Swedish. During only nine magicians who were allowed to perform in Finland. years (from 1the beginning of thirties till the beginning Finland then belonged to Sweden and no Jews were of forties) Tlhe Jewish School completely changed its allowed to settle here, if not converted into Protestant language from Swedish into Finnish. christianity. During 18th century at least two German It looks like Jews today are not very much interested converted Jews are known to have settled in Finland, in Yiddish -·· it was never taught in The Jewish School, one in Oulu. He was grandfather to one of our most only Hebrew -- but it is quite understandable with the famous authors and cultural Gestalts, Zacharias background of special Finnish circumstances -- Finns Topelius, who lived during the 19th century. That lime are still quite suspicious towards strangers. But also Finland was part of Russia, a Grossfurstentum. Jews are rather astonished if they find someone to be During 19th century the first Ashkenazim came to interested in Mameloshn, which still is known by some Finland to serve in the Russian army. All of them came 20--40 peoplle. It has been told that while building from the Pale of Settlement, i.e. from Poland ruled by some new houses beside the synagogue, some Russia, White Russia, the Baltic and that St. volunteer wmkers spoke Yiddish. But I've spoken Petersburg area which was inside the Pale. No Jews Yiddish with only three persons here in Helsinki: the were allowed to settle outside the Pale, with the oldest of the Helsinki Community, the librarian of the exception of those Jewish soldiers who had fulfilled Synagogue Library and a lady who happened to work their service in the army -- they were allowed to stay in there one zuntik abend. The Yiddish we spoke was those places where they had been based still serving in strongly influenced by German. With the lady I started the army. the conversation in Yiddish, then we switched into When Russia had taken over in Finland, the New Swedish, and concluded it in English. Crown didn't want to change too much thus to have the Finnish people pleased with the new government -- so Schoolgirl Launches Yiddish Writing Career the old Swedish Law was still in power here. That From Melbourne, Australia included the forbid for the Jews to settle here. But the Russian army allowed retired soldiers, against the A Melbourne schoolgirl is the author of a Finnish officials xenofobiatic will, to stay if they so children's book in Yiddish, Dancing Dinosaurs, wished in the countries where they had been serving, Rebecca White, 14, is a student at Leibler-Yavneh whether they were Jews or of whatsoever nationality - College. She formerly studied Yiddish at Sholem, with the exception that Jews were forbidden to settle Aleichem College's Sunday School, and has since outside Viborg or Helsinki. They were not allowed to continued her interest in Yiddish by taking private marry or to have free trades in Finland, only to sell classes. worn clothes and alike in their own markets, called It was a homework assignment last year set by 'narinka'. The situation was still much better than in her Yiddish tutor, Mrs. Bobbi Zylberman, which led to Russia. In spite of restrictions and forbids Jews did Rebecca's debut as a published author. Rebecca was marry and have children, the laws only had to be asked to attempt a children's story as her homework. dcxlged and evaded, so they stayed. The outcome-the first draft of Dancing Dinosaurs Jews didn't know very well Russian -- men had so impressed Mrs. Zylberman that she submitted it to learned some in the army -- but women knew not even Koala Farlag, the Melbourne Yiddish publishers for that little. So in the beginning Jews spoke only children. Rebecca's story has appeared as a 20 page Yiddish. Yiddish was quite much spoken still in book with B & W illustrations by Dinah Butt. It tells of 1930ies, but rather because after the revolution there a little girl, Malkele, who can't sleep because she came more Jews from Russia. One by one Jews imagines dinosaurs corning our of her doll box. But switched into Swedish because it was much easier for Malkele's fears are overcome when her father promises them to learn than that difficult and strange language of her he will e:at up any dinosaurs he finds in her the majority, Finnish. But still, officially Swedish bedroom - with horseradish. speaking, Jews as multilingual people -- like so often Dancinig Dinosaurs, is the fifth publication from before in other countries -- adopted the language of Koala Farlaig, a nonprofit group established 8 years ago majority. I must point that Swedish was the official out of concern at the paucity of reading material in language -- with Russian -- till the last half of 19th Yiddish for young children. T he venture has been so century, and still quite strong untill the independence. successful that Koala Farlag's first book, My dog, is After Finland became independent in 1917 Jews got now out of print, and only very li mited quantities full citizenship. One reason why so many so quickly remain of the others. Yiddish in Indiana "ShJpil Zhe Mir a Lidele in Yidish" Michael Blain, Indianapolis, IN From Butzbach, Germany
The Yiddish Network (TYN) contacts periodically Starting in Lich (near Giessen) then to Berne report on their local activities. They are our source for (Switzerland) and Fuerth, this play has been performed information when you travel, and all have been very to sell-01ut crowds. Besides having an excellent press helpful--some in quite unusual places. This is an review, there have been several radio station interviews excerpt from a letter by our Indiana contact. in addition to their playing excerpts from the play. It is "We have Yiddish classes every Thursday good to know that Yiddish culture finds such a big conducted by my associate and friend, Zel Sax. Our interest in Germany. Yiddish club meets around the holidays. On Peysakh Fran~ois Lilienfeld writes that much of his success we conduct a Yiddish seder. We have a lunch at each has been due to-such a wonderful ensemble which has meeting, and it is well-attended. been work:jng with him. Lisa Fishman, of the Maxwell At the invitation of Marcia Levinsohn, Silver Klezmer Band (Chicago) played all of the female roles. Spring, MD I attended the CAJE conference in She is trnly a gifted singer, actress and dancer. The Bloomington, IN. I spoke to a Yiddish group, in band consists of Flora Tholassa (fiddle & piano) Yiddish of course, about my life during the Holocaust Ludovit Kovac (tsimbl), Mitch Sauer (clarinet & in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, and the former Soviet guitar), and Thomas 0. H. Kaiser (bass). Union. The story goes back and forth between the present Cyrelie Simon, from Lafayette, IN, was there and and several flashbacks, depicting the story of a she invited me to speak at the Hadassah Annual fictitious., but historically plausible family of Yiddish Evening. I was very impressed, especially klezmori.m. The music goes from very traditional songs with the attendance of about 50, considering that to Klezmer music of European as well as American Lafayette has a very small Jewish community. style andl to the encounter between a Klezmer and some In November I visited my sister in Laguna Hills jazz rnus:icians. (Leisure World) CA. They have a Yiddish club (at Fran~ois Lilienfeld, the writer and director of which my sister Miriam Fleisher spoke). They have a 11Shpil Zllle Mir a Lidele in Yidish" is at: Yiddish club where they speak English and a smaller Hoch-W eiseler Str. 32 Yiddish-speaking club." D -35510 Butzbach, GERMANY
Penlnsula Jewish Community Center Non-Ptolll Organlzollon 2440 Corlmont Drive us Fbsto09 l'MD Belmont. Calltornla 94002 Pt!wmll No. 3 Belmont. COllf. The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community
April 1995 Vol 5 No 4
Der Redaktor
HELP. Please check the date under the zip code on the label. It shows when you last contributed to der bay. As a one-person publication there is no time for billing. If you didn't contribute in the last year, won't you please do your share now? If you did your fair share, many thanks. Contributors receive der bay monthly (lOx a year). Yes, contributors receive priority for speakers, programs, and references for gigs. Receiving the newsletter is only one of the many advantages for contributors. Compiling and updating lists of Yiddish clubs, teachers, Klezmer bands, radio announcers. and computer mavens are important functions of der bay. Information is free to contributors who send a SASE. Der bay is your clearinghouse for translators, teaching positions, programs, and gigs. There is no listing charge. Philip "Fishl" Kutner, 1128 Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA 94403, is your editor. Use the home phone (415) 349-6946. E-mail address is [email protected] or [email protected] Make your contribution for chai ($18), or more if you can, for der bay's support payable to Peninsula JCC (PJCC), and send it and all mail to the editor. If you absolutely can't afford Chai ($18), send what you can. Please also send suggestions and listing of major events. If you are no longer interested in receiving der bay, please let us know. Fishl internatsionaler kalendar Dates Announced for The Third International Yiddish Club Conference Apr. 1 Sats, Suns, & Mons, (through June 18), Preliminary arrangements have been made Too Jewish (a show), Ben Schaechter & for the Next Intl. Yiddish Club Conference to be Avi Hoffman, NYC, Call 212-239-6200 2-3 Institute for Yiddish Culture, de Lido Hotel, held in Southeast Florida. The Greater Miami Miami Beach, R.., Call 305-973-3768 Area won out among five areas considered by 3-5 MLA (Modern Language Ass'n) at Ohio State The Intl. Yiddish Club Conference Committee. Univ.; hosted by the OSU Dept. of Yiddish, Friday afternoon March 1, 1996 the confer Call Prof. David Miller 614-292-7140 ence will start and go through a noon buffet on 3-30 Exhibition-One-thousand Years of Yiddish: Monday March the 4th. A Retrospective, Robarts Library, University of Toronto, Call 416-978-5301 Sponsoring host for the Conference is The 4 Tues., Noon, W. C. Branch 1100 Shmes-Krayz, Circle of Yiddish Clubs. Ruth Barias and Sunny District of Columbia, Call 301-464-3992 Landsman are the Chairperson and Vice-chairs 4 Tues., 7:30 P.M., Yiddish For You, Rabbi J. respectively. David Barias is Co-ordinator and Raiskin, Burlingame, CA, Call 415-349-1610 Will Stern Honorary Chairperson. 5 First Wed, 1 P.M, Rancho Bernardo JSC Official information will come from the Yiddish Club, Rancho Bernardo, CA, hosts and be released by the four Yiddish club Call 619-674-1123 5 Every Wed., 2:30 P.M., Kadimah Meeting, newsletters; Der Bay (San Francisco) Dos Bletl Leo Fink Hall 7 Selwyn St., Elsternwick, (Toronto), Undzer Shtime (S.E. Florida) Australia, Call 61-3-523-9817 Yiddish of Greater Washington and Mendele 6 Every Thurs., Noon, Santa Barbara Leyenkrayz, online. Readers of these news sources Santa Barbara, CA Call 805-962-8451 represent a key segment of the Yiddish 8 Sat., 7:30 P.M., Movie: "Mamele" (Part 2), Unzcr community-teachers, "club leaders", Klezmer Shprakh, Columbus, OH, Call 614-231-2244 8 Sat., 8:30 P.M., Der Yiddisher Pinafore, Gilbert band leaders. & Sullivan Yiddish Light Opera Co., Hadassah, Previous Conferences were entirely different Suffern, NY, Call 914-634-3489 in their emphasis, and ambiance. This Third 9 Sun., 2:30 P.M., Channah Kliger (Teaches at Conference will be even larger and will stress Univ. of Mass. at Amherst) Yiddish Lecture Series, the resource materials for club programming. Arbeter Ring, Brookline, MA, Call 617-566-6281 9 & 23 Sun. (2nd & 4th), 2:30 P.M., Tokyo Yiddish In the Toronto Conference a resolution was Club, JCC of Tokyo, Japan, Call 03-3400-2559 passed to develop a resource center for com 11 & 25 Tues. (2nd & 4th), 1:00 P.M., About piling and exchanging resource materials. Yiddish, JCC of Metro. Detroit, MI, You have programs. Compiling and cata Call 313-967-4030 loging this wealth of material is a time con 12 Wed., 7:30 P.M., Prof. Dovid N. Miller, Unzer suming task. With the ability to exchange Shprakh, Columbus, OH, Call 614-231-2244 12 Wed. (2nd), 8:00 P.M., Beth Israel Yiddish material online, the speed of acquiring this Group, NEW Berkeley, CA, Call 510-540-5155 information is enhanced. Downloading is easy. 13 Thurs., 2:00 P.M., JCCNV Midweek Yiddish, One can easily reformat (enlarge or shrink). Fairfax, VA, Call 703-323-0880 Prior to the Conference each group is asked 17 Mon. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Circle of Yiddish Clubs, to review past programs and resources. Your Soref JCC, Plantation, FL, Call 305-792-6700 programming chairperson may wish to send 18 Every Tues, 6-8 P.M, Workmen's Circle Chorus New York City, Call 800-922-2558 only the titles of these materials to this editor 19 Wed. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Peninsula JCC Yiddish and we'll start the compiling process. Club, Belmont, CA, Call 415-349-6946 We'll work with other groups. CAJE, and 23 Sun., 2:00 P.M., "Passover and the Blood the Workmen's Circle, and others have Libel", Yiddish Culture Club, JCC, Costa Mesa, resources and are actively co11ecting materials. CA, Call 714-755-0340 We will not duplicate efforts, but coordinate 29 Sat., 8:30 P.M., Der Yiddisher Pinafore, Gilbert and establish a CENTRAL clearinghouse for all & Sullivan Yiddish Light Opera Co., JCRC, Cherry Hill, NJ, Call 609-665-6100 xt 224 program materials. This will be a great asset to 30 Sun. (Last Sun. of each month), 5:00 P.M., Yiddish clubs and a function of the Yiddish Manhattan Leyenkrayz, Call 212-874-4765 Club Committee and future Conferences. Why Study Yiddish? "Just a Note" Mau Dailey !\1endele online Matthew Dailey's note evoked a very great Dear Dr. Sherman, response in all of us. Chana Honig sent a very moving personal note directly to him. When I read it I I have spent the past week since reading your found it so relevant and reflective of many of our request attempting to discern my own motives for feelings I received her permission to forward it to the studying Yiddish. I have several reasons for studying entire khene. I herewith enclose it. Yiddish, ranging from a sense of historical moral imperative to personal pleasure, but through them all Arre Komar runs a thread of personal identity and belonging. I am in awe, that today, fifty years after the Just a note as a Mendclc subscriber to tell you Holocaust, Yiddish not only sun ives but flourishes, that I cried when I read your email on Mendclc. There albeit mainly in religious and academic enclaves and was a time up to a few years ago in Syracuse, when I not the greater populace. I take great pleasure in the thought I will keep my love for Yiddish alive by realization that here I am, a gentile in Columbus, Ohio, singing the folk songs-which I do-and there arc at the Ohio State University, studying and teaching hundreds of wonderful songs-as from no other Yiddish. This is a triumph of the human spirit, a living folk. For example lines like (Jamir trinken far di memorial to the victims of the Holocaust, and a sonim nor sog 'f:ay nit on) ... lets even drink a health to cclebralion on the graves of those murderers who our enemies. After all they are human beings too, but would have destroyed al 1 traces of Y iddishkeyt from we won't nose the news too publicly, (essentially is the world. how I translate this). But I may be the last of a small I am a student of languages; Yiddish, Hebrew, group of human beings who honors the beauty of the Aramaic, Spanish, German, French, and English; and destroyed shtetlach of Europe-the life of my zaydc with the exception of English which is my nati\'e and bubbe; honest, caring, hard working, God tongue, I have not found such jo1 or life in any fearing, and bringing up each child well-loved and language but Yiddish. English is my native tongue, trying hard to be a decent mentsch. That world of but Yiddish is my Mame Loshn. I guess I am less a Yiddishkeit vanished with the Holocaust.with the s,lldent of Yiddish than an adopted son. Yiddish is the tremendous drive toward assimilation in to the world language of a people, of a folk, not of a state or of blessed America who welcomed the pogrom driven country. It has been said that this has been one of (my grandparents) to this blessed land. But their Yiddish's shortcomings, but I submit that it is one of descendants want to be like the Gentiles and blend in. Yiddish's strengths. Perhaps the pain, perhaps the shames of the past One can study German, French, or Spanish, and are too much for so many. But your words stirred my then go to a specific geographic locale where the heart so much. My own oldest son, a Ph.D. and an inhabitants speak that language. Yiddish however, is a M.D. has acted so ashamed when I used a Yiddish beautiful disembodied spirit which possesses you, and word in conversation. He doesn't mind of course if I makes you its own. Wherever Yiddish is spoken there talk at length in French (my second language). He is Ashkcnaz.Yiddish is a language which defines its believes that it would be better if everyone became own boundaries, while all other languages arc defined gentiles-then there would be no more troubles. The by their boundaries. shame that some Jews feel about Yiddish breaks my Why should one study Yiddish? First, we must heart. Though I dearly love my child so much, where obey the 614th Mitzvah and remember the Holocaust. does this shame come from? Ich vays nit. Although I Yiddish is more than a living memorial, it is a bridge am a licensed psychologist! Maybe there's too many to the past which allows us to re, isit that world which centuries of antisemitism that modem people want to has ceased lo exist. flee from. The horror that Hitler really has won wiped The most important moti,·e which I can offer up is out yiddishkeit and stayed with me until really the that most personal and perhaps e,·en selfish. Yiddish pa<;t few years. is life, it is a living, breathing entity, of countless age Now, reading Mendclc e\'ery day, I take so much and boundless wisdom, which, when embraced takes joy from this new e-mail mishpoche - of all the one in her arms as a wise old grand-mother, and with mcndelniks ... but your understanding of this issue of infinite love and patience passes on to us her ,,isdom, the Yiddish people being alive in the flavor of experience and sense of humor. This is the language I mamaloshen. That splendid statement touched my love, and my purpose is to know her better. heart. A hartsikn dank fun a bobe vos hot gehat a.toy fil frayd tsu lay7n dcyn brif!. Ed. note) Dr. Sherman is a profcssor in South Africa who posed the question. The next column is a Alice Sterling Honig thoughtful response to Dailey's answer.These articles can be yours free by subscribing to Mendcle. E When Sholem-Aleykhem Sholem-Aleykhem's Wry Aphorisms Defied the Censor Sholcm-Aleykhem's ironic twists sometimes Recent talk on Mendele reminded me of the times border on cynicism. His experiences with the rough of Sholem-Aleykhem when the work and personal money-grubbing publishing business may have been a safety of writers were truly threatened by tsarist factor. This may have moved him to propose humorous censorship. I was reminded of a little known work by but wry parodies of well-known aphorisms: Sholem-Aleykhem, "Der Feter Pinye Mit Der Mume Reyze," published by Bikher Far Ale. On the flyleaf 1. "Ver iz a khokhem? Der vos lemt zikh op fun yedn is printed, "Povoleno t~enzuroyu, Varshava, 11 Marta eynt~ikn. Ver iz a held? Der vos nemt ayn dem yeytser 1905" [Permitted by censor, Warsaw. March 11, hore. Ver iz an oysher? Der vos bagnugl zikh mi t dem 1905]. It was a political satire on the Russo-Japanese vos er hot." (Azoy zogn di "KhZ"L", (khes zayen War in the form of an allegory. Hulking, clumsy lamed.)) Un ikh zog: Ver iz a khokhcm? Der vos hot Mume Reyze represented Russia, while lean and agile gelt. Ver iz a held? Der vos hot gelt. Ver iz an oysher? Feter Pinye represented Japan. It was published Der vos hot gel t. before the tsarist officials realized its meaning. Later, it dawned on them and the copies were confiscated. 2. "Der vos ken gut mentshn, der antloyft nit fun Here is what Mumc Reyze was like according to mentshn un yogt zikh nit nokh zey." (Azoy zogt Sholem-Aleykhem: aMark Avrclius.) Un ikh zog: Der vos ken gut mentshn, der antloyft fun mentshn vu der shvartser A hoykhe, a gezunte, dos ponim fet, di hent f efer vakst. megushem grob, di neg! shvarts, a kol fun a mansbil, a harts fun a toter, a karge, a foyle shtik, nit aza 3. "A ferd iz nit dermit oysgeshtelt, vos er kon nit shlekhte, vi an ongebroygezte af der gantser veil, kreyen vi a hon, er iz umgliklekh nor demolt ven er zeyer a proste zakh - ot dos iz geven di mumc Reyze. farlirt dcm gang." (Awy zogt Epiktet.) Un ikh zog: Nokh a mayle: gehalten funder akhile un lib An oks iz nit dermit oysgeshtelt, vos er hot a lange gehat, zol zi mir moykhl zayn ... tsvishn undz vet tsung un kon keyn shoyfer nit blozn; er iz umglik dokh es mistome blaybn, ikh volt dos aykh gczogt lekh nor demoh, ven men firt im tsu der shkhitc. glaykh, past dos ober nisht far keyn f roy ... bekitser, Translation: zi hot Ii b gehat dos trunk, un dafke oft, un dafke a poshet bis I yash, un dafke fun a tey-gloz. I. "Who is a wise person? The one who learns from Gezogt hot men, az dos iz a khalas. Andere hobn each and every one. Who is a hero? The one who gerekhnt, az dos iz ir gekumen beyerushe fun ir elter controls his passions. Who is wealthy? The one who elter-bobe, geven, zol hobn a likhtikn ganeydn, a makes do with what he has." (So say our sages of gants erlekhe, nor a groyse trinkerin. blessed memory.) And I say: Who is a wise person? (My translation) The one who has money. Who is a hero? The one who has money. Who is wealthy? The one who has money. Strong and tall with chubby face. Big, thick, clumsy hands with dirty fingernails. Mannish voice. 2. "The one who knows people well does not run away A Tartar's heart. A stingy, lazy piece of goods. Not from people nor chases after them. (So says Marcus so cruel as angry at the world. A common creature. Aurelius.) And I say: The one who knows people well There you have her: Aunty Raisa. runs from people to where the black pepper grows. Another noble quality: she loved to stuff herself with food, and worshipped (may she forgive me, and 3. "A horse docs not take umbrage because he can't this will go no further than between us, probably) .... crow like a rooster; he is wretched only when he I'd come right out with it, but this .... This does not loses his way." (So says Epictetus.) And I say: "An befit a woman. In short, she adored her drinks, and ox does not take umbrage because he has a long really often; and always plain old booze; and only tongue and can't blow a shofar; he is wretched only from a tea glass. when he is led to the slaughter. Some said it was a sickness. Others figured it These are from a 1903 fcuilleton, Aforizmen, in came down to her from her great-great granny who Di Y idishe Folkstsaytung. (may her paradise be bright) was a virtuous woman, but what a guzzler! * * * Fridhandler's main interest is tracking down Sholem This was not the first time that Sholem-Aleykhcm Aleykhem's letters and pieces omitted from the (so- had stuck his ne~k out in defiance of censorship. called) Ale Verk fun Sholern-Alcykhcm Sholem-Aleykhem's "Zhargon" passion Louis Fridhandler, Irvine, CA. Mendcle online Toward the end of 1887 the 28-year-old is my passion ... , my idee fi xe! He then continues Sholem-Aleykhem wrote to Ravnitski about his to say, "Dertsu is do a "Hoyzfraynd", mit a active participation in Dos Yidishe Folks-blat. "Familienfraynd" [Yiddish publication outlets], From the context I must infer that the letter was mit a liber fraynd, mit a rukh veyst vos far a fraynd, basically in Yiddish, but Sholem-Aleykhem inserts velkhn ikh hob tsugezogt mithelfn, den vort darf a sentence in Russian and French,"Zhargon, this men hal tn. He goes on: Ikh bin, kholilc, keynem nisht f arkoyft, l have not sold out to anyone, God forbid: keyner kon mir keyn deye nisht zogn, no one holds sway over me, nor mayn libshaft tsu Zhargon but my love for Zhargon iz bay mir fil elter exerts over me an authority superior fun a bar un fun an odon, to a lord or master, derum ldaytshmerish therefore?] and therefore bin ikh gotov [Russian ready?] lam ready to help out yedn, yedn mithclfn. each and everyone. Her ikh tsvey yidn, tvey vayber Whenever I hear two Jewish men or women redn Zhargon, bin ikh do; speaking Zhargon, here I am, on the spot! Rabinovitsh iz mer Rabinovitch is more "Sholcm-Aleykhem" vi Rabinovitsh; "Sholem-Aleykhem" than Solomon Rabinovitch. Rabinovitsh iz 4 sho af der birzhe For 4 hours a day, Rabinovitch at the stock market a makher, a dreyer, a is a big wheel, a deal-maker, shtikl toyz borekh hai;hem; a bit of an ace, thank Gcxi, nor fun zeyger fi ncf baytog but from 5 in the afternoon biL 3, 4 in der nakht until 3 or 4 in the middle of the night hn ikh "Sholcm-Alcykhem." I am Sholem-Aleykhem. Y etst shrayb ikh At the moment I am writing 2 romanen, 1 ertseylung, 1 fclieton, 2 novels, 1 yam , 1 f euillcton, 1 komedie, 3 laytartikl, 1 comedy, 3 editorials, l kritishe etyud un epcs nokh. l critical study and something else. Un leyzer darf men nisht? And don't we need readers? Sholem-Alcykhem's style changed in later Bakantshaft Mit Sholcm-Aleykhem 11 by J.H. years when he rigorously tried to exclude words Ravnitski, in "Tsum Ondenk Fun Sholem that were strictly German or Russian from his Yiddish. Aleykhem", ed. I. Zinberg and Sh. Niger, Letter cited in "Di Ershte Yorn Fun Mayn Petrograd: 19 17, pp. 46-47. Aponim di talmidim vos shtudirn mit Anatevke iz nisht a shtetl. Anatevke iz a dorf. Daniella HarPaz viln shmuesn vegn Tevye's lkh gedenk nisht vu, ober ikh hob geleynt az foterish batsiung tsu zayne tekhter, der iker, Anatevke iz ibergedreyt fun Ignatievke. zayn oyffirung mit Khave. Tsi iz er geven a Jgnatiev iz geven a redaktor fun di "May rekhter tate tsi neyn? Laws." Tevye hot zikh oysgelernt di minhogim Az a golekh zol hobn hashgokhe iber fun zayn tsayt, mistome fun zayne eltern. Khave hot gedarft zayn far T evyen vi zayn Khave iz oysgevaksn in an ander min svive. tokhter hot zikh ibergegeben tsu di anti Di yidishe velt hot zikh nokh amol gegebn a semitn. A shtokh in hartsn arayn! Tevye shokl nokh di antisemitishe "May Laws" fun farlirt zayn glaykhgevikht. Er beyzert zikh oys 1882. Sholem-Aleykhem makht nisht in af zayn gezindl, un heybt on shlogn zayn gantsn k1or di yorn fun di Tevye mayses, ober getrayer ferd on rakhmones far a kleynikayt. in "Lekh Lekho," Tevye muz geyn avek fun Er ken dos gornisht farshteyn un Tevye iz Anatevke. Di "May Laws" hobn nisht gelozt nisht tsu derkenen. az yidn zoln kenen voynen in a dorf. The First Midwest Klezmer oytser, an antik far yedn eyncm vos ken nit gut ivrc un and Yiddish Music Institute vos shtoyst zikh on af loshn-koydish verter in dcr Lori Lippitz yidisher Ii teratur oder in der shprakh fun geboyrene yidish-redners. Dos bukh shtcyt bay meer af der It breathes... it moves.. .it LIVES! The First Mid politse tsuzamen mit Stutshkof's "oytser" un mit west Klezmer and Yiddish Music Institute is planned Harkavce's un Vaynraykh's vcrterbeekher. Ikh ken for Sunday, August 13, 1995 at the Kaplan JCC in zikh poshet on eem nit bageyn. Skokie, Illinois. It is only one day long (preceded by a Dertsu muz men klor makhn az dos bukh iz late after-Shabes concert Saturday night), but will pack tsuersht (1957) gedrukt gevom baym "ikuf" in in a lot of education and entertainment. For now, the argentine, ober az Manuel Krupin, der zun f unm plans are to have classes and workshops for both musi mikhaber Nakhman Krupin, hot ersht vider opgedrukt cians (professional and amateur) and non-musicians, dos beekhl in a kleyner oyflage. lead by local staff and by New York klezmer-singer Also, please advise your correspondent Arnold dancer-instrumentalist Michael Alpert (of Brave Old Leibowitz of Washington, DC, that there is an English World). The whole event will be finished off with a translation of a one-acter, "Captain Dreyfuss," by "Shtetl Wedding" with authentic klezmer music, Y ankif Gordon in a 1932 volume, "Nine One-Act badchonus, and wedding-related songs and humor, as Plays From the Yiddish," translated by Bessie F. well as a festive meal (a la Tony and Tina's). (Felstiner) White and published by Bruce Humphries. I have been pushing to have such a thing in the I can provide information about obtaining one or more midwest for over twelve years, and when I found that new(!) copies. the JCC was enthusiastic, I decided to get the ball roll Nu, fartik mil kolishc inyonim. Vos hcrt :,,jkh mil ing myself. Sponsors are the JCC (includes Federa aykh aleyn? Kh'hof az s'gcyt aykh gut un voyl un at. tion), the Klezmer Music Foundation (the group I eer zent gezunt un shtark. (Dos zelbe tsu hem fun ale started), and Chicago Friends of YIVO. We will take yeedn un funder gantser mentshhayt.) Tomer hut eer a care of reserving a block of rooms for people who wish por leydike minut, shemt zikh nit un shikt rneer an to come in for the weekend, and meals are included in a entfer durkh e-post. lkh bin dokh a baln dertsu! modest registration fee. The musical groups active in planning, playing and teaching at the Institute will be Mit veltlekh-mentshlekhe grusn, the Chicago Klezmcr Ensemble (including Brave Old World's Kurt Bjorling) and my Maxwell St. Klezmer Yiddish in Toronto: Band. Classes, Clubs, & Newsletter I will send you a flyer when it is developed next month. Hooray! The midwest will not fall off the At NINE different locations one can take a Yiddish Yiddish music map completely. Maybe Chicago can class at this site of our last International Yiddish Club even catch up with Detroit and Cleveland! Conference. Presently, SIX teachers are covering the THIRTEEN different Yiddish classes in levels one, two, A Post From Hershl Hartman Online and three. This information came from Sylvia Lustgarten who Ut zet eer, reb fish!, az men lebt, derlebt men. is in charge of the office for the Committee for Yiddish. Vifil khadoshim zog ikh tsu az ikh vel zikh lozn fom Also Bess Shockett of the Toronto Friends of Yiddish, af dem elcktronishn shoscy ober az s'iz gekumcn and who was the co-ordinator of the Toronto Conference, dertsu, bin ikh gcblibn zitsn. Biz mit getseylte teg said that the two groups work very closely together and tzurik. Demolt hob ikh zikh ongenurnen mit mut un that many members of the COY also belong to the kh'hob geshtelt eyn fusxdemokh dem tsveytnxun Friends of Yiddish. azoy-o, pamel-ekherheyt, bin ikh dergangcn azhxtsun Bess's husband Barry is editor of Dos Bletl, the aykh. wonderful newsletter of the FOY. Several of our readers Dem emes gezogt, bin ikh tsu-ersht avek nit tsu have subscribed to this newsletter, for its many wonder aykh, nor tsu mendelen. A zeydn kumt dokh dem ful features. The one your editor truly enjoys is named ershtn kovid. Dervayl lcyn ikh tshikaves dort, bay "Kokh Lefl". It has a recipe in both Yiddish and mendelen, heyst es. Keyn gor vazhne gedanken hob English. Oh, were those rugelekh delicious! ikh nokh nit ongetrofn. Lomeer hofn. Your Yiddish group should have a copy of these Ober vee zogt er aleyn, rnendele, heyst es: "nisht dub newsletters. They are great as sources for discussions dos bin ikh oysn." Shraybn shrayb ikh aykh and information. Of course the premiere one still is The rnakhmes ikh gloyb az men darf klor makhn dem Yiddish of Greater Washington. All of the editors have badayt fun dem verterbukh vos eer hot dermont in dcm a great working relationship with each other and are tsveytn paragraf fun ayer "Der Redaktor" kolum in the core of The International Yiddish Club Conference dem Februar nurner "Der Bay." S'iz nit stam a Committee. If you wish to subscribe to Dos Bletl hebreyish-yidish verterbukh nor a taytch-beekhl fun Contact editor, Barry Shockett at: dee "hebreizmen in der yidisher shprakh." Es iz an 303 Joicey Blvd., North York, MSM 2V8, CANADA The Future of Yiddish: What is Her Current Status? What is Her Future Direction? by Philip II Fishl II Kutner Of all the requests that come in daily to der bay 1 The pool of native speakers is rapidly dwindling in (2-9 each by email and by "snail mail") none by far quantity and thus their effect on the survival has matches the frequency of, "Do you think Yiddish will been gradually diminishing. Even the wonder[ul survive?" Forverts newspaper now has even less than ten Looking at the international scene gives a different thousand subscribers perspective than one may view from one's own local 2 Mass migration from one country to another as view. We are truly in a transition phase which will span well as the movement from Yiddish enclaves in the period after the fallout from the of the Holocaust, city and "shtetl" has been to outlying areas as here Israel's decision to negate Yiddish, and Stalin's purge in the suburbs. of the Yiddish intellectuals. This period covered less 3 Communication has changed more in the last few than two decades. decades than any time in our history, permitting Very seldom has any country, business or people all over the world to communicate both organization been able to sustain three strikes and still rapidly and cheaply. Chiefly here is the popularity exist. The Yiddish community, understandably went of Mendele, the premiere online Yiddish list, now into shock and is just beginning to come out from numbering seven-hundred. under the blanket and looking around to see what is left 4 Transportation has become cheaper and faster. of this atomic bomb-like attack. This resulting greater mobility has been a factor in Yes, as we look at the devastated scene, the vast growth of conferences and the congregation of majority of the speakers are not there. Those once shney-feygelekh. popular organizations, publications and interest have 5 People seeking their roots represent a very dwindled to almost a state of no-return. It is not important segment of the new growth. Whether it necessary to go through the litany of Yiddish theaters, is the stories or lullabies of their childhood, or ',' iddish newspapers and Yiddish-speaking landsman those who are looking for their "roots" these are shafn which have disappeared. the fastest growing group. This is not just an If one looks at the natural world for analogies, we interest of Jews, but seen in adoptees, Afro see that of the endangered species. With nurturing the Americans, American Indian among others. bison (American Buffalo) and the Bald Eagle are 6 The revival of interest in "Klezrner" music, having coming back- albeit slowly. When a forest area is its impetus here in California is especially impor devastated by fire, there is a succession of flora that tant among the younger people. This interest is not occurs before final stage of a balanced environment solely in the Jewish domain, for there is a occurs. surpri singly growing demand in Europe, especially What are the new seedlings in the Yiddish in Germany. community which are sprouting in the devastated 7 The realization, by dwindling fiefdoms that they forestland which housed the majestic writers, cannot exist by going it alone, is in its infancy. performers, and speakers of this universal language? This resulting willingness to share information and With Yiddish one could travel almost anywhere in the aid is a sign of maturity in wisdom. Especially world and find Yiddish speakers. It was what English noteworthy are the Arbeter Ring, League for is today. Every international airport in the world Yiddish, NYBC, YIVO, YKUF, and Yugntruf. operates in English. 8 The birth of new groups and means of sharing Well, what and where are the existing remnants of have changed. Informal, and low cost alternatives the "old days" and the "saplings" which may be the are thriving. Examples here are the four widely mighty redwoods of tomorrow. distributed newsletters in North America. Communities in Argentina, Australia, France, 9 Increasing interest in being entertained in Yiddish England, Mexico among others still have active Yiddish or Yinglish. While we prefer participators, the communities and activities. Purposely omitted has been many who come just to be entertained serve a very Israel, Russia and the United States. Each of these has important function. Without this audience writers a remarkable resurgence and would require a separate and performers would not have a market for their article in itself. cassettes, CDs and books What is important to note here are the many fac 10 Last, is the pool of Yiddish speakers among the tors, means and motivators for the changes occurring in growing ultra-Orthodox. While their attitude the Yiddish world. We must be aware of them if we towards Yiddish is that of a tool rather than a rich, hope to actually sec the survival of Yiddish far into the cultural source of literature and music, they do future. represent a market. New From Israel: Each Teacher/Club Should Receive: Two Interesting Publications A Suggested List Daniel Galay, one of our The Yiddish Minimum: The "PubJications" of: Network's (TYN) Israeli contacts recently sent (NO order of importance) in two publications. Naye Vegn is a new Forward (Yiddish) 36 Yiddish literature journal. This one is the League for Yiddish 18 third issue. They are published by Hemshek MENDELE onhne -0- Dor-Libhobers fun Yidish. Mention was National Center for Yiddish Film -0- made of the last issue which featured truly Natioanl Yiddish Book Center 18/36 talented young Russian emigres creatively Workmen's Circle/ Arbeter Ring writing in Yiddish. These new endeavors to YIVO 35 foster young Yiddish writers deserve our YKUF 20 support. Yugntruf 18 Oyer-Siluetn, is the second paperback which Daniel sent. He is the author of this Ideally: Receive the Publications of; book of poetry. Lovers of art will relish the drawings included by Carlos A. Montanez. Th•e 4 Yiddish dub newsletters Naye Vegn is $10 and includes shipping der bay 18 and handling. Oyer Siluetn is only $2. Both Dos Blet] 15 publications can be received be writing to: Undzer Shtime 15 Hemshek Dor Yiddish of Greater Wash. 15 POBOX65279 Di Zukunft 20 Tel Aviv 61652 Der Onheib 20 ISRAEL Yiddish (AAPY) 15 Peninsula Jewish Community Center Non-A'olll OrQOrlliotlon 2440 Carlmont Drive USl't>sto09 Belrpont, Callfomta 94002 "AID U Pe May 1995 Vol 5 No 5 Der Redaktor "Jewries at the Frontier" Who said Yiddish is dying? Dr. Allan Blair sent The Isaac and Jessie Kaplan Centre for Jewish the program of the Ohio State University Conference Studies and Research at the University of Cape Town, on Yiddish and Ashkenazic Studies. Forty papers South Africa, will be hosting an international were presented by graduate students and recent Ph.D. conference "Jewries at the Frontier" at the University recipients from nineteen universities. of Cape Town from 11-13 August 1996. The Oxford Summer Program is back in a new The conference co-ordinators, Milton Shain location, and this issue is full of institutes, seminars, (University of Cape Town) and Sander L. Gilman programs, and courses. They do not represent all the (University of Chicago), are calling for papers which wonderful summer programs. June's issue will have will explore the Jewish experience in frontier settings. additional listings. Remember-no summer issues. The emphasis will be on Jews as a mjnority within a Der bay is particularly excited about Mameloshn minority with hegemonic power in colonial and post 95 shown in the centerfold. While its program has colonial settings. something for all ages, it is one of the few that truly Thus the conference will examine in an stresses interests for the young and the young at heart interdisciplinary manner South African Jewry; Noyekh Miller, the moderator of Mendele online, Anglophone Indian Jewry; Canadian Jewry with a was ill and missed a few days. It was like being focus on Quebec Jewry and Jewry in the Northern without T.V. AND the daily newspaper. Territories; American Jewry of the colonial period and Yiddish and Jewish genealogy are naturally allied. American Jewry with a focus on the South (French We have a special feeling for the Jewish Genealogical speaking Louisiana) and the Spanish-speaking Soc. of Long Island and Adele Miller of Chicago who Southwest; early Australian and New Zealand Jewry; is a translator and a genealogist. You will find her ad German Jewry (Haskalah and post-Haskalah) in the in A voteynu, the excellent Jewish genealogy journal. Baltic, Central, and Eastern Europe including the non A warm welcome to our friends in Houston, TX German speaking areas of the Austro-Hungarian who have a Yiddish club newsletter. Houston is Empire; Jewry at the geographic margins in Latin and setting a beautiful example in this small, but very-well South America; Ukrainian Jewry in the 18th and 19th done effort. What about YOUR group? It takes only centuries; and any other communities that fit the one person to start it. parameters of the conference. We are very proud to add our newest contacts in Abstracts of presentations are required before 31 Milan, Italy and Halifax, Canada. They are part of our January 1996. Presentations will be in English. There ever-expanding list in TYN (The Yiddish Network). is a limited amount of subsidy for accommodation in Please look under your address on the back page. It Cape Town. For further information please contact shows the date your contribution last helped keep this either: newsletter going. If it has been a year already, please, Milton Shain, Kaplan Centre for Jewish Studies, please contribute again. If there is an error, tell us. University of Cape Town, Private Bag, Rondebosch, Der bay is your clearinghouse for translators, Cape Town, 7700, South Africa. E-mail: teaching positions, programs, and gigs. There is no [email protected] listing charge. Philip "Fishl" Kutner, 1128 Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA 94403, is your Sander L Gilman, University of Chicago editor. Use the home phone (415) 349-6946. E-mail E-mail: [email protected] address is fishl @well.sf.ca. us Make checks for der Phone: 312-702-8494 bay's support payable to Peninsula JCC (PJCC), and send it and all mail to the editor. Sander L. Gilman Mendele online internatsionaler kalendar New Contact for TYN in1 Milan, Italy by Leo Korbmarn May 1 Mon., 7:30 P.M., Ivan and Abraham (Film), Yiddish in Italy is almost unknown. There are not Part of the Film Festival, Osher Marin JCC, that many Jews in Italy (35.000, more or less, in a San Raphael, CA, Call 415-479-2000 population of 55 millions). The maiin Jewish root is l Every Mon., 5:00 P.M. Yiddish Culture Soc. of Sefardic or Italian (the Jewish community in Rome is Jerusalem, 10 Rechov Sholom Aleichem, 2.000 years old) and the few arrivals from Ashkenaz Call 02-712-218 have lost their language in favor of the local djargun 3 Wed., 7:00 P.M., Yiddish for Youth, Toronto, (among others, 'Giudeo-Veneziano' in Venice, Canada, Call 905-669-2652 'Giudeo-Livornese' in Li vorno and, most important, 3 & 24 Weds., 2:00 P.M., Kum Shmooz, JCC, 'Giudeo-Romanesco' in Rome; my wife, a gelernete Rockville, MD, Call 301-881-0100 fro, wrote her thesis in linguistics about the last one). 4 Thurs, 7:00 P.M, Stories From Found Till the age of twenty, living in Genoa with my Treasures, Yiddish Literature Discussion Group, parents, I spoke Yiddi sh with them only: there was Palmyra, NJ Call 609-829-9415 nobody else to speak to. This means that my Yiddish is 6 Every Sat., 7:30 P.M. Yiddish Culture Club of an Italienishe Yiddish, with a lexico][l that is both poor Los Angeles, 8339 W. 3rd St A Los Angeles, CA and full of Italian words, with a grammar modeled on a Call 213-275-8455 Latin-type language and a great diffiieulty in reading any 7 Every Sun., 2:30 P.M., DC JCC Leyenkrayz, text, not to speak about writing it. The fact that I never Washington DC, Call 301-587-6861 studied Hebrew with any scriousnes:s did not help. 7 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Museum of Jewish Heritage, When I left home, I stopped speaking Yiddish Friends of Yiddish, NYC, Call 212-666-6244 altogether. Ni, what am I doing on Mendele? I love the 7 Sun., Musical Festival, Boca Raton, FL, language. I feel it as a heritage of a culture that has been Call 305-973-3768 murdered. I think of it as a part of myself. I would like 9 & 23 Tues. (2nd & 4th), I P.M., About Yiddish, to transmit it to my children, but I could not speak it at JCC of Metro. Detroit, MI, Call 313-967-4030 home (my wife's family name is Kopciowski, she is a IO Wed., 7:30 P.M., Itzi k Payne, Unzer Shprakh, daughter of a rebbi and l. she does not cook latlcies; 2. Columbus, OH, Call 614-231-2244 she does not speak one word of Yiddish!) and there is 11 Thurs., 7:30 P.M., The Dybbuk (film), Rabbi no facility to learn Yiddish in Milan. Gerald Raislcin (facilitator), Peninsula Temple Emes tsi sogn, the situation is not so desperate. I do Sholom, BurJingame, CA Call 415-697-2266 not know the other two names you found for Mendele 13 Sat., 9 P.M., Sholem Aleykhem Yortsayt in Italy (strange enough, these names are not even Commemoration, Yiddish St. Louis, & Rivka Jewish). There is a temple for Ashkena7jc Jews, where Network, St. Louis, MO, 314-432-6780 xt 185 I may find other Yiddish speaking person. Moni 14 Sun. (2nd), 10:00 A.M., Minneapolis, MN, Ovadia put together a show in Yiddish ('Dibbuk', on JCC Yiddish Vink!, Call 612-377-5456 extermination camps) and got a full audience. I myself 14 Sun., 2:30 P.M., Celebration of Yiddish Songs, have got a small collection of Y iddis:h books, that I try Jewish Folk Chorus of San Francisco, SF JCC, to read, and I have Weinreich's 'His,tory of Yiddish' Call 510-533-3903 (in English!) and his EnglishNiddislh dictionary as 14, 28 Sun. (2nd & 4th), 2:30 P.M., Tokyo Yiddish references. What is probably missing is the initiative, Club, JCC of Tokyo, Japan, Call 03-3400-2559 the will to spend time and efforts to JPUt together a 17 Wed. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Peninsula JCC Yiddish group, a club of persons interested i1n the project. Club, Belmont, CA, Call 415-349-6946 How do you build up a vinkl? The audience is 18-23 Th-Tu, Trip to Toronto With A Yiddish Ta'am, minimal (10.000 total Jews in Milan, most Italian, Arbeter Ring, Call 800-922-2558 xt 271 some from Iran, very few Ashkena7jm), the interest is 21 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Highlights of the Yiddish Jacking (what is Yiddish for?), it see:ms a waste of Theater (Part I), Sabel) Bender, Yiddish Culture time. Nevertheless, I would like to try. I~ there Club, JCC, Costa Mesa, CA, Call 714-755-0340 something in your experience that may be useful? 21 Sun., Sholem Aleichem Yortsayt Celebration, Where do you start from, adults or children? Which Yiddish of Greater Wash DC, Call, 301-937-8297 kind of initiative? 28 Sun., Mazel-Tov Cobblers: The First JOO Years I may propose to the Ashkenazic temple a 'Yiddish The Melbourne Yiddish Theater, Kadimah, reading' evening. I envision somebody reading a tale Elslemwick, Australia Call 523-9817 from Isaac Baashevis-Singer or Sholem Aleichem; the 28 Sun. (Last Sun. of each month), 5:00 P.M., occasion may be used to provide some reprints of Manhattan Leyenkrayz, Call 212-874-4765 Mendele discussions, some cookies and a glues tay; I 29 Mon., 8:00 P.M., Brave Old World, Concert for would like to start a Yiddish conversation that is not Federation - CJA, At Metropolis, Montreal, PQ, going to end. Give me your ideas. I think we have a Canada, Call 514-345-2610 dream in common. A New Bilingual Yiddish News Bulletin culture, its contents will be wholly available in the language it is promoting. The mission of the "Workmen's Circle/ 2) Produce two program guides consisting of Arbeter-Ring" is to foster Jewish identity and an annotated bibliography of existing program participation in Jewish life among its members materials suitable for Yiddish groups and clubs. through Jewish, especially Yiddish, culture and The Workmen's Cirde Education Dept. for education, friendship, mutual aid and the pur decades published much material for its suit of social and economic justice. It is fitting branches and many branches have prepared that The Workmen's Circle, an organization fine programs. These materials include closely identified with Yiddish from its incep lectures; dramatic readings; musically illus tion, recently established a Yiddish Outreach trated literary or sociological talks on Jewish Program within its Center for Jewish Cultural culture and history; and text guides to sug Life to support and foster interest, creativity gested themes, tours and activities for group and communication in the world of Yiddish. and communal gatherings using Yiddish We are all aware of the rise of grassroots materials and resources. The program will Yiddish clubs all over North America in the gather copies of the various printed materials last 10-15 years and The Workmen's Circle and place them on file in our resource center wishes to supply these groups with informed, for any group to purchase or borrow. creative program materials that it and its many 3) Publish a Resource Catalogue for those branches have prepared over the many years. interested in Yiddish language and culture and To help fulfill these goals, the Yiddish Out for Yiddish students all over the world, at the reach Program will conduct 3 projects in 1995. end of the 1995. The Resource Catalogue wi11 They are: contain all of the lists prepared in the bulletins 1) Publish a 16-page completely bilingual plus all the accumulated database material quarterly newsletter "Global Yiddish" dedicated typed or scanned in throughout the year. A to the fi eld of Yiddish language and culture to larger addended Resource Catalogue will hope provide communications links and networks fully be published the year after. The style may connecting individuals, groups, clubs and orga be similar to "The Jewish Catalogue" published nizations the world over. The bulletin will by Michael and Sharon Strassfeld and Richard cover literature, media, computers, films, exhi Siege] in the 1970's. bitions, language instruction materials and You may have seen or heard about a similar programs, e-mail, professional services, confer bulletin called "Yiddishl" in English and ences, as well as performances, meetings, "AJveltlech Yidish" in Yiddish that I initiated events, and activities sponsored by various and published at the "Congress for Jewish groups and organizations. This may sound Culture". As the Program Coordinator of the very much like the wonderful "Der Bay" that new Yiddish Outreach Program at Workmen's you are reading right now. Some of the same Circle, I am continuing with the same buJletin events may be I isted in both. Some of the and resource catalogue ideas and initiating the differences will be that this international news new bulletin described above. If you would like letter will be useful to fluent Yiddish s peakers to subscribe, please write to me at: The Work and Yiddish lovers all over the worJd who men's Circle, 45 East 33 Street, New York, N.Y. don't necessarily read English. It will strive to 10016 or call 212-889-6800, ext. 208 or e-mail a cover categories of information in a manner message: [email protected]. We are in the and breadth not available in other publications. process of establishing a Workmen's Circle Unlike "Der Bay", it will not contain articles or internet conference caJled "Yiddish" which letters and thus lack the personal, war m touch wilJ electronically publish our news-letter. We of our beloved Fish1, but it will be published will inform you once preparations are electronically on Internet and local BBS's as completed. well as in print. Lastly, since it is a newsletter a11 about the world of Yiddish language and Mit khaverishe grusn, Reyzl Kalifow icz-Waletzky MAMELOSHN 95: A Yiddish-Speaker's Paradise! May 26-29, 1995 Organized by Workmen's Circle Hemshekh Branch 105 MAMELOSHN 95 is an opportunity to dance, sing, eat, learn, play, even dream, in Yiddish. Programs range from "Yiddish Computing" to "How to Romance in Yiddish." You'Jl practice and sharpen your Yiddish skills, and make new Yiddish-speaking friends! Come to th.is Memorial Day Weekend at Circle Lodge (Dutchess County), HopeweJl Junction, NY CLASSES: IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS. You will practice phrases on a variety of topics, combining grammar and vocabulary in a fun way, with conversational practice. Led by Sheva Zucker. "DANCING ON THE CEILING" (Traditional East European Jewish Dance) Michael Alpert teaches the Jewish wedding dances traditionally done to Klezmer music: the freylekhs, sher, bulgar, and others. Musical accompaniment is by the other members of Brave Old World. THE YIDDISH OF 1995. Looks at Yiddish as a current, living language. Learn how Yiddish is constantly changing. Led by Mordkhe Schaechter. YIDDISH FOR BEGINNERS. Know a little Yiddish and want to add to it? Don't know any and want to see if Yiddish is for you? This is the class for you! Led by Peysakh Fiszman. WORKSHOPS: MENDEL£ - Yiddish On-line with Noyekh Miller What it is. How to get on. What it does for you. Who is on there with you. YIDDISH WORD PROCESSING - The programs you need to produce Yiddish documents for PC & Mac. Led by Martin Deutsch & Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky YIDDISH TEACHERS WORKSHOP. This is for both experienced and future Yiddish teachers. Ellie Kellman will demonstrate techniques for integrating grammar, conversation, reading and writing in an elementary Yiddish class, and instruct participants in the how-to's of curriculum planning. Includes a copy of the Workmen's Circle Curriculum Guide for Yiddish Teachers. WONDERS OF YIDDISH FOLKLORE: "DEMONS, SPIRITS & IMPS" and "LOST TREASURES OF YIDDISH FOLKLORE" Led by Miriam Hoffman. FOLKSONGS OF THE YIDDISH WORKERS MOVEMENT. A social history of Eastern European Jewry through its vocal music. Led by Shularnis Dion. HOW TO ROMANCE fN YIDDISH. Terminology of love, marriage, and endearment. Sources include folksongs, proverbs, and actual experience. Led by Reyzl Kalifowitz-Wa]etsky. FOUND TREASURES: YIDDISH WOMEN'S LITERATURE. Readings and analysis of the following themes: political life, gender relations, parents and children. Material will be from the book of Yiddish Women's literature "Found Treasures." Led by Frieda Forman & Ethel Raicus. EVENING PROGRAM ') YIDDISH CABARET featuring: Naomi Hirsch, Rhoda Bernard, Phy1lis Berk and Elena Ovstrovsky accompanied by Benyumin Schaechter and. M.C. : Branch 105 Chmn. Corey Breier. KLEZMER DANCE featuring BRA VE OLD WORLD. SHABES PROGRAM led by Michael Baran. A Yiddish fi1m to be announced. Yiddish sing-a long, sports, games and a Yiddish scavenger hunt with Yiddish cultural and literary clues. CHILDREN'S PROGRAM It will include games and sports in Yiddish, a "Wheel of Fortune", a Yiddish Talent show, Jewish Holidays Treasure Hunt led by Kolye Borodulin and assisted by Eve Goodman. ABOUT THE PRESENTERS • Michael Alpert has performances and recordings with Kapelye, Brave Old World, and The Krakauer Trio. He is a research associate in ethnomusico)ogy at YJVO. • Michael Baran is Culture Director of Circle Lodge. • Phyllis Berk appeared in many Yiddish shows including the musical 'The Golden Land." She is a Jazz stylist and combines both traditions in the newly released "Coming of Age". • Rhoda Bernard performs with the kJezmer bands KJezamir and The Boston Kleztet. Rhoda is a leading mezzo-soprano, and she currently appears in musical revues. • Kolye Borodulin comes from Birobidzhan and has taught Yiddish at the Birobidzhan Teachers College, B'nai B'rith Summer Camp, and Mid-Town Workmen's Circle Shule. • Brave Old World's appearances include New York's Lincoln Center, Washington's Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, and the Winnipeg Folk FestivaJ. • Martin Deutsch is the design consultant of The Yiddish Forward, and designs Yiddish fonts. He is a consultant ot software producers, and the father of a large Yiddish speaking family. • Shulamis Dion is a New York based Ethno-musicologist, and teacher of Yiddish. She holds an M.A. in Ethno Musicology from Brown University. • Frieda Forman heads the Women's Studies Program at the Ontario College of Art. • Eve Goodman graduated from The Workmen's Circle Mid-Town Shule and is currently the youngest teacher in The Workmen's Circle Shule movement. • Naomi Hirsch, mezzo-soprano was the featured soloist at the 1995 Workmen's Circle Third Seder. An Invested Cantor, she is featured on the Wergo label cd, "Patterns of Jewish life". • Miriam Hoffman lectures in Yiddish and Yiddish literature at Columbia University. She is a Playwright - "A Rendezvous with God," "Songs of Paradise" and "Hold the Wedding". • Ellie Kellman teaches Yiddish language at the University of Toronto and the YIVO-Columbia Weinreich Summer Program. She has a special interest in training new teachers of Yiddish. • Norman "Noyekh" Miller is a sociologist, now retired, whose most recent stint was at Trinity College. He lives in Brookline, Mass., and is the moderator for the MENDELE list online. • Binyumin "Ben" Schaechter is a composer of musicals, and of cabaret and revue songs. Revues with Ben's music include "That's Life", "Pets" and "Too Jewish". • Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter is lecturer in Yiddish studies emeritus, Columbia Univ.; editor of the journals "Afn Shvel" and "Yiddisher Shprakh"; and exec. dir. of the League for Yiddish. • Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletsky coordinates a Yiddish Outreach Program at Workmen's Circle and was Exec. Dir. of the Congress for Jewish Culture. She has taught Yiddish at colleges. • Jeff Warschauer performed with the Bolshoi Ba1let, and is at the YIVO Yiddish Folk Arts Inst. • Sheva Zucker authored "Yiddish: An Introduction to the Language, Literature & Culture"; taught Yiddish at Columbia Univ., Bar I1an University, Duke Univ. and Univ. of Manitoba. For more information, caJI 212-889-6800 ext.284 or outside NY 800-922-2558 ext.284 or E-mail [email protected] or [email protected] New Yiddish Institute Yiddish Course at The Spiro Institute Ron Wright Roger Harris MC'ndcle online Fourteen years since Dovid Katz introduced The first Spiro Institute Yiddish Summer Experience will take place between Monday 14th August and Friday his one hour a week Yiddish class to Oxford, a 25th August 1995. new Institute devoted entirely to Yiddish has The Spiro Institute's Yiddish "Ulpan" is the first of its opened! kind in this country. It involves not only the teaching of Projects as diverse as the first Summer the Yiddish language, but also lectures on the Bible, Course of the new Institute (July 17-August Yiddish film and music as well as lectures on Yiddish 11), publication world's only literary monthly folklore. The eminent lecturers will include: magazine aU in Yiddish, a film of the last Jews Ofra Elyagon - writer and journalist, of Belarus, an introduction of a new syllabus Professor Dov Noy - Professor of Jewish Folklore at for pre-university Yiddish examinations and Hebrew University, an Oxford Yiddish-English dictionary, are all Moshe Shidletski - musicologist with expertise in underway. All this is in addition to the Yiddish music and folk songs who has produced music Institute's work in Yiddish studies at Oxford programmes for Kol Yisrael, Lea Szlanger - actress, singer and broadcaster, University. Dr. Kobi Wietzner - lecturer at Bar Ilan and Tel Aviv If you would like to receive further University. specializes in the works of Sholem Aleichem, information on any of the above, write, call or as well as Yiddish theatre and films. fax to: Cost of the Yiddish Summer Experience is #125 Oxford Institute for Yiddish Studies, (GBP125). The evening programme which will include Golden Cross Court, 4 Cornrnarket, concerts and theatrical performances will be open to those not participating in the day programme. Oxford OXl 3EX ENGLAND Telephone +44 (0)171 431 0345. The Spiro Institute, The Tel: 011441865 798989 Old House, c/ o King's College London, Kidderpore Ave., Fax: 011 44 1865 798987. London NW3 7SZ. Peninsula Jewish Community Center 2440 Carlmont Drive Belmont,· California 94002 ~Jew,sn Commun,ty Centers The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community June-August 1995 Vol 5 No 6 Der Redaktor Yiddish funny stories "NISHKOSHE" . Kayle Goodman Meodele online The enlarged Conference Committee for the Next International Yiddish Club Conference, in Miami next Eyn id trcft dem andem arn gas. March 1-4, reports that exciting plans are showing Got helf, reb Yank!, vos makht ir epes? increased interest. Requests for information have come from all m·er the U.S., Canada, Israel, England, Ay vos zol ikh aykh zogn! Nit gut! Mayn gantse hoyz France, Australia, Germany and Russia. The newest mit'n gesheft zanen ogebrent gevorn. addition to the Committee was the appointment of Oy vey, is dokh shlekht! Stephen Dowling, Co-chairperson of Mameloshn 95. He will represent the New York area. Khapt nit, es iz nit azoy shlekht. Ikh bin geven "It's summertime" and your editor looks forward to farstrakhirt, hob ikh opgenumen mer, vi di hoyz mit'n projects which had to wait. There is the outline of a gesheft zanen vert geven. trip around Yiddish America. Plans call for an auto journey visiting the key people, and institutions in the Akh, iz dos gut! Zayt ir dokh tsurik afn ferd! U.S. and Canada. Just mapping and the logistics is a Aylt zikh nit, es iz nit azoy gut! Vos iz? large task. Probably no one will actually take this trip, Mayn vayb nit far kayn idn gedakht, iz geshtorbn. but portions could be used. Any suggestions would be appreciated. There is no monetary return expected. Oy iz dos shlekht. Second are The List of 100 Key Yiddishists, and Neyn, es iz nit azoy shlekht. The List of 100 Key Activists. Only a 'broad panel can be impartial in its selection. There are people who fit Vi heysl? Nit shlekht? Vos ken zeyn nokh erger? in both categories. How to handle this matter is one of Farsshteyt ir mikh--ikh hob genumen an andere, a the issues which has not yet been established. yunge, a sheyne, mil asakh nadn. Der bay is particularly excited about all of the wonderful Yiddish summer programs covered in its Akh, aderabe! Iz dokh gor fayn. issues. The Arbeter Ring/Workmen's Circle deserves special mention, for it is the only major fraternal Khapt nit, es siz nit azoy fayn oykh. Vos iz? Es volt organization which is actively fostering Yiddish. Its geven take gor fayn, nor rnir hobn antkegn unzer hoyz a Jewish Cultural Experience at Circle Lodge is yunger ofitscr. Iz treft zikh a mol, az mayn vayb klaybt especially noteworthy and highly recommended. zikh ariber tsum ofitser. Un az an ofitser mit a yunger Mendele onlinc continues to grow rapidly. If you sheyner vaybl zanen tzuzamen, ret men mistome nit fun have trouble getting online call your editor. toyre. Please look under your address on the back page. It Fe! Iz dokh mies a bizoyen ! Iz dokh take emes shlekht! shows the date your contribution last helped keep this newsletter going. If it has been a year already, please, Es redt zidkh azoy: shlekht, ober es iz nit gor shlekht. please contribute again. If there is an error, tell us. Vos heyst, vos redt ir? Es iz dokh mies. Der bay is the clearinghouse for teachers, gigs programs, and translators. There is no listing charge. Der ofitser, darft ir visn, hot a yunge vaybl, un take a ti Fishl t1 Kutner, 1128 Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, shcyn vaybl. Iz ven mayn vaybl geyt tsum ofitser, kumt CA 94403, is your editor. Use the home phone (415) dcm ofitsers vaybl tsu mir. 349-6946. E-mail address is fi shl @wcll.sf.ca.us Make checks for der bay's support payable to (PJCC), Nu, meyle is dokh vayter kayn sakone nit, iz dokh gut. Peninsula and send it and all mail to the editor. Es iz nit gut, un es iz nit shlekht; es iz nishkoshe. internatsionaler kalendar June July 1 Thurs., 7:30 P.M., A K.hasene in Shtetl (film), 4-7 Choosing to Speak and \:Vrite in Yiddish Rabbi Raiskin (facilitator), Peninsula Temple within Multilingual Cultures, David Gold Sholom, Burlingame, CA Call 415-697-2266 berg, Jewish Cultural Experience at Circle Lodge, 4 Every Sun., 2:30 P.M., DC JCC Leyenkrayz, Hopewell Jct., NY, Call 800-922-2558 ext 272 Washington DC, Call 301 -.587-6861 . 7-9 Riddles, Questions & Soluations in 5 Every Mon, 10:00 A.M, Yiddish Folk Players Yiddish Song, Zalmen Mlotek, Circle Lodge, B/RJCC, Berkeley, CA, Call 510-547-6173 Hopewell Jct., NY, Call 800-922-2558 ext 272 5 First Mon. of each month, 7:00 P.M., A Yiddish 9-13 North American Jewish Choral Festival, Discussion Grp., Hebrew Home & Hosp., NEW Concord Hotel, K.iamesha Lake, NY West Hartford, CT, call 203-236-4571 xt 351 9-14 Yiddish Performance Workshop, Pesakh 6 Tues., 7:30 P.M., Three Rivers Arts Festival, Fiszman & Chayele Ash, Circle Lodge, Brave Old World, Pittsburgh, PA, Hopewell Jct., NY, Call 800-922-2558 ext 272 Call 412-261-7040 14-16 Zi iz der Shrayber, Ellen Kellman & Sarah 8 Every Thur, 10:30 A.M, (NEW) Chevra Chai Swartz, Circle Lodge, Hopewell Junction, NY, Yiddish Club, Contra Costa JCC, Walnut Creek, Arbeter Ring, Call 800-922-2558 ext 272 CA, Call 510-938-7800 16-21 The Odyssey of American Yiddish 9-11 Fri,-Sun., Annual Weekend, Solway House, Literature, Circle Lodge, Hopewell Jct., NY, Friends of Yiddish, New York City, Arbeter Ring Call 800-922-2558 ext 272 Call 718-224-5497 17-8/11 Oxford Institute for Yiddish Studies, 11 Sun., 2 P.M., Highlights of the Yiddish Theater Featuring "The Painter in his Time", Prof. Yonia (Part II), Sabell Bender, Yiddish Culture Club, Fain; and "Works of Isaac Bashevis Singer", JCC, Costa Mesa, CA, Call 714-755-0340 Prof. Chone Shmeruk,Golden Cross Court, 11 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Mikado, Gilbert & Sullivan 4 Cornmarket, Oxford, OX 1 3EX, England, Yiddish Light Opera Co.,Yiddish Club, Fax 44-1865-798987 Cranbury, NJ, Call 609-655-5517 30-8/24 Rena Costa Center for Yiddish Studies 11 Sun., Zalmen Mlotek Annual Yiddish of Greater at Bar Ilan University, Israel, Call 212-337-1270 Washington Program, Call 301-881-0100 11 Sun. 7:30 P.M., 7:30 P.M. L. Meisner & R. Aug Igelfeld,Yiddish Culture Club of LA.Annual 7 Every Mon., 5:00 P.M. Yiddish Culture Soc. of Banquet, Los Angeles, CA, Call 310-275-8455 Jerusalem, 10 Rechov Sholom Aleichem, 13 Tues., 7:30 P.M., Kaylee McCullom, Unzer Call 02-712-218 Shprakh, Columbus, OH, Call 614-231-2244 11-13, Jewries at the Frontier (intl.conf.) 13 & 27 Tues. (2nd & 4th), 1:00 PM, About Yiddish, Univ. of Cape Town, South Africa, JCC of Metro. Detroit, MI, Call 313-967-4030 (in US) Call 312-702-8494 or e-mail 18 Sun., Noon, The Boston Kleztet featuring shai n@beatti e. uct. ac. edu Rhoda Bernard, Israel Street Festival, Harvard 13 Sun., 9:00 A.M. & 1:30 P.M., Yiddish at Street, Brookline, MA, Call 617-965-6839. CAJE Pre-conference, Amherst, MA, 18 Sun., 2:30 P.M., Rakhmiel Peltz (Teaches Call 301 -933-3520 Yiddish at Columbia Univ.) Yiddish Lecture Series, 13 Sun. (2nd), 10:00 A.M., Minneapolis, MN, Arbeter Ring, Brookline, MA, Call 617-566-6281 Jewish Community Center, Yiddish Vinkl, 18 Sun., Mazel-Tov Cobblers: The First 100 Call 612-377-5456 Years The Melbourne Yiddish Theater, Kadimah, 13-18 Hands-On Performance Workshops, Elsternwick, Australia Call 523-9817 Pesakh Fisz.man & Zalmen Mlotek, Circle Lodge, -~c; '.:.·~1;·,.,: !..,~ '...; P.M., Mikado, Gilbert & Sullivan Hopewell Jct., NY, Cal I 800-922-2558 ext 272 Yiddish Light Opera Co.,Winnipeg. Canad,l, Call 204-334-5.587 NY, Call 800-398-2630 25-7/2 NYBC Summer Program in Yiddish 14-25 Spiro Summer Institute, King's College, Culture, Mount Holyoke College, S. Hadley, London, Call +44 171 431 0345 or e-mail MA, Call 413-535-1303 [email protected]. uk 26 Mon, Yiddish Open Air Concert, Earl Bales 23 7:30 P.M., Rayinia Festival, Brave Old World Park, Toronto, Canada, Call 416-635-2803 xt 155 Highland Park, IL, Call 3 12-729-4642 26-8/4 YIVO Weinreich Summer Institute, 27-9/1 Jewish Humor, Ruth Levitan, The Jewish Elementary, Intermediate, & Advanced Classes; Cultural Experience at Circle Lodge, Hopewell Jeffrey Salant, Director; Call 212-246-6080 Junction, NY, Call 800-922-25.58 ext 272 28-7/13 "Pepper, Silk & Ivory", The Orient 30-9/6 Yugntruf Yidish Vokh, Yugntruf, In the Through Jewish Eyes, Call 516-829-8595 Berkshires, (Glatt Kosher) Call 212-787-6675 Best of Zel lig Ba c h-Fro m M e n de l e O n l in e "Aleykhem's" home? ln such a process Yiddish would, of course, lose the specificity of the Ashkenaz way of forging and molding Sholern Aleykhem lived in Kiev for a time. The home for hundreds of years its speech patterns, as ,,veil as the still stands but in a rundown condition. Than.ks to the cadence and music of the spoken Yiddish. efforts of a group of khoyvevey (lovers) of Yiddish and Two observations: One: Hebrew itself is called in admirers of the great writer it is now being refurbished Yiddish "loshn koydes h," not "lashon koydesh;" Two: and will be opened as a museum. in orthodox and conservative synagogues, and (I believe) The weekly National Jewis h Post & Opinion also in reform temples the traditional greeting "Gut (Indianapolis, IN) carries a column called "Digest of the Shabes" is exchanged among the congregants after the Yiddish Press" conducted by a rabbi from Delray Beach, Friday-night service, and not "Gut-shabath." Florida, and he reported the above news under the heading Mame "lashon" is alien, cold, distant, and remote. "Aleykhem's Home" as if "Aleykhem" were the last name I can imagine the following scene: To amuse her young of the writer's pseudonym. child, Yiddish once spruced up in a totally unaccustomed True, his first name ,,vas indeed Sholem, but his choice outfit-a bolero, Greek-tasseled shoes with unusually of the compound expression "Sholem Aleykhem" as a pen high, Spanish dancers' stiletto heels, a Turkish wrap name carried a singular emotional significance -- to around, and a dramatic hairdo supported by large, fancy manifest his genuine fellowship v,rith his readers, an ever combs -- and masqueraded before him as mame-"lashon." present reaching out, and a symbolic gesture of a strong and The child looked at her, got frightened, and started to friendly handshake. cry. He did not recognized his mother -- mame loshn.. . Were the good rabbi minimally acquainted with Sholem Aleykhern's work, he would naturally know his Yiddish without ayens? famous monologues in which he portrayed himself as the verbatim chronicler of his characters. In these stories they The French writer Georges Perec published years ago addressed him familiarly with "you know, Mr. Sholem a book of almost 300 pages with not a single / e/ in it. It Aleykhem," but never, did he "address" himself in his has now been translated into English with the same self own writing, through his characters, as "Mr. Aleykhem." imposed restriction by the author, as in the original, You would think that a rabbi conducting a weekly again without a single /e/ in sight. digest of the Yiddish press ought to be sufficiently Upon reading in the New York Times Book Review acquainted with the warm and homey expression "sholem about both the e-less original and its translation, I play aleykhem" and not truncate it into two halves. fully asked myself, for curiosity's sake, if such a literary P.S. I trust I am not trespassing on the specialized feat, completely without the letter ayen, (mostly territory of my good friend and fellow Mendelyaner Louis pronounced [el), ·were possible in Yiddish. Not that it (Leybl) Fridhandler who knows so much and writes so often would prove anything if it could be done; and it would about Sholem Aleykhem. After all, Sholem Aleykhem not necessarily be a sign of paucity of Yiddish or a lack of belongs to all of us. its extraordinary rich and wonderful capacity to express itself if it could not be done. Still, my prompt silent answer Schizographia to myself was a categorical "loy mit an alef" -- no! How could one write "Mendele" without the letter The same Digester referred to above did not, for some ayen? How could one mention Bashevis-Singer, the only reason, digest the fact that when writing in English about Yiddish writer who won the Nobel Prize, without ayens? Yiddish he can not and, indeed, should not use "mame As the letter/ e/ is by far the most common in both lashon" in place of mame-loshn. The two are simply not French and English, so it seems to me is Yiddish, abundant interchangeable. ly and continually fed ,vith ayens: the dear diminutives of "Marne Lashon" is a sad hybrid spelling bordering on children's names-Beylke, Minke, Sorke; Arele, Motke, schizographia (when one spells a word with one Zelke, and so on, ad infinitum; and all the hundreds of pronunciation in mind but pronounces it in a different ·way). thousands of adjectives and nouns with ayens-ekhte, This touches on the wider question of why Yiddish erlekh, sheyne; hulye, gefeln, kheynevdik, munter, oso'be, origin loan-words from Hebrew are practically always o'tem, shpilkes, etc. etc., to mention but a very, very few fot romanized in English dictionaries according to the modern the sake of of a minuscule illustration of this class of Hebrew pronunciation and not in conformity with the v,rords. Yiddish pronunciation from which sphere they were And what about, when people drop in, the ever-ready borrowed in the first place. urging invitations, in the form of questions: "Epes esn?" "A If one were to be consistent and follow the rabbi's way of glezele tey?" or the constant chant of "SS Mayn Kind," the writing "mame-lashon" instead of mame-loshn, other Jewish ocean-going steamship... Hebrew components in Yiddish would similarly suffer the And how about gehakte leber, knishes, kneydJekh, same schizographic fate, such as "baa! ha'bayis," for kreplekh, tsimes, and many other marvels of the Jewish instance, for balebos. "baa! agolah" for balegole, 'bet kitchen that one could not possibly do without ayens? hamidrash," f9r besmedresh, and so on and on. Yiddish without ayens would not have a yidishn tam! Best of Zellig Bach-From Mendele Online Oysyes in idiomatishe oysdrukn af yidish I concluded my post "Ale yidishe oysyes small dot, a tiny spark. But it may also be a ref zaynen vikhtik" (4.398,5) with the statement erence to the letter "yud", since in many Yid that all Yiddish-Hebrew letters of the alefbeys dish dialects "yud" is pronounced "yid," the are vikhtik (important), all major, none initial letter of yid (Jew), yidish (yiddish), minor." yidishkayt (Jewishness). There are a number of Yiddish idioms in Since the letters of the alefbeys are often re which a letter from the alefbeys figures to ferred to ,collectively as "di shvartse pintelekh" illustrate or emphasize a specific characteristic (the black dots), as in the expression "er iz of a person or a situation. Herewith several bo'ky in the shvarftse pintelekh" -- he is a examples: learned man, totally at home in Jewish letters -- it is quite likely that the idiomatic expression 1. "She told me the entire story "from ale£ biz "dos pintele yud (yid)" carries "both" connota sof", which is, of course, the same as "from A tions, to a person as well as to the letter yud to Z." proper. 2. "Loy mit an alef" (lamed with an alef) is said 7. "A tsadik in pelts'' -- a pious man in a in Yiddish as an emphatic rejection. In Hebrew pelt, one ,,,..,ho only pretends to be pious. "lamed ale£" means "no," as distinct from the In other words, he is pious only in the Hebrew "lamed vov" which means "to him." "word" pelts, spelled pey, ayen, lamed, ()anger) tsadek, but not pious in real life. 3. "Er veys nit fun kayn tsures alef"--he does It is a play on the homonymic tsadek (letter) not know the face of an aJef, said contemp and tsadik (pious man, also khasidik re'be), tuously of a illiterate person. similar to the "hey" and "hay" in example 4 above. 4. "Er vayzt dem ferd a hey in sider"-he The accent in both "tsadek" and "tsadik" shows his horse (the letter) hey in sider (prayer is on the first syllable, so when spoken there book), instead of feeding him rectl, nutritious is no significant difference in sound between hay. [A play on the homonymic "hey" and them, thus allowing for the Jetter ("tsadek") "hay."] to be also perceived as "tsadik," a very frumer (pious) yid hiding in a fur coat... 5. "Er vet nit optretn afile af a koytse shel yud" -- he ,-von't yield even the tip of a yud, that is 8. "Shtel deroyf tsvey fayen" -- you can place the smallest particle of the letter yud, although on it two feys (fey = f). The meaning is: Forget the letter itself is the smallest in the alefbeys. it, it is unrecoverable (like an old ovrerdue debt, for instance). 6. "Dos pintele yid awoke in him," said about a The tw,o feys are a reference to initials, one Jew who in many ways became alienated from for the initial of the prefix "far," the second for Jewish Jife and its usual concerns, but in an the initial of the verb "fain" (together hour of a great tragedy to the Jewish people "farfaln" -- lost, hopeless). manifested in a dramatic act his sense of Jew ish responsibility ("all Jews are responsible for 9. "Pasekh shin sha!" -- a code warning not to one another") by some outstanding gesture of say a word, not even a pip, lest a critical or involvement and connectedness. offensive com1nent be said about a person in lt is usually said about a person, and "dos his or her presence. pintele yid" is a reference to the core of one's Sometimes "pasekh shin" alone suffices, Jewishness, even if it is only a "pintele," a without "sha." Finest of Fridhan dler on Mendele The Young Shtifer: Sholem-Aleykhem My family's Yiddish was shaped by Sholern Ikh muz zikh moyde zayn az ltsum onheyb bin Aleykhem's Yiddish which is my favorite. ikh geven a bisl antoysht. Der shpas iz mir \'\'hen I read Sholem-Aleykhem I seem to hear nisht ingantsn gefeln, un bikhlal hob ikh zikh my family speaking again. No wonder I am nisht azoy oysgemolt Sholem-Aleykhemen. curious about the character and personality of HaZot na-ami? [Hebrew intetjiection?] Ot der Sholem-Aleykhem. Others probably have a oysgeputster, frantisher yungermantshik mitn similar curiosity. His writing is so widely kaylekhikn hitl in a zayt, mitni gantsn oyszen loved. fun a halb berze-soykher halb .artist -- dos iz Sholem-Aleykhem, der barimlter shrayber? In childhood he w as a shtifer (a mischievous prankster). A charmingly mischievous child My translation: often receives adults' encouragement, and sometimes grows up to try similar shtiferay. I met Sholem-Aleykhem in pe:rson for the first An anecdote by J.H. Ravnitski offers a glimpse time while printing *Stempenyu*. I'm at the of Sholem-Aleykhem's shtiferish bent in printing shop w hen a young man walks in and young ad ult hood (age 29). In 1888 Sholem asks the printer where Ravnitski might be Aleykhern walked into Ravnitski's printing found. The, p rinter points to me. shop in Odessa and ... " "I've just come from Kiev, and bring you Ravnitski writes: warm regards from a confrere you know very well," says the young man. Beshas drukn *Stempenyu* hob ikh zikh dos ershte mol perzenlekh bakent mit Sholem "That must be from Sholem-Aleykhem." Aleykhemen. Ikh zits in druk, kumt arayn a yungerman un git a freg dem druker, vu men "Right on target." ken gefinen Ravnitskin, un yener vayzt im on af mir. I begin to ask questions about Sholem Aleykhem, and he answers some of them, not "Ikh kurn itst fun Kiev," zogt mir der all, of course, because he knows him only yungerman, "Un ikh hob aykh gebrakht a through meeting him almost every day at the frayndlekhn gris fun a gutn bakantn." stock exchange. That was his story, told with out the slightest trace of a smile. Finally, I "Avade fun Sholem-Aleykhemen." gathered from one of his repliies that this was just a prank. The young man was none other "Glaykh vi getrofn." than Sholem-Aleykhem. Ikh nem zikh derfregn baym yungenman vegn I must admit that at first I was somewhat disap Sholem-Aleykhemen, un er entfert mir af pointed. I was not entirely pleased by the trick, eynike shayles, nisht af ale, vayl er ken im and I hadn't visualized Sholem-Aleykhem like eygntlekh nor fun dem vos er bagegnt im oft, this. So elegant? This well-dressed, foppish kemot yedn tog, af der berze. Azoy dertseylt er young guy with a round little hat cocked to one mir un bavayzt nisht derbay keyn simen fun a side, all in all, appearing to be half stock mer shmeykhl. Biz ikh hob fun eyn tshuve z ikh chant, half artis t-this is Shollem-Aleykhem, ongeshtoysn, az dos iz nisht mer vi a shpas, un the famo us writer? [Tsum Ondenk Fun der yungerman iz take Sholem-Aleykhem Sholem-A leykhem, ed. I. Zinberg, and S. Niger, aleyn. Petrograd: I.L. Peretz-Fund, 19'17, p. 50) Finest of Fridhandler on Mendele Warm invitation from Sholem-•Aleykhem Both Sholem-Alevkhem and J.H. Ravnitski were born rmy translationl in 1859. Their peimnalities were quite different. Sholem-A leykhem seems to have been generally Why do you a~k who told me you were going to affable, even daring, brash and mischievously playful Sk:vira? After all, Paya and Boni [mutual friends] were while Ravnitski was known as a "shvayger", a with us, visiting. And about your claim that it's reserved, quiet, thoughtful one. His literary taste and difficult: the only obstacle is your agreement to get judgment gained the deep respect of his colleagues. In yourself to just do it. These days, the trip itself costs a 1892 these two began a brief collaboration, writing pinch of srnuff: four or five rubles. At our place you'd critical essavs in Hebrew under the rnbric, Kevurat live like God in France. Soferim (Burying Writers). They usw as pseudonyms the names of t\vo obscure prophets (Numbers 11:26- Listen to this: a separate little furnished room for you, a 29), Eldad (Sholem-Aleykhem) and Medad ba<;in for morning washing in fresh water from the (Ravnitski). The warmth of Sholem-Aleykhem's Dnieper piped in from Kiev and a little marble tub with friendly feeling toward Ravnitski is expressed in a letter a little pool! for swimming; a garden with all kinds of pub]jshed in Der Tog (New York) on 'October 28, fruit: sour cherries, raspberries, sweet cherries; later in 1923, page 8. The latter is dated July 4, 1895, when he the sea<,on, apples and pears; bergamot; magnificent, wrote in Yiddish from his summer place in Boyarka fragrant flowers; a stream with fish and colored boats; (near Kiev) inviting Ravnitski to be his guest there. music every evening in the woods at twilight; free theater and concert<,; all manner of newspapers and Vos heyst ver hot mir dertseylt az ir fort keyn Sk:vire? book<,; spring chickens and roast ducklings; dairy Pave un Boni zenen dokh Qeven bav undz. Un vos ir goods (mai1nly from Tevye); dumplings, blintzes. zogt mir oykh shver, is no~ shver d(heskeme biz ir vet bay zikh poyln. Di nesiye aleyn kost haynt a shrnek The only thing missing: maskilim. When clever sages tabake, fir oder finef n.1bl. Un lebn vet ir bay undz vi of Kiev ever do take a trip out here, they keep out of Got in Frank.raykh. Dehayne, a bazunder tsugekJoybn sight and soon rush home. They can't stand this air. khevderl fun avertve1m mit a klevn bed! af tsu bodn All in all, I tell you, our place is a ta<,te of paradise. zikh in der f ri fn frishn Dniepr vaser get<,oygn durkh You would[ be worse than an apostate if you don't rem fun Kiev un a marmor bit! mit a kleyn baseyntshikl snatch at lea<;t a few days to drop in this summer. It af tsu shvimen, a gortn mit alerley peryes, vaynshl, would be ai sign of your unworthiness. Karasik [a malines, karshn un shpeter oykh epl mit barn, ma<,kil], assistant to the Jewish censor in Kiev, has berhamotn mit gdolim, blumen sheyqe shmekendike, a already, thank God, returned from Kharkov, but he tayk.hl mit fish un mit shiflekh gefarbte, muzik ale remains the same Karasik as ever. I haven't received a farnakht in vald, teatershpil un konL<;ertn on gelt, single bc,ok from him. This coming Sunday, he and his tsaytungen un bikher alerley, yunge oyfes mit whole household is coming to visit us for the day. If katshkelekh g<:'brotene, milk.hiks fun Tevyen l'rov, you're smart, you'll come, too. All kinds of guests are kr<:'plekh, varenikes, vertutin, mlinlses. gathering ait our place next Sunday: from Kiev, Berdichev, Vasilkov, and from Warsaw. Nor evn zakh f evlt: maskilim, a rendl a maskil. Khokhomi Kie< kum<:'n afile vo amol aher t<;u fom, [End of translation] nor me zevt zev nisht den zev antlovfn bald tsurik aheym. Zey konen nisht fartrogn drhige luft. Haklol, The letter ended on an even more seductive note. ikh zog aykh, s'iz bay undz a shtik gan edn. Ir vet Ravnitski was a 36-year-old widower, and Sholem zayn erger fun geshmodt oyb ir vet kholile nisht Aleykhem mentioned an approaching visit by an aropkhapn zik.h L<.,u undz hayntikn zumer khot5h af attractive woman who was then looking for a husband. etlikhe leg. Es vet zayn a simen az ir zent dos nisht I can't help wondering if this did not make Ravnitski, a vert. Karasik, der gelhilf funem yidishn senzor in rather independent type, a bit an.xiou<,. After all was Kiev, iz shoyn borekh hashem gekumen tsurik fun said and done, he did not accept this fine invitation at Kharkov nor er iz geblibn alt<, der eygener Kara5ik vos that time. Summer life in Boyarka of the 1890s sounds f rier. Jkh hob fun im kevn shum bukh nit bakumen. wonderful. Hayntikn Zuntik kumt er tsu undz in Boyarka af a tog, er un zayn gants hoyzgezind. Ven ir hot seykhl kumt ir Note the mention of Tevve, a real milkman in Bovarka. ovkh Zuntik. This letter was written a couple of months before ·he Ee; vet zavn bav undz havntikn Zuntik a L5tmovffor fun wrote (or c-orresponded with editor Mordecai Spector gest alerhand; fun Kiev)un BardiL5hev fun Vasilkov, about) his very first Tevye story, Tevye der Milk.hiker un fun Varshe. (original title, later changed to Dos Groyse Gevins). A Great Mid-Western Yiddish Institute A letter from New Jersey We heard of a wonderful opportunity for April 9 was a great day at Temple Beth Arn, our Central States friends to have a fulfilling in Lakewood, NJ. At 2 pm began one of the best Yiddish experience September 7-10, 1995. The Klezrner events (concerts) to hit Ocean County, JCC Chicago Yiddish Institute has been a well or any co,unty. Over 400 Klezrner Aficionados attended annual event. This year's program is heard (fhe Prez of Klez), Harold Seletsky and slated to be the best ever. his "West End Klezmorim". The feature speaker will be Dr. Nathaniel For over two hours, the audience was Stampfer, Professor of Jewish Studies and "Klezmerized" by an upscale musical group. former dean of the Spertus Institute of Jewish Each musician is a virtuoso in his own right. Studies and the Director of Religious Studies They play together, for the love of Yiddish and Conversational Yiddish. music. The vocalist can be compared to no one. Rabbi Marvin Tokayer, author of The Fugu The proceeds went to Temple Beth Am. Plan: The Untold Story of the Japanese and Since getting together with Harold, for the the Jews During World War II, and well first time since 1943. yes I said 1943, I have known authority on the Jews of the Orient buttressed my love for Yiddish music. As a will discuss his many trips to Japan. result, I agreed to become the manager of "The Helen Schechtman, coordinator of the West End Klezmorim". Institute also wrote that the entertainment In der ibay 1 know I can reach many of the will be furnished by Shoshana Ron, versatile Yiddish people in the US and Canada. They international vocalist. Helen, further noted should have the "nakhes" of hearing and that she will be visiting the Jewish sites in seeing this group in action. China and Japan and will report back to us. Contact Milton Zwang, 1818 Sweetbay Drive, For information call 312-743-7680 Toms River, NJ 08755, or call 908-914-8925. Non-Plolll OrQOnlzotlon USR:>staoe ~AID RINmll No. 3 Belmont. Com. The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community September 1995 Vol 5 No 7 Der Redaktor internatsionaler kalendar Be sure to look for the application form for the Sept Third International Yiddish Club Conference in Miami 1-6 Yugntruf Yidish Vokh, Yugntruf, In the next March 1-4. In the next issue you will see the list Berkshires, (Glatt Kosher) Call 212-787-6675 of programs and speakers. While there is another good 2 Every Sat., 7:30 P.M. Yiddish Culture Club of hotel only a few blocks away, the best reservations go L.A., Los Angeles, CA, Call 213-275-8455 to the early conferees-so come on down for the 3 Every Sun., 2:30 P.M., DC JCC Leyenkrayz, biggest and best Conference of all. Washington DC, Call 301-587-6861 Sheva Zucker returns! Likewise a new column, 4 Every Mon., 1:00 P.M., Yiddish Club, 7000 "Rcshtlekh (Odds 'n Ends)"-a response to the many Canal Blvd, New Orleans, Call .504-288-0325 items sent in. The best ones are selected and featured. 4 Every Mon., 5:00 P.M. Yiddish Culture Soc. of Another interesting article is the follow-up on the Jerusalem, Israel, Call 02-712-218 September '94 article on Prof. Yao Yi-en, the 5 Every Tues., Noon, Yale-New Haven remarkable translator of Sholom Aleichem into Leyenkrayz, New Haven, CT, Call 203-288-8206 Chinese. He is TYN Shanghai contact for der bay. 6 Every Wed., 2:30 P.M., Kadimah Meeting, Don't miss the Yugntruf Yidish-Vokh at Berkshire Elsternwick, Australia, Call 61-3-523-9817 Hills Emanuel Camps, Copake, New York. It is one of 6 Every Wed., Noon, Yiddishkeit Rap Group, the foremost retreats, and the 20th in this series. North Hollywood, CA, Call 818-984-0276 "Yiddish for the Visually Impaired" discusses 7 Thurs. (1st & 3rd), Yiddish Club of Baltimore, Yiddish resources available for the blind and low Baltimore Hebrew College, Call 410-486-1100 vision readers. Of special importance are the addresses 7 Thurs., (3) 6:30 P.M., Alef-Beys Literacy Mini and phone numbers given. Course, YIVO, Shulamis Dion (Instructor), Elaine Zellig Bach, our regular, erudite writer, has an Kaufman Cultural Ctr., NYC, Call 212-246-6080 article on "Children's Names in Verbal Aggression." It 10 Sun (2nd), 1:00 P.M., Svive Leyenkrayz, is a journey back into his childhood and looks at Albert Schultz, Palo Alto, CA, Call 510-886-1888 childhood encounters we have all witnessed. 10 Sun. (2nd), 10:00 A.M., JCC Yiddish Vink!, Meet our newest Canadian TYN contact from Minneapolis, MN, Call 612-377-5456 Halifax, Nova Scotia. Also read about our new FREE 10 Suns. (2nd & 4th), 2:30 P.M., Tokyo Yiddish Club, service-translators/interpreters clearinghouse. JCC of Tokyo, Japan, Call 03-3400-2559 FIFTH ANNIVERSARY issue coming in January. It 12 Tues. (2nd), Soc. for the Preservation of Yiddish, will be a limited edition for supporting readers. Solel Temple, Encinitas, CA, Call 619-436-0654 Please look under your address on the back page. It 12 Tues. (2nd & 4th), 1:00 P.M., About Yiddish, shows the date your contribution last helped keep this JCC of Metro. Detroit, Ml, Call 313-967-4030 newsletter going. If it has been a year already, please, 12 Tues. (2nd & 4th), 10:30 A.M., Holiday Pk., please contribute again. If there is an error, tell us. SCC, Wheaton, MD, Call 301-649-7472 Der bay is the clearinghouse for teachers, gigs 13 Weds. (2nd, 3rd, & 4th), 7:30 P.M., Unzer programs, translators, and help for beginners online. Shprakh, Columbus, OH, Call 614-231-2244 There is no listing charge. "Fishl II Kutner, 1128 13 Wed. (2nd), 7:30 P.M., Mamaloshn Mayvonim Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA 94403, is your Buffalo, NY (Visitors welcome) 716-834-7075 editor. Use the home phone (415) 349-6946. E-mail 18 Mon. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Circle of Yiddish Clubs, address is [email protected] Make checks for der Soref JCC, Plantation, FL, Call 305-792-6700 24 Sun. (Last Sun. of each month), 5:00 P.M., bay's support payable to (PJCC), Peninsula and send it and all mail to the editor. Manhattan Leyenkrayz, Call 212-874-4765 l( 7'T l't 1yriJ1K (seals) tlY?.lnn 11K 1~itc ttt(l t1::i::1w 1,s•::>-c1• .IJ7iD IJ'jJJ y;x 7'7Y77 i7!r.,-r;;,,-j-,y Y7.l .(verdict, judgment) pi-pcD l~T itc!l t1iYt1'l Y7.l r,K (Book of Life) c••rn,-ic0 cyi l'K (fate) 1,iu .(fateful sentence) 1Tl cyi ltt~::i (charity) iTj:'il 11K ,(prayer) iT''!ln ,(repentance) iTj1Wn tl'7.l lYi' lt1Y:l0'1K t.?'7.l1Yi 1?Y11 ,,, Tt( lflt(il ''T ?::ll .2t(1' IJYJ"H an '1'7H cii!l C'jJl ,,,otc 11Yn iy::i•iy, . .?t.?'11j.' t11l l':_C T'K ll1l Yllt(? t< 1:lt(il ,,, '1Tl':_C .11~?:i CJ'J j~)W l''P lYi' 11H JJ):!{ YJJX? X CJX,7 o;,x 1X i'~Y!l 0'1K t,YT iYlY7.lY Tt:_C 0t(i tlr'f.l (shofar blower) ny•pr-,-1,yJ iYt11l l':_C l~T 1l l1lYl t!'J K7.lf107.l .'1Tt< Kpi11 tl'J T'K'0 iY:lt( 7t ?l(1t1'1 1Y1 .Y'Ttct!J?'._(0-p?t(O 1Y1 J'K l'::1l':_C 'l'tl T'K ..rmD::> llt(?Vl ,lill'7J 1Yt1''11l l( iy0yJ iY1t( ,(scapegoat) ?Tt(n;,-1•yw t:_e ,,, ll'J 0}$1 11K '11Y p•1,1V17.l1K lt< lYT.)YJ 110 t?"ttVlt(J l?t(T .,,,, Tt( '1Tt( (sins) m1•jy Y1YT1l1K '1'1K (atone) l~T is:,7.) ?t(T 0}$11 , ,,,.. ,:nr7t'l:r"1, t( ,,, ,t!ll(TYl Y?}5 '1 110 tl"t!V71}'5tl YT.) .7Y:lYJ ,?1l'il Yy'1?1WT.)lK 0t(1 ?t(T fl::? 1t(l "T 1}'50 11::? t,•J i•K i•7.) t!ll(?Vl Y7.l ,,, CY1 7t Tikkun, and the JBI Voice. english" £ "better broken Yiddish than good EspecialJy helpful is the large print Yiddish English." So you can eat and drink, laugh and Talking Book Catalog. Each of the 179 listings joke, twist and shout, tan and burn, all in gives the length in cassettes and a description. Yiddish. You'll sleep and dream in Yiddish! Unfortunately it does not use strict standard At all other Yiddish retreats you can shell out transcription (transliteration). One of the books $500-$600 for the week. At Yugntruf's annual is the Hfe of Herman Yablokoff-ARUM DER Yidish-vokh, you get an incredible bargain! You VELT MIT YIDDISH THEATRE on 17 cassettes can stay foir a full seven days for as little as $180! and which is discussed in this issue of der bay. Including gratuities and transportation from Other Authors include: Sholom Aleichem, NYC! And,. there are special work-study Yankov Glatshteyn, Y. L. Peretz, Isaac Bashevis discounts for colJege students, age 26 and under. Singer, Sholem Asch, Elie Wiesel, Mendele, At al1 other Yiddish retreats there are a dozen Moshe Nadir, Chaim Bialik, and Itzik Manger. classes in the morning, a dozen more in the Twenty titles are listed for Sholom Aleichem. afternoon and still more in the evening. But at Talking Books of the Jewish Braille Institute Yugntruf's annual Yidish-vokh there is time to serves people in 48 countries in addition toe re]ax, shmooze and enjoy your vacation. the US. Yidish-voklz activities include volleyball, No other organization can match JBI in its boating, swimming, nature walks, Yiddish films, Yiddish cassettes. However, several are strong campfires, talent shows, TV game shows such as in their religious offerings. Jewish Heritage for "Jeopardy" and lectures led by renowned experts the blind offers Braille publications for both on the Yiddish language and culture--such as children and adults, health and medical Dr. Paul Gllasser, Dr Samuel Kassow, Dr Mordkhe information, and 1arge print publications. One Schaechter and Dr Sheva Zucker--which wilJ all, major· item is the halakha (Jewish law) of course, be in Yiddish. concerning the blind. JH is located at 1655 East The food at camp is glatt kosher, and there is 24th St., Brooklyn, N Y 11229 and can be a synagoguie on the premises. Part-time child care reached by ca11ing 718-338-4999. in Yiddish will be available. Children's activities The Jew ish Guild for the Blind's location is include sports, arts and crafts, treasure hunts, 15 West 65th Street New York, NY 10023. skits, and much rnore--alJ in Yiddish!! Even the Write to P.O. Box 3940 Church Street Station, nakhes you'll shep will be in Yiddish! New York, NY. Call them at (212) 769-6200 or Call the Yugntruf office at (212) 787-6675 1-800-284-4422 has over 1,000 titles in their Send e-mail to [email protected] or write to cassette offerings. Most, of course, are not in Yugntruf Youth for Yiddish, 200 West 72 Street, Yiddish. Suite 40, New York, NY 10023-2824. THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF YIDDISH CLUBS & FRIENDS OF YIDDISH MARCH 1-4, 1996 at the DiLido Beach Resort Hotel 155 Lincoln Road (1 6th St. & Collins Ave.) Miami Beach, Florida 33139 HIGHLIGHTS INFORMATION After having exciting and highly successful COST: $255 U.S. per person, Double Occupancy Conferences at the University of Maryland and in Toronto, our plans are for an even larger and dynamic PRICE INCLUDES: 3 Breakfasts, 3 Dinners, Conference at Miami Beach. all gratuities including Bellboys, Chambermaids, Hotel and Meal Taxes and gratuities, Farew,ell Lunch Buffet, KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Aaron Lansky, Coffee and Danish after Concert, and Registration Fee. Founder of the National Yiddish Book Center. Topic: "YIDDISH IN THE 2 1st CENTURY" ALL ACTIVITIES: Meals, Beds, Seminars, and Entertainment will be under one roof. TEN SEMINARS: On Yiddish Language, Literature, Theater, Music, Song. Dance, & Humor, OPTIONAL: Bus and Walking Tour of Miami with outstanding Scholars, Lecturers, & Performers. Beach Jewish District and Holocaust Memorial $10 additional. ONEG SHABES: Friday evening- "Y omtevdik" dinner, Singing led by Meyer Zaremba. VALET PARKING: At Hotel--$5 per day CONCERT: Sat. eve.- BRAVE OLD WORLD DEPOSIT: $100 per person- by Dec. 15, 1996 Internationally renowned Klezmer. BALANCE: $155 per person--lby Jan. 15, 1996 . CABARET: Sat. eve. Klezmer music, Eastern European Folk Dancing led by Michael Alpert. CUT-OFF DATE: January 15, 1996 Entertainment by world-renowned Yiddish actor. Bernhard Mendelovich, from England and Israel. EXTENDED STAY: Hotel Special for Attendees, at rate of $64 per room per day. Presentations in Yiddish & English with English translation. Register Early -Heavy Pre-Re~:istration Please tear off at dotted line and send with your check REGISTRATION THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF YIDDISH CLUBS & FRIENDS OF YIDDISH March 1-4,1996 a t the DiLido Beach Resort Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida (155 Lincoln Rd. ,re Collins Ave.) COST; $255 U.S. per person/double occupancy (Single Supplement: $107 additional) DEPOSIT: $100 U.S. per person by Dec. 15, 1995 BALANCE; $155 U.s. per person by Jan. 15, 1995.. .. .CU T-OFF DATE NAME/S: TEL, NO. ADDRESS; CITY ST ZIP AMOUNT ENCLOSED;$ DEPOSIT;$ TOTAL;$ Chocks payable to: INTERNATIONAL YIDDISH CONFERENCE Mail to: Eleanor Robinson; P.O. Box 451935, Sunrise, FL 33345-1935 Tel: (30S) 748-3899 A Letter From The Yiddish Network Contact Morie on Genealogy and Translators: in Halifax, Nova Scotia A Free Clearinghouse Members of my Yiddish club were very It has been mentioned that the need for interested in the two issues of der bay which Yiddish translators continues and despite you have sent us. We shall be very glad to be pleas, the1re remains a shortage. While listed along with other clubs, as follows: The teaching requires a commitment of specific Yiddish Club of Halifax, c/ o L. Falk, Halifax, time and place, translators can work from Nova Scotia, CANADA (902) 422-5173. home and select their own hours. We meet once a week, on Thursdays, from One of the more unusual translators is 1-2 pm. Visitors to Halifax are welcome to join Adele Miller from Chicago, for in addition to us! We have made good progress since we being a Yiddish-English and English-Yiddish started Jast September, and we shall take a translator, she is adept at Polish-English and break in July and August. We have been using for searchies requiring correspondence, she also the new edition of DER YIDDISH LERER by translates English-Polish. She can be reached at Hyman Goldin-and we are proud to say that (312) 275-0941. our co-ordinator, Mrs. Evelyn Luner, is Hyman While your editor regularly translates Goldin's granddaughter. Our group includes small items, free, major articles and hand members who are fluent speakers, and others writing datting back many years, require more who are beginners, but we all work well time and expertise than your editor has. together. We also have access to Mende]e- my If you need items translated, or have the husband is a subscriber. time and ability to translate, contact der bay. With all the good wishes. PeriodlicalJy we have contributors who go Lilian Falk, Secretary to Europe for research and will help in minor Yiddish Club of Halifax ways-especially East Europe. Peninsula Jewish Community Center Non-Aolll Oroomatlon USfufoge 2440 Cot1mont Dflve NID Belmont. Collfornlo 94002 ""'mlt No. 3 a Belmont. Colff. The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community October 199 5 Vol S No 8 Der Redaktor Shrayber un zeyere leyener Noyekh Miller Mendele online Registration for the Third International Yiddish Club Conference in Miami next March 1-4 is coming K'yedu,e, fleg Yitzkhok Bashevis zikh oft in nicely. Last month we printed the application and barimen nut dem vos er iz geven efsher der information. If you need another one, please let us know. While there is another good hotel only a few eyntsiger lfu.n hayntige shrayber tsu derhaltn blocks away, the best reservations go to the early a spetsiele farbindung nut zayn publikum conferees-so come on down for the biggest and best vayl zayn shraybn iz tkhiles aroysgekumen Conference of all. in di blete.r fun Forverts; un di leyener fun Daniel Galay, one of our Israeli contacts and leader Forverts hobn keynmol tsurikgeha1tn di of Hemshekh Dor, has sent a beautiful song entitled meynungen zeyere. Vos iz gelign afn harts, Hemshekhistn. We are especially proud of all of our Israeli contacts and the progress they are making in hot men gezogt. Hot Bashevis gevust, fun invigorating Yiddish in Israel. vokh tsu vokh, vi es tut zikh nut zayne The editor wishes to publicly thank Yosl Mlotek romanen. for his kind article published in the August 4 issue of Amol is dos geven a geveyntlikhe zakh. the Yiddish FORVERTS-we all need to know we Der bakanter Englisher mekahber Anthony are appreciated. Thank You! Trollope hot zikh tsugehert tsum oylem (er Zellig Bach, author and a premiere Yiddishist on hot afile oipgeharget Mrs. Proudie--a klipe Mendele online, returns with An-Ski's Der Dibek. His remarkable knowledge of Yiddish is matched by his sh'b'klipes--vayl zi iz zey gevom nimes). Un many postings. He is truly a Yiddish treasure. azoy trakhtendik vegn Anthony Trollope iz mir Henry Balkin, convener of the Hawthorne Yiddish arayn in kop a gedank: vos volt geven gesheyn Society, sent in Yiddish Terms From England. It ha<; a ven Trollopes a guter-bruder, Henry James, volt list of unusual terms used by Jews in England and gehat geshribn fam Forverts? Vos voltn im another list of Yiddish terms used by non-Jews. geshribn undzere zeydes un bobes? Meet our newest TYN contact from Romania. Remember our new FREE service-translators/ A tchikiove frage? Ober dos mamoshes iz interpreters clearinghouse. Finally, our long-awaited oft mer modne vi an oysgetrakhte maynse. FIFTH ANNIVERSARY issue is coming in January. Vos zogt iJr ven ikh dertseyl aykh az nit lang It will be a limited edition for supporting readers only. tsurik hot men gefunen in alten Forverts binyen Please look under your address on the back page. It (haynt-tsu-tog a khinezisher kloyster nebekh--a shows the date your contribution last helped keep this gantse genize fun papirn, briv, kitvey-yad, newsletter going. If it has been a year already, please, please contribute again. If there is an error, tell us. khezhboynes un nokh azelkhe; un az tsvishn Der bay is the clearinghouse for teachers, gigs di ale dok1umenten hot men gefunen simonim programs, translators, and help for beginners online. az mit lanige yorn tsurik hot Henry James take There is no listing charge. "Fishl" Kutner, 1128 gedrukt a roman in Forverts?! Un bakumen Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA 94403, is your briv vegn dem? Nisht tsu gloybn? Ot iz der editor. Use the home phone (415) 349-6946. E-mail bavayz. address is [email protected] Make checks for der In a kumenden numer natirlikh. bay's support payable to (PJCC), Peninsula and send it and all mail to the editor. internatsionaler kalendar Women and Yi ddish Conference by Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky Mendele online Cx:t 1 Sun, 3:00 P.M., Kol Nidrey (Yiddish Video), The National Council of Jewish Women New Elstemwick, Australia, Call (03) 9523 9817 York Section is planning the foUowing 1 Sun, 2: 15 & 8: 15 P.M., Di Goyem, New de la Mar Theater, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, conference in New York City: Bureau FFortissimo Call 020-675 60 15 5 Every Thurs., 11:00 A.M., Khavurah Yiddish Di Froyen: Women and Yiddish: Club, Temple Menorah, Redondo Beach, CA Tribute to the Past, Directions for the Future Call 310-371-9940 7-9 Columbus Weekend in Washington, Holocaust First North American conference devoted to Museum Tour and an Evening of Yiddish , Workmen's Circle, Call 800-922-2558 xt 271 celebrating and discussing women's contribu 8 Sun (2nd), 1:30 P.M., Milwaukee JCC Yiddish tions to the Yiddish culture of Eastern Europe Club, Milwaukee, WI, Call 414-355-1938 and the immigrant communities of North 8 Sun (2nd), 2:00 P.M., Seattle Yiddish Group, America, and the women's current role in Seattle, WA, Call 206-788-4535 passing on the Yiddish cultural legacy. 11 Weds. (12), 6:00 P.M., Elementary Yiddish I, YIVO, Shulamis Dion (Instructor), Elaine Kaufman Cultural Ctr., NYC, Call 212-246-6080 Conference date: October 28 and 29, 1995. 11 & 18 Weds., 11:00 A.M., Kadimah Wed. Club, Elstemwick, Australia, Call (03) 9523 9817 Saturday evening, October 28, 8 to 10 p.m. 12 Thurs (12) 7:30 P.M, Beginning Yiddish Conver Opening speakers, and cultural event sation, YIVO, Shulamis Dion (Instructor), Kaufman Cultural Ctr., NYC, Call 212-246-6080 Sunday, October 29, 9 a.m.-to 6 p.m. 12 Thurs. (12), 6:30 P.M., Intermediate Yiddish I, YIVO, Alan J. Sachs (Instructor), Elaine Panels, Workshops, Kaufman Cultural Ctr., NYC, Call 212-246-6080 Readings/ Performance: 13-15 Fall Foliage Weekend, Yiddish Around the "Women in Yiddish Literature" Fireplace, Circle Lodge, Workmen's Circle, "Feminism & Yiddish Scholarship" Hopewell Junction, NY, Call 800-922-2558 xt 271 "Storytelling: A Bilingual 15 Sun., 7:30 P.M., New World Klez Fest '95, Presentation" Klezmania, San Francisco, Call 415-392-4400 15 Sun, (3rd), 10:00 A.M., In a Mazldiker Sho, JCC "Starting a Reading Circle" NVA, Fairfax, VA, Call 703-323-0880 "Feminist Issues in Translation" 16 Mons. (12), 6:30 P.M., Advanced Yiddish, "Yiddish Women Writers Today" YIVO, Alan J. Sachs (Instructor), Lincoln Sq. and more... Synagogue, NYC, Call 212-246-6080 16 Mon. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Circle of Yiddish Clubs, Presenters include: Judith Baskin, Evelyn Soref JCC, Plantation, FL, Call 305-792-6700 18 Wed., 2:00 P.M., Peninsula JCC Yiddish Club, Torton Beck, Amy Beth, Shulamis Berger, Belmont, CA, Call 41.>349-6946 Dorothy Billik, Shulamis Dion, Shifra Epstein, 22 Sun., 4:30 P.M., Fishke der Kromer (Film), Frieda Forman, Beyla Schaechter Gottesman, Toronto Jewish Film Soc. & FOY, Art Gallery of Katherine Hellerstein, Claire Kinberg, Irena Ontario, Toronto, Canada, Call 416-7'o7-0526 Klepfisz, Judith Mazow, Anita Norich, Norma 22 Suns. (5), Klezmer Dance Workshop (bulgar, Fain Pratt, Ellen Rifkin, Nahama Sandrow, Eve shifer tanz, hora, sirba, onga, & freylakh), Sicular, Naomi Seidman, Paula Teitelbaum, BIR JCC, Berkeley, CA, Call 510-848-0237 25 Wed., 8:00 P.M. (Lesson), 9:00 P.M. (Dancing), Chava Weissler, Ruth Whitman, Sheva Yiddish Dancing at Ashkenaz, Ellis Island Zucker, and more (program in process of Band, Berkeley, CA Call 510-52.>5054 completion). 28-29 Di Froyen: Women & Yiddish, National NCJW, NYC, Call 212-535-5900, For more information and registration 29 Sun, 2: 15 & 8: 15 P.M., Miriam Fuks, New de material, write to: la Mar Theater, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Bureau FFortissimo Call 020-675 60 15 NCJW NY Section/ Jewish Women's 30 Mon., 8:30 P.M., Sing-along, Kibbutz Hulda, Resource, 9 E. 69th St., NY, NY 10021; Israel, Call 08-445-292, [email protected] or FAX to 212-535-5909. Yiddish Terms From England Interpreter/Translator Services by Harry Balkin Info for those listing with der bay which Our Yiddish Society tries to keep alive the acts as a clearinghouse for Yiddish translators. nuances and flavour of the Yiddish spoken There's no fee for being listed or requests for in England at the beginning of this century. translators names. No list wi11 be published. Each country has its own Yiddish idioms and localisms, and England is no exception. Indeed, American Translators Assn. Yiddish has an effect upon the English vernac 1800 Diagonal Rd Alexandria,. VA 22202 ular too. Let me quote several examples: 703-683-6100 John J. Gillis, Pres. Founded 1960 4900 Members Used by Jews in England Belongs to Intl Federation of Translators Several Annual Fall Regional Conferences Gensey an undervest Oct 30-Nov 3 Colorado Springs Lumdust granulated sugar Nov 5-7 San Francisco Solbif corned beef Nov 8-12 Nashville Yok offensive term for a non Jew (probably from Yokel) Literary Translators of Canada Kheder a Jew sent to prison (iz Will acquire info in the future geven in Kheder) Israel Translators Assn. Yiddified antisemitism-from PO Box 9082, 91090 Jerusalem, Israel (Yiddenfeint) Founded 1981 550 Members Shmuy-druy miscellany of bits and pieces Intl. Assn. of Conference Translators Khuynee from Khuynedik (charming) 15 rte. des Morillons Lobus wild one (often used in an CH-1218 Grand-Saconney Switzerland affectionate way about boys) Shmooze to ingratiate oneself Intl. Federation of Translators Dr. H. Maierstrasse 9 A-1180 Vienna, Austria Used Non-Jews in England by AT& T Language Line Services c/ o Human Resources Dept. Stum pronounced as "stoom", be 1 Lower Ragsdale Dr. Bldg #2 quiet Monterey, CA 93940 Ph. 1-800-752-6096 Moccas e.g. "to put the Moccas on" 140 languages including Hebrew & Yiddish i.e. put a curse on 24 hrs a day, In stook in trouble Nosh have a small snack American Red Cross Language Bank Do me a favour from "too mir a tayve" Check with your local area Pony used by race goers for £25 i.e. 1 / 4 San Francisco Area is: of £100 from "fiertel" a quarter, Attn: Pam Meade which became "fertel" 1710 Trousdale Dr. Burlingame, CA 94010 The above is merely a brief selection, for I 415-202-0600 have avoided expressions in use by American 415-259-1750 *** Jews as well as by English Jews. Private Translating Companies Harry Balkin (Convener) Look in Yellow Pages Hawthorne Yiddish Society 60 Hawthorne A venue San Francisco Bay Area: London N13 4JT Direct Language Communicatiions ENGLAND 415-546-6885 1 1J u ,. J m n il An-Ski's Der Dibek Zellig Bach Mendele online The folklorist and playwright Sh. An-Ski (pen name of Shleyme Zanvel Rapoport (1863 - 1920) published in 1916 in Yiddish his play called Der Di'bek. The well known choreographer Jerome .· , 1'00,Jt!JDil ,, lDllJT 7 1 0 Robins [I heard that he is a relative of Sholern . l',~ l T ~ 1 1 -~::i l lJ l D i7 , ., n Aleykhern/ Rabinovits/], who choreographed . l)lJll lJ"~l C\"'lN \:l> ,,l ,,n the famous dance of the gang in West Side Story and the equally famous "botle dance" in • ll l :: ii l , 1 t!I T , N O 9 l l j7 1 ~ , '1 , T'1 l 1 N ~, :J. Fiddler on the Roof, created several years ago a ballet on the theme of the di'bek. ] 1 n T 9 Herewith a brief synopsis of An-Ski's drama (to the best of my recollection): Two young . 1u,, l ,1Dn1p 1uo 1 Jt!ln~ yeshi've bokherim (yeshi've students), who 1(2) -llill llJ"l 9"'1N lDnUt!l 'l 1 Dn studied the Talmud together and became great 11 pals, made a pact that they closed with a firm T,N 1~ 1N l~ 1 19 1lJT'lllN handshake and the mention of God's name as . "11-! N 1 N 9 ,~ U l 1 N T '1 l 1 N 7 N 9 , _, 'O witness. This pact stipulated that when they will get married, and the issue of one wi11 be a girl and the issue of the other a boy, the ,lU 11 ll~ Olli lll)''N l~ 1 l1J 7'0 children will be married to each other. And . 1)N1 N ''l ' U 9' 1N \lJ'l:J. l 'D thus their bond of deep friendship prior to their - - - iUlJUl!l l1lJ' l'N l~Nil l'D marriages will continue afterwards. ... When they got married one was blessed with .'1)~19 llUlJ 119 UlJ l1N Olli a baby girl, and the other with a baby boy. The match therefore seemed fated and truly bashert 1 1 (predestined), according to their fathers' .1 r Ul l1 Oll T~ ,l l~T l'D youthful agreement. .'N'lJ T1 N''O l! ,lUt!il l'D When the children reached their marriage llJvllJ1!l l'D \lN llll llJll 1'0 age, however, the father of the girl refused to live up to his "contractual" promise. By then . TlJ1!JN 119 tJ''Ol!I 10 1 T DlJ"l the young woman and the young man were deeply in love with each other. .n111m, ,,g llNil 1 1 0 Pining for his destined beloved, the young r- man died with a broken heart, and his soul . ·1 ~1 1 m ,_:i o ·, i71 ~1!l ,_, u 1u l lJ t , , n cleaved unto her by entering her body, "I Llt!lt-lJ'Olin U1!l' l UOllllN9" symbolizing not a carnal union, but a spiritual .p·lNil 'ON'l T"lllN "!..,J. ,l TN 09~'7j7'0 union, that is a union of their souls. . ~ There is a noteworthy deviation from the original belief: the young man's soul was not wicked unto itself, which would have been the cause for its transmigration. The very fact that it chose on its own to attach itself to her body and to possess it made it wicked, and called for the dreaded ceremony of its expulsion. It is further noteworthy that An-Ski introduced in this drama, based on the di'bek legend, a modern romantic motif. HEMSHEKHISTN MUSIC and LYRICS : DANIEL GALAY G1 Cm G J J I I~,.. _ ~ --- ~ ()~ J 3 q-f l_J 1. MIR ZE - NEN DI HEM- SHE • KHIS • TN MIR 2. MIR GLOY • BN EY - NER DEM TSVEY - TN MIR 3. MIR ZO • GN AZ. ES LOYNT ZIKH MIR 4. MIR HO· BN FIL LE SHOY-NES MIR A~ Fm G1 Cm fj I I j J ) I I J J_J_J (J ) J I J. J O> • KE - NEN·---·-· BA VAY ZN ALTS MIR GE - YEN OYF NA · YE BO· YEN OYFS • NAY A LAND MIR HO • BN IN IE - .ON HAL · TN AZ. S'IZ KE - DAY MIR BREN- GEN UN MiR ZE - NEN SAY SHTARK SAY SHVAKH "FAR GEST NISHT MA - ME lJm 7(-G J G 1 Cm 137 ~ ~I, . - 4 I ~ II ~~g~ J r~ ~ _j_}[f)_J____ ---_._(--4I I~-~- ..I ~j VE - GN BAY UNDZ DI TSU - KUN~T IZ SHOYN HAYNT HAYNT SHTE . Tl DEM A ORES FUN GU TE FRAYNO FRAYND SHEN- KEN DEM Zl - SN SHMEY • KHL FUN ASH- KE • NAZ. AZ. LO- SHN!• S'KLAPT A • ZOY BAY UNDZ: DOS HARTS HARTS Em C ~,__,_-_~- ----r_=_-i-::::.,-=-_r=_ --r==-=· J=~--~·-J=--- ~____ -TJ--= --j~~~-=._~J@~-=-~J--=-j~- ~;J-=-_ _=ff&a~~+----~-J-=- ===i=:j----i HEM · SHE - KHIS · T N KU · MEN GE - YEN TO . MID SHTE - YEN OYF DER VAKH Am D1 G Em F j t& j_-j~_ _ J ~ I j J J- j J J tJ J HEM · SHE - KHIS - T N KU - MEN GE - YEN TO· MID SHTE • YEN OYF DER VAKH DI G 07 I~ Am D F1lm1 B1 Em B1 ~ tfj r-r=-t i ~ t I I• E~~ I ~ --~ • J Fr c7F?r ~ ~ J 3J FREYD OY- TSER IZ SAY FAR UNDZ UN SAY FAA AYKH AtJ ©All A. iGHTS ~fSE,(vfD h) DA#iEL GALAY 1~ REkANATi ~T- i€l Ac,/v _IS~ACL ,',iz1•; .,,._." -:i!_•,v 11i -1n1', JJ_!.!z, 19-•" ,1 ',niz, ,.Z) ,., 1"k l'IJ:l ,'7,-c,,p -J••', r:1•1:tJlJk tJY!lli iJ 99 1' :lkil 1"k ',!_•ii ,Uk t,yz,:, 1":l 1•K • 1-,y',y;- -r ,._ 7" K,,e•', .,,,,., •• 1H' ,,1,r-,,:2•K 1K 7•~ 1•:2 i:i•1i) 11•-:•• 1:1•.,-,q, 11-K 1,:i - ~ - .(11•JJZ,1i ~•1K ii" de,· 1 , !I 1.,, Z), J • • , , ::r •, ..,! ! , K::l p J ! , , •-: 1 • :i 1 "K T_!.. • c • • M oK, T -:i••i ., .p•:i••1, .,kl 1"k :lkil ]YJKev,i~ ,,:ik ,(1gg5/7 11k ~) b~y ' -r - - T 1,,,,l lYlJT ~J!c,,,"J"k 11k ,~;p ,•z, ,~~ 1,1,,l r•K c~,, 7~T yp•J 9 1 Y JY "', 7 "k ',y 11 t1•"'t • • "I 91 K l',k •,:,tt!_Z, • (,1 • -, l) 7l'',a,-,y 11 :l 1 O•C 1 • •, .ilklil ,,o•i-,l D 9 Z, .,,,•:i •-: 1,~ 0r',•i1 9 -: 1 1 !J 0 J 9 !I k pk l!P k !) Y l!P""ll 'J J J ', p-, k !) !_" :1 l Y ', 7 "k I .,.. I - ,;!(..:~ • 1,i• Jt,JJ', •-: T"k 11•:yz,ii ~•iK w•,•• 11!> tJJJTJl-,Y:l 9 i f7 •K Ck11 ,. T ,,v•-:•• ,,, o:i,~', TJ1~!J 9 1k JJ••-, "'t_!i"" CJ-,~11 7•-: -,•',i"!-,l 7"k .-,,~',ip 11k 1~-,!)17 Anton Celaru Calea Mo§ilor 2o5 Bloc 11, scara A, ap. 7 70314 Bucure@ti ROMANIA "Yiddish by the Bayou" in mameloshn about his most recent work, by Barbara Goldstein Roommates. a book about his relationship with his beloved zeyde "Rocky" Goodstein The Houston Yidish Vink) membership who livedl to be 106 years old. In Yiddish he numbers approximately 100 people. The Vinkl tenderly and humorously recalled life episodes meets every month on a Monday night at the in which this irascible zeyde proved to be his Houston JCC, 5601 South Braeswood, Houston, dear friend and mentor. The Houston Vinkl Texas. For information regarding a particu]ar audience was charmed by writer Apple who meeting time, Vinkl member Ana Kaye can be has been ]Praised by his peers as a contemporary reached at 713-723-2377. The Vinkl is headed by Sholom Aleichem. Susan Gane, a young, dynamic Yiddishist, who This past year the Houston Yiddish Vink] teaches Yiddish language and Yiddish litera began to publish "Yiddish by the Bayou", a ture classes, and who is a zamler for the NYBC. monthly inewsletter which lists monthly meet Susan conducts Vinkl meetings in mame ings and other information relevant to the ]oshn. Vinkl programs vary. Some months Houston Yiddish-speaking community. The a classic Yiddish film may be shown; other Vink] is a. vibrant organization with plans to months speakers address Vink.I members in grow and attract young people of the Houston mameloshn about their life experiences. Jewish community with exciting Yiddish Recent speakers have been Holocaust sur cultural programs. vivors, a Chassidic rabbi, musicians and Ed. note) Recent issues told of a talent show singers of Yiddish music. videotaped for the Texas Jewish Historical This past Spring the Houston Vinkl pre Society Archives. Also The Yiddish Network sented renowned American author and screen contact for New Orleans, Fanny Yokor, was a writer Max Apple who makes his home in recent presenter. You can contact the editor by Houston. In a relaxed format Max Apple spoke e-mail. [email protected] Peninsula Jewish Community Center 2440 Carlmont Drive Non-Pront Oroonlzotlon Belmont. California 94002 USPl:>stoge PAID Permll No. 3 Belmool. Colll. The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community November 1995 Vol 5 No 9 Der Redaktor *** DER YAP ANISHER YID *** --- A Bakoshe Fun Der Redaktsye -- Be sure to look for the application form for the Jack "Yank)" Halpern's Third International Yiddish Club Conference in Miami, ne>..t March 1-4. You will see the list of Allow me to inroducc myself briclly. I am an Israeli citi1,cn residing in Japan. programs and speakers. While there is another good hotel only n few blocks nway, the best Taycrc Libhobers fun Mamc-Loshn, reservations go to the early conferees-so come lkh hob bakumcn a sakh bri v un clcklron-ishe post on down for a CREAT Conference. run Yidish libhobers in farshidene lender, vos hobn Sheva Zucker's a nswer book for her Yiddish shtark geloybl numcr 7 un 8 fun DERY APA NI SHER textbook is available, and a series of eight tapes YID. A psikhiatcr fun Argentine hot gcshribn az er hot cs "arayngc-shlungcn." An anderer shraybt az es iz an with Sender Botwinik singing the songs in the cmcsc "yokihd-bcmine." book is also coming out. This is in "Reshtlekh Ikh ,·ii aykh danken far di rnrme un hartsikc vcrtcr. (Odds 'n En ds)" .ilong with other exciting items. Ikh un mayn kolege Tsuguya Sasaki shepn fun aycrc Zellig Bach, our regular writer, has an article vcrlcr groysc nakhcs. Mir filn zikh shtolls lsu hobn a on 'Cool' a£ yidish. He has announced the gelcgcnhayt aroystsu-gebn dcm bulctin. Aycrc publication of his new book, A Child's Longing sh\"okhim gcbn undz tsu khcshck un mut mamshckh Lsu zayn mil undzer arbct. for Home: A Psychological Childhood Memoir. Bi1, yetsl hob mir gcshikt dem bulctin bekhinem, There will be a full review in a future issue. This obcr uoy fil mcnlshn viln dos krign, az mir muzn aykh month's issue has other great books for your bctn ir mlt undz shikn $20 mzumonim ($10 far Yugn reading and learning pleasure. Robert Gottlieb trur mit-gl iucr) a yor kdcy tsu kompcnsim undzerc has a wonderful translation of Sholom Aleichem. hctsocs. A luft-post abonirung is $30 ($20 far Yugntruf Look for our special FIFTH AN IVERSARY mitglider). In Yapan, an abonirung iz 1000 yen a yor. Mir vein probirn aroytsugebn dem buletin mer- issue coming in January. It w ill be a limited , eyniker dray mo! a yor, ober mir kenen dos nisht edition for supporting readers only. Please do garantirn. Mir bctn az ir zolt NISHT shkin tshekn vayl look under your nddress on the back page. It cs kosl undz mer vi $20 zey tsu kasirn! Der kumen shows the date your contribution last helped dikcr numer ,·ct aroys-kumcn in harbst 1995. keep this newsletter going. If it has been a year lkh vii bcln ale khoshcve fraynd vclkhc shraybn mir a1. ir zolt mir moykhcl zayn az ikh hob nisht genuk already, please, please contribute again. If there Lsayt tsu cntfcrn ycdcr cyncm bazunder. lkh bin yetst happens to be an error, tell us. zcycr famumncn milder kumpilatyse fun farshidcne Der bay is the cl earinghouse for teachers, gigs ,·crtcrbikhcr far lcmen kandzshi (khinczishe oysyes in programs, translators, and help for beginners dcr yapanishe shprakh), . online. There is no listing charge. "Fishl" Kutner, Zayt matslickh in ale aycrc maysim, bifrat in 1128 Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA 94403, is farshprcytn undzere 7.isc, lebedike shprakh. your editor. Use the home phone (415) 349-6946. Kanji Dictionary Publishing Society E-mail address is fis [email protected] Make 1-3-502 3-Chome Niiza, checks for der bay's support payable to (PJ CC), Niiza-shi, Saitama 352 JAPAN Peninsuln and send it and all mail to the editor. Voice: +81-048-481-3 103 Fax: +81-048-479-1323 internatsionaler kalendar From TYN Contact Fort Erie, Canada Robert A. Goldenbt'rg No\' I, 15, 29, Weds., Noon, U of CT Yiddish Tish, Penina, and l have been transformed into Luncheon Discussions, Call 203-486-2271 Yiddis his ts ever s ince s he joined a Klezrner 1, 8, 15, 29 Weds., 11 :00 A.M. , Kadimah Wed. Club, Elsternwick, Australia, Call (03) 9523 9817 band as vocalis t. Since that coincided w ith my 2 Every Thurs., l 1:00 A.M., Khavurah Yiddish retirement, I had time to excavate and nurture Club, Temple Menorah, Redondo Beach, CA my long-los t background in Yiddish, learned as Call 310-371-9940 a child in kheyder in Toronto in the 1940's-a 2 Thurs (1st) 1:30 P.M. WC Yiddish Discussion familiar story these days. We have become Group Los Angeles, CA Call 310-552-2007 "regulars" at KlezKamp, Circle Lodge, NYBC. 4-12 Jewish Book Fair, BJC, Toronto, Canada, Call 4 l 6-636-1880 We are members of Mame Loshn Mavens in 5 Sun., 1:30 P.M., Klezamir Concert for the Buffalo, N Y (listed in Sept. iss ue of der bay), Yiddish Voice Radio Program, Temple Ohabei and we keep in close touch with Sylv ia Shalom, Brookline, MA Call (617) 738-1870, Lustgarten, of The CFY, in Toronto. Sylv ia is 5 Sun., 1:30 P.M. , I.L. Perel/.'s 80th Yortsayt, one of your greates t promoters. Itche Goldberg, CFY & Kultur Gczelshaft, The latest sample of how crnzy we have BJC, Toronto, Canada, Call 416-635-2883 xt 155 5 Sun., 2:30 P.M., Rakhmiel Peltz (Teaches become is o ur current dilemma: which 2 o f the Yiddish at Columbia Uni ,·.) Yiddish Lecture Series 3 sets of lice nse plates for our 2 cars s ho uld we Arbctcr Ring, Brookline, MA, Call 6 17-566-6281 use: ZAMLER, KLEZMR, or YDSHKT. We 5 Sun., 2:00 P.M., "Russian Jews Hunger for s napped them all up. (ln Ontario, we can o nly Yiddish Culture", Martin Horwitz (Speaker), have 6 letters on a license plate). Being Friends of Yiddish, NYC, Call 212-924-5890 computer illiterate, we cannot use Mendele 5 Suns. (3), Klezmer Dance Workshop (bulgar, shifcr tanz, hora, sirba, onga, & freylakh), Online. BIR JCC, Berkeley, CA, Call 510-848-0237 Jt was nice lo read about you in the A ugust 5 Sun, 3:00 P.M., Boruch Kaluszyner Jewish 5 issue of Der Forverts (Jn Der Veit Fun ldis h, Children's Music Festival, 7 Selwyn Street, p. 12). You have now made Big Time. Elsternwick, Austrnlia, Call (03) 9523 9817 5-10 All About Yiddish, Michael Baker instructor, A Bridge of Longing Greene Family Camp Elderhostel, Bruceville, TX, Call 8 17-859-5411 1 am happy to report the publication of my 7 Every Tues., 7:30 P.M., San Francisco recent book A Bridge of Longing: Tile Lost Art Jewish Folk Chorus Rehearsals, SF JCC, of Yiddisl, Storytelling (Harvard $37.50), 419 Starting 70th Year, Call 415-753-5194 8 Wed. (2nd), 7:30 P.M. , Mamcloshn Mayvonim pp. richly illus. While this is not (yet) a Buffalo, NY ( Visitors welcome) 716-834-7075 history of Yiddish narrative prose, it does treat 8 Wed., 10:00 A.M., Deborah Rose, (Author) those major figures w ho reclaimed folklore Jewish Book Festival '95, Contra Costa JCC, genres for modern literary ends: the my thic Walnut Creek, CA, Call 510-938-7800 fairy tales of Nahman of Broslev / Bratslav; the 11 Sat., 8:00 P.M., Living Tradition Folk Festi\'al, maggidk mayselekh of Ayzik-Meyer Dik; the Second A venue Klezmer Ensemnle, Garden Grove, CA, Call 714-638-1466 s tories in the folk vein of Peretz, the 12 Sun., 3:00 P.M., Yiddish Women Writers, monologues, holiday stories, and railroad Adrienne Cooper & Irena Klepfis1., Yiddish s to ries of Sh olom Aleichem; the symbolist Vi nk) , Houston, TX, Call 713-723-1895 tales of Der N ister, the Bible Poems of ltz ik 12 Sun., "The World of Cantonal Music and Manger; the d emon monologues of Yitskhok Jewish Art Song", Cantor jack Mendelsohn Bashevis; and the autobiographical tales of Y.I. & Zamir Chorale, Hebre\\ College, Brookline, MA, Call 617-278-4958 Trunk, Avrom Sutzkever and Yosl Birshtey n. 20 Mon., 1:30 P.M., Ruth Barias (Chairperson T he copious notes are designed for the readers or 3rd Intl. Yiddish Club Conference) Circle of of Mendele; the narrative tex t is geared for the Yiddish Cl ubs of S. Florida, Call 305-792-6700 no n-specialists. I welcome your comments, 24 Fri ., 8:00 P.M. , Living Traditions Folk: Festival, queries, and criticisms. Second A venue Klezmer Ensemble, [email protected] La Jolla, CA Call 714-638-1466 David C . Roskies/Dovid -Hirs h Roskes Rec,htlekh (Odd 'n Ends) "Cool" af yidish? Zellig Bach Mendele onJine .\n ,1ns\\ er key to Yi ddish: A11 llltrorl11ctio11 Kive \Vcidenba um hot gefregt (5.098, 1) vi to t/ze L~11g11age, L_itertlture & Culture by S heva darf men 7ogn af y idish "cool" ven a meydl 7ucker 1s now m·a1 l.ible. The key ht1s sever.ii ''glaykht" (li kes) a bokher. possihle <1nswers to questions where such e'\ist. ~f yid i~h far "cool" volt m en gekent zogn: Cost $3.75 e.ich. S & H (in U.S.) $1.50, 2 o r m ore khEy n~vd1k, zeyer khEynevdik, mOle khey n copies $0.75. Send cheque pavable to: \attract1v,e, very attractive, especially attract S. Zucker, 1114 Iredell St., D~rham, C 27705. ive, of a particular appeal]. Ober dos iz nor Ca ll (919) 286-3628 or e-mail sczucker@aol. com di id~e. In der emesn iz es mer complitsirt. late-breaking news) Shew, told Fishl that a set M1t etllekhe yor tsurik ho b ikh farefntlekht of 8 tapes w ill be av.iilable from he r at $30+$5 an article in :z hurna l \lerbatim mitn titl 'T he s_ & ~- Sender Rotwinik '"·ill also be on the tapes Imperative of Opposites," un kh'vel do tsitirn singing the songs and play ing the piano. tsvey gek.irtste paragraf n: Remember: Poems by Walter Artzt, is n work "Opp~sit~s co-exist in our mental li fe insep of love for Yiddish by our dedicated long-time arably, ltke inoperable Siamese twins. They supporter. He will se nd his Yiddish and English permaneintly stand side by side, or like the book of poeh) free to Yiddish clubs. Send your obverse o r reverse of a coin, back to back, which request to der bay. Mr. Artzt is still actively mo re accurately describes their constant posi fostering the love o f Yiddish here in the U.S. tion vis-ai-vis each other, as well as the fact that .ind in Tel Aviv where he founded the Art?t they are forever bonded together. \lunicipnl Comprehensive H . S. "Each half of a pair of opposites always has The ~ook of Fables, trnnslation (English) by the powe: to evoke immediately the o ther half, Prof. Eh Katz, had an excellent article in the an evocahve rower often used to great effect in Yi~dishe Ku ltur YKUF. Prof. Katz told your poetry, rheto ric, and religious prayers or ed 1tor that this Yiddish Fable Collection of Reb hy mn~. A good illustration is the hy mn by S t. Moshe Wnllich Fra nkfurt am Main (1697) is in Fra ncis of Assisi: "Praised be my Lord for o ur its second printing even though it's been out b_rother fire, and Praised be my Lord for our less than n yenr. \Vny ne University Press of sister water.' " Detroit, \lichig,in is the publisher. Dos eyng lish s le ng wort "cool" gehert tsu Yiddishe Kultur, (above), is a top Yiddis h o_t-der_kategorye. In d em akegndikn !oppo publ~cation. This highly-regarded jourmil is site] zm m eynt es "hot" (heys), un iz a shifer ~ubltshed by l he C haim Z hitlowsky roundn la cipher o r cod e word I vos y unge mentshn t,on for Secular Jewish Culture. Editor, ltche nutsn es tsvishn z ikh, un meyne n az nor Goldberg, is one of the g reat world Yiddishis ts. zey aleyn veysn dem frshteltn taytsh derfun. YKLJf 1113 Broadv,ay, Rm 1019, 1 Y, NY, 10010 Dos g it z,ey a gefil fun an o pgeshlosenem Znchn~\' B.iker r<'ports of 2 articles in the Sept. krayz !exclusive circleJ. (Kh'gloyb az far a 2_2, I9 ~5 ,ssue of the C hronicle of Higher Ed uca ku rtse tsay t hot men oykh prubirt nutsn t 1on. l here's " fenture on the NYBC, and an dos vort "bad" (shle kht) in an akegndikn article on the State of Yiddish Studies in mcy n far good (gut), ober dos hot zikh nit American Universities. Listed are: Harvard o ngenu m e n). OSL1, U of Ml, L of TX, UC Berkeley, SyraCL;se, Khaver Weidenbaum iz avade gerekht and JTS. Also mentioned is Mendele online. ven er shraybt as aza idiomatishn oysdruk A Touch of Mameloshn is grent for cl ubs and vi "cool," in zayn baz undern m eyn, lozt individuals ,,.,ho have no t mastered the z ikh nit iberzetsn af y idish. Hebrew .ilph<1bet .ind find "transliteration" helpful. Goldie Adler Gold has done an e'\cel lJ~. Bach c.rn be reached at: [email protected] lenl JOb in presenting these 16 sho rt sto ries. His new book is A C hild's Longing for Home: A \\.'orh. men's Circle is the publisher. H's only $6 Psycho logical C hildhood Memoir. Hardcover, and all proceeds go to promote Jewish culture. $15.45 includes s & h. Publisher is Carlton Press \\'C Book Cente r i<; at -1-5 E. 33rd St, , YC, 10016 Corp., 11 \'\'. 32nd St, ew York, Y 10001 Sholom Aleichem Has Invited Guests -Enoutgh! lt's not necessary to read any by Sholom Aleichem translation by Abe Gottlieb more. It's so good that we don' t have to go any further. Sio, young man, what is it you want? Authors came to my house. l'm speaking -I want my novel published. As for money, about those authors who would write but never whatever you say would be alright. get published. One such gu~ ca?,'e and ~om . . Seeing that the young man was not satisfied plained about Mr. Cedarbo1m; ~hat k1~d of with honor alone but wanted money also, we editor is he? I write, but he doesn t publish! I got the notion to giv~ him t~e _"wo_rks~'. write and write-but nothing happens!" To begin with, it was Frishman s msp1rah~n This author, from a small village in Poltava (the inspiration of a giant intellect!). But at hrst, we Province, brought along his novel and wanted had to know the value of the book and that ) two things of us. First, that my friend Frishman couldn't be determined unless we knew how and I shouJd read it from beginning to end. ) much it weighed. We would put the book on a This didn't mean that we should do the scale (this was also Frishman's idea!). On one reading. No! He would read and we would side, we'ell place the novel, on the other side, a listen. That was his first request. Secondly, he balancing weight. Then we'd know exactly. wanted us to publish his novel. He di~n't care We we1re not lazy about it. We located a store whether it was in a newspaper, magazine, or that had a. scale and weighed the book. It book as long as it saw the light of day. So what weighed in at 33/4 pounds-he~ven help does he do? We had to sit down and ~s! pay There remained only one thing- attention as he read. the pnce. What's it worth? How much per pound Encircled by cigar smoke, we made ourselves ? The young man refused to quote a price. comfortable on rocking chairs. The author sat at Whatever you say would be alright. the table with his manuscripts-3 thick, dense We then agreed 200 rubles per pound. collection of papers each in 4 parts. His was a . Is that enough? novel along the line of the Midrash, salted With . . The young man was in 7th heaven-if it "humor" and peppered with "satire" ... . were 100 rubles per pound, it would be enoug~. But the whole point was the way he read his But Frishman insisted once and for all that 1t works, how he sung, squeezed and spiced each had to be 200 rubles since it's worth mor word separately, gestured with his hands e. and Our author almost melted with delight! whole body, beamed, expressed delig~t while Let it b1e. If you insist on 200, let it be. puffed up in pride and self-esteem as 1£ to say: How much does the whole amount to? how can a person create such artistry with a Frishman saddled his pince-nez on his nose simple pen, with black ink on white paper! (his nose wasn't made for pince-nez) and we all No, I'm not going to tell you what the author checked the totals which came to 750 rubles, read to us. The only thing I must tell you is just like a penny a bagel. 1:he young man b_egan what happened to Frishman and me. Afte r a to stroke his beard and waited. We also waited. few paragraphs, we took a look at each other N u? N u - nu? Not at all. we had turned green and blue and all other At this point, it all became clear. colors. Another minute and we'd have choked He thought we were to pay him 200 rubles per on the spot or broken up completely! Fortu pound and we expected him to pay ~s 20~ nately, the laughter we had suppressed, burst . rubles! The author then came up with this idea: from our throats to the winds of the world. - I'll pay you nothing and you'll pay me The first to break up was Frishman-how I nothing. Take my novel and print it! trembled for him! Who could tell? What if the However, we stood firm. No, that won' t do! author grabbed a volume, let him _have it, ov_er Since time existed, it's been the custom that the the head and creased his skull? Frishman s hfe author ge1ts paid or the author does the wouldn't be worth a penny. Can you imagine paying-otherwise it won' t wor~! . the self-esteem of that man? The author saw us The whole business ended with nothmg laughing so he himself started to laugh. nothing with nothing. Foolish you~hful, happ Suddenly, Frishman stood up: y years-they will not come back agam... Jiddis Ona.116 Program o~-i~-,~ vw"l,"1"1 Yiddish Programme Jiddisch-Programm Eotvos Lorand University, H-1146 Budapest Institut of Gcnnanic Studies, Ajt6si Dtirer sor 19-21. Peter Varga Asst.Leet. Tel/Fax: +36-l-3435062 Programme Director 1995/09/03 Re: launching of Yiddish Programme at Eotvos Lorand Univ. Dear Sir/Madam, Yiddish studies, both in the sense of practical language study and of philological and literary seminars, have been present at our university for more than twenty years in a more or less regular fashion, ever since the subject was first introdused by Prof C.J. Butterer. A few years after his departure, this activity was resumed by Adam Nadasdy, with a two-semester "Introduction to Yiddish Philology". Soon there were other courses offered in the field, like language practice by Mrs. Sara Drexler, or literature by Mr. Peter Varga. \Ve felt that by now these courses have sufficiently established themselves to be organized into a formal Yiddish Programme, advertised as such by the University. Our initiative was first supported by the Soros Foundation, who provided the financial means needed for teachers' fees and incidentals in the first year. The official endorsement of the Yiddish Independent Programme was granted by the Faculty Council on 25 May 1995. The envisaged programme harmonizes those courses which are, by necessity, advertised in different Departments. Similarly to other Independent Programmes, the Prognunme Director is entitled to issue a Certificate to those successfully completing the whole course of study. The main units of the programme, ideally distributed over four semesters, are: Introduction to Yiddish Philology, Hebrew Language, Yiddish Conversation, Yiddish Literary Texts, History of Yiddish Literature, as well as 3 or 4 other classes in related fields offered by various Departments. Our aim is not simply to study Yiddish language and literature as taken out of context (wich would be a futile pursuit anyway) but to include everything that belongs to the Jewish heritage- aptly described by the wordyidishkayt. · We still need many things - chiefly, good ideas, but also a few material things. At the moment we are putting together a reference liberary, for which we receive help from the National Yiddish Book Center. We gladly accept Ilti°l:,er book donations, which will be properly stored and handled by the library of Germanic Studies here. We would like to obtain Hebrew word-processing software, to do smaller-scale publication work. What we can offer is excellent students worthy of support, for whom we must provide professional tuition at the highest level possible. Hoping to benefit from your future cooperation, \ } _,, 1__,t ;u -·~ •Y J • Adam Nadasdy, PhD Peter Varga reader asst.lecturer Dept of English Linpistics Programme Director Vi Azoy Cristofer Columbus Hot Oyfgedekt C.C.: Avade! Yeder Yid veyst az der moel vos (Discovered) Amerike hot Moyshn gemalt (circumcised) hot im Der Rikhtiker Emes (The Unvarnished Truth) glatt kosher tsertifitsirt (certified) mitn fun Edvard M. Goldman aynshraybn oyf yedern grobn finger a Mogn Dovid. Kinig Ferdinand: Nu, Mister meshugener Izi: Fargres di ruskis. Ot iz der opmakh (deal): oysforshener (explorer), du vilst oyfdekn nem mit dir tsvantsik Yidn--tsen mener un Amerike? tsen fro,yen-un 1oz zey bazetsn (settle) in Cristofer C: Azoy zeyer shtark (so badly) az ikh Beyon, Niu Jerzy. Ven mir varfn aroys aJe ken funern filn dem tam (I can taste it). Yidn futn Shpanye-zay nit umgerekht mit Kinigin Izabela: Fun vos hot es a tam? mir (do,n't get me wrong), etlekhe fun mayne C.C.: Tshikn zup mit matzo-kneydlekh beste fraynd zaynen Yidn-zey veln hobn a (rnatzoh-balls), a rnaykhl. Ganeydln (Paradise) vuhin zey kenen forn. Ferdi: Men zogt, du bist fun dem Yidishn Ferdi: Izi, mayn kinigin, du bist a jeni (genius). gloybn (persuasion). Du zolst kinig zayn. Izi: A Galitsianer, nokh. Izi: Ferdi, mayn kinig, mit a razirung (shave) C.C.: S'iz genug shver tsu zayn a Yid, ober ikh un mayne getsatskele (fancy) kleyder kenstu ken shvern oyf mayn rnames mezuze a a kinigiin zayn. Galitsianer bin ikh nit. Tu, tu, tu. Der zeyde Narator: Columbus hot gezegeJt (sailed) fertsik fun der muters tsad (side) iz geven Edvard teg un lfertsik nekht, hot gezen di Statue fu n M. Goldman, der Litvisher bobe mayse Frayhayt, gelandet oyf Plimut Rok, gehert an shrayber. Indiani:sher zogn oyf Yidish: Ferdi: Vu hostu genumen aza modne (strange) Indianisher shef (chief): Kapitan Livingston, idee, az di erd iz kaylekhdik (round)? ikh gloyb (presume). C.C.: Ikh hob a familye yerushe, a rnape (map) C.C.: Umg;erekht, mayn fayn gefederter geshribn gevorn fun der hant fun Moyshn (feathered) fraynd. Ikh heys Cristofer aleyn. Got hot im gezogt, "Moysh, gloyb nit Columbus. vos dayne Mitsraishe (Egyptian) lerers hobn Shef: Vos tut a Yid mit a nomen Cristofer? dir gelernt. Di erd iz nit flatshik (flat), s'iz (Aside): A klog oyf Columbus. epes keylekhdik. Na, nem mayn kva1pen CC.: Vi azoy redt an lndianisher Yidish? (fountain pen) un dern blat papayrus, un ikh Shef: Bite,. ruf mikh nit an lndianisher; ikh bin vel dir helfn skitsirn (sketch) a mape fun der an Ayngeboyriner Amerikaner. (Native velt. Do iz Mitsrairn (Egypt), un dortn iz American). Amerike, un arunter dortn iz Miami. (Er tsit C.C.: Ants.huldik mir, Shef- oys a mape, vayzt on oyf (points to) Amerike. Shef: Shef Patsh-in-Tokhes, hoypt fun di tsen Fer di: Vos zaynen di fingerd rukn farblondzhete shvotim (lost tribes) fun (fingerprints)? Yisrael. Ikh ze az du host gebrakht etlekhe C.C.: Dos iz vu Moyshe hot gehaltn dern griniz (greenies) tsu kolonizirn di Goldene papayrus oyf a groysn shteyn beys Got hot im Medine. Mir hobn a minyen, vein mir daven geholfn skitsirn di mape. rninkha (afternoon prayer), boyen a khupe, Izi: Du rikhtst zikh (expect) az rnir zoln gloybn hobn a khasene- ikh bin oykh der hoypt aza kok-a-meyrni geshikhte? rebi. Keyner zol di kinder nit rufn C.C.: Ikh rekhn az ikh rnuz geyn tsu di Rusn mamzeyrim. Ven du zeglst tsurik keyn (Russians) far finantsirn. Oyb zey kenen . Shpanye, nem a shif fu] mit di kubner gloybn in kornunizm, kenen zey gloybn in tsigarn, du vest a sakh gelt fardinen. dem oykh. C.C.: Vi General Duglas Mekartur vet zogn, Ferdi: Loz rnikh vider zen di mape. Izi, gelibte, "Ikh vE'l tsurikkurnen." bite derlang mir rnayn fargrese-gloz (magnifying glass). Aha, itst ze ikh es-a Editor's note) Ed Goldman has already had ten pitsinker (tiny) shtern oyf dem grobn skits publiished in der bay. No charge for fingerdruk (thumb print). contributors requesting 3 skits or master List. THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF YIDDISH CLUBS & FRIENDS OF YIDDISH MARCH 1-4, 1996 at the DiLido Beach Resort Hotel 155 Lincoln Road (16th St. & Collins Ave.) Miami Beach, Florida 33139 HIGHLIGHTS INFORMATION After having exciting and highly successful COST: $255 U. S. per person, Double Occupancy Conferences at the University of Maryland and in Toronto, our plans are for an even larger and dynamic PRICE INCLUDES: 3 Breakfasts, 3 Dinners, Conference at Miami Beach. all gratuities including Bellboys, Chambermaids, Hotel and Meal Taxes and gratuities, Farewell Lunch Buffet, KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Aaron Lansky, Coffee and Danish after Concert, and Registration Fee. Founder of the National Yiddish Book Center, Topic: "YIDDISH IN THE 21st CENTURY" ALL ACTIVITIES: Meals, Bedls, Seminars, and Entertainment will be under one roof. TEN SEMINARS: On Yiddish Language, Literature, Theater, Music, Song, Dance, & Humor, OPTIONAL: Bus and Walking Tour of Miami with outstanding Scholars, Lecturers, & Performers. Beach Jewish District and Holocaust Memorial $ IO additional. ONEG SHABES: Friday evening "Yomtevdik" dinner, Singing led by Meyer Zaremba. VALET PARKING: At Hotel--$5 per day CONCERT: Sat. eve. - BRA VE OLD WORLD DEPOSIT: $ 100 per person- by Dec. 15, 1995 Internationally renowned Klezmer. BALANCE: $155 per person--by Jan. 15, 1096 CABARET: Sat. eve. K.lezmer music, Eastern European Folk Dancing led by Michael Alpert. CUT-OFF DATE: January 15, ll996 Entertainment by world-renowned Yiddish actor, Hotel Special for Bernhard Mendelovich, from England and Israel. EXTENDED STAY: Attendees, at rate of $64 per room per day. Presentations in Yiddish & English with English translation. Register Early-Heavy Pre-Registration Please tear off at dotted line and send with your check REGISTRATION THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF YIDDISH CLUBS & FRIENDS OF' YIDDISH March J-4,1996 at the DiLido Beach Resort Hotel, Miami Beach, Florida (155 Lincoln Rd. & Collins Ave.) COST: $255 U.S. per person/double occupancy (Single Supplement: $107 additional) DEPOSIT; $100 U.S. per person by Dec. 15, 1995 BALAN CE: $155 U.S. per person by Jan. IS, 1996 .....CUT-OFF DATE NAME/S: JEL. NO. ADDRESS: CITY ST ZIP AMOUNT ENCLOSED;$ DEPOSIT:$ Checks payable to: INTERNATIONAL YIDDISH CONFERENCE Mail to: Eleanor Robinson; P.O. Box 45193S, Sunrise, FL 33345-1935 Tel: (305) 748-3899 Third International Yiddish Club Seminars Please choose four seminars from the list below. Then number them in order of preference from (1-4). These choices will help us make room allocations and schedules. Programming Techniques & Resources for The National Jewish Theme in the Soviet Yiddish Groups-Workshop: Yiddish Literature Dr. Moishe Wolf Sunny Landsman: Founder, of COYC Fred Silberstein: Yiddish educator & Lecturer "Kosher" Humor for Yiddish Club Programs Bea Karg: Club leader & resource researcher Meyer Zaremba: Yiddish folklorist, & author The Culture of Ashkenazic Jewry Terms of Love, Sex, & Endearment in Dr. Heszel Klepfisz: World renowned scholar, Yiddish Literature writer, and lecturer Troim Katz-Handler: Author Pearls of Yiddish Folksongs Creating Yiddish Community Theatre Chana & Yosel Mlotek: Anthropologists & Nathan Garnick: Performer & director Researchers of Yiddish folksongs & poetry. (Presenter at the Toronto Conference) The Yiddish Press from the 1880's to Today Mendele-Reaching Out to the Yiddish William Stern: President of the New York World Through Computer Networking based Forward Association Noyekh Miller: Founder & moderator of the Mendele list online Jewish Idealism in Yiddish Poetry Ruth Barias: Actress, lecturer, & interpreter of Folk Dance "Mit a Yidishn Tam" Yiddish literature Michael Alpert: Acclaimed Klezmer musician Peninsula Non-~on, Oroon11ot1on Jewish Community Center VS F\:>sloge 2440 Carlrnont Drive PAJD Permll No. J Belmont. California 94002 llelmonl. Colll. The Golden Gate to the Yiddish Community December 1995 Vol 5 No 10 Der Redaktor Klutznick Symposium MaryEllen Read Dr. Zellig Bach, our regular contributor, has a spoof on an imaginary interview with General Call for papers: October 27 & 28, 1996 Colin Powell. Also in this issue is the editor's The Ninth Annual Klutznick Sy mposium: review of Dr. Bach's book, A Child's Longing Yiddish Language & Culture: Then & Now for Home: A Psychological Childhood Memoir. Creighton Univ. Klutznick Chair in Jewish Our special FIFfH ANNJVERSARY issue will Civilization and Center for the Study of Religion arrive in January. It will be a limited edition for and Society will host the Ninth Annual Klutznick supporting readers only. Please do look under Symposium to take place in Omaha, Nebraska on your address on the back page. It shows the date Sunday, October 27 and Monday, October 28, your contribution last helped keep this news 1996. The theme of the Symposium will be letter going. If it has been a year, do contribute Yiddish Language and Culture: Then and Now. again. lf there happens to be an error, tell us. The Program Committee seeks proposals for Henry Sapoznik and his KlezKamp returns presentations on Yiddish language and culture, this month under the aegis of Living Traditions past and present. It is interested in topics related at the Paramount Hotel in Parksville, NY. This is to the history and development of Yiddish as a the finest Klezmer training program. language, and aspects of Yiddish culture, includ Remember the Third international Yiddish ing music, fiction, poetry, humor, and theater. Club Conference at the Di Lido Hotel in Miami, Those chosen to participate in the symposium March 1-4, 1996. This Conference is becoming must submit papers in a scholarly format; those the premiere Yiddish gathering for Yiddish papers will be published in a collected volume. teachers, club leaders, as well as those who Participants will also be expected to make twenty keenly love Yiddish. minute presentations of the essential elements of Anton Celaru, The Yiddish Network (TYN) their papers in a manner suitable to the general contact for Romania sends a letter in Yiddish, public and scholars. Reading of papers, for and Leybl Botwinik of Netanya, fsrael sends a publication, would not be appropriate to this transcribed (transliterated) message through audience. Audio/visual aids are encouraged. Mendele online entitled, Kinder till yidish. Subsidies for the presenter's costs of trans Philip "Fishl" Kutner, 1128 Tanglewood Way, portation and accommodation will be provided. San Mateo, CA 94403, is your editor. Use the lnforma1tion: contact Leonard Jay Greenspoon home phone (415) 349-6946. E-mail address is Klutznick Chairho]der ([email protected] or [email protected] Make checks for der bay's phone 402-280-2304), or Bryan Le Beau support payable to (PJCC), Peninsula and send it ([email protected] or phone 402-280-2562) at and all mail to the editor. Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Der bay is the clearinghouse for teachers, gigs Omaha, NE 68178. One page abstracts and vitae programs, translators, and help for beginners should be s.ubmitted to either Dr. Greenspoon or online. There is n9 listing charge. Dr. Le Beau by April 1, 1996. internatsionaler kalendar A Child's Longing for Home: A Psychological Childhood Memoir Dec 1-3 NYBC presents, "Yiddish Writing in the Nazi When the senior sage of Mendele, the fore Ghettos", Prof. David Roskies & Prof. Samuel Kassow, Malibu, CA, Call 413-535-1303, most Yiddish online list, publishes a new book, 1 & 15, Fri., 10:00 A.M, Menke Katz Leyenkrayz, it is a special event. West Palm Beach, FL, Call 407-684-8686 Just like the product of any artist-statue, 2 Every Sat., 7:30 P.M. Yiddish Culture Club painting, music, dance, play, etc., its evalua of LA, Los Angeles, CA, Call 213-275-8455 tion is a personal one by a critic. For your 3-11 Yiddishn Ta'am Cruise, Panama Canal, editor this was a remarkable experience to read Royal Odyssey, Call 1-800-362-6221 xt 271 and reread this short book, for within its 94 4 Every Mon., 5:00 P.M. Yiddish Culture Soc. of Jerusalem, 10 Rechov Sholom Aleichem, pages was a re-creation of child hood scenes Call 02-712-218 vividly irnbedded by your editor's mother of 5 Every Tues., Noon-1:20 P.M, Yale-New Haven her recollections in Tiktin (Poland). Leyenkrayz, Hillel House at 35 High St, New Other wonderful books of s htetl life have Haven , CT, Call Sid Resnick 203-288-8206 been published-The S htetl Book by the 5 Every Tues., 7:30 P.M., San Francisco Jewish Roskies' is a notable example. However, this Folk Chorus, SF JCC, Call 415-239-6785 6 & 20, Weds., l 1:00 A.M., Kadimah Wed. Club, ability to wrench-up long-forgotten stories, Elste rnwick, Australia, Call (03) 9523 98 l 7 heard in his youth of pre WWJ and during IO Sunday, Musical, 1:30 P.M., Musical Festival, that War, made this little book one that will Songs or the Jewish People Workmen's Circle have a very special place in Fishl's library. Cultural Fndn., Plantation, FL, Call 305-733-3790 Zellig Bach's book is splendidly written 10 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Folksbiene Theater, Annual with fascinating, autobiographical depictions of Yugntruf & League for Yiddish Theater Benefit Adaptation of Sholom Aleichem's Shver tse zayn the characters this fatherless pre-teen meets in a yid Call 212-787-6675 his schooling away from home. T hese charac .10 Sunday, 7:30 P.M., Annual Concert of the ters become so realistic that the emotional Hazomir Choir, 7 Selwyn Street, Elstemwick, impact is absolutely dynamic. Australia, Call (03) 9523 9817 Using the theme of a daily schedule of pre 10 Sun., 2:00 P.M., Chanukah Party & Sing A Long, yeshiva schooling, studying a nd li ving with a Michael Sternberg, Friends Yiddish, NYC, or different family each day of the week, Bach Call 718-224-5497 11 Mon., 8:00 P.M., Yiddish Songs by Annette delves deeply into his childhood feelings with Sondak, JCC, Houston, TX, Call 713-723-1895 the remarkable insight of a psychotherapist 11-21, Panama Cruise, Yiddish Workshop, ALS JCC/ and the personal warmth of a truly remarkable A-P JCC, Call 415-493-0563 writer. 13 Wed., Noon, U of CT (Storrs) Yiddish Tish, Describing each of these seven families in Luncheon Discussions, Call 203-486-2271 detail, brings forth not only the livelihood of 17 Sun., Klezmer Mania VII, FINJAN, San Francisco Jewish Folk Chorus, Calvin Simmons these families, but also the daily routines of Theater, Oakland, CA, Call 510-433-9810 their s htetl life. The comparisons and contras ts 17 Sun., 2:00 P.M., San Diego Folk Heritage of the poverty and comparative wealth a mong Chanukah Concert, Second A venue Klezmer these family caretakers is especially significant Ensemble, La Jolla, CA, Call 619-436-4030 in his memoir. 17 Sun., Dorfman Yiddish Club Chanukah Also helpful to the reader is the 25 word Luncheon, JCC, Indianapolis, IN, Call 317-251-9467 glossary at the end of the book. Because of the 20 Wed. (3rd), 1:30 P.M., Peninsula JCC strict orthodox nature of this schooling, these Yiddish Club, Belmont, CA, Call 415-349-6946 definitions of common Yiddish/ Hebrew terms 24-29 Living Traditions-KlezKamp, "The are particularly helpful. Wonders of America: A Century of Yiddish To order your copies call Carlton Press American Culture" Paramount Hotel, Parksville, Corp. at (1-800-266-5708). They are located at: NY, Call 212-691-1272 27-30 Conference on Modern Jewish Studies, 11 West 32nd Street, New York, NY 10001 and AAPY, at 1995 Annual Modern Languages Assn. accept major credit cards. 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" The second part of tfos admoni tion was different for my sisters: " ... A lways "Peysekhl der Shabes-GOYtshik" wear clean underwear because, khas vekholile, First I heard on television that Colin Powell you are suddenly taken to the hospital and speaks Yiddish. I read it in the NY Times, in its undressed, lo and behold -- dirty underwear... " Week in Review section (9/24/95, p. 13), in an I arrived 10 minutes early, and was escorted article on the Op-Ed page. Then I read in the to the General's office in his splendid house in English-language "Forward" (pp. 1-2) the news McLean, VA. The oak floor and Jeather Queen story "A Bisl Yiddish Could Go Far If Powell Anne chair lent it an air of formality. On one Takes the Stump" [for a presidential run]. wall were displayed assorted Medals of Honor In the old days, when fire engines used to he received throughout his distinguished run on "actual" horse power (not on horse career. On the wall opposite his chair was a power in cars), the horses in the firehouse vertical row of framed photographs of the would suddenly come to life all aquiver at the Presidents he served, Reagan, Bush, Clinton. first bell of an alarm. So did the old journalist On a small side wall, an enlarged framed in me sense a scoop, and l immediately call ed picture of the ticker-tape parade down Fifth the general's office for an appointment. A venue following Desert Storm. A male secretary answered. "And what He greeted me with a firm hands hake. 1 ex media do you represent, Sir?" I hesitated for a pected his military bearing, but was surprised moment, not being certain how to answer. 1 by a warm smile a nd twinkle in his eyes. knew that "Memdele" is a "medium," The Interview: attracting many lurkers before they "out" themselves with an introduction... but a ZB Vos hobn ayere khaveyrim aykh gerufn "Media"? So I fudged my answer: ven ir hot gevoynt in dorem Bronx? 'Tm a frequent free-lance contributor to Mendele... " CP Peysekhke, min hastam far mayn nomen "Mendele who?" Powell. Eyn mol hob ikh gefregt dem rov fun "The Grandfather of..." der shul vu kh'hob ge'arbet fraytik tsunakhts, "The 'grandfather' you said? The General, as vos volt geven mayn nomen in idis h far Colin? you certainly know, is all for "family values", Kh'gedenk nit dem nomen vos e r hot mir so he wi11 be glad to see you... Let me check his gezogt, ober es hot geklungen vi 'columnist' ... schedule... How about Wednesday, October 4, at 14 hours?" [military time -- ZBI. ZB Ir meynt efsher 'Kloynimus'? Dos iz an "Sorry, I couldn't make it, it is Yorn Kippur, alter no men, kumt fun Grikhish un mey nl a a very High Holiday ... I'm sure the General will "sheyner nomen." Fun Grikhis h iz es araynge understand. As a young boy in the Hunts Point gangen in Aramish, un dan in Hebreyish un section of the South Bronx, he was employed in Yiddish. Hayntike tsaytn ober vert es zeltn an orthodox synagogue where on Friday nights genutst. "Peysekhke" funder ander zayt iz a he would turn the lights on and off, for which zeyer sheyner un fars hprey te r nome n, kumt services he earned a quarter... " fun wort "peysakh," dem groysn yontef fun "Yes, Sir, I read it in his book. .. How about frayhayt, ven di y idn zaynen antlofn fun Mits the following Monday, October 9, at 16 hours?" ray im, Egypt, vu zey zaynen geven shklafn ... Vi (4:00 P.M. civilian time -- ZBI. men zingt inem shpirits uel "Le t my people go." On the day of the appointment 1 was ready CP Zeyer interesanl... Ir zent a litvak? with my questions. I carried a dean, handker chief and wore, you will excuse me -- whole ZB Yo! fun vanen veyst ir? socks. This was according to admonitions by my mom, o"h: "When visiting, always carry a CP Kh'her dokh vi ir redt... ln indzer fresh handkerchief and wear whole socks, for, neighborhood zanen maysnts idn geven rurnenishe un ingerishe... Vi zogt men Kinder un yiddish: amkho, 'neighborhood' af idish? un kolisher farantvortlekhkeyt Leybl Botvinik Netanya Mendele online ZB Gegnt. Tayerc fraynt, mir diskutirn letstns vegn der teme fun CP Yo, ta'ke, gegnt, itster d ermon ikh zikh ... kinder un der L.;;ukunft fun yidish. Morrie Feller hol Kh'farshtey az di mitglider in "Mendele" zanen aroysgebrakht dos vikhtikste punkt, vos k.imat keyner kemfers far idish. Ver iz ayer hoypt general? . hot zikh oyf dcm nit opgeshtelt. in zayn i-briv oyf mcndele shraybt er dos vos iz di untershte shure-di !he said it with a hard / g/ l kehile muz zikh emst nemen tsu dem inyen, un akseptim ZB Er iz a pensyonirter profesor fun sotsio di fule akhrayes (responsibility) far der tsu-kunft fun yidish. derloybt mir ibertsuzetsn oyf yidish zayne verter: logye, a zeyer basheydener mentsh, un er 11 ... dos vos se noytikt zikh, iz far yidish tsu vern gclernt bashteyt deroyf men zol im rufn shames ... oyf a madreyge farglikhn lsu dem fun hebreyish. dos mcynt, makhn yidish a leyl fun dem !em-program fun CP: Shames gor? ... Kh'gedenk d em shames sinagoge-shuln, un yidishe kehile tsenters.. . " er iz fun d er shul vu kh'fl eg arbetn fraytik gerckht. oyb mir trakhtn crnst vegn ibergebn di vayter tsunak.hts ... a sheyner, varemer mentsh ... Er dike doyres der vikhtiker yerushe undsers, muz dos vem flegt rnir rufn "Peysekhl, der s habes-GOYtshik" a teyl fun der algemeyner yidisher bild. beser gezogt: es (laughs)... Vi gefelt aykh aza nomen? darf tsurik arayn dort vu es iz frier geven (vayl men hot cs tsubislckh aroysgcshtupt, Lsi bckhlal aroysgc-vorfn). ZB Zeyer gerotn un tsugepast... Kh'hob gehert oyf tsvey nivocn darf undser alemens mi vem gcvondn: az ven ir zayt geven in Yisroel, hot ir un Fun untn, dos vos oyf english ruft men on 'grass roots'. bay yidn iz der originaler taytsh 'am-horets' take Shamir, der demolstiker premyer, ongefirt a geven dos, layder hot es bakumen a negativer konotatsie. langen shmu'es ingantsn in Yiddish... nutsn mir beser 'amkho'. yo, dos amkho, dos poshete folk tsu vos yeder gehert, oder fun vanen kimat yeder CP (Laughs heartily, and his eyes are atwinkle) shtamt, darf zikh farinterisim az in di yidishe shuln, An oysgetrakhte maynse... fun onheyb bizn sof sinagogcs, un kehilc t,;;cnlcrs in zaync gcgntn zol men on a vort emes!... Di maynse iz poshet geven onheybn lcrncn yidish, say di kinder, say di eltem. tsu sheyn, khotsh an oysgetrakhte, es optsuley Fun oybn, darfn mir zcn aroyslsukrign fun undzcrc kenen... lz zayt ir der ershter journalist, fun kehilc firers, dcr ikcr Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAID Permit No. 3 Belmont, Calif.