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LOCATED IN THE CENTER FOR 15 West 16th Street New York, NY 10011-6301 yivo.org Ÿ 212.246.6080 Newsletter FALL 2018

The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is dedicated to the preservation and study of the history and culture of East European Jewry worldwide. For nearly a century, YIVO has pioneered new forms of Jewish scholarship, research, education, and cultural expression. Our public programs and exhibitions, as well as online and on-site courses, extend our global outreach and enable us to share our vast resources. The YIVO Archives contains more than 23 million original items and YIVO’s Library has over 400,000 volumes—the single largest resource for such study in the world.

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LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR Contact tel 212.246.6080 The founding vision of YIVO was that of a global institution fax 212.292.1892 yivo.org that would reach across national borders to unite all of Ashkenazi descent with their culture and history. YIVO’s General Inquiries [email protected] first zamlers (collectors) were in Eastern Europe, Russia, Archival Inquiries France, Germany, England, Argentina, as well as in New [email protected] York, Chicago, and Detroit. Today, in addition to YIVO orga- Photo/Film Archives | [email protected] nizations in and Chicago, YIVO has opened an Sound Archives | [email protected] office in in the Lithuanian National Library, and we Library Inquiries [email protected] are opening an office in London. We work with partnering institutions through- out the , Israel, , Poland, Russia, Germany, and England; Travel Directions our Shine Online Educational Series reaches over 4,000 individuals around the The YIVO Institute for Jewish Research is located in the Center world from Japan, Uganda, Uruguay, and the Philippines to Russia, Poland, for Jewish History at 15 West 16th Street between Fifth and Belarus, Western Europe, England, Australia and all 50 states in the U.S. YIVO’s Sixth Avenues, New York, NY 10011. online Encyclopedia is read by 250,000 individuals worldwide. by subway

14 St / Union Sq. L N Q R W 4 5 6 We are building our digital future by inaugurating work on the YIVO Bruce 14 St + 6 Ave 18 St + 7 Ave and Francesca Cernia Slovin Online Museum and by completing work on the F L M PATH 1 Edward Blank YIVO Vilna Collections Project. Our goal is to translate these rare 14 St + 7 Ave 1 2 3 14 St + 8 Ave A C E L archival materials into English and other languages and make them available by bus to general audiences and scholars around the world in a free-access website. Come with us on YIVO’s extraordinary journey and help us build an organization for the future, for our children and grandchildren around the world. Hours [ closed on major federal and ] Gallery Hours Administrative Hours Sun 11:00am-5:00pm Mon–Thu 9:00am-5:00pm Mon+Wed 9:30am-8:00pm Fri 9:00am-4:00pm Jonathan Brent Tue+Thu 9:30am-5:00pm Fri 9:30am-3:00pm Library Hours Mon–Thu 9:30am-5:00pm Executive Director & CEO Sat closed Unless otherwise noted, all programs take place at YIVO, 15 West 16th Street, NYC, located in the Center for Jewish History. Jewish for Center the in located NYC, 16th YIVO, 15 Street, at West place take programs all noted, otherwise Unless FALL SEASON PROGRAMS CONVERSATION BOOK LAUNCH BOOK LAUNCH BOOK LAUNCH NUSAKH VILNE VILNE NUSAKH IN DIALOGUE WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY OCT 04 OCT OCT 09 OCT OCT 03 OCT OCT 17OCT SEP 06 MEMORIAL SEP 16 SEP LECTURE & LECTURE THURSDAY THURSDAY PROGRAM TUESDAY LECTURE ANNUAL SUNDAY 6:00pm 3:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 1:00pm SERIES in the Pre-Modern Period Pre-Modern the in RelationsPolish-Jewish pathbreaking work. pathbreaking new this about Biale David and Wondziński with aconversation by followed maps, its of many and book the presents Wodziński Marcin movements. mystical important and vibrant most era’s modern the of one on book reference cartographic first The Wodziński by Marcin Hasidism of Atlas Historical EVENT LOCATION DIALOGUE: IN process. translation and genesis collection’s the of adiscussion and tales the from readings of evening an hosts Caplan Debra Stromberg. David scholar literary and translator, Tales for Modern Times tales— of collection anew of A release Times Tales Modern for Yiddish Vilne. Nusakh by Sponsored ghetto. Vilna the in them hiding by Holocaust the during destruction from documents and books to save lives their group of Jewish intellectuals who risked a Brigade, Paper the on Fishman David scholar with discussion and film short a features year This presentation. and music, poetry, through Vilna of community Jewish the of commemoration annual An Nusakh Vilne Memorial twentieth-century Poland. it—in to resist efforts —and of history the of interpretation his offers Michnik Adam historian talk, this In topic. important an become again once have relations Polish-Jewish Poland Century 20th in Discusses Antisemitism Michnik Adam histories. untold previously linen’, uncovering ‘dirty community’s the and marriage, of out and in sex women, and men of roles changing the with engage that 1890s late the from songs analyzes Lachs Vivi Historian Twentieth Century Turn the the at of Hall Music Cockney-Yiddish the of Lyrics the from Histories Secret NUDGE, WINK IN WHITECHAPEL: University and Fordham University. Columbia with Co-presented partitions. the of period the and Commonwealth Polish-Lithuanian the discuss Michigan) of (University Porter-Szűcs Brian and University) Teter (Fordham Magda yivo.org/Events) at (Details Center Lincoln Watch past YIVO events at yivo.org/Video at events YIVO York New past the area? Watch in Not In the Land of Happy Tears: Yiddish Yiddish Tears: Happy of Land the In Fordham University University » Fordham

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CONCERT SERIES YOUNG ARTISTS ARTISTS YOUNG CONVERSATION SIDNEY KRUM KRUM SIDNEY IN DIALOGUE NOV 15 OCT 23 OCT DEC 06 DEC 23 DEC LECTURE & LECTURE THURSDAY THURSDAY CONCERT TUESDAY LECTURE SUNDAY 6:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm 7:00pm SERIES MORE INFORMATION &MORE TICKETS [ HOURS: TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS · 9:00AM-5:00PM] Its Echoes Today Echoes Its 1967–1968,Poland, and in Campaign 'Anti-Zionist' The during the Interwar Period Interwar the during RelationsPolish-Jewish EVENT LOCATION DIALOGUE: IN society. Polish to impact continues story this how and exhibition, the surrounding controversies the exhibit, POLIN acurrent in presented is it how discusses He exile. into Jews Poland’s of half persecuted and harassed, slandered, that campaign 1968 Poland’s of government communist the examines Jews, Polish of History the of Museum POLIN of director the Stola, Dariusz EXHIBITING DIFFICULT HISTORIES: Columbia University and Fordham University. with Co-presented period. interwar the including nationalism and antisemitism during transformations, and ideological political and culture, and society Jewish and Polish discuss Michigan) of (University Brykczyński Paul and College) (Trinity Kassow Samuel yivo.org/Events) at (Details Center Lincoln Music and Dance and Yiddish New York. New Yiddish and Dance and Music Traditional for Center The by Co-sponsored exhibition. online Legacy Rubin Ruth YIVO’s of acelebration and work, her by inspired be to continue who students, and colleagues, friends, family, Rubin’s Ruth scholar and vocalist renowned by reminiscences and stories, singing, of evening An Song Yiddish of Legacy Rubin’s Ruth VOICE: THY IS SWEET Loren Loiacono and Na’ama Zisser. and Loiacono Loren Streicher; and newly-commissioned works by Lyubov and Saminsky, Lazare Gnesin, Mikhail Wohl, Herman and Pearlmutter Sholem known settings from Joseph Rumshinsky, little- Lang; David and Bach, S. J. Monteverdi, Claudio by classics includes concert The Latin. and German, Russian, to English, languages ranging from Hebrew and Yiddish in it, by inspired texts or Songs”) of Song Shir of Hashirim excerpts to music set songs of aselection featuring A concert The Song of Songs in Concert in Songs of Song The EMAIL: VISIT: CALL: boxoffice yivo.org/Events 917.606.8290 Fordham University University » Fordham

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NEWS FROM YIVO

REFLECTIONS ON YIVO’s newest tour was an exciting trip to the heart of Jewish Galicia, the areas of Poland and YIVO’s 2018 Ukraine that were once home to large, vibrant Literary Tour of Jewish communities. Historian and scholar Sam Jewish Galicia Kassow led participants through the history of Jewish life in Galicia, and gave a closer look at by EDDY PORTNOY the literary lives of many major writers in their Save the Date places of birth.

Touring the towns, the remaining , and the cemeteries of these On November 14, YIVO will host the 2018 locales was not only edifying, but the literary readings that we did in the Gala Award Dinner honoring Irene Pletka very places that these great literary works were created was incredibly meaningful. Hearing the words of “Monish,” the first poem written by for her exemplary leadership, inspiring the classic Yiddish writer, Y.L. Peretz, in the in his hometown generosity, and outstanding commitment of Zamość was very moving. to the preservation of Jewish history and Equally as dramatic were readings of Bruno Schulz in Drohobych and Nobel culture. Irene is Vice Chairman of the prize-winning Shmuel Yosef Agnon in Buczacz, as well as in Chernivtsi, YIVO Board and Founder and Chairman where we read and discussed the works of Paul Celan, Aaron Applefeld, Rosa Auslander, Itzik Manger, and Dan Pagis. The of the of the Kronhill Pletka Foundation, which region is a rich tapestry that exists in multiple languages—Yiddish, Polish, is dedicated to the preservation of the German, and Hebrew—and is one that reflects the time and place in which it was created. To experience the literature in its birthplace brought new Yiddish language, secular , dimension to its meaning. education, and the arts. More than We also visited Vyzhnytsia, an important Hasidic center. There we read 200 people are expected to attend. Tales of the Baal Shem Tov next to the running brook thought to have served as his mikveh. Lastly, we stopped in Lviv, a small metropolis that was once home to about 150,000 Jews and a vibrant cultural life. Numerous , writers, and historians walked its streets. To see what once was, the rich cultural lives of the Jews of Galicia and the wealth of literature they produced, was an unforgettable experience. Œ Celebrating On July 11, YIVO celebrated the 50th anni- READ MORE AT: yivo.org/GaliciaTour2018 the 50th versary of the Summer Program and honored Chava Lapin, whose Anniversary of dedication to the Yiddish language as a REFLECTIONS ON Religious, secular, Zionist, Bundist. The makeup the Summer teacher, scholar, and YIVO board member of the participants on YIVO’s Lithuania and YIVO’s 2018 Program and for over forty years has inspired genera- Poland Study Tour in many ways reflected the Honoring tions. Hosted by actor Shane Baker, the Lithuania & diversity of the Jewish world whose remnants Chava Lapin evening featured speeches from leading Poland Study we were exploring. scholars such as Kathryn Hellerstein and Tour David Roskies, musical performances by It was a diversity we saw captured in the mat- Daniel Kahn, Zalmen Mlotek, Eléonore Biezunski, and Lauren by ALEX WEISER seyves of the Jewish cemeteries we visited. The Brody, and comedic skits by Mr. Baker. Guests were treated to a varying cultural, religious, and political con- buffet dinner and dessert. The evening celebrated the impact of victions of the memorialized were poignantly reflected in combinations the summer program, which has been held every summer for half of Hebrew, Yiddish, Polish, and Russian inscribed on gravestones that a century, and has trained generations of students to embrace ranged from plain and unadorned to richly ornate, with religious, political, the richness and complexity of Yiddish language, literature, or artistic iconography. We saw similar diversity in memorial sites and in and culture. Ž museums, where the mixed language and divergent narratives reflect the perspectives of those doing the remembering. Antanas Ulpis (1904-1981), the Lithuanian After , two world wars, the Shoah, the oppression of Jewry by Antanas Ulpis, librarian who saved the rare treasures of the Soviet Union, and mass Jewish migrations, the old Jewish world, Rescuer Jewish history and culture (including the once a tumultuous hot bed of Jewish culture, is now gone. Today, we of Jewish books and documents of the Edward Blank often find ourselves looking back to the old Jewish world for inspiration History, YIVO Vilna Collections Project) by hiding to create continuity and to build our future on the foundation of the past. Honored them from Soviet authorities for over 40 In doing so, we are faced with pressing questions: How do we remember years, was honored at the annual confer- that world? How does that world relate to this world? How can and how at AJL ence of the Association of Jewish Libraries should this history inform the culture and the political life we create today? Conference in Boston, on June 20, 2018. With these questions in mind it was fascinating to visit beautiful syn- Mr. Ulpis’s son, Dainius, accepted an award in his late father’s agogues and Jewish community centers throughout Lithuania and honor presented by YIVO staff members Lyudmila Sholokhova and Poland—some of which are still active, though with much smaller com- Roberta Newman and Lara Lempert, Head of Judaica Division of munities now—trying to answer those questions through the work they do: the Martynas Mazvydas National Library of Lithuania. Sholokhova, the upkeep of heritage sites, memorials, education initiatives, community Newman, and Lempert, along with Professor David E. Fishman (via gatherings, and Shabes dinners.  prerecorded video) also delivered presentations at a panel entitled READ MORE AT: yivo.org/StudyTour2018 “The Role of Individuals in Rescuing the Vilna Collections.”  EDUCATION

ΠA memorial wall Fall Classes constructed of fragments of Register for fall classes at yivo.org/Classes. Jewish headstones in Chernivtsi, ٠Instructor: Sheva Zucker Bukovina Region, Beginning Yiddish Ukraine, visited by 10 SESSIONS | WEDNESDAYS | 6:00PM-8:00PM participants of the STARTS WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018 YIVO Literary Tour of Jewish Galicia. For students new to the Yiddish language, this class covers the alphabet, elementary grammar, holidays, stories, and songs.

Intermediate Yiddish Ÿ Instructor: Paula Teitelbaum 10 SESSIONS | MONDAYS | 6:00PM-8:00PM STARTS MONDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2018  For students comfortable with the alefbeys and basic conversa- Participants of the tion, this class will enhance skills in speaking, reading, writing, YIVO Lithuania and listening. & Poland Study Tour visited POLIN Museum Hasidism: A New History Ÿ Instructor: David Biale of the History of Polish Jews, 6 SESSIONS | MONDAYS | 6:00PM-8:00PM , where STARTS MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2018 the reconstructed Presenting the latest research findings on the history of Hasi- ceiling and bimah dism, from the 18th to the 21st centuries, this class will involve of Gwoździec Synagogue is on reading of primary sources and be based on the newly pub- view as part of lished Hasidism: A New History. the core exhibit.

Ž Ruth Levine, Chair of the YIVO Board of Directors (left) and Jonathan Brent, YIVO Executive Director (right) EXHIBITION present Chava Lapin (center) with her award at the Summer Program 50th Anniversary The Ruth Rubin Legacy: Celebration AN ONLINE SOUND ARCHIVE OF YIDDISH FOLKSONGS on July 11. PHOTO BY MELANIE EINZIG The Ruth Rubin Legacy, an online exhibition focusing on the field recordings of Yiddish songs made by the renowned vocalist/schol- ar between 1946 and the 1970s, was officially launched on April 4, 2018. Performed by some of the most extraordinary tradition- al singers of the 20th century, the site currently offers close to 1,800 sample songs with more being added regularly by Sound Archivists Lorin Sklamberg and Eléonore Biezunski. In addition to a state-of-the-art search portal in which songs can be browsed by title, genre, and performer, the exhibition includes a variety  of other digitized documents from Rubin’s papers, including lec- Dainius Ulpis tures, concerts, radio interviews, videos, and rare and unpublished accepts an award manuscripts and photographs, as well as a comprehensive dis- from the YIVO cography and bibliography. The site enables users to to submit Institute in honor transcriptions, translations, or additional information on songs of his late father, or performers. Antanas Ulpis, at the 53rd Annual Conference of Visit YIVO’s Ruth Rubin Legacy online exhibition: the Association of exhibitions.yivo.org/RuthRubin Jewish Libraries in Boston on June 20. The Summer Program class of 2018. PHOTO BY MELANIE EINZIG

2018 Uriel The Uriel Weinreich Program in Yiddish Weinreich Language, Literature, and Culture celebrat- Explore Jewish history and culture ed its 50th anniversary this year, welcoming Summer its largest student cohort in over a decade, and access our unique collection of Program with students aged 18-70 from as far as archival materials from the comfort in Yiddish Poland, Kazakhstan, and Brazil. The pro- Language, gram featured new courses taught by of home with YIVO’S SHINE Literature, Anita Norich and Barbara Harshav, a tour of Hasidic Borough Park, and visits to Yid- ONLINE EDUCATIONAL SERIES. and Culture dish theatrical performances around . The program continues to train the next generation of Yiddish scholars, teachers, and students, Learn more about our course offerings: fostering the continuation of the Yiddish language and culture for the next 50 years and beyond. yivo.org/Shine

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS PHOTO BY STEVEN PISANO

March Mash-Up: Children’s Day One of Those (MARCH 4) YIVO’s second Children’s Day featured Purim-themed A Yiddish Play by Paula Prilutski in Translation festivities for the whole family. The day included cookie-making with (MAY 14) Featuring a cast of Broadway and Off-Broadway vet- The Gefilteria’s Liz Alpert, storytelling by Shane Baker, a singalong erans, YIVO presented an English-language stage reading of a led by Eléonore Biezunski, and a puppet show with the theater troupe newly-commissioned translation of Paula Prilutski’s play, One of Chinese Theatre Works. Participants also enjoyed a coloring station Those. Translated and directed by Allen Lewis Rickman, the play where they colored an activity book designed specifically for the was originally presented by the legendary Esther-Rokhl Kaminska, event, which featured images from the YIVO Archives as well as from “The Mother of Yiddish Theater,” in 1912, and can now be found event co-presenters the Center for Jewish History, American Jewish in the YIVO Archives. Historical Society, Leo Baeck Institute, and Yeshiva University Museum. Joachim Stutschewsky and the Music of His World Jews in Space: Members of the Tribe in Orbit (MAY 22) Julian Schwarz, Marika Bournaki, Avi Nagin, and Alec Meet Astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman Manasse performed a variety of chamber music by composer (MAY 7) In conjunction with our exhibition “Jews in Space: Members Joachim Stutschewsky and other composers of his coterie. They also of the Tribe in Orbit,” astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman discussed his expe- performed a new composition by Ofer Ben-Amots, commissioned riences as a who brought a , a tallis, a dreidel, and other for this concert. The concert, co-sponsored by the American Society Judaica on his five trips into space. Hoffman shared stories of how he for , was part of YIVO’s Sidney Krum Young Artists was inspired to become an astronaut and his memories of the Space Concert Series. Neil W. Levin, YIVO’s Anne E. Leibowitz Visiting Shuttle. Hoffman was joined by Dr. Valerie Neal, curator of the Smith- Professor-in-Residence in Music, delivered a pre-concert lecture. sonian National Air and Space Museum, who provided an overview of the history of Jewish astronauts and their achievements in space. Watch past YIVO events at yivo.org/Video. studies, portraits to nudes, and butchered fish to discarded shoes. #2197. Archives. YIVO Collection, 2132RG Blaustein Al discarded to fish Untitled Pictured: butchered and nudes, to portraits studies, nature to cityscapes from everything depicting drawings and etchings, paintings, includes YIVO to art Blaustein’s of donation The 45 years. for arts of fine a professor was he where Brooklyn, in Institute Pratt the and Yale at University taught Blaustein career. his in early magazine LIFE for artist an as worked and Art of School Union Cooper at studied Blaustein parents, immigrant European East to York New City in Born Whitney. the and MOMA, Met, the including worldwide, museums greatest the of some in ited exhib been have works whose (1924-2004), Blaustein Al artist by pieces original 850 almost received 2018, YIVO January In YIVO to Donated by Blaustein Al Artwork Acquisition Recent YIVO ARCHIVES THE FROM [Nude]. No date. 20x29 inches. Oil on masonite. masonite. on Oil inches. 20x29 date. No [Nude]. kowitz andBerlSilverberg. Theouttakesfrom Featured are singersPhilipSandler, AnnaBer informants. Rubin’s recording of field several Yiddish songswappingsessionwhichreunites which includesexcerptsfrom a1984Montréal documentary ( The RuthRubinLegacyonlineexhibition Archive YIVOThe Sound Highlight: part of which he performs in the film. the in performs he which of part Silverberg’s children’s baykhele mayn song Oy of transcription Rubin’s (Below) Silverberg. and Berkowitz, Sandler, Rubin, top): (from Pictured website. and addedtoYIVO's tions ofthesetreasures willsoonbedigitized in Rubin’s Archives. Por papersintheYIVO generously donatedthefootageforinclusion collection ofNewYork’s JewishMuseum,which Marshall’s video were recently identified in the detailed

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PHOTO BY MELANIE EINZIG