The Yiddish Book Center Alumni Association Newsletter, Spring

The Alumni Association newsletter of the bu ?

spring/summer 2018

Dear Alumni, Inside A lot has happened since our last edition of Nu?. Perhaps most exciting are q A Letter from the updates that we’ve received from Yiddish Book Center alumni that span Debra Caplan the Center’s educational programs. As you’ll read, your fellow alumni are doing some interesting, surprising, and varied work, both personally and pro- w The Shmooze fessionally—and in both English and Yiddish. We even have news of alumni w Four Questions for: who were married right here at the Yiddish Book Center. Zeke Levine We’re thrilled to share news of the launch of our mentoring program. After reviewing your replies from our recent survey, we’ve put together guidelines e Alumni Updates for those interested in taking part in the pilot launch, either as mentor or r New on Our Website mentee—or in some cases both. You’ll find our mentorship pilot program guidelines on page 5, so please look them over. If you’re interested in participating, you can email us at alumni@ r A New Work in yiddishbookcenter.org and we’ll match you with the appropriate person. Translation We also have updates from the Center, news from the field, an alumni Q&A with Center fellow t Mentorship Pilot Zeke Levine, and so much more that reflects the range and scope of what’s happening at the Program Center and the great work being done by our alumni. Enjoy this issue of Nu?, stay in touch, drop by and say hello when you’re in the neighborhood, and y New and Notable feel free to send us your latest news, questions, and suggestions. And don’t forget that you can Reads reach us and your fellow alumni via our alumni Facebook page—if you’re not part of the group, Other send us a request and we’ll invite you to join. y Recommendations Also, if you’ll be in the western Massachusetts area, consider joining us for one of our weekend or public programs, or to attend Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music, which will take u Wedded at the Center place this year July 12–15. u Become an Ufhalter Vareme grusn! (Sustainer) u Click to Open a Debra Caplan (Yiddish Book Center intern ’04) Culture President of the Yiddish Book Center Alumni Association i Mark Your Calendar

NU studs.indd 1 4/26/18 11:25 AM Four Questions for: Zeke Levine Zeke Levine is an alumnus of the Yiddish Book Center’s 2016 Steiner Summer Yiddish Program and is a 2017–18 Yiddish Book Center Fellow. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a bachelor of music in jazz bass performance and a certificate in conflict resolution and peace studies. He also studied Yiddish language and Jewish-American history while gaining familiarity and experience with klezmer music through rehearsal and performance with an Austin community klezmer band. While living in Austin, he worked as a freelance musician in the city’s jazz, rock, folk, and R&B scenes.

What are you working on? My main projects involve music and audio collections at the Center. I am currently in the process of organizing and making accessible a great deal of Yiddish sheet music that comes to us from the personal collections of individuals. I am also working to improve accessibility of the Frances Brandt Online Yiddish Audio Library, which has put me into contact with some great audio recordings. In addition, I produce the Yiddish Book Center’s weekly podcast, The Shmooze.

Any great finds? I am very interested in Yiddish of the 1950s and 1960s, so Ben Barnhart Photo: I was very excited to find a great songbook compiled in 1965 by the writer and musician Sam Liptzin, calledZingen mir far sholem (We Sing for Peace). This book contains both Yiddish folk and resistance songs, as well as American folk songs. Similarly, I came across an incredibly enlightening poetry reading event by Allen Ginsberg in our Frances Brandt Collection, which touches on Jewish themes and reflects the social, political, and artistic consciousness of the 1960s. What drew you to Yiddish? Yiddish offers a connection to my own family history, and to an incredibly rich world of culture that continues to surprise and inspire me. Learning Yiddish has allowed me to communicate not only with figures of the past but also with today’s vibrant community of Yiddish speakers. What are you listening to? Two recent albums have been at the top of my playlist. The first is Lipa Schmeltzer’s24/6 , which has 39 tracks of very high-energy music, and which contains a lot of Yiddish. The second is Daniel Kahn’s The Butcher’s Share, which came out only a few months ago. The song “Avrom Ovinu Sharft Dos Meser,” from this album, is a beautiful setting of an Itsik Manger text. [Note: You can also listen to Zeke take a trip to the Center’s vault to explore our collection of Yiddish sheet music on a recent episode of The Shmooze: yiddishbookcenter.org/the-shmooze/yiddish-sheet-music.] Have You Heard The Shmooze? If you haven’t subscribed to The Shmooze, the Yiddish Book Center’s podcast featuring conversations with Jewish culture makers, as well as news and stories related to Yiddish literature, language, and culture, what are you waiting for? Recent alumni who have been on The Shmooze include Ruby Elliott Zuckerman, who discusses her new Yiddish radio show in Minnesota, and Michael Yashinsky and Leah Reis-Dennis, who performed their original Yiddish songs at the 2017 Der Yidisher Idol in Mexico City. Additional episodes have featured conversations with New Yiddish Rep director David Mandelbaum and author Beth Kaplan, great-granddaughter of Yiddish playwright Jacob Gordin. You can catch up on past episodes and subscribe at yiddishbookcenter. org/the-shmooze.

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NU studs.indd 2 4/26/18 11:25 AM Alumni Updates Sam Ashworth (Tent: Great Jewish Books home-cooked meals Daniel Stein Kokin Illustrations are by Creative Writing ’16) program this past sum- to families in need and (Internship ’94) is on Building #19’s cartoon- writes: “I’m finishing my mer, I went camping helps combat the social an extended visit at ist, Mat Brown.” MFA in fiction at George with some of my friends isolation many recipi- UCLA (2016–18), where Pamela Mayer (Tent: Mason University. Since in Ithaca, NY. We hiked ents face resulting from he is teaching Jewish Children’s Literature Tent, my fiction and trails through waterfalls physical and/or financial and Israel studies. He is ’17) is working on a essays have appeared and gorges, took boat struggles. normally based at the children’s picture book in Barrelhouse, Cata- rides across Cayuga University of Greifswald, Grace Idle (Steiner ’14) and a children’s chapter pult, and Eater. I also Lake, and watched the in Berlin, where he is is currently working as a book. began writing a monthly stars from Cornell Uni- a professor of Jewish project coordinator for column for the arts versity’s campus. It was literature and culture. Isaac Moore (Fellow- the Holocaust Educa- and literary website beautiful and relaxing.” ship ’14–’15) is working tional Trust, where she Linda Elovitz Mar- The Rumpus called as an administrator at Rachel Field (Trans- has organized the Les- shall (Tent: Children’s “Dispatches from the Harvard Law School. He lation Fellowship ’17) sons from Auschwitz Literature ’17) writes: Swamp,” which focuses is also preparing to pur- finished her translation Project, a program “What happens when on living and working in sue a master’s degree in of Ikh bin geven a aimed at 16–18-year-old a new baby displaces Washington, DC. I spent education with a focus partizan: di grine leg- students across the the family dog? For the summer of 2017 on advancing diversity ende (I Was a Partisan: United Kingdom. She the dog’s point of view, researching an ongoing and inclusion in higher The Green Legend), is also editing her MA check out my latest novel about the life and education. Shmerke Kaczerginski’s dissertation, which is to picture book, Mommy, death of a chef, told account of life and be published in Trans- Baby and ME, debuting through his autopsy, the Johnathan Mopurgo resistance in the Vilna actions, the journal of October 1 from Peter research for which was (Tent: Museums ’14 and Ghetto, which was the Jewish Historical Pauper Press. And in every bit as graphic/deli- Tent: Fashion ’14) writes: excerpted in Jewish Society of England. In honor of my father’s cious as it sounds.” “I applied what I learned Currents in December more personal news, 90th birthday, I’ve in Tent Fashion to my Dionna Dash (GJB 2017. she is also training to be written (and self- line of rainbow keffiyeh Summer Program ’17) a yoga teacher. published through scarves, Tahrir Scarf Sofia Gardenswartz writes: “I just started Amazon) a tribute to (www.tahrirscarf.com). (GJB Summer Program Emily Jaeger (Tent: my senior year of high him and his unfailing Gilbert Baker, the late ’16) is the president Creative Writing ’15) school and I’m really ability to make lem- inventor of the gay pride of Serving Spoons, a is a 2017–18 Olive B. enjoying my classes, onade out of lemons: flag, helped me start nonprofit organization O’Connor Fellow at especially French, Latin, Good Stuff Cheap! is this business. The first that prepares and Colgate University in and government. I’ve the story of my father, set of keffiyehs were delivers healthy and Hamilton, New York. begun filling out my Jerry Ellis (aka, Gerry designed this winter She is studying creative college applications, Elovitz), and the won- while I was volun- writing and poetry. too. After I finished the derful world of Building teering on an organic #19 that he created. farm and a kibbutz in Israel. I am in 35 stores and am working on a new, more up-market season of the line. On the Museums front, my

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NU studs.indd 3 4/26/18 11:25 AM New on Our A New Work Website in Translation Yiddish Book Center Education Specialist Michael Yashinsky (Fellowship ’15 and Senior Fellowship ’16; Tent: Creative Writing ’13, Theatre ’13, Fashion ’14; by 2017 Steiner Summer Yiddish Program ’14) recently translated an excerpt of poet Rokhl Korn’s November 1977 speech at Montreal’s Jewish Public Library. Translation The following is a small sample of what you can find on our website, which includes the audio of Korn’s speech in Yiddish. Fellow Rachel Field You can read an excerpt of Rachel Field’s translation of Shmerke Kaczerginski’s Ikh bin geven a partizan: di grine legende (I Was a Partisan: The Green Legend) on the Jewish Currents website at http://jewishcurrents.org/escaping-from-the- vilna-ghetto-an-authentic-memoir/. Rachel began You can read this and other translated works on the Center’s translating the work as a 2017 translation fellow website at yiddishbookcenter.org/language-literature-culture/ under the mentorship of Alex Zucker, an award- yiddish-translation. winning translator of Czech literature.

Alumni Updates, continued from page 3:

vintage queer art book working teaching French College in Philadelphia, “As field fellow with the Sivan Rotholz (Tent: and ephemera shop, or English online or in PA. After studying in Wexler Oral History Creative Writing ’17) Teleidoscope, was at person.” Haifa, Israel this past Project, I am glad to is attending a mas- the New York Art Book summer, she is current- have circled back ter’s degree program Meghan Paradis Fair in September 2017. ly working on a project around to Yiddish and in Jewish Education (Steiner Summer focused on the experi- the Yiddish Book Cen- program at Hebrew Kinga Esther Neder Yiddish Program ’15) ences of children of Ho- ter and am grateful to Union College in New (Steiner Summer is in her first year of a locaust survivors, which have met such amazing York City. Next year, in Yiddish Program ’12) PhD program at Indiana includes conducting narrators!” Jerusalem! writes: “I began a University-Bloomington. interviews, writing about program in language Her major field is Avery Robinson Dorothee Rozenberg her own personal histo- didactics at the Sor- modern European (Tent: Food NYC ’14) is (Internship ’86) is ry as a third-generation bonne-Nouvelle in Paris history with an outside building an archive of currently singing with survivor, and poetry. where I currently focus minor in Jewish studies. approximately 50,000 her husband in the on multilingualism and Nina Pick (Internship books at Yung Yiddish Boston Workmen’s Janine Julia using digital technology ’05) is working as an in the Tel Aviv Central Circle Yiddish chorus, Jankovitz Pastor in the classroom. I editor at Princeton Bus Station. She is also A Besere Velt. (Tent: Creative Writ- hope to specialize in Architectural Press serving as an editor ing ’13) is now in her Lawrence Schimel e-learning development and recently published and project manager fifth year of rabbinical (Tent: Children’s Liter- as the next step. When her second chapbook, with the Posen Library school at the Recon- ature ’17) has authored I am not studying, I am Leaving the Lecture for Jewish Culture and structionist Rabbinical on Dance. She writes: Civilization.

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NU studs.indd 4 4/26/18 11:25 AM Mentorship Pilot Program Our mentorship program guidelines offer a template for mentors and mentees Reach out to your mentee 3–4 times over the to connect and build a relationship. While you don’t have to follow these steps next year to check in, to follow up on things you exactly, we hope that they provide you with a solid framework to get started. discussed, and to let them know that you’re there We hope you’re as excited as we are about this new program. To particpate in for them as a mentor. Encourage your mentee to the program, email [email protected]. share news of recent accomplishments. For Mentors For Mentees Contact your mentee via email to introduce yourself. Find out who your men- Introduce yourself to your mentor when you re- tee is and what they’re looking for in a mentor. ceive an introductory email and let him or her know Set up a time for initial conversation. This conversation could take place online, what you’re hoping to get out of the program. Make via Skype, by phone, or in person. Plan for a 30–45 minute conversation. Some a list of questions prior to your initial conversation suggested questions to start with: “What Yiddish Book Center program/s were with your mentor. What would you like learn from you part of and what was your experience like?” “What are your educational or this person? What do you want to make sure they career goals?” “What are your know about you? interests?” “What professional Follow up with your mentor whenever you have a skills are you looking to build?” question they may be able to help you with. Share “What do you most want to news of your accomplishments, and don’t hesitate know from someone in my to ask for advice or introductions. Continue to let position?” your mentor know how they can help you.

Alumni Updates, continued from page 3:

two new books in The Wild Book, by Juan tian also served as the Tammar Stein (Tent: comparative literature 2017—the picture book Villoro. New books that director of the transla- Children’s Literature ’17) and cultural studies. Will You Read My Book he has translated into tion fellowship program is preparing for a trip Ri J. Turner (Transla- With Me?, illustrated by Spanish in 2017 include and a development offi- to Israel where she will tion Fellowship ’14) is Thiago Lopes and two poetry collections cer at the Yiddish Book be researching the studying at the Medem titles in the Bia & Beto La Caligrafía De La Center. Yom Kippur War for Library (Maison de la series, both illustrated Aguja by Arvis Viguls, a middle-grade Jess Spear (Great culture yiddish) in Paris by Paz Rodero, Um La Geografía Del Amor companion novel to Jewish Books Summer this year while she fin- Presente Per Mamae by Kätlin Kaldmaa, 30 The Six Day Hero, which Program ’15) is in her ishes writing her thesis and Tudo Igual. New Cosas Que La Gente was published in 2017. first year at Brandeis for her master’s degree books that he has Jamás Se Pregunta by University, majoring in Naima Tokunow in Yiddish from Hebrew translated into English Inga Gaile, and Papás computer science and (neé Woods) (Tent: University of Jerusalem. in 2017 include, Nothing by Karlis Verdins. sociology. Creative Writing ’15) Is Lost: Selected Poems Cady Vishniac (Tent: Sebastian Schulman is working at African by Jordi Doce; picture Arielle Stein (Steiner Creative Writing ’17) (Internship ’04) American Student books One House for Summer Yiddish Pro- won the 2017 Fiction became executive Services at the Univer- All, by Inese Zandere, gram ’13) is a 2017–18 Contest at Salamander director of KlezKanada sity of New Mexico and and A Bigger Family by fellow at Mechon Hadar Residency and grant in Montreal, Quebec in has begun her second Olalla González; and in New York, studying at the Vermont Studio December 2017. Sebas- master’s program in the middle grade novel Talmud. Center.

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NU studs.indd 5 4/26/18 11:25 AM New and Notable Reads Yiddish Book Center alumni continue to produce engaging work, both is a young adult novel that explores the meaning in print and electronically. Here are some recent publications. of being a teenage girl in the modern world. It was Jewish Comedy: A Serious History by Jeremy Dauber (Internship ’92) a finalist for the 2017 National Book Award for was a finalist for the National Jewish Book Award, Dauber’s book is a rich Young People’s Literature. account of Jewish humor—its nature, its development, and its vital role Nathan Goldman’s (Tent: Creative Writing ’17) throughout history. “The Divinity of Dog Writing” looks at the Judgement by David Bergelson, translated by 2014 translation fellows relationship between people and their canine Harriet Murav and Sasha Senderovich, is now available in English for the companions through the eyes of Virginia Woolf, first time. Judgement is, according to Kirkus Reviews, an “ahead-of-its- Eileen Myles, and others (http://lithub.com/ time novel by one of the best-known Yiddish writers of his era proves the-divinity-of-dog-writing/). powerfully relevant in its first English translation.” madness, sam sax’s (Tent: Creative Writing ’14) Subcortical is Lee Conell’s (Tent: Creative Writing ’16) highly praised debut collection of poetry, “embodies the collection of short stories contains “The Lock Factory,” winner of the strange and disjunctive workings of the mind as Chicago Tribune’s 2016 Nelson Algren Literary Award. it grapples to make sense of the world around it,” and was the winner of the 2016 National Poetry What Girls Are Made Of, by Elana Arnold (Tent: Children’s Literature ’17), Series Competition. Other Recommendations Be sure to send us your recommendations of what you’ve been reading, Save Jewish Treasures from the Nazis is “the listening to, and watching. Here are a few of our recent favorites. nearly unbelievable story of ghetto residents who rescued thousands of rare books and Menashe: “Within Brooklyn’s ultra-orthodox Jewish community, a widower manuscripts—first from the Nazis and then from battles for custody of his son. A tender drama performed entirely in Yiddish, the Soviets—by hiding them on their bodies, the film intimately explores the nature of faith and the price of parenthood.” burying them in bunkers, and smuggling them Also, be sure to listen to director Joshua Z. Weinstein and star Menashe across borders.” Lustig discuss the film on The Shmooze. The film was screened at the Center in March as part of the Pioneer Valley Jewish Film Festival. And recommended by Zeke Levine, 2016 alumnus of the Steiner Summer Yiddish Program and One of Us: This Netflix original film explores the insular world of New York’s 2017–18 Yiddish Book Center Fellow, “Daniel Kahn Hasidic community, focusing on three individuals driven to break away & the Painted Bird,” an album by “Yiddish Punk despite threats of retaliation. Cabaret” band The Butcher’s Share is “the most Henri Oppenheim’s album Tur Malka (New Songs of Yiddish Montreal ) con- powerful and complex work of the band so far sists of 15 original melodies based on Yiddish poems that were written in the and is dedicated to the great political and personal 20th century by poets who chose Montreal as their home. themes of our time.” David E. Fishman’s The Book Smugglers: Partisans, Poets, and the Race to

Stay in Touch CONNECT with other alumni at the Yiddish Book Center Alumni Group on Facebook | READ alumni profiles, updates, and news at yiddishbookcenter.org/alumni-association | EMAIL US at [email protected] FOLLOW US on

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NU studs.indd 6 4/26/18 11:25 AM Wedded at Become an the Center Ufhalter (Sustainer) Emma Rachel Morgenstern (Fellow and Senior Visit yiddishbookcenter.org/sustaining-alumni to make your donation and Fellow 2011–12) married Sam Anzaroot at the become a Sustainer today. Center on May 28, 2017. Emma is currently an audio producer in New York who has produced one-off radio stories for Public Radio International’s “The World,” Vox, Tablet, and the BBC Food Programme. Sam is a data scientist at Dataminr, a company specializing in AI and machine learning.

Oral Historian Spotlight Photo: Christa Whitney Christa Photo: New on the Center’s website is a profile Click to of Agnieszka Ilwicka, 2012-13 alumna of the Center’s fellowship program and current Open a Culture international field fellow for the Center’s Wexler Oral History Project. Check out the Language, Literature & Culture section of our website at yiddishbookcenter.org/language-literature-culture, where you’ll find articles, podcast During her fellowship year, Agnieszka com- interviews, and short films about Yiddish and modern Jewish literature and pleted the Center’s oral historian training culture; Yiddish works in translation; news from the Yiddish Book Center; and since 2012 has recorded 47 interviews Yiddish language learning tools; and more. of Yiddish students, scholars, artists, and native speakers in five different countries— And in our digital Yiddish library expanding Wexler’s collection in invaluable you’ll find a diverse collection ways. You can read about and see some of contemporary oral histories, highlights of Agnieszka’s work by visiting archival recordings, Yiddish yiddishbookcenter.org/heft-notebook. audiobooks, and more at yiddishbookcenter.org/collections.

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Mark Your Calendar

CONCERT SCHEDULE

THURSDAY, JULY 12

THE HELEN & IRVING SUNSHINE MEMORIAL CONCERT David Krakauer’s Acoustic Klezmer Quartet | 8 PM FRIDAY, JULY 13 Heather Klein & Joshua Horowitz | 2:30 PM Tsvey Brider featuring Anthony Russell & Dmitri Gaskin | 5:30 PM SATURDAY, JULY 14

THE JOAN A. BACKMAN MEMORIAL CONCERT David Krakauer’s Klezmer Madness Reunion, with special guest Socalled | 8 PM

SUNDAY, JULY 15

THE BERNARD AND REVA BRODER MEMORIAL CONCERT Beyond the Pale with surprise guest | 12 PM Yiddish Meets Ladino, with Sarah Aroeste & Anthony Russell | 3 PM Socalled String Quartet | 7:30 PM

the yiddish book center alumni association Great Jewish Books Summer Program n Steiner Summer Yiddish Program n Fellowship Tent: Encounters with Jewish Culture n Translation Fellowship

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