Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 3.199 January 14, 1994 1) Learning Yiddish (Mottel Lakin) 2) Introduction (Mark Flumerfelt) 3) Yiddish music & di Yiddishe gas (Stephen Dowling) 4) Kol Korei bamidbar (Mottel Lakin) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed Jan 12 17:44:26 1994 From: Martin Lakin Subject: Learning Yiddish What's wrong with Weinreich's College Yiddish? It is probably available in most libraries, and even if you have no background, you can probably get going in it as rapidly, certainly as systematically, as in any other way. I suppose it would be more supportive, as well as more fun, to do it in a group with a few other folks. Mottel Lakin aka mlakin@acpub.duke.edu 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu Jan 13 01:50:07 1994 From: Mark Subject: Introduction My name is Mark Flumerfelt and I'm a graduate student at York University in Tor onto. I'm presently doing my comprehensives but I will be writing my dissertat ion on some aspect of Canadian Jewish history. I am particularly interested in Jewish socialist and labour organizations in the 1930's (ie-Left Poale Zion). I am presently learning Yiddish (mit a lehrer) and as a result I have become fascinated with Yiddish literature. I am particularly interested in the works of Chaim Grade and I.J. Singer. I'll be glad to discuss these authors with any one who is interested. PS - Has anyone heard of a Yiddish author from Montreal named Zipper? Just curious. Mark Flumerfelt 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri Jan 14 00:59:16 1994 From: stephen dowling <71072.2134@CompuServe.COM> Subject: yiddish music & di yiddishe gas Regarding Hope Ehn's search for Yiddish music, the Jewish Book Center of the Workmen's Circle sells a large variety of Yiddish and Klezmer tapes, cds and songbooks. The Israel Book Shop in Brookline is the exception to the rule. Most Judaica shops do not have such a large variety of Yiddish recordings. For more information, please call 212-889-6800 ext.285 or 800-922-2885 ext.285. We have something new in the Jewish Book Center that may be of interest to Mendelniks. A new Yiddish journal is being published in Moscow with the help of the Forward and the Committee for the Revitalization of Yiddish in the Soviet Union called "Di Yiddishe Gas". The journal contains stories, articles, poems, memoirs and correspondence from expatriates in Israel. If you are interested in purchasing a copy, please contact the Jewish Book Center of the Workmen's Circle. Stephen Dowling 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri Jan 14 14:25:27 1994 From: Martin Lakin Subject: Kol Korei bamidbar far hilf fun Mendelnikes Taiyere Mendelnikes, Gor koortz geredt, hoben mir do in Durham, N.C.und in Chapel Hill (oich in Raleigh hoben mir a por mentschen) a Yiddisher Kreiz. Tzuvishen unz zeinen die velche kenen gor gut reden und leyenen, und oich hoben mir azelche velche kenen nisht leyenen Yiddishe shrift und darfen ubertzetzen (transliterate) kedei zei zollen kenen leyenen. Trotz dem, zeinen alle mutig und shtoltz die mitglider fun unzer kreiz. Mistameh zeinen a por Mendelnikes bakant mit unzer Shevah Zucker. Durch ihr initziativ hoben mir zich tzuzamen gekumen. Alzo, vil ich aich betten a tovah: Vi a mol leyenen mir gor ernste zachen, und avadeh leyent men Sholem Aleichemen. Ober vos iz takeh gut is az men leyent aza komische zach vi Monger's Megillah Lider und yeder shpilt ainer fun die Megillah loit, tzum baishpil, Vashti, oder Haman der roishe, oder Estershe, oder Pastrigoso, der shneider yung. Dan iz yeder tzufreiden, Ainer helft dem tzveiten in zein rolye, und tzuzamen greiten mir zich vi tzu an emeser forshtellung. Der noch heren mir zich tzu tzu a tashme fun der forshtelling vos iz forgekumen in Tel Aviv in 1966. Vos iz der sof? Yeder iz kemat baztzeigt az er iz takeh a groisser shoispiller und es art im nisht vos er ken gor vainig Yiddish! Ober ganz ernst gerredt, die mentschen vellen keinmol nisht farinteressiren zich in Yiddish Linguistics, nor ez is zei zeyer noent und tzart, veil es dermont zei vegen kindveiss, oder vegent die fargangene Bobes und Zeides, die tates und mames, b'emes iz dos Nostalgia. Ober fun Nostalgia ken a sach vaksen. Ober meine libe Mendelnikes, vos bet ich fun aiyich? Az ihr zolt bald kumen tzu gehn unz rateven fun unzer golles? Chas v'sholem! Mir rekehenen az mir veinen in der Yerushalayim fun der dorom. Iher kent unz takeh helfen ven ihr shikt tzu oder dermont unz vegen pastlache material far azelche forshtellungen vie die Megillah Lide. Men darf ober hoben in zihnen az unzer mitglider zeinen hoich gebildete "universitetnikes"(azoi vie ihr alleh, nor zeyer fayikeitten in Yiddish zeinen zeyer bagrenitzt (achutz Shevah, Harav Schoen fun Raleigh, a gor merkvediker Yid, Menachem (Max) Drucker, velcher iz takeh geven a printer in a Yiddishe Presse, und mein veib, Mussie (zol gezundt zein) ) Alzo, oib ihr hot Got in hartzen (vie mein bobeh flegt zogen) Nemt die fis oif die plaitzes, und zukht far unz in ayire shkafen und bicher shranken. Efsher hot der Arbeiter Ring oder die Sholem Aleichem schulen gedrukt azelche material far kinder. Ich bet ayich az ihr zolt mir tzushiken ayire aitzes. Ich vart umgeduldig oif entvers tzu mein "Kol Korei Bamidbar". Mottel Lakin a.k.a. Mottel der operator (In certain quarters referred to as Mottke Ganif) ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 3.199 To subscribe, send SUB MENDELE FIRSTNAME LASTNAME to: LISTSERV@YALEVM.YCC.YALE.EDU Mendele has 2 rules: 1. 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