Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 10.003 June 2, 2000 1) Fishman-fundatsiye termin far naye aplikatsiyes (Joshua Fishman) 2) Yiddish Summit 2000 (Philipe Olivier) 3) International Association of Yiddish Clubs Conference (Harold Black) 4) New book: THE STANDARDIZED YIDDISH ORTHOGRAPHY (Sholem Berger) 5) copyright question (Khaye Davis) 6) Copyright Query (Bernard Katz) 7) software for Yiddish (Hannelore and Fischel Libermann) 8) Chremslach (Paul Ilie) 9) Russian Project Onkelos (Valery Dymshits) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 30 Apr 2000 11:20:55 -0400 (EDT) From: Joshua Fishman Subject: Fishman-fundatsiye termin far naye aplikatsiyes (yor 2000) Der nayer termin af untsugebn aplikatsiyes tsu der "arn un sonye fishman-fundatsiye far yidisher kultur" in shaykhes mit proyektn af tsu shtarkn yidish tsvishn kinder un yugnt, iz oktober dem 31stn. Aplikatsiyes darfn zayn af yidish, nit lenger vi 5 zaytlekh, mit a genoyem arbetplan (d"h, nit nor algemeyne plener un tsiln, nor genoye protim vegn vifl tsayt vet ver opgebn af vos, un vos iz zayn/ir tsugreytung un derfarung in shaykhes mit ot aza arbet?), un lesof: a genoyem budzhet. Yeder aplikant darf ongebn dem nomen un adres fun der fun-shtayern-bafrayter organizatsiye vos vet ufpasn af ale hoytsoes un tsushikn a letst-giltikn finantsyeln barikht biz sof 2001. S'rov subventsn zenen bloy af eyn yor un bavilikn besakh-hakl fun $1000 biz $1500, khotsh es veln oykh batrakht vern aplikatsiyes af a bisl lengere terminen un a bisl hekhere budzhetn. Aplikatsiyes (finf ekzempalarn) darf men bizn termin araynshikn tsu "Aaron and Sonia Fishman Foundation for Yiddish Culture, 3616 Henry Hudson Parkway, Apt. 7B-N, Bronx NY, 10463). Di fundatsiye hot tsugegreyt a kontrolirke velkhe meglekhe aplikantn kenen bakumen kedey tsu zayn zikher az zeyer aplikatsiye iz in ordenung eyder zey shteln zi tsu. 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 18 May 2000 05:27:03 EDT From: Philipe Olivier Subject: Yiddish Summit 2000 YIDDISH BAGEGENISH 2000 Shtrasburg - 5/9 november Di shtot Shtrasburg iz gliklekh tsu meldn vegn ershter yiddisher alveltlekher bagegenish, funem 5tn bizn 9tn November 2000. Di unternemung iz an araynfir tsu der derefenung funem " Eyropeyshn Tsenter far Yiddishe Kulturn ", in Shtrasburg, planirt tsvishn November 2003 un Merts 2004. Di dozike bagegenish vet organizirt vern durkh der Shtrasburger munitsipalitet, mit der untershtitsung funem general sekretaryat fun Eyropeyshn Rat un dem Frantsoyzishn Ministeryum far Kultur un Komunikatsye. Zi vet drukhgefirt vern beshutfes mit UNESCO un mit der Natsyonaler Instants far Yiddish in Isroel. Zayt azoy gut, farnotirt aykh di dozike dates un farshpreyt di dozike yedye bay aykh in land, un tsvishn bakante. Di bagegenish vet arumnemen tsvey teyln ; eyner, an akademisher, vos vet zayn in der form fun an Internatsyonaln kolokvium - un a tsveyter teyl, a kultureler, vos vet bashteyn fun farshidene film proyektsyes, oysshtelungen un spektaklen, fun teater, gezang un muzik, mitn onteyl fun kinstler fun farshidene lender. Der akademisher teyl vet forkumen in binyen fun Eyropeyshn Rat, un di kulturele unternemungen veln forkumen in " Scala " ; vos iz in der shtot Shtrasburg a Tsenter far der farshpreytung fun regionale kulturn. Der ofitsyeler program fun der unternemung vert baarbet in di teg un vet farefntlekht vern in May 2000. Bald ven er vet zayn greyt, vet ir es bakumen. Mir danken aykh fun foroys farn interes vos ir vet aroysvayzn far aza riziker unternemung fun an internatsyonaln mashtab, vos vet fodern a hoykhe kvalitet hashgokhe un vos vet oyf a fayerlekhn oyfn batonen di vikhtikayt fun der doziker trans-natsyonaler kultur. Centre europeen des culture yiddish BP 1049-1050 F 67070 Strasbourg (Cedex) - France 00 33 (0)3 88 43 61 74 Tel 00 33 (0)3 88 60 90 30 Fax e-mail : polivier@cus-strasbourg.net YIDDISH SUMMIT 2000 Strasbourg - 5 to 9 November 2000 The City of Strasbourg takes pleasure in announcing the holding of the first World Yiddish Summit from 5 to 9 november 2000. The event will prelude the European Center for Yiddish Cultures which is scheduled to open in Strasbourg between november 2003 and March 2004. The Yiddish Summit will be organized by the City of Strasbourg and be placed under the auspices of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. UNESCO and the Israeli National Authority for Yiddish Culture will be partners. You are kindly invited to take note of the dates of the Summit and to spread the information as widely as possible in your own country and abroad. The Yiddish Summit will be divided into two parts: a scholarly part, in the form of an international colloquium, and a cultural part composed of film shows, exhibitions and various theatrical, musical and song performances given by artists from several countries. The scholarly colloquium will take place at the Council of Europe, while the cultural events will, in principle, be held at the Scala regional cultural center of Strasbourg. The official programme is being drawn up and will be published in late June 2000. We shall send it to you. We are most grateful for your interest in this international event whose quality and festive spirit will add to the life of this transnational language and culture. Centre europeen des cultures yiddish BP 1049 - 1050 F 67070 Strasbourg cedex - France Tel 00 33 (0)3 88 43 61 74 Fax 00 33 (0)3 88 60 90 30 e-mail: polivier@cus-strasbourg.net Philipe Olivier 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 16 May 2000 11:59:06 -0400 (EDT) From: Harold Black Subject: International Association of Yiddish Clubs Conference The International Association of Yiddish Clubs will hold its next conference in the Washington, DC area. It will take place September 14-17 at the Natinal 4-H Center which is located in a campus-like atmosphere with all the facilities including housing on the premises. Congressman Sam Gejdenson will welcome the participants in fluent Yiddish. Our two main speakers will be Anita Norich and Henry Sapoznik. For music there will be Joe Glazer, labor's troubadour, singing Yiddish labor songs; Frieda Enoch will present us with a Friday evening of Shebbes songs and will join with her band, The Capital Klezmers, to provide our Saturday night music. There will be Yiddish classes for beginners and for the more advanced and 30 seminars covering a broad range of Yiddish topics. There will also be a tour of places of Jewish interest and a separate tour of the Holocaust museum. For literature call Harold Black 301-469-0865 or E-mail Hersh23@juno.com Harold Black 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 May 2000 21:23:44 -0400 (EDT) From: "Sholem Berger" Subject: New book: THE STANDARDIZED YIDDISH ORTHOGRAPHY [English follows] Libe fraynd, A gute psure! Az me lebt, derlebt men. S'iz nor vos aroys fun druk der lang gegarter band DER EYNHEYTLEKHER YIDISHER OYSLEYG -- a beshutfesdiker farmest funem Yidishn visnshaftlekhn institut -- Yivo un fun der Yidish-lige. In bukh geyen arayn: (1) Di TAKONES FUN YIDISHN OYSLEYG; (2) D"r Mordkhe Shekhters FUN FOLKSSHPRAKH TSU KULTURSHPRAKH: AN IBERBLIK IBER DER HISTORYE FUNEM EYNHAYTLEKHN YIDISHN OYSLEYG. Der band nemt oykh arayn araynfir-materyaln af yidish un english fun: D"r Shikl Fishman, D"r Hershl Glezer un D"r A.L. Nadler, un oykh a raykhe bibliografye, a detalizirtn zukhtsetl un etlekhe fotografyes un reproduktsyes fun historishe dokumentn. Der prayz: 18 amerikaner dolar plus pak- un postgelt ($3 in di fareynikte shtatn, $4 in andere lender). Mit faroys batsolte bashtelungen zikh vendn tsu League for Yiddish, Inc. 200 W 72 St Suite 40 New York NY 10023-2805 Dear friends, We have wonderful news! The long-awaited book THE STANDARDIZED YIDDISH ORTHOGRAPHY -- a joint venture between the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and the League for Yiddish, Inc. -- has just been published. This book contains the following materials: (1) The RULES OF YIDDISH SPELLING; (2) Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter's THE HISTORY OF THE STANDARDIZED YIDDISH SPELLING. Also included in this comprehensive volume are introductory comments by Dr. Joshua A. Fishman, Dr. Paul Glasser, and Dr. Allan L. Nadler, as well as a comprehensive bibliography, a detailed index and several photographs and reproductions of historical documents. The cost of this book is $18 (U.S.) plus postage and handling ($3 in the U.S., $4 elsewhere). Please send your prepaid orders to League for Yiddish, Inc. 200 W 72 St Suite 40 New York NY 10023-2805 Sholem Berger 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 1 May 2000 17:28:17 -0400 (EDT) From: Peggy Davis Subject: copyright question I'd like to know if the copyright still applies to the stories by Leah K. Hofman in the book, Kleyne in der groyser velt, published by Farlag leben, copyright 1920 by Noach Steinberg. Can anyone help me with this question? Khaye Davis 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2000 18:51:30 -0400 (EDT) From: Bernard Katz Subject: Copyright Query Felicity Bloch asks about the need for obtaining copyright clearance in order to mount the text of a 1955 publication on a Web site. Nothing I say should be taken as legal advice, but I can enlighten her somewhat. I am also not as familiar with USA copyright law as with Canadian law. A work published in the USA in 1955, as the essay by Yehezkiel Keitelman "Di yiddishe kehile fun Mielec" ("The Jewish Community of Mielec") clearly was, since it "formed part of a collection of essays [titled] _Fun Noentn Ovar_ (_From the Near Past_)", would have received copyright protection in the USA for 28 years from the year of publication. To obtain this, the book would have had to be published with a copyright notice -- the usual (c) the date and the copyright holder, as we've all seen. If the book was published without this notice AND there was no separate notice on the first page of each essay itself, then according to the then existing law, the book and essays would have all been in the public domain from the get- go and may be freely re-published. If *either* the book or each essay (or botyh) carry a copyright notice, then the essay in question would be protected for the 28 years, at which time a renewal of the copyright may have taken place for a further 28 years. Further extensions have also been granted in 'grandfathering' legislation so that the total renewal period is now 60 years from the end of the intial 28 years. If no such renewal was undertaken by the then copyright holder, the copyright would have expired after the initial 28 years and the essay would have become public property at that time. As this indicates, the situation is *not* a straightforward one, and can indeed be quite complex. The fact that the author died some time ago does NOT change any of this - it makes things more complex, in as muich as it might be required to trace the current owner(s). I suggest that Felicity Bloch consult with a qualified USA copyright lawyer about this. There is no doubt that if the work (the essay) is still under protection, then any posting on a Web site constitutes re-publication, requiring permission of the current copyright holder(s). B'shalom, Bernard Katz 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 14:45:42 -0400 (EDT) From: Hannelore.Libermann@t-online.de (Libermann) Subject: software for Yiddish Dear friends, I know that it has been discussed on this list, but could someone please give me advice about the most efficient and easiest software for Yiddish. I would also need to know whether you know of a program that allows you to write Yiddish and English at the same time, without having to write backwards in one or the other. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Hannelore and Fischel Libermann 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 23 Apr 2000 02:21:10 -0400 (EDT) From: Paul Ilie Subject: Chremslach The delicacy "chremslach" as used in a poem by Yankev Glatshteyn is translated as "matzoh pancakes" ("Selected Poems of YG" Ed. Richard Fein. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1987: pp 56-57). I certainly remember my mother's chremslach, covered with honey, as not flat or large as a pancake, but formed in a cylinder-shape, curved back or around on itself and smallish, not more than an inch and a half in diameter. Does anyone's memory correspond to mine? Second question: has the translator erred? Third question: I do not specifically recall whether my mother made them uniquely for Pesach. Is it a pesachdiche meichel exclusively, which possibly explains the translation? Paul Ilie 9)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 13 May 2000 06:39:31 -0400 (EDT) From: "Valera Dymshits" Subject: Russian Project Onkelos Tayere mendelianer, Rusishe leyener zaynen bakant mit der jidisher literatur shlekht, vayl in Sovetnfarband hat men nit keynmol ibergezetst oyf rusish di verk fun jidishe shrayber un poetn, vos hobn gevoynt oyser Rusland un Sovetnfarband. Oykh a russisher un a russish-jidisher leyener hot mit keyn shum forshtelung vegn der religiezer un der mitljoriker literatur oyf jidish. Der eyntsiker jidisher shrayber, vos hot zikh durkhgerisn durkh "dem ayzernem farhang", iz Jitskhok Bashevis-Zinger, nor Zinger iz gekumen keyn Rusland in iberzetsungen fun eynglish, un dos hot ingantsn kalye gemakht dem dozikn merkvirdikn shrayber. Afile haynt, ven di jidishe teme hot oyfgehert zayn farbotn in Rusland, di lage iz nit gevorn beser. Erets-Jisroel un jisroeldike farlagn un fondn onvenden gevise bamiungen far dem ibergebn un der popularizirung fun der ivrit-literatur, nor mit der jidish-literatur farnemt nit keyner. Ikh farnem zikh a sakh jorn mit kinstlerishe iberzetsungen, hob ibergezetst fun eynglish un daych lider un proze. Etlekhe jorn tsurik hob ikh ongehoybn tsu oyslernen jidish un iberzetsen fun im. Ikh hob ibergezetst der purim-shpil "Golias-shpil", nokhdem tsugegreyt (baarbet, bavornt mit hakdome un onmerkungen un oykh ibergezetst etlekhe tekstn) dem zamlbukh "Jidishe folks-mayses". Far a jorn hob ikh gekent tsureyden fir mayne kolegen, profesionele un, mir dakht zikh, zeyer talantfule iberzetser fun der englishe poezie un proze tsu onheybn oyslernen jidish. In a halb jor arum hobn zey ongehoybn tsu iberzetsn lider fun jidish. Ikh hof, az shpeter vel ikh kenen tsutsien tsum oyslernen fun jidish un tsu iberzetsungen fun im oykh andere mayne kolegn- iberzetser. In "Mendele" hob ikh geleyent vegn "Project Onkelos". Mir dakht zikh, az undzere tsvekn zaynen in aynklang mit im. Undzer program-minimum iz dos tsugreytn fun an antologie, vos vet zayn enlekh oyf "Penguin Anthology of Modern Yiddish Poetry", un a khrestomatie far jidishe kinder-shuln, vos volt bakant elter shiler mit kolerley periodn un zhaners fun der jidisher literatur in ire beste bayshpiln. Ikh hof, az dos bashafn fun der rusisher versie fun "Project Onkelos vet vern a deynkmol nit nor korbones fun kholokost, nor oykh jidishe shrayber un poetn, vos zaynen umgekumen in stalinishe lagern un tfises. Kedey zol der doziker proyekt bakumen an antviklung, er neytikt zikh in a shitse. Mayne kolegn un ikh, mir ale hobn bakumen an ayladung oyf zumerdike kursn fun jidish in Oxford University. Di Oxford kursn hobn gegebn undz a grant farn lernen. Di dozike kursn veln helfn undz tsu eusbessern undzer visn funem shprakh. Nor zoln mir nemen an onteyl in di dozike kursn, zaynen neytik mitlen far biletn un dem voynen in Eyngland, un mir hobn nit zey. Mir voltn geven dankbar, ven a velkher- nit-iz fond volt geshtitst undz un gegebn undz mitlen far undzer lernen in Oxford. Sakhal redt zikh do ober vegn dem gefinen dos gelt far der tsugreytung fun iberzetser, iberzetsungen un dem aroysgebn fun deynkmeler fun der jidisher literatur oyf rusish, vegn dem rusishn "Project Onkelos". Dos volt geven nit nor interesant fule toyznter leyener, nor oykh joysherdik, vorem a sakh badaytndike jidishe shrayber hobn geshtamt fun Rusishe imperie un farzukht di virkung fun der rusisher literatur in zeyer shafung. Dos volt geven dos tserikgebn rusishe jidn fun zeyer fargangenhayt, vos iz gevorn geganvet bay zey mit der ratnmakht. Valerij Dymshits (St. Petersburg) Dear mendelianer, The poor knowledge of the Yiddish literature in Russia has been caused by the fact that in the Soviet Union none of the works of the Jewish writers and poets who lived outside Russia and the Soviet Union have ever been translated into Russian. Besides, the Russian and the Russian-Jewish readers have absolutely no idea of the religious and mediaeval Yiddish literature, which is also most interesting and unique. The only Yiddish writer who was lucky enough to break through the 'iron curtain' was Isaak Bashevis-Singer, yet, he would have better not. Singer came into Russia translated from English, which, in regards of that outstanding writer, amounted to a murder. Even after Perestroyka, when the Jewish theme had stopped being non grata in this country, the situation did not improve. Israel and Israeli publishers and foundations make certain efforts in translating and distributing the literature in Hebrew, yet Yiddish literature remains neglected. I have been involved in literary translation for many years, translating prose and verse from English and German. That was quite a natural pursuit, since I was born, and live in St.Petersburg (Leningrad) where there has always existed the best school of translation in Russia. A few years ago I started to learn Yiddish and translate Yiddish texts. I have translated Golias-shpil Purim-shpil, then edited (print-prepared, annotated, translated some texts and supplied the preface) for the Jewish Folk Tales collection. Last year I managed to persuade fore colleagues, professional (and, in my opinion, very talented) translators of English prose and verse to take up studying Yiddish. After six months of studies, they even began to translate poetry from Yiddish. I hope that later I will be able to get my other colleagues involved in Yiddish studies and translations. I have learned from Mendele of Project Onkelos. I think that our goals are very similar. Our first target here is to come up with an anthology, similar to Penguin Anthology of Modern Yiddish Poetry, as well as with a textbook for Jewish schools, that would introduce high school students to various periods and genres of Yiddish literature, represented by the best samples. I hope that the Russian version of Project Onkelos would come as a recognition of the sufferings of the Holocaust victims, as well as of the Jewish writers and poets who perished in Stalin's camps and prisons. This project, to be further pursued, needs financial support. One of the issues is that my colleagues and myself have received an invitation to join the summer school of Yiddish in Oxford. That course, naturally, would have helped us to improve our language skills, still very basic. Yet, in order to be able to attend the course, we need funds to pay the airfare and board in England, which we won't be able to afford otherwise. We would be most grateful to a foundation that would find it possible to support our studies in Oxford. The ultimate goal, though, is to find funds for training the translators, translating and publishing the main works of Yiddish literature in Russian, i.e. of the Russian Project Onkelos. That would be of immense interest to hundreds of thousands of Russian readers, as well as most fair, since many of the major Jewish writers were born within the Russian Empire, and the influence of Russian literature on them was quite considerable. Thus the matter in question concerns restitution of the past of the Russian Jews, of the past they have been deprived of by the Soviet dictatorship. Valery Dymshits St. Petersburg ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 10.003 Address for the postings to Mendele: mendele@lists.yale.edu Address for the list commands: listproc@lists.yale.edu Mendele on the Web: http://mendele.commons.yale.edu http://metalab.unc.edu/yiddish/mendele.html