Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 11.024 January 20, 2002 1) Seminar for advanced students in Duesseldorf (Marion Aptroot) 2) International Assn. of Yiddish Clubs Conference (Paul Melrood) 3) Yiddish Crash Course and KlezFest in London (Geraldine Auerbach) 4) kumt tsum tish - Sarah Traister Moskovitz (Mirl Schonhaut Hirshan) 5) "Ohel Yitzhak" and shtetl medicine (Yankl Levitov) 6) "Yiddish in Ratnfarband" in der LufTeater (Refoel Goldwaser) 7) Der BlitsBrivnShteler (Shoshke-Rayzl Yuni) 8) Rokhl Korn (Paul Hermans) 9) akhtsn un draytsn (berish goldstein) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 23 Jan 2002 04:11:15 -0500 (EST) From: aptroot@phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de (Marion Aptroot) Subject: Seminar for advanced students, 29 July - 2 August Seminar for advanced students 29 July - 2 August 2002 The Programs in Yiddish Studies at the Heinrich Heine University (Duesseldorf, Germany) and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS, University of London) are offering a one-week intensive seminar in Yiddish Studies for advanced students for the third year running. The seminar will be held in Duesseldorf from 29 July to 2 August 2002. The History of Yiddish Language and Literature: Scholarship as an Ideological Phenomenon 1) The History of Yiddish: Scholarship and Ideology - Dr. Gennady Estraikh 2) "Tevye der milkhiker": Text and context - Dr. Michail Krutikov 3) "Tsenerene": Women's Literature? - Dr. Marion Aptroot The three daily seminars will be held in Yiddish. Participants can attend all three seminars. Students will receive course materials in advance. More detailed information can be found on the homepage of the Program in Yiddish Studies in Duesseldorf. Abteilung fuer Jiddische Kultur, Sprache und Literatur Heinrich-Heine-Universitaet Duesseldorf Universitaetsstr. 1 / Geb. 23.03 40225 Duesseldorf Germany Tel. +49 - (0)211- 81 13228/14292/14293 Fax +49 - (0)211 - 81 12027 E-mail: jiddisch@phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de Homepage: http://www.phil-fak.uni-duesseldorf.de/jiddisch/ Marion Aptroot 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2002 14:00:04 -0500 (EST) From: MAJPAULWW2@aol.com Subject: International Assn. of Yiddish Clubs Conference I would like to let interested parties know about the upcoming Yiddish conference in Milwaukee, April l2 -- l5, 2002. It is a part of the program sponsored by the International Assn. of Yiddish Clubs, IAYC, its seventh such event. I am the chairman, and am enclosing a registration form, outlining all the details. We have a limited number of openings, and are well on the way toward filling them. If you have any questions, my e-mail is on the form. Paul Melrood 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 21:52:03 -0500 (EST) From: "Jewish Music Institute" Subject: Yiddish Crash Course and KlezFest in London First London Crash Course in Yiddish 'Ot Azoy! this is the way ...' to speak, read and write Yiddish in a week! (and even sing) Sunday 14-19 Friday July 2002 The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London The Jewish Music Institute felt there was room for a new model for those who could not spare several weeks. In 6 days one can create a lot and here Course Director Chayele Beer (Lecturer in Yiddish, University College London) has assembled a first class international faculty: Pesakh Fiszman (Columbia University, New York) Sonia Dratwa-Pinkusowitz (Martin Buber Institute, Brussels) Zalmen Mlotek (Folksbine Yiddish Theatre and Workers Circle, New York) to introduce the language to newcomers, to refresh the memory of those who remember it from childhood and to continue study for those who are already on the way. For those that want to work on Yiddish Song Zalmen Mlotek, one of the worlds formost authorities will give repertoire classes, masterclasses and create a Yiddish choir. Hotel or University accommodation Student discounts, scholarships and reductions if booking for both Ot Azoy, and the second London KlezFest which follows the week after. JMI KlezFest London 2002 2nd International Summer School in Klezmer music and Yiddish culture Sunday 21-Thursday 25 July 2002 Five days of instrumental, ensemble, song and dance workshops and performances as well as sessions on Yiddish theatre, poetry, film, humour, history and folklore, for musicians and non-musicians, taught by an international faculty of the most renowned and inspiring teachers and musicians from Europe and America, including Zalmen Mlotek, Adrienne Cooper, Merlin Shepherd, Zev Feldman, Jeff Warschauer, Deborah Strauss, Frank London, Michael Wex, Steve Greenman, Christian Dawid and others. For information and registration forms call +44 20 8909 2445 email klezfest@jmi.org.uk or otazoy@jmi.org.uk or register online at www.jmi.org.uk Geraldine Auerbach 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2002 15:23:18 -0500 (EST) From: Marjorie Hirshan Subject: kumt tsum tish - Sarah Traister Moskovitz A new book of Yiddish poems abounding with profound thoughts and metaphors, lyrical use of language, and translations and transcribings, all so deeply moving, that I share one with you to sample for your pleasure. ershte libe mayn mame iz gegangen tsu kind oyf yidish oyf yidish ire tfiles oyf yidish ire koyles. fun ir moyl un brust iz yidish arayngeflosn tif in mir. gebodn, gekormet, gelekt un geputst hot zi mikh mit ir varemer yidishe tsung mayn tate hot mikh oyf shpatsir genumen oyf yidish zen di paves ikh hob zikh ongehaltn in zayn toyre vayzn-finger un unter rozhinkes mit mandlen falndik fun himl oyf zayn shoys gezen di oysiyes fun der goldener pave's regnboygn. mir hobn yedn os tsuzamen in di hent mit freyd gehaltn vi a nay geboyrn hindele. ikh bin mekane di vos hobn yungerheyt gehat gelibte zey tsu gletn, reytsn un kushn oyf yidish, shprakh fun ershte libe. Sarah's translation: First Love My mother went into labor in Yiddish. In Yiddish her prayers, in Yiddish her screams. >From her mouth and breast Yiddish flowed deep into me. I was bathed, fed licked and prettied with her warm Yiddish tongue. My father took me walking in Yiddish, to see the peacocks. I held on to his Torah pointing finger. And from the sky raisins and almonds fell on me while I sat on his lap to see the letters of the golden peacock's rainbow. We held each letter in our hands with joy as if it were a new born little chick. I envy those who in their youth had lovers caressing, teasing, and kissing them in Yiddish, language of first love. Her lovely book is printed by Clara Press 17237 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 $14.00 ISBN: 0-9716276-0-6 Dr. Sarah Traister Moskovitz is a longtime Mendelist and a Professor Emeritus from California State University. She is a practicing psychotherapist specializing in work with Holocaust survivors and their families. She has garnered poetry prizes and has appeared in many Yiddish publications. Her father was an Arbeiter Ring Shule teacher and principal in Springfield, MA. and wrapped her in the cloak of his beloved Yiddish. Mirl Schonhaut Hirshan Boynton Beach, Florida 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2002 18:40:03 -0500 (EST) From: "Jon Levitow" Subject: "Ohel Yitzhak" and shtetl medicine Tayere Mendelyaner, Efshar kenen undzere khoshuver Mendelyaner-mumkhim aroyshelfn mir mit mayn (nit-profesyonel) forshungen. Ikh hob tsvey frages. Ersht, vuhin vendt men zikh kdey oystsugefinen zeltne, Yiddishe bikher? Bifrat zukh Ikh oys a bukh vos heyst, "Ohel Yitzhak," fun Moyshe Menakhem Valden, farefntlekht 1914 in Piotrkov. Ikh veys as di titl brengt aroyf oyfn gedank az dos bukh iz ongeshriben oyf Hebreyish, nor Ikh veys dos nit gevis. Faktish hob Ikh derzeyn dos bukh a sakh mol dermont in an ander bukh vos hot bashribn dem kampf tsvishn Khasidim un Maskilim in Poyln in der noyntsenter yarhundert. Bazunders zaynen di tsitatn (un mayn interes oykh) geveyn tsulib di noent-farbundne Khasidishe Rebeyim in Kotsk, Ger, un Vurka. Dertsu veys Ikh nit tsi "Ohel Yitzhak" iz a shtreng religiezish oder a veltlekh un stam historish bukh. Forleygn volt zayn a sakh opgeshatst. Tsveytns hot mayn Bube a mol bashribn far der mishpokhe in a kleyn brivl zayn kinder-yorn in Ostrolenka, Poyln, far der ertshte velt-milkhoma, vi a tokhter fun a "Vurker" Khosid dortn. Zi hot gezogt az ir Mame iz geveyn epes far a royfte bay di arumlayt un (Ikh bin meshayer) frume Yidn in dem shtetl, un zi hot gezogt bifrat az tsumal hobn di Mame un oykh di kinder geblibn oyf der gantse nakht kedey tsu farheyln di kranke. Mayn frage iz, vos far a min farheylungs-mitlen volt a Khasidish vaybl -- velkhe Bube hot angerufn a "folksfroy" -- in a mitl-greys shtetl in sof yarhundert Poyln gehat praktitsirt? Iz dos an inyan vos fil akademiker hobn oysgeforsht? Veyst emetser bikher vegn der teme? Tsum badoyern leyen Ikh nit keyn Rusish oder Poylish, un Ikh tref az min-hastam voltn di gelernte in di lender gehat shtudiert azolkhe zakhn, ober Ikh ken leynen Yiddish (avade), Hebreyish, un Frantsoyzish. Vider a mol, Ikh volt opshatsn nit iz velkhe forleygn. A sheynem dank ale far dem durkhshlogn mayn nit-kurtse post. Ir kent farentfern mir glaykh mit blitz-post oyb ir vilt. Lesof zayt mir ale moykhl oyf mayn vayt-fun-flisik Yiddish. Ayer, Yankl Levitov, Los Angeles, CA Dear Mendelyaners, Greetings. I wonder whether any of our learned Mendelyaners can help me with a couple of my (non-professional) research projects. I have two questions. First, where does a person go -- physically or "virtually" -- in order to look for rare Jewish books in Yiddish or Hebrew? In particular I'm looking for a book called, "Ohel Yitzhak," by Moshe Menakhem Walden, published in Piotrkow in 1914. The title seems to indicate that the book is written in Hebrew, but I don't know this for sure. Nor do I know if it's a strictly religious or a secular and historical book. In fact, I saw it cited repeatedly in another book I was reading, which described the conflict between Hasidim and "Maskilim" in nineteenth century Poland. These citations (and my interests as well) have to do in particular with the closely related Hasidic schools of Kotsk, Ger, and Vurka around the middle of the century. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Secondly, my "Bube" once wrote a short essay for our family in which she described growing up in the "shtetl" of Ostrolenka, Poland, in the first years of the twentieth century, the daughter of a "Vurker" Hasid there. In particular she said that her mother was a kind of healer among the poor and religious people in the town, and that she remembered her mother and even the children sometimes staying up all night in order to take care of the sick. My question is, what kinds of healing might a Hasidic woman in a mid-size "shtetl" in pre-WWI Poland have practiced? Is this a subject that has been much studied in the academic world? Unfortunately I don't know Russian or Polish, and I'm guessing there might be books on the subject in those languages, but I do know Yiddish, Hebrew, and French. Once again, I would very much appreciate any suggestions. Thank you all very much for making your way through this lengthy post. You can e-mail me directly. Finally, my apologies for my less than fluent Yiddish. Sincerely, Jon Levitow, Los Angeles, CA 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 12:56:53 -0500 (EST) From: "rafael goldwaser" Subject: "Yiddish in Ratnfarband" in der LufTeater Tayere khaveyrim Der LufTeater fun Shtrasbourg greyt zikh tu organizirn an unternemung gevidmet "Yiddish in Ratnfarband" in kooperatsye mit der O.R.T. shul fun der shtot un teylvayz in ire lokaln. Di unternemung vet zayn funem 9tn bizn 11tn November 2002, un azoy veln mir batseykhenen dem 50stn aniversar fun der likvidatsye fun undzer kultur durkh Stalinen. Mir hofn tsu shteln zeyer an interesantn program, mit konferentsn in dray-fir shprakhn, filmen un videos fun der tkufe, un tsvishn zey dokumentarn. Tsvey oyshtelungen: eyne vegn Yiddishn Moskver Teater, un eyne vegn di bikher dershinen in Ratnfarband, vi oykh forlezung mit muzik, spektaklen un azoy vayter. Di interesirte kenen bakumen durkhn blits-post a program fun di dray teg, vi mir trakhtn es oys. Zayt gezunt un shtark Refoel Goldwaser Shtrasburg - Frankraykh 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 13 Jan 2002 23:52:11 -0500 (EST) From: "Susannah R. Juni" Subject: Der BlitsBrivnShteler Der BlitsBrivnShteler iz tsurikgekumen! Oyb ir hot abonirt beys undzer pruv-period (d"h far dem 9tn yanuar 2002) darft ir abonirn funsnay. Zayt mir moykhl. The BlitsBrivnShteler has returned! If you subscribed during our test period (i.e., prior to Wedneday, January 9, 2002) you will need to re-subscribe. Sorry for the inconvenience. Geyt tsum: http://www.shoshke.net/uyip/bbsh.htm un abonirt! Shoshke-Rayzl Yuni This is an announcement of the first email list in the entire world with only Yiddish letters - Der BlitsBrivnShteler! Everyone is invited to participate. Go to: http://www.shoshke.net/uyip/bbsh.htm and subscribe! Shoshke-Rayzl Yuni Susannah R. Juni NYC 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Jan 2002 13:00:26 -0500 (EST) From: "paul hermans" Subject: Rokhl Korn In an anthology of poems I was struck by a marvellous poem: "Keep hidden from me", written by Rokhl Korn. Now I am trying to get some more poems form her.. I ordered a volume called Paper Roses and a volume called Generations. As I am searching on the web I notice that information about Rokhl Korns life as well as bibliographical information is very hard to find. I wonder if you could help me to get some direction in my search. I cannot read Hebrew; Yiddish is difficult, but I read and speak German fairly well, so, with some puzzling and much dedication, I should be able to get some hold of the text. Do you have any information that could be useful to me? I would be extremely gratefull if you would take the trouble of answering my question. Sincerely Yours Paul Hermans Brunssum, Holland 9)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2002 11:37:43 -0500 (EST) From: Barry Goldstein Subject: akhtsn un draytsn di fraze "akhtsn un draytsn" gefint zikh in yosef guris bikhl _vi kumt di kats ibern vaser?_ (toyznt yidishe idiomen): numer 91 (af zayt 27) iz akhtsn un draytsn the main thing vos, dakht zikh, past tsum taytsh funem paragraf. ikh hob amol gemakht a "concordance" tsum doziken bikhl (on dem iz es shver tsu gefinen a bazundere fraze). ir kent dos gefinen bay ftp://users.shore.net/members/b/a/bag/Concordance.zip (ober me darf nitsn QText mit di tekes). al dos guts, berish - Barry Goldstein ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 11.025 Address for the postings to Mendele: mendele@lists.yale.edu Address for the list commands: listproc@lists.yale.edu Mendele on the Web: http://www.mendele.net http://ibiblio.org/yiddish/mendele.html