Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 13.005 December 9, 2003 1) Introduction and a couple of questions (Emil Jelstrup) 2) Der LufTeater (Rafael Goldwaser) 3) Maladovsky's "Efnt dem toyer" (Naomi Kadar) 4) Rubin Berkovici (Sabine Cohn) 5) deyzhe borsht (Mikhoyel Basherives) 6) Polin v. 16 on Jewish popular culture (Michael Steinlauf) 7) Camp Nailand (Paula Eisenstein Baker) 8) I. B. Singer centennial --announcement (D.Smith) 9) "The King of Lampedusa" (Heather Valencia) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 3 Nov 2003 15:28:51 -0500 (EST) From: emil jelstrup Subject: Introduction and a couple of questions Hello! First, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Emil Jelstrup and I am from Kobenhavn (Copenhagen), Denmark. I am 16 years old (was born in 1987) and a high school student. At the moment I'm learning German and Russian. Among my biggest interests are linguistics in general and Central-/Eastern European culture and languages. Yiddish, as well as the history and life of Jews in general is also one of my interests - but I'm still struggling to learn the alef-bejs (as I have very little time to do it). I also have a couple of Yiddish-related questions: "Vodovoznik": The first one is the word "vodovoznik" (or "wodowosnik" with German translitteration) - a water carrier. It occurs in the fourth stanza of the song "In shtetl Nikolajev" (available at http://www.aufwindmusik.de/t-awek-e.htm) by David Medoff. The word seems to consist of three Slavic morphemes: "vodo-" (meaning "water-"), "voz-" (equiv. to Russian "vozit'" of "vesti" - "to come with") and "-nik". Is the word well known in Yiddish and does it exist (and if it is - is it then frequently used) in Russian or any other Slavic languages? [ei]- and [ai]-diphthongs: The other is about diphthongs in Middle High German (MHG), Yiddish and Standard High German (SHG): I have for a long time wondered why some words with the diphthong [ai] in SHG in Yiddish have the diphthong [ei] (which doesn't seem to exist in SHG) and others have [ai] in Yiddish. What was the original MHG form - and did [ei]/[ai] exist in that langauge? Regards, Emil Jelstrup 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 5 Nov 2003 06:18:47 -0500 (EST) From: "rafael.goldwaser" Subject: Der LufTeater Tayere khaveyrim Zayt visn, az funem 8tn bizn 13tn Detsember, organizirn mir do, Der LufTeater, a gantse vokh gevidmet Bashevis Singer. Mit teater, dokumentarn un filmen, forlezungen, 2 oysshtelungen, un azoy vayter. Farshteyt zikh az ven m'vet darfn iberzetsn vet dos zayn oyf frantseyzish, dos muz men nemen in akht. Far di vos zenen in dem interesirt, shraybt tsu mir, un ikh vel aykh shikn durkhn blits-post dem gantsn program. Akhuts dem, un vegn dem vel ikh nokh informirn shpeter, veln mir organizirn farn 3tn mol an yiddish-zumer-kurs, in Oygust 2004 A dank aykh. Refoel Goldwaser 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri Nov 7 12:22:08 2003 -0500 From: Naomi Kadar Subject: Maladovsky's "Efnt dem toyer" Re Leonard Prager's discussion of Kadye's "Der daytsh yemakh shmoy," (TMR, vol 7 no. 11) it is interesting to note that the poem appears in my edition of the book,"Yidishe kinder," directly before a poem called "Pitkhu et ha sha'ar," a translation of her original Yiddish poem, "Efnt dem toyer," taken from the book "Mayselekh," published in Warsaw, 1931. Given Kadye's broad background, "efnt dem toyer," may be understood in terms of appreciation of her Jewish heritage ("di goldene keyt") and might allude to the Biblical and liturgical passage,a request to open the gates of justice so that the righteous might pass through them (psalm 118 as found in the Hallel). I have been told by Israelis, however, that the translated and well-known version of this poem, put to music, is a staple of an Israeli child's repetoire and is understood to refer to the ingathering of the Jewish people into the land of Israel as a part of the Zionist enterprise. Given the confluence of the facts that the current collection is published in 1946 by the Jewish Folk Schools of the Jewish National Workers Alliance and Poale Zion, and that the 1931 poem is published in its Hebrew translation and taken from the Kibbutz Ha'meukhad version of the book, that there is an ideological component to the juxtaposition of these two poems in this collection. It is not clear,however, that any editorial decisions were made by Kadye herself beyond her giving permission for the publication of her work, as many of the books published for use by the schools were edited by committees of educators. Naomi Kadar 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue Nov 18 05:45:59 2003 -0500 From: Sabine Cohn Subject: Rubin Berkovici I am sending you a request by my friend Miriam Yahil-Wax: "Rubin Berkovici from Botosani (or environs) Romania, was head of a Yiddish troupe around the 1900's. His wife, Surika Berkovici, was an actress in that troupe. They travelled between Russia and Romania. I have postcards with their photographs, in Yiddish, from 1903-4. At that time they were in Romania. The story is that Surika (Sarah) was an established actress and he an aspiring teenager who fell in love with her, when her original group (Polish?) visited Botosani. Then he joined her, she put him through theatre school in Poland and he founded his own company. I am looking for any reference to them, individually, or to their theatre , either in Russian or Romanian documents." Please answer directly to Dr. Miriam Yahil-Wax myahil@isdn.net.il a shaynem dank, Sabine Cohn Sabine Cohn-Piltz Jan Muschlaan, 9 2597 TN Den Haag tel. 31.70.3242766 fax 31.70.3284262 sab.cohn@wxs.nl 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat Nov 22 21:15:57 2003 -0500 From: Mikhoyel Basherives Subject: deyzhe borsht Several of us wonder about the term "deyzhe borsht" listed as one of the characters in Sholem Aleykhem's tiny piece "Az Got Vil, Shist a Bezem." We know a deyzhe was a trough-like thing for kneading bread. Harkavy gives "deyzhe-borshtsh" as "a dish of leavened dough." At first I thought the term must mean something like a bread starter like sourdough starter these days but then realized this is implausible because the story takes place Erev Peysakh and the piece is set in the pantry and esp. on the Passover shelf. A "dish of leavened dough" would have made everything treyf for Passover. It's only in the list of characters that it is listed as "deyzhe borsht." Within the little story when it speaks it is called just "borsht." The following is the interchange in the middle of the piece: Matses: Tsikave beytsim! Mir lign do fun nokh purim on. Shmalts: Fun nokh purim? A tayere metsie! Ikh shtey nokh fun far khanike. Borsht: Un mikh hot men do avekgeshtelt bald nokh sukes. S'iz mir shoyn azoy umetik, az ikh hob, dakht mir, gekhapt a shiml. Thanks for any help in explaining this. Mikhoyel Basherives 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2003 09:52:58 -0500 (EST) From: Michael Steinlauf Subject: Polin v. 16 on Jewish popular culture This is to announce the publication of volume 16 of the annual Polin: Studies in Polish Jewry, edited by Michael Steinlauf and Antony Polonsky. This issue is devoted to Jewish popular culture in Poland and its afterlife. The volume include studies of klezmer musicians, recorded music, theater, badkhonim (wedding entertainers), popular literature and press, postcards, workers' libraries, political cartoons, the Jewish underworld, as well as contemporary phenomena such as the trade in Polish wooden figurines of Jews, the Krakow Jewish culture festival, the music of Wolf Krakowski, the canonization of Roman Vishniac. There are also several new studies of Polish-Jewish relations and a large book review section. The volume is available from the Littman Library of Jewish Civilization . Michael Steinlauf 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2003 08:32:55 -0500 (EST) From: Paula Eisenstein Baker Subject: Camp Nailand I'm still looking for information about a summer camp called "Nailand" or "Nayland." Leo Zeitlin (1884-1930), the composer whose works I am editing for publication, wrote a short piece for piano and percussion dedicated to the camp. I now know, from Fradle Pomerantz Freidenreich, that it was a Yiddish-speaking Workmen's Circle (Arbeter Ring) camp, and that it existed in Gillette, NJ, from 1928 until at least 1930. Fradle has asked YIVO about it and has checked with Workmen's Circle; neither has any information. I have been in touch with the Rutgers archives, the Jewish Historical Society of MetroWest, and several other NJ historical societies. Does anyone recognize the name of the camp? Is there anyone reading the list who is old enough to have attended the camp? Any and all leads welcome. Private replies to please, unless you think they might be of interest to the group. Paula Eisenstein Baker Houston, TX 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon Dec 1 11:23:26 2003 -0500 From: dsmith@loa.org Subject: I. B. Singer centennial --announcement Professor Joel Berkowitz suggested I write with the following announcement regarding the national events in 2004 for the I. B. Singer Centennial, to be posted to the Mendele online discussion group. Your prompt attention to this announcement would be greatly appreciated. We are already receiving requests from local libraries--specifically, Lincolnshire, IL (near Chicago); Eugene, OR; and Los Alamos, NM--that are interested in planning events. Please feel free to write me or Megan Barrett (address below) if you have any questions regarding this announcement. David Cloyce Smith Director of Marketing The Library of America (212) 308-3360 x206 ------------------------------------- PUBLIC SPEAKERS SOUGHT FOR LOCAL I. B. SINGER CENTENNIAL EVENTS The Library of America, with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities, is sponsoring the 2004 centennial celebration for Isaac Bashevis Singer. Produced in partnership with cultural institutions nationwide and with the support of the Estate of Isaac Bashevis Singer, "Assimilating America: The Life and Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer" will feature diverse humanities events and activities. In conjunction with the American Library Association, dozens of local libraries will host lectures, readings, and panels. The sponsors of the Centennial celebration are now compiling a nationwide Speakers' Bureau of scholars and writers who might be willing to make themselves available for these local events. Doctoral candidates with a knowledge of Singer's work are also welcome to participate. (All arrangements--honorarium, travel, etc.--for such programs will be made directly between the inviting institution and the speaker.) Other activities for the centennial celebration include: * An authoritative 3-volume Library of America edition of Singer's collected stories * A major museum exhibition of Singer manuscripts, letters, and other materials, curated by the Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin and mounted in New York, Florida, and Massachusetts * Gala public tributes in New York City, Los Angeles, and South Florida * A coordinating Web site (Singer100.org) For more information on the Singer Centennial or to make yourself available for local events: contact Megan Barrett, The Library of America, 14 E. 60th St., New York, NY 10022; e-mail mbarrett@loa.org; phone (212) 308-3360 x231. 9)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 8 Dec 2003 06:57:36 -0500 (EST) From: Heather Valencia Subject: Announcement of new publication: "The King of Lampedusa" Apologies if you have already received this message: it was returned due to my not having notified Mendele of my new email address, which I have now rectified. I'd be very grateful if the message could go into Mendele and the Yiddish Theatre Forum. Thank you, Heather Valencia THE KING OF LAMPEDUSA A play by=20 S.J. HARENDORF=20 Edited and Translated from the Yiddish by HEATHER VALENCIA=20 Foreword by=20 ANNA TZELNIKER=20 For the first time the famous play The King of Lampedusa, which premiered in London's East End in December 1943 and had an unprecedented run of seven months, will be available in print. Dr Heather Valencia has edited and translated the play for its first publication, which will coincide with the 60th anniversary of its opening. The play in Yiddish, both in Hebrew and in Roman script, and in English translation, with an introduction by Heather and a foreword by the star of the show, Yiddish actress Anna Tzelniker, is published by the Jewish Music Institute International Forum for Yiddish Culture in association with JEECS= , the Jewish East End Celebration Society. The price is =A312.50, but copies are available from JMI at the special introductory price of =A310 (+ postage and packing - =A31.50 within Britain and =A32.50 overseas). To order the book, please send sterling cheque, or quote your Visa or MasterCard details (card number and expiry date) to Jewish Music Institute, P O Box 232, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 2NN Tel 020 8909 2445, Fax 020 8909 1030 e-mail jewishmusic@jmi.org.uk=20 ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 12.005 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