The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

by The Yiddish Voice

Society & Culture

Jeffrey Shandler: Yiddish: Biography of a Language

Interview with Jeffrey Shandler, discussing his book Yiddish: Biography of a Language (Oxford University Press, 2020), which describes Yiddish from its origins to the present. Shandler is Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies at Rutgers and holds a PhD from Columbia University. He has had a big influence on Jewish studies, particularly for his concept of Yiddish as a "post-vernacular language", that is, despite the fact that Yiddish is no longer the everyday language of large numbers of Jews, except for certain Chassidic groups, it's widely taught, studied, and translated, and is generally the object of lively interest and affection. For further info on Shandler's book Yiddish: Biography of a Language at Oxford University Press: https://academic.oup.com/book/33481 For Shandler's academic home page at Rutgers: https://jewishstudies.rutgers.edu/people/core-faculty/jeffrey-shandler The interview took place over Zoom on November 4, 2022, and was led by Sholem Beinfeld, regular contributor to The Yiddish Voice, co-Editor in Chief of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor of History, Emeritus, Washington University in St. Louis. Music: Leyke Post: Yidish Redt Zikh Azoy Sheyn Shifee Lovitt: Yiddish/Vaserl Tsimmes: Oyfn Pripetshik Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: December 7, 2022

Gennady Estraikh on the War in Ukraine, 2nd Interview

Our second interview with Gennady Estraikh (first interview aired in March, 2022) discussing the war in Ukraine. Estraikh, who was born in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, is a professor at NYU who specializes in Jewish intellectual history, Yiddish language and literature, and Soviet Jewish history. He has written numerous books, academic papers, and journal and newspaper articles in English, Russian, Ukrainian, and Yiddish, notably for the Yiddish Forverts. He served as managing editor of the famed Yiddish literary journal Sovetish Heymland from 1988 to 1991. His books include Yiddish Culture in Ukraine (Kyiv: Dukh i Litera, 2016, in Ukrainian) and Transatlantic Russian Jewishness: Ideological Voyages of the Yiddish Daily Forverts in the First Half of the Twentieth Century (Academic Studies Press, 2020). The interview took place over Zoom on Wednesday, November 23, 2022. In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday we present Interview with the Turkey, a monologue by Boston's late, great Yiddish radio host Ben Gailing, originally aired on his show Der Freylekher Kabtsen in the 1980's. Thanks to Hankus Netsky, Ben's producer and co-host, for supplying this recording. Music: Loyko: Yoshke fun Ades Mandy Patinkin: Take Me out to the Ball Game and God Bless America Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: November 23, 2022

Rokhl Zicherman, Tsirl Kuznitz

Prof. Cecile (Tsirl) Kuznitz talks about the upcoming "Schaechter Conference", which she is chairing, sponsored by the League for Yiddish, JTS, and Columbia University. Info: League for Yiddish Rokhl Zicherman, a survivor of Auschwitz who grew up in Tybava, a small village in the Carpathian Mountains which was in Czechoslovakia before WWII, part of Hungary during the war, and is now in Ukraine, discusses her early life as well as deportation and survival in Auschwitz. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, also a Holocaust survivor. Music: Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Outro instrumental music: Itzhak Perlman, Dov Seltzer, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: Afn Veg Shteyt A Boym

Jessica Kirzane

Jessica Kirzane discusses her recent recent translations from Yiddish into English. She is perhaps best known for her translations of the late Yiddish writer Miriam Karpilove: Diary of a Lonely Girl, or the Battle Against Free Love (Syracuse University Press, 2020) and Judith: A Tale of Love and Woe (Farlag Press, 2022). Kirzane is a professor at the University of Chicago, teaching Yiddish language and literature. And she is the Editor-in-Chief of In geveb: A Journal of Yiddish Studies. For further information see her website: jessicakirzane.com The interview took place over Zoom on October 6, 2022, and was led by Sholem Beinfeld, regular contributor to The Yiddish Voice, co-Editor in Chief of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor of History, Emeritus, Washington University in St. Louis. Music: Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Outro instrumental music: Itzhak Perlman, Dov Seltzer, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: Afn Veg Shteyt A Boym Air Date: October 26, 2022

Borodulin, Teitelbaum, Succos Simchas Torah

אַ גוטן מועד Happy Succos! For Chol Hamoed Succos, we present two very special guests: Rabbi Yitzchok-Boruch Teitelbaum of Monroe, NY, the Pshischer Rebbe, a descendant of several Polish Chassidic masters including the Yid Hakodesh of Peshischa, gives a shiur for Succos and also shares a nigun he composed himself. Kolya Borodulin, director of Yiddish classes at Arbeter Ring, talks about the latest Yiddish classes, with registration open now for classes starting October 19, 2022, as well as as some other things he's knowledgable about, such as his home town, Birobidzhan. We also share, for the last time this season, greetings from our friends and sponsors: Holocaust survivor Tania Lefman, on behalf of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston. Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, on behalf of the League for Yiddish - די ייִדיש-ליגע Eli Dovek ז"ל, proprietor of Israel Book Shop (from 2009) Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of the Yiddish Voice and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Leye Shporer-Leavitt, cohost of the Yiddish Voice, Yiddish teacher and translator Music: Itzhak Perlman/The Klezmatics: Simkhes Toyre Time Ben Zion Shenker: Sisu V'Simchu Suki Berry, et al: A Sukele Mordechai Hershman: Af Bri, Fun Geshem Kayn Gelt Iz Nishto Moyshe Ganchoff: Geshem Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: October 12, 2022

Dovid Braun on Yiddish Education at YIVO and Generally

Feature interview: Dovid Braun, academic director of Yivo Institute's Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture, discusses the ZumerProgram, Yiddish courses at YIVO, and Yiddish education generally, including the topic of "Chassidic Yiddish". Happy New Year! אַ גמר טובֿ! אַ גוט יאָר Greetings from our friends and sponsors Holocaust survivor Tania Lefman, on behalf of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston. Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, on behalf of the League for Yiddish - די ייִדיש-ליגע Eli Dovek ז"ל, proprietor of Israel Book Shop (from 2009) Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of the Yiddish Voice and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Leye Shporer-Leavitt, cohost of the Yiddish Voice, Yiddish teacher and translator Music: Sholom Katz: Zochreinu L'Chaim Leibele Waldman: Der Nyer Yohr Moishe Oysher: Hayom Horas Olam (for Rosh Hashona after shofar blown) Mordechai Herschman: Al Chet Joseph Feldman: Der Nayer Yor Benjamin Siegel: A Din Toyre Mit Got (a/k/a Kaddish of Rabbi Levi-Yitzchok of Berditchev) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: September 28, 2022

Rabbi Moshe Kesselman, et al: Rosh Hashona, etc.

Feature interview: Rabbi Moshe Kesselman of Congregation Shaarei Tefila in Los Angeles reflects with host Meyer on Rosh Hashona. Happy New Year! אַ גוט יאָר Greetings from our friends and sponsors Holocaust survivor Tania Lefman, on behalf of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston. Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, on behalf of the League for Yiddish - די ייִדיש-ליגע Eli Dovek ז"ל, proprietor of Israel Book Shop (from 2009) Max Gelerman ז"ל, late proprietor of The Butcherie (from 2005) Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of the Yiddish Voice and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Leye Shporer-Leavitt, cohost of the Yiddish Voice, Yiddish teacher and translator Music: Sholom Katz: Zochreinu L'Chaim Leibele Waldman: Der Nyer Yohr Moishe Oysher: Hayom Horas Olam (for Rosh Hashona after shofar blown) Mordechai Herschman: Al Chet Joseph Feldman: Der Nayer Yor Benjamin Siegel: A Din Toyre Mit Got (a/k/a Kaddish of Rabbi Levi-Yitzchok of Berditchev) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: September 21, 2022

Hy Wolfe, et al: Rosh Hashona, etc.

Feature interview: Hy Wolfe chats with host Meyer about various things, including Yidish-Vokh 2022, Meyer's recent trip to Germany for a dedication of Stolpersteine for his father's family, and Hy's experience of 9/11. Happy New Year! אַ גוט יאָר Greetings from our friends and sponsors Holocaust survivor Tania Lefman, on behalf of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston. Eli Dovek ז"ל, proprietor of Israel Book Shop (from 2009) Max Gelerman ז"ל, late proprietor of The Butcherie (from 2005) Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of the Yiddish Voice and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Leye Shporer-Leavitt, cohost of the Yiddish Voice, Yiddish teacher and translator From our archive: Rosh Hashona remarks by our late Yiddish Voice contributors: Hasia Segal ז״ל (from 2007) Miriam Libenson ז״ל (from 1990's) Music: Sholom Katz: Zochreinu L'Chaim Leibele Waldman: Der Nyer Yohr Moishe Oysher: Hayom Horas Olam (for Rosh Hashona after shofar blown) Mordechai Herschman: Al Chet Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: September 14, 2022

Judy Altmann: prewar life in Karpatorus and Auschwitz; Gitu Cycowicz: look back at Biden visit

Part 1: Last July 13 we aired a quick interview with Gitu Cycowics just hours after her meeting with President Biden at Yad Vashem to get her first impressions, and she made us promise to let her come back to look back when she was not so tired and had time to think about things. We reached her by phone at her home in Jerusalem on Aug. 25, 2022.. Gitu -- a/k/a Giselle (Gita) Cycowicz (née Friedman) -- who was born in 1927 in the town of Chust in the Carpathian Mountains, then part of Czechoslovakia, survived Auschwitz and other camps, later starting a new life in the USA, and eventually getting her PhD in psychology. In her later years, she moved to Israel and then worked for decades for AMCHA (https://amcha.org), helping with the psychological needs of her fellow survivors. On Weds., Jul. 13, 2022, she was one of two Holocaust survivors invited to meet President Joseph Biden at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. Here is a YouTube from the live stream of Gitu meeting Biden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q96DZT4qMXs&t=731s Here is Gitu's page at Yad Vashem: https://www.yadvashem.org/blog/i-have-to-tell-my-story-giselle-cycowicz.html Part 2: Judy Altmann, born and raised in Jasina, Czechoslovakia, fondly recalls her home and family life in her town at the eastern edge of Karpatorus, which belonged to Czechoslovakia from 1918 to 1939, Hungary during WWII, and now Ukraine. She worked in her family's general store, which served the lumber industry workers from the tiny surrounding villages. She recounts her mother's cooking talents and describes the dish known locally in Yiddish as ריפּינייִק Ripinyik, probably closest to Potatonik. (She sometimes refers to potatoes as ריבלעך (riblekh).) At the end, she summarizes her Holocaust experiences. In 1944, she and her parents and practically all Jews of the town were taken to Auschwitz. In her family's case, they were first made to stay for several days without shelter in the Jewish cemetery. From there they were taken to a ghetto in Mateszalca (Hungary ) for several weeks. Finally, they were deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau. She survived, but her parents and most of her family were killed. We reached Judy by phone at her home in Stamford, CT, on Aug. 31, 2022. Air date: August 31, 2022 Happy New Year! אַ גוט געזונט יאָר Please patronize our sponsors! Enjoy these vintage greetings from our sponsors: Eli Dovek ז"ל, late proprietor of Israel Book Shop (from 2009) Max Gelerman ז"ל, late proprietor of The Butcherie (from 2005)

Eleanor Reissa on The Letters Project

Interview with acclaimed performing artist Eleanor Reissa discussing her recently published memoir The Letters Project: A Daughter's Journey. In 1986, after her mother's death, Reissa discovered fifty-six letters written by her late father. She set them aside for forty years before finally having them translated, which led to set her on a journey to her father's history during the Holocaust, which had been largely hidden from her. The book can be found in bookstores and online, including Eleanor Reissa's website eleanorreissa.com and Amazon. An audio version of the book, with Reissa's own narration, is also available through Audible. Eleanor Reissa is an American actress, singer, theatre director, playwright, librettist, choreographer, translator, and author based in New York City, who performs in both Yiddish and English. For more information on Eleanor Reissa and The Letters Project visit: eleanorreissa.com The interview is conducted by Yiddish Voice co-host Lillian Shporer-Leavitt, a daughter of Shoah survivors who grew up speaking Yiddish and graduated from the Boston Workmen's Circle Yiddish Shule. A former computer business analyst and software trainer, she is an experienced Yiddish teacher and translator, having taught at the Workmen's Circle, Gann Academy of Greater Boston, Boston University Hillel, and Brandeis University. In addition, she has subtitled Yiddish films for the National Center for Jewish Film and translated Yizkor (memorial) books for the Jewish Genealogical Society. Music/Spoken Word recordings: Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman: Zumerteg Zvee Scooler: Vakatsye in di Berg Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: August 17, 2022

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