The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

by The Yiddish Voice
Society & Culture

Purim with Viswanath, Pollak, Wolfe, Londner, Beinfeld, Lieberman-Reich

Happy Purim !! אַ פֿריילעכן פּורים Part 1: Jokes and humor for Purim told by Libby Pollak, Sholem Beinfeld, Sheila (Sheyndl) Lieberman-Reich, Sheldon (Shulem) Londner, and Hy Wolfe. Part 2: Arele Schaechter Viswanath discusses his Google Doc "אַ בלעטל פּורים־מאַטעריאַלן", which the פֿאָרווערטס/Forverts/Yiddish Forward described as "Lively Yiddish Purim materials for teachers, students and parents". All guests were recorded, by phone or Zoom, Mar. 19-20, 2024. Links mentioned in this episode: Arele's Google Doc: אַ בלעטל פּורים־מאַטעריאַלן פֿאַר עלטערן פֿון ייִדיש־רעדנדיקע קינדער און פֿאַר ייִדיש־לערערס און תּלמידים Music: Di Purim Shpiler [Spotify]: Mishpokhe Lustik, Tsu Feter Aron,Khelemer Rov Megilla of Itzik Manger (The Bursteins/Israeli cast album) [Spotify]: Der Nigun Fun Der Megille Mine-Lifshe Viswanath: Purim Iz A Shpil Aza [Youtube] Bina Landau: Purim Lid Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: March 20, 2024
Mar 22, 2024
1:02:50

Nathan Gipsman, Survivor; Biskowitz, Bach: Farbindungen 2024; Borodulin: Yiddish Classes

This week, interview with Holocaust survivor Nathan Gipsman, originally from Będzin (Bendin), who recently celebrated his 99th birthday; Alona Bach and Sarah Biskowitz cover Farbindungen 2024, the third annual Farbindungen Yiddish Studies Conference, taking place online from February 18 – 19th, 2024; Kolya Borodulin announces the Yiddish classes offered by Workers Circle/Arbeter Ring, starting next week; and a little -ליבע (love-) related music in honor of Valentin-Tog (Valentine's Day). Important links mentioned in this episode: https://circle.org https://farbindungen.com Music: Masha Roskies: Kum Leybke Tantsn (from CD accompanying book Yiddishlands by David Roskies) Mayya Korsunskaya: Ikh Hob Dikh Tsu Fil Lib (piano acc. by Hankus Netsky) Dudu Fisher: Sheyn Vi Di Lovone Dudu Fisher: Bay Mir Bistu Sheyn Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: February 14, 2024
Feb 15, 2024
1:07:32

Remembering Dovid Lenga: His 2023 Interview

Last week, we learned the sad news that David (Dovid) Lenga has died at the age of 96. He was buried in Los Angeles on Jan. 28, 2024. Los Angeles survivor and community leader Harry Davids said of him, "David was a survivor of Dachau and Auschwitz. He frequently spoke at the museums, synagogues and schools, and his presentations were known for their oratory and inspirational style."In his memory, we're airing his interview recorded and originally aired on Jan. 4, 2023. Link to original podcast. כּבֿוד זײַן אַנדענק!‬ Music: Wolf Krakowsky: Yeder Ruft Mikh Ziamele Leahke Post: Yidish Redt Zikh Azoy Sheyn Yugntruf: Youth for Yiddish: Yiddish (Vaserl) Tzimmes: Oyfn Pripetshik Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: February 7, 2024
Feb 14, 2024
1:01:13

Vicky Ash-Shifriss on "Silent Tears" CD

In observance of International Holocaust Rememberance Day (Jan. 27) we're listening to and discussing Silent Tears: The Last Yiddish Tango, the acclaimed 2023 CD with new music and songs based on poetry and other writing by several women who are, or were, Holocaust survivors in Toronto. These songs recall their terrible and traumatic experiences during the Holocaust, including sexual abuse and torture. Some of the songs were collected and adapted by Dr. Paula David, a social worker, from a group of survivors in the Terrace Holocaust Survivors Group at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in Toronto who wrote poetry together to deal with their trauma. Others were adapted from the diary of Molly Applebaum, a Holocaust survivor in Toronto. The music, which is mostly new for this CD, is performed by Toronto's Payadora Tango Ensemble along with several soloists. Our guest to discuss Silent Tears is Vicky Ash-Shifris. She lives in Jerusalem and works as a Yiddish teacher and translator. She translated four of the songs on the CD into Yiddish. For additional info on Silent Tears, visit Executive Producer Dan Rosenberg's website: https://danrosenberg.net/silent_tears_the_last_yiddish_tango_info_and_press or, to audition and purchase the CD, visit its Six Degrees Records album page: https://payadoratangoensemble.bandcamp.com/album/silent-tears-the-last-yiddish-tango Music: Aviva Chernick with Payadora Tango Ensemble: Silent Tears (Words: Terrace Holocaust Survivors Group, Paula David, Dan Rosenberg; Music: Rebekah Wolkstein) Aviva Chernick with Payadora Tango Ensemble: The Numbers on My Arm (Words: Terrace Holocaust Survivors Group, Paula David, Dan Rosenberg; Music: Rebekah Wolkstein) Aviva Chernick and Olga Avigail Mieleszczuk with Payadora Tango Ensemble: Don't Let Us Starve (Words: Molly Applebaum, Dan Rosenberg; Music: Artur Gold) Lenka Lichtenberg: A Victim Of Mengele (Words: Terrace Holocaust Survivors Group, Paula David, Dan Rosenberg; Music: Rebekah Wolkstein) Henry Carrey: Tu Beshvat (Music and Lyrics by Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: January 24, 2024
Jan 25, 2024
56:52

Remembering Avrohom Fuchs: His 2015 Interview; Miriam Libenson: Tu BeShvat (Replay)

Last week, we received via Facebook the sad news that Avrohom Fuchs has died at the age of 99. He was buried in Jerusalem on Jan. 15, 2024. In his memory, we're airing part of an interview recorded in Jerusalem on Jan. 2, 2015, and originally aired Jan. 21, 2015. Fuchs, who survived the Holocaust, including Auschwitz and Ebensee, was a scholar of the Jewish history of the Carpathian Mountains, as well as a travel agent and guide who led over 35 tours to the Carpathians for former residents and their descendents. He wrote a book on the city of Chust (now Khust, Ukraine) and surrounding towns, as well as a book on his hometown Shandriff (now Oleksandrivka, Ukraine) and numerous articles. ‫כּבֿוד זײַן אַנדענק!‬ From our archives: Miriam Libenson Z"L: a talk in honor of the holiday Tu Bishvat, the holiday of the trees, originally broadcast in 1994. Music: Cantor Bela Herskowitz: Szól A Kakas Már (Der Hun Kriet Shoyn) Victor Berezinsky: Tu Bishvat Ruth Levin: A Hoykher Boym (Lyrics Shike Driz, Music by Leibu Levin) Hilda Bronstein: Afn Veg Shteyt A Boym (Lyrics by Itzik Manger) Dudu Fisher: Unter Beymer (Lyrics by Alexander Olshanetsky, Music by Moishe Oysher) Pharaoh's Daughter/Basya Schechter: Mayn Lid (My Song) and Ikh un Du (Lyrics by Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, Music by Basya Schechter) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: January 17, 2024
Jan 22, 2024
1:04:52

Mikhl Yashinsky: Di Psure Loyt Khaim

Highlights: Mikhl Yashinsky discusses his new Yiddish-language plan די בשׂורה לויט חיים (The Gospel According to Chaim / Di Psure Loyt Khaim), which is based on the true-life figure Chaim Einspruch, who translated the New Testament into Yiddish. When Einspruch tried to publish his book during the early 1940's, he was refused by every Yiddish printer, so learned how to do his own printing and published his work himself in 1941. The play is being performed under the auspices of New Yiddish Rep and is set to run through Jan 7, 2024. Tickets and info: https://www.newyiddishrep.org Yashinsky was previously interviewed on the The Yiddish Voice when he performed in Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish in 2018. That interview is available here: https://podcast.yv.org/episodes/daniel-kahn-michael-yashinsky-yiddish-fiddler-on-the-roof See also Yashinsky's website and Twitter/X Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of The Yiddish Voice and Professor of History, Emeritus, of Washington University, St. Louis, gives an analysis of Israel's war with Hamas in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacre. (Note: repeated from previous broadcast of The Yiddish Voice, Dec. 21, 2023) Highlights from Kann Yiddish, the Israeli national broadcaster's weekly Yiddish radio show, presented by cohosts Avremi Zaks and Mikhoel Felsenbaum. Thanks to Kann Yiddish. Visit Kann Yiddish / כאן יידיש for archived broadcasts. You can also subscribe to their podcast via their RSS feed. Music: Moshe Stern: Undzer Eygn Land Moshe Stern: A Gezang Tzu Yisroel Rina Gordon: Far Nakht In Yerusholayim (words: Zalman Shazar) Moshe Stern: Ver Bistu Mentsh Uri Zifroni: A Briv Fun Tel Aviv Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: December 28, 2023
Dec 28, 2023
1:35:21

Sholem Beinfeld: Analyzing Israel's War; Remembering Hershl Hartman: His 2021 Interview

Highlights: Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of The Yiddish Voice and Professor of History, Emeritus, of Washington University, St. Louis, gives an analysis of Israel's war with Hamas in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacre. Hershl Hartman passed away last week, Monday, December 11, 2023, a few days after his 94th birthday. In his memory we are reairing our interview with him, discussing his work as a Yiddish journalist, an educator in secular Yiddish-oriented schools, and a translator from Yiddish to English. Hershl Hartman was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1929. The interview was originally aired July 28, 2021. For the original broadcast/podcast, including more extensive notes, visit: https://podcast.yv.org/episodes/hershl-hartman Music: Moshe Stern: Undzer Eygn Land Moshe Stern: A Gezang Tzu Yisroel Rina Gordon: Far Nakht In Yerusholayim (words: Zalman Shazar) Moshe Stern: Ver Bistu Mentsh Uri Zifroni: A Briv Fun Tel Aviv Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: December 21, 2023
Dec 22, 2023
1:10:14

Berele Messinger: ZAKA in Israel in the aftermath of Oct 7

Interview with Berele Messinger, an Israeli member of ZAKA who was on the scene in Kibbutz Be'eri the day after the October 7 massacre. We reached him by WhatsApp on Nov. 29, 2023. Music: Moshe Stern: A Gezang Tzu Yisroel Rina Gordon: Far Nakht In Yerusholayim (words: Zalman Shazar) Moshe Stern: Undzer Eygn Land Moshe Stern: Ver Bistu Mentsh Moyshe Oisher: Broches far Khanike Pripetshik Singers: S'iz Khanike Haynt Essential Voices USA: Borukh Ate Zingt der Tate Pripetshik Singers: Kinder, Haynt Iz Khanike Seymour Silbermintz & The Boys: Haneiros Hallolu - Chanuko Martha Schlamme: Khanike Oy Khanike New England Conservatory Chorus: Al Hanisim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: November 29, 2023
Dec 1, 2023
59:54

Survivors Cycowicz, Deutsch, Zisblatt, Altmann on Israel & Antisemitism; freygl gertsovski

Highlights of this week's show: Interview with freygl gertsovski, who founded Queer Yiddish Camp, on the upcoming cabaret fundraiser to benefit Queer Yiddish Camp taking place Sun., Dec. 3, 2023, 2 PM Eastern, on Zoom. Info and tickets online here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/radyiddish/1025964 We spoke via Whatsapp on Nov. 6, 2023. Interviews with four Holocaust survivors about Israel and antisemitism in the wake of the Oct. 7 terror attack and the current war in Israel. Gitu Cycowitz, Jerusalem Naftali Deutsch, Los Angeles Irene Zisblatt, Boca Raton, FL Judy Altmann, Stamford, CT All happened to be born in Subcarpathian Ruthenia in Czechoslovakia before WWII. We spoke with them all by phone on Nov. 8, 2023. The interviews are interspersed with Yiddish song recordings from and mostly about Israel from various performers. (See credits below.) Music/recordings: Dovid Esheth: Yerusholayim Shtot fun Gold Dovid Esheth: Tsu Sholem Mir Shtreben Richard Inger: Israel Leo Fuld: Vi Ahin Zol Ikh Geyn Yakov Sandler: Tel Aviv Dovid Esheth: Shrayb a Brivl Mayn Kind Dovid Esheth: Adurkh in Oysgus fun Tiran Richard Inger: S'vet Zayn Gut Dovid Esheth: Der Krigs-Shofer Dovid Esheth: Halt Mir dem Finger Mazldik Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: November 8, 2023
Nov 10, 2023
1:15:09

Sharfstein, Bryks-Klein, Shifris, Trinh: Massacre and War in Israel

‫מיר טרויערן נאָך די מער ווי 1,400 מענטשן שוידערלעך אומגעבראַכט פֿון דער טעראָר-גרופּע כאַמאַס אין ישׂראל דעם 7טן אַקטאָבער 2023. מיר זאָרגן זיך זייער וועגן די פֿאַרוווּנדעטע, זאָלן זיי אַלע האָבן אַ רפֿואה־שלמה, ווי אויך וועגן די פֿאַרכאַפּטע, זאָלן זיי אַלע צוריקקומען אַהיים בשלום.‬‬ ‫ ‫הערט אינטערוויוען מיט ישׂראלים וועגן דער טעראַר-אַטאַקע און דער איצטיקער מלחמה אין ישׂראל:‬ אלי שאַרפֿשטיין Eli Sharfstein (Spoke by WhatsApp Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023) בעלאַ בריקס-קלײַן Bella Bryks-Klein (Spoke by phone Monday, Oct. 30, 2023) וויקי שיפֿריס Viki Shifris (Spoke on Zoom Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023) מרים טרין Miriam Trinh (Spoke on Zoom Monday, Oct. 30, 2023) ‫ We mourn the more than 1,400 people horribly murdered by the terror group Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023. We are deeply concerned for the wounded -- may they all be restored to health, and the captives -- may they all get home safely. Hear interviews with Israelis about the terror attack and the current war in Israel. Music: Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: November 1, 2023
Nov 2, 2023
1:41:21
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