The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

by The Yiddish Voice

Encores: Nathan Kasdan (2013-2014) and Miriam Libenson (1990's)

from our archive: Nathan Kasdan (נחום קאָזשדאַן), who died one year ago (JULY 14, 2022), gave us an extraordinary interview in 2013, which we've previously aired in 2013 and 2014 as well as in 2015. We recently learned that Nathan passed away, about a year ago. Considering Nathan's yahrtzeit, as well as the fact that it's erev Tisha B'Ov, we're re-airing our interview with Nathan again. from our archive: Miriam Libenson, our late-great resident poet and Yiddish presenter extraordinaire, discusses Tisha B'Ov, which occurs next week, as we're now in the 9 days from the beginning of the month of Ov. Music: Sholem Katz: Keil Molleh Rachamim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: July 19, 2023

Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath on Words for Armed Uprising; Rav Izchak Kin on Personal History

This week, Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath and Rabbi Izchak Kin. Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath is chairperson of the League for Yiddish. She discusses the League for Yiddish's Words of the Week, specifically the recent week devoted to the armed uprising in Russia. We reached her by Zoom on June 9, 2023. Rabbi Izchak Kin talks about various memories of his personal life, starting with memories of Pesach in his childhood. Rav Kin is a Modzitzer chossid who now lives in Los Angeles but grew up in Israel. This previously unaired recording was made when we recorded Rav Kin's presentation for Pesach 2023. Music: Ben-Zion Shenker: a series of songs of the Modzitzer chassidim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: June 12, 2023

Sholem Beinfeld: Uprising in Russia; Avremi Zak and Meyer Hirshman: Israeli Society and Politics

This week, Sholem Beinfeld discusses the recent uprising in Russia, and Avremi Zak and Meyer Hirshman discuss Israeli society and politics. Sholem Beinfeld was recorded on the day of broadcast (July 5, 2023). The first interview with Avremi Zak was by The Yiddish Voice on April 26, 2023. The second interview of Meyer Hirshman by Avremi Zak was by Kan Yiddish and originally aired on Israeli radio on June 30, 2023 -- thanks to Kan Yiddish, Avremi Zak, and Meyer Hirshman for this interview. Music: Michael Gaysinsky (Михаил Гайсинский): A Zemerl fun Haynt Michael Gaysinsky (Михаил Гайсинский): Figaro (by Rossini, adapted for Yiddish) Michael Gaysinsky (Михаил Гайсинский): Kinder Zaynen Mir Geven Jacqui Sussholz: Belts Jacqui Sussholz: Vu Nemt Men a Bisele Mazl Jacqui Sussholz: Yankele Jacqui Sussholz: Vos Geven Iz Geven Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: June 5, 2023

Avrom Novershtern: Yiddish in Literature and His Personal Life

The Yiddish Voice was in Israel earlier in June 2023 and had the opportunity to interview Avrom Novershtern, who is professor emeritus from the Yiddish Program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and currently serves as the director of Beit Sholem Aleichem in Tel Aviv, a cultural center devoted to Yiddish and the Eastern European Jewish Heritage Topics discussed: About Beys Sholem Aleykhem - history, accomplishments, current activities (בית שלום עליכם) (Find on Facebook; Find on the Web). Yiddish writer Chaim Grade - an introduction. Women Writers Controversy - in 2021, Novershtern gave two lectures for YIVO, which resulted in some controversy with two online discussions in response. See links below. Novershtern's early home life in Argentina, and what brought him to Israel. Novershtern - Women Writers Controversy - Timeline and Links: Monday Jul 12, 2021: YIVO Yiddish Civilization Lecture: Yiddish Women Writers (Part 1) with Avraham Novershtern (In Yiddish) https://youtu.be/3wl81swZO2A Monday July 19, 2021: Vaybertaytsh podcast episode: Episode 54: Re: "Yiddish Women Writers" | ייִדישע שרײַבערינס / July 19, 2021 http://www.vaybertaytsh.com/episodes/2021/7/18/episode-54-re-yiddish-women-writers-hjhes Monday Jul 19, 2021: YIVO Yiddish Civilization Lecture: Yiddish Women Writers (Part 2) with Avraham Novershtern (In Yiddish) https://youtu.be/66iydt6dzg0 Thursday Jul 22, 2021: YIVO Yiddish Civilization Lecture: Women Writers in Yiddish Literature with Anita Norich and Karolina Szymaniak (In Yiddish) https://youtu.be/p2p_gt0EBIQ Music and Comedy Recordings, mostly in honor of July 4th, America's Independence Day: Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Mandy Patinkin: American Tune (Words&Music by Paul Simon) Seymour Rexite: Battle Hymn of the Republic in Yiddish Cantor Ari Brown: America Medley Yiddish Philharmonic Chorus: Amerike di Prekhtike Michel Rosenberg: Getzel at a Baseball Game Clara Gold: Telebende Furt Kein Amerika Moishe Oysher & Florence Weiss: Chasidic in America Air Date: June 28, 2023

Mary Ehrlich, Survivor from Gedrevitch, Part 2; Kolya Borodulin on Arbeter-Ring Yiddish Classes

Highlights: interview with Kolya Borodulin, Director of Yiddish Programming at Arbeter Ring (circle.org), talking about the Summer 2023 Yiddish course offerings currently starting or about to start online now. interview, part 2, with Mary Ehrlich, a Boston-area Holocaust survivor originally from Gedrevitsh (Giedraiciai in Lithuanian), a shtetl near Vilna (and closer to the Vilkomir). In Mary Ehrlich's first interview she talked about her childhood years up through the arrival of the Germans in 1941. In this, her second, interview Mary spoke of her later life, starting with the German takeover of Lithuania, including the lifesaving role played by a Lithuanian mother and her children, who hid Mary and her parents for most of the war, saving their lives. About ten years ago, Mary reunited with two of these children whose mother had saved her life, which was widely covered in the press. Here's a NY Post article: https://nypost.com/2011/11/24/holocaust-survivor-reunites-with-lost-friends-at-jfk/ Here's a Jerusalem Post article: https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/jewish-features/holocaust-survivor-to-be-reunited-with-her-saviors For this interview we reached Mary by phone at her home in the Boston area on June 20, 2023. 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: June 21, 2023

Encore: 2019: Nechama Netali-Gonen (2019)

Encore from our archive, from 2019, but enhanced for 2023 with Fathers Day music at the end. See original show notes here: https://podcast.yv.org/episodes/nechama-netali-gonen Air date: June 14, 2023

Daniel Galay: Yiddish in Israel and Other Topics

interview with Daniel Galay (דניאל גלאי), an Israeli composor, musician, translator, writer, educator, and Yiddish community leader and activist. He is chairman of Leyvik House, which publishes and sells books, in Yiddish and other languages, and serves as a Yiddish cultural center in Tel Aviv, housing Israel's Yiddish Writers Union. Born in Argentina in 1945 and raised in a Yiddish speaking home, Galay moved to Israel in 1965. In this interview, he talks about many of his life experiences and achievements as well as current interests and projects, including his recent Yiddish Intonation Youtube series, teaching Yiddish intonation for English-speaking Yiddish students, and about the "Ashkenazi Identity movement" he promotes in Israel and online. He also discusses Yiddish in Israel and offers comments on the recent book Yiddish in Israel, whose author, Rachel Rojanski, discussed the book on The Yiddish Voice/דאָס ייִדישע קול in 2021. This interview took place in Tel Aviv on June 4, 2023 Music: Michael Gaysinsky (Михаил Гайсинский): Es keytlt zikh di tsayt (lyrics by Boris Sandler, music by Alex Meif and Michael Gaysinsky) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: June 7, 2023

Encore: 2019: Esia Friedman (Part 2)

Encore from our archive, from 2019, but enhanced for 2023 with an announcement from our sponsor Boston Workers Circle: Boston Workers Circle presents FREEDOM IS A VERB: 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT: A Besere Velt Chorus with special guest Daniel Kahn. June 10, 2023, 7:30 PM ET - virtual and in person. Details at: circleboston.org/arts/ See original show notes here: https://podcast.yv.org/episodes/esia-friedman-part-2 Air date: May 31, 2023

Encore: 2017: Rabbi Itzchak Kin: Shvues, Yom Yerusholayim; Shulman and Cycowicz: Trump in Israel

Encore from our archive, from 2017, but enhanced for 2023 with an announcement from our sponsor Boston Workers Circle: Boston Workers Circle presents FREEDOM IS A VERB: 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT: A Besere Velt Chorus with special guest Daniel Kahn. June 10, 2023, 7:30 PM ET - virtual and in person. Details at: circleboston.org/arts/ See original show notes here: https://podcast.yv.org/episodes/itzchak-kin-shvues-yom-yerusholayim-shulman-and-cycowicz-trump-in-israel Air date: May 24, 2023

Elena Luchina, U. Mich. Yiddish Teacher (new); Miriam Libenson Z"L on Shvues (archive)

Interview with Elena Luchina (עלענאַ לוטשינאַ), who is the Yiddish instructor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, discussing her interesting background and current career at one of the leading Yiddish-language and Jewish-studies programs in the United States. Originally from Moscow, Yelena received her PhD in linguistics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She has taught Yiddish at U. Mich. since 2019. For more info, see Elena's U. Mich. faculty page or follow Elena's Instagram, @SimpleYiddish. The interview took place over Zoom on May 9, 2023, 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. From our archive: Miriam Libenson ז״ל discusses the upcoming holiday Shvues. Recorded and originally aired on The Yiddish Voice in the 1990's. Music: Chava Alberstein: Afn Pripetshik Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: May 17, 2023
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