Yiddish Lives

January 3, 2010

New Year’s 2010

Filed under: About Yiddish Lives, Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 8:08 am

Yiddish Lives

Preserving Life Stories Told in Yiddish

 

מיר װינטשן פֿאַר אײַך אַלע אַ גוט פֿרײלעך נײַ יאָר

Happy New Year to All!


News

Yiddish Lives on the Radio:

Yiddish Lives was featured on KSVY Radio from Sonoma, CA. We were invited to speak about our project as well as Yiddish preservation in general for their Chanukah program. You can listen to the show here.

Non-Profit Status:

On December 31st, 2009, Yiddish Lives filed Articles of Incorporation with the State of California! Additionally, we’ve applied for a tax ID with the IRS. Once we have these both in hand, we’ll apply for our official 501(3)(c) Non-Profit Corporation status. With that, if YouTube approves of our project, they will allow us to put up videos without the 11 minute restriction we’re currently coping with.


Upcoming Events

KlezCalifornia’s Yiddish Culture Festival
February 12-15




Klez California is sponsoring a mammoth 4 day event of Jewish music, dance, and Yiddish. For information, check out the event: www.KlezCalifornia.org

IAYC – International Association of Yiddish Clubs
April 23 – 26




This will be their 13th conference. The theme for this year is,
Yiddish around the World“: http://www.derbay.org/millbrae


New Releases!

Anatomy of a Yiddish Reading Group

Anatomy of a Yiddish Reading Group

Eli Katz was a professor at Berkeley and a well known
translator of Yiddish literature. With his parting, we felt it was important
to show how wonderful and wondrous a Yiddish reading group could be,
as it was with him. Luckily, we had Max Ticktin’s group in Washington, D.C.,
which remains a role model.

Carolyn Shapiro
We interviewed Carolyn Shapiro at her home in Maryland. As you can tell, she has a lovely smile and likes to laugh. During our time together, she talked about her family, growing up, Yiddish theatre, and took us on a tour of rare pictures from a past long ago.
Flo Stofsky
Flo Stofsky is a New Yorker, was born a New Yorker, and will likely always be a New Yorker. We are lucky and delighted to hear her detailed accounts of life growing up in the Bronx Coops.
Harvey Spiro
Harvey Spiro is a passionate Yiddishist. He’s worked and studied hard to become proficient in Yiddish. In the segment, taken after much arm twisting, he talks about his life, but also some of what he went through to become as good a Yiddish speaker and reader as he now is. Beyond his life as a student of Yiddish, Harvey has also been very helpful as a Yiddish group organizer in the Greater Washington D.C. area.
Hilda Rubin
Wow. Just Wow. Hilda Rubin is the one responsible for getting us to Washington and Maryland. We owe her an enormous debt of gratitude. She has lived vast portions of her life in the Yiddish worlds in ways that many of us only read about. She is an enormous treasure trove of knowledge, experience and information about the Bronx co-operatives, Yiddish theatre and its performers. These interviews only scratch the surface and we are looking forward to more time with Hilda.

Jack Moskowitz
Jack Moskowitz is a funny guy. He took us away from all the serious discussions and made us laugh. Not all of his stories are G rated, but from what we’ve heard so far, they are very real and some show aspects of life in the Yiddish speaking community that you might not hear elsewhere.
Rita Rubinstein
You will surely remember Rita Rubinstein from the group, “Die Freyliche Knaidlach“. We have a very important set of interviews here. They are quite different from the joyous songs we mentioned in our last newsletter (YiddishLives.com/FK). These conversations are firsthand accounts of a life that started in Romania and are not to be missed. They are moving and beautiful, as is Rita herself.
Sarita Zimmerman
Sarita Zimmerman will charm you. If you haven’t heard someone from Buenos Aires speak Yiddish, you’re in for a treat. Listening to her language and her story will remind you how universal Yiddish was and remains to this day.

Contact Us

As always, you can contact us at any time by phone or email.
email: info@YiddishLives.com
phone: (408) 457-0075

December 20, 2009

Carolyn Shapiro

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We had a wonderful conversation with Carolyn Shapiro of Rockville, MD. This was perhaps our most informal Yiddish taping, complete with lots of laughing and an outburst of song.

Life Part 1

Life Part 2

Life Part 3

Life Part 4

On Yiddish Theatre with Hilda Rubin – Part 1

On Yiddish Theatre with Hilda Rubin – Part 2

Hilda Rubin

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Hilda Rubin has, to date, been the most helpful advocate YiddishLives has had. She put us in touch with a huge array of very wonderful Yiddish speakers in the Maryland/D.C. area. We owe her a huge debt of thanks.

She is also, herself, a walking history book of Yiddish in the U.S. with vast knowledge of the Bronx Co-operatives, Yiddishists, theatre folks, actors, singers, and on and on. We were very lucky to get these recordings.

Life – Part 1

Life – Part 2

Life – Part 3

On Yiddish Theatre with Carolyn Shapiro – Part 1

On Yiddish Theatre with Carolyn Shapiro – Part 2

Flo Stofsky and The Coops

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During a trip to NY, we met with Flo Stofsky with her daughter Susan. She spoke with us about the Coops in the Bronx, what it was like growing up there, the physical layout both inside and out, the social atmosphere, and some of the history that effected the people who lived there.

Pictures of the Interview and of the Coops from 2009 follow.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Jack Moskowitz

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Jack (Jacob) Moskowitz grew up speaking and surrounded by Yiddish. We caught up with him in Washington D.C. and he related some stories from his youth. He’s a fun, laid back guy, with a great sense of humor.

Harvey Spiro

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Harvey Spiro is one of the leaders of Yiddish of Greater Washington. Getting him to be recorded was no small task. He seems himself more as an organizer and a student. And yet, there’s a lot to learn from talking with Harvey. He represents some of the next generation Yiddish preservers and organizers. He’s dedicated a lot of time and energy to learning Yiddish properly, which is something few people have the wherewithall to to. He is also a very respected member of the Yiddish community in the D.C. area.

Rita Rubinstein

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Rita lives in Rockville Maryland and is part of Die Freyliche Knaidlach. She is both a singer and a Yiddishist for the group.

It was after working with Rita that we realized why it was so important to preserve these stories in Yiddish itself. Listening to her describe her experiences as a little child in the language that it actually occurred in was something remarkable. It was as if we were transported back to those events as they were happening.

Perhaps more important, though, is to notice her smile. How can someone who lived through such a time in history ever smile again? And yet, there she is. Not only does she have a wide open smile for us now, she tells about the fun she always looked for as a kid, even in the camps. These stories are treasures from a woman who is herself one of our treasures.

To see more of Rita,why not check out Die Freyliche Knaidlach?

Sarita Zimmerman

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Sarita Zimmerman comes from Buenos Aires. We met her in Washington D.C. at the Yiddish reading group meeting. Hearing her speak Yiddish is a great reminder of what a global language Yiddish was and remains to this day.

December 6, 2009

December 2009 Newsletter

Filed under: Blog, Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 9:02 pm

We actually put together our first newsletter.Click here to view it:

December 2009 Newsletter

November 30, 2009

Interview with Herman in English

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Part 1

Part 2

Herman Taube’s Life Stories in English

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Life Stories in English

Herman Taube’s Blind Eye to the Past

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Herman Taube’s Blind Eye to the Past

Herman Taube’s American Life

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Herman Taube’s American Life

Herman Taube on Being a Journalist and a Poet

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Herman Taube on Being a Journalist and a Poet

Herman Taube’s Role with Yiddish Organizations

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Herman Taube’s Role with Yiddish Organizations

Herman Taube on Religion and Poetry

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Herman Taube on Religion and Poetry

Herman Taube’s “Morals of a Medic”

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Herman Taube’s Morals of a Medic

Herman Taube on Pre-War Poland

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Pre-War Poland

Herman Taube Coming to the U.S.

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Coming to the U.S.

Herman Taube’s Biography

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Part One

Part Two

November 28, 2009

Poetry Reading with Michael Rosenbush

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 5:22 pm
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Michael has dediated a large portion of his life to language and literature. He shares with us a few favorite poems and discusses their relevence with his experience as well as talks a little about the uniqueness of certainly literary constructs and techniques.

Michael Rosenbush: “From Siberia to Poland”

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The clip begins with a description of Sibera that may be surprising. We then hear the polits and laws that lead to his family’s ability to leave Siberia and move eventually back to Poland. Finally, we experience the return to Poland through his eyes, what remained and what life was like there, still as a child.

Michael Rosenbush On Region, Politics, and Language

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Dr. Michael Rosenbush has studied and taught a large range of lanuages the majority of his life. This particular clip starts with questions of region and politics, but re-focuses almost immediately to what he really cares about: language.

Michael Rosenbush Biography

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A Short Biography

November 25, 2009

Milt Putterman Biography

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Milt Putterman speaking about his life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Dzhankoye

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Dzhankoye is a Yiddish Song about a farming collective.

Ven ikh nem

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“Ven ikh nem gezegnen zikh” is a Yiddish song that’s very hard to find. It’s about a man telling his family he wants to join the Bolsheviks.

Yiddish:
Ven ikh nem gezegnen zikh
Mit der mame
Loyft di gantse shtib oyf gikh
Zikh tsuzamen
Loyft di gantse shtib oyf gikh
Zikh tsuzamen

Vi zhe geystu hey du yat?
Yusl shoyte
Vils gor veren a soldat bay die royte
Vils gor veren a soldat bay die royte

Es hobn di royte kayn giver
Kayn soldatn
Svet dem Bolshevik on dir
Gournit shatn
Svet dem Bolshevik on dir
Gournit shatn

Dan geshtanen dan bin ikh
Zey tsu zogn
Hudyet tsu beveynen mir
Hudyet klugn
Hudyet tsu beveynen mir
Hudyet klugn

English:
When I started saying goodbye
To my mother
Everyone in the house rushed in
All together
Everyone in the house rushed in
All together

So where the heck are you going
You jerk?
I want to be a solider with the red army
I want to be a solider with the red army

They have not guns
No soldiers
There will be Bolsheviks even without you
They wont miss you
There will be Bolsheviks even without you
They wont miss you

Then I stood up
to tell them
Its useless to cry for me
Its useless to wail
Its useless to cry for me
Its useless to wail

Roz Katz Biography

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Roz Katz speaking about her life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Fira Liebovich Biography

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Fira Liebovich speaking about her life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Mrs Megilicuttie

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oooooold Jewish joke

Mikhoyel Basherives Biography

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Mikhoyel Basherives speaking about his life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Shirley Dolowitz Biography

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Shirley Dolowitz speaking about her life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Lou And Belle Ganapoler Tell Yiddish Story On The Radio

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Lou & Belle Ganapoler tell a funny Yiddish story on the Radio

Yiddish for Kids – Earn Chocolates In Yiddish

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Eric Edelstein offers a few ways to get your Grandmother so happy, she’ll be feeding you candy for days!

Tum Balalaika by Die Freyliche Knaidlach

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Tum Balalika means literally, strum the balalaika (string instrument). The song, however, is about a how a boy chooses a wife and how the woman shows off her cleverness. You can see it here performed by Die Freyliche Knaidlach.

Die Freyliche Knaidlach is a singing group comprised of 4 wonderful women (Rita Rubinstein, Susan Goldsamt, Michele Peck, and Ruth Newhouse). They have performed widely from college campuses to senior venues and more sharing the songs and stories of our past as well as new material. Their beautiful and strong performances speak for themselves! If you’d like to reach them, please email: rknaydel2@verizon.net.

Far Vos Af Yidish?

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 7:01 am
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Eric Edelstein explains why it’s so important and so different to relate these life stories natively in Yiddish. A lot of people have been asking why we’re presenting these stories in Yiddish. If we had people speak in English, more people could share in the stories. And yes, that is true. And yet, it would be different. And something would be lost. This video attempts an explanation.

Lou And Belle Ganapoler Singing – Part 2

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This is Lou and Belle sitting at a kitchen table singing all the songs they could think of.

Lou And Belle Ganapoler Tell Yiddish Story On The Radio

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Lou & Belle Ganapoler tell a funny Yiddish story on the Radio

Tum Balalaika by Die Freyliche Knaidlach

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 6:57 am
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Tum Balalika means literally, strum the balalaika (string instrument). The song, however, is about a how a boy chooses a wife and how the woman shows off her cleverness. You can see it here performed by the Die Freyliche Knaidlach.

Die Freyliche Knaidlach is a singing group comprised of 4 wonderful women (Rita Rubinstein, Susan Goldsamt, Michele Peck, and Ruth Newhouse). They have performed widely from college campuses to senior venues and more sharing the songs and stories of our past as well as new material. Their beautiful and strong performances speak for themselves! If you’d like to reach them, please email: rknaydel2@verizon.net.

Lou And Belle Ganapoler Perform the Three Little Pigs in Yiddish

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Lou And Belle Ganapoler Perform the Three Little Pigs in Yiddish.

Lou Ganapoler Sings American Songs in Yiddish

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Lou Ganapoler had a habbit of translating popular songs into Yiddish. These are some of his finest.

Lou Ganapoler Sings American Songs in Yiddish – Part 3

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Lou Ganapoler had a habbit of translating popular songs into Yiddish. These are some of his finest.

Perl Cutler Biography

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 6:50 am
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Perl Cutler speaking about her life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Bernie Barrish Biography

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Bernie barrish speaking about his life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Eric Edelstein Biography

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 6:46 am
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Eric Edelstein speaking about his life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Irving Newman Biography

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Irving Newman speaking about his life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Belle Ganapoler Biography

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Belle Ganapoler speaking about her life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

Ralph Culter Biography

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 6:43 am
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Ralph Cutler speaking about his life as part of the Vegn Zikh project

YiddishLives – Far Vos

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Eric Edelstein relating the purpose of the YiddishLives project.

Yiddish and Survival

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 6:23 am
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While recording Afn Pripetshik, a conversation ensued about the relationship between language and culture and survival.

Die Freyliche Knaidlach is a singing group comprised of 4 wonderful women (Rita Rubinstein, Susan Goldsamt, Michele Peck, and Ruth Newhouse). They have performed widely from college campuses to senior venues and more sharing the songs and stories of our past as well as new material. Their beautiful and strong performances speak for themselves! If you’d like to reach them, please email: rknaydel2@verizon.net.

Abi Gezunt performed by Die Freyliche Knaidlach

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Abi Gezunt is a fun, uplifting song performed here by Die Freyliche Knaidlach.

Die Freyliche Knaidlach is a singing group comprised of 4 wonderful women (Rita Rubinstein, Susan Goldsamt, Michele Peck, and Ruth Newhouse). They have performed widely from college campuses to senior venues and more sharing the songs and stories of our past as well as new material. Their beautiful and strong performances speak for themselves! If you’d like to reach them, please email: rknaydel2@verizon.net

Die Freyliche Knaidlach

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 6:20 am
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Die Freyliche Knaidlach is a singing group comprised of 4 wonderful women (Rita Rubinstein, Susan Goldsamt, Michele Peck, and Ruth Newhouse). They have performed widely from college campuses to senior venues and more sharing the songs and stories of our past as well as new material. Their beautiful and strong performances speak for themselves! If you’d like to reach them, please email: rknaydel2@verizon.net

Note: Die Freyliche Knaidlach have their own page: www.YiddishLives.com/FK

Hobn Mir A Nigundl by Die Freyliche Knaidlach

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Hobn Mir A Nigundl is a joyous piece about passing a song down from generation to generation, performed here by Die Freyliche Knaidlach.

Die Freyliche Knaidlach is a singing group comprised of 4 wonderful women (Rita Rubinstein, Susan Goldsamt, Michele Peck, and Ruth Newhouse). They have performed widely from college campuses to senior venues and more sharing the songs and stories of our past as well as new material. Their beautiful and strong performances speak for themselves! If you’d like to reach them, please email: rknaydel2@verizon.net.

Vu Iz Dos Gesele by Die Freyliche Knaidlach

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Vu Iz Dos Gesele (Where is the little street) is anything but cheery . It belongs to a set of songs that mislead the listening into a false sense of happiness only to blow that image apart at the end (just like Di Grine Kuzine). Hear it here performed here by Die Freyliche Knaidlach.

Die Freyliche Knaidlach is a singing group comprised of 4 wonderful women (Rita Rubinstein, Susan Goldsamt, Michele Peck, and Ruth Newhouse). They have performed widely from college campuses to senior venues and more sharing the songs and stories of our past as well as new material. Their beautiful and strong performances speak for themselves! If you’d like to reach them, please email: rknaydel2@verizon.net.

September 27, 2009

Lou and Belle Ganapoler Updates

Filed under: Uncategorized — yiddishlives @ 7:35 am

I’m delighted to finally have these recordings of Lou and Belle Ganapoler available for all. These were recorded a new of years ago. Belle is still with us, still participating in Yiddish conversations groups, and still as feisty and adorable as ever. We lost Lou a few years ago and those of us who knew him miss him all the time. Some of what you’ll hear below are the classic Yiddish songs as well as some American songs Lou translated into Yiddish. Some of this is funny, some is schmaltz, but all was done with great love of the language by the couple.

Without further ado, then, are Belle and Lou Ganapoler:

Lou And Belle Ganapoler Singing – Part 1

Lou And Belle Ganapoler Singing – Part 2

Lou And Belle Ganapoler Tell Yiddish Story On The Radio

Lou And Belle Ganapoler Perform the Three Little Pigs in Yiddish

Lou Ganapoler Sings American Songs in Yiddish

Lou Ganapoler Sings American Songs in Yiddish – Part 2

Lou Ganapoler Sings American Songs in Yiddish – Part 3

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