Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 4.193 November 21, 1994 1) Parisian Yiddish Writers (Alan Astro) 2) Vi zogt men af yidish a "khazer" (Avrom-Mikhl Ostropolsky) 3) YIVO in Chicago? (Meyshe-Yankl Sweet) 4) Patshe kikhelek (Mikhl Herzog) 5) Stam a mayse (Mikhl Herzog) 6) Oyfn Boydem (Soreh Benor) 7) A Mendele Convention? (Louis Fridhandler) 8) How to influence a publisher (Sol Steinmetz) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Nov 94 17:52:57 CST From: aastro@vm1.tucc.trinity.edu Subject: Parisian Yiddish Writers in Yale French Studies #85 (1994) Stories by two Yiddish writers active in Paris--Oser Warszawski and Wolf Wieviorka--both of whom died at the hands of the Nazis, are translated in volume 85 of "Yale French Studies" (1994). The volume bears the subtitle: "Discourses of Jewish Identity in Twentieth-Century France." Also included are numerous literary texts translated from French about Jewish life and sentiment in France. The volume can be consulted at most university libraries, or ordered from Yale University Press at 1-800-YUP-READ. I know so much about the volume because I was its special editor. Alan Astro 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Nov 94 18:09:27 CST From: aastro@vm1.tucc.trinity.edu Subject: Vi zogt men af yidish a "khazer" (fe!) Me ken zogn "dover-akher," vi es shteyt ba Oyzer Varshavskin in "A Kontrakt", in Y.Spiro un andere aroysgebers, "Yisker-Bukh: Tsum ondenk fun fertsn umgekumene parizer yidishe shrayber" (Pariz: Afsnay/ Union des Juifs pour la Resistance et l'Entr'aide, 1946), z' 104. Ikh hob ibergezetzt di dertseylung in "Yale French Studies" 85 (1994), 106-12. Israel Sztejnberg git tsitatn fun Sh.Ashn un Sholem-Aleykhemen vos benutsn "dover-akher", in zayn "Hebreizmen in der yidisher sprakh" (Wroclaw: Nidershlezie, 1949), z' 67. Avrom-Mikhl Ostropolsky [Alan Astro] 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Nov 1994 21:28:04 -0600 From: msweet@facstaff.wisc.edu Subject: YIVO in Chicago? I've seen references from time to time about YIVO events in Chicago, and am wondering if there exists an actual organization. I'd like to consult some YIVO publications: "Filologishe shrifn", "Yiddishe filologye," etc., which unfortunately aren't available here (at the U. of Wis. library), and want to know if these are available in Chicago or elsewhere in striking distance of Madison. Would appreciate any suggestions on how to get quick and easy access to these materials--a sheynem dank in foroys. Meyshe-Yankl Sweet 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Nov 94 23:26 EST From: zogur@cuvmb.columbia.edu Subject: Patshe kikhelek Dave Sherman: Try patshe, patshe kikhelekh der tate't koyfn shikhelekh di mame't shtrikn zekelekh a gezunt in (name of child)'s bekelekh Mikhl Herzog 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Nov 94 23:26 EST From: zogur@cuvmb.columbia.edu Subject: Stam a mayse Zellig Bach A sheyne mayse! Tsi kent ir di mayse mit dem yidn vos hot gehat a kendi-stor in di bronks, gearbet tsuzamen mit der froy, shver un biter, zibn teg a vokh, fun in der fri biz shpet af der nakht, on ufher? Mit a mol bavayst zik a dzhini (genie). Fregt im der yid, "ver bistu?" Entfert der dzhini, "khbin a dzhini". "vos iz dos azoyns a dzhini"? "ikh bin gekumen dir shenken a matone. vos du vest zikh vintshn vet bald mekuyem vern". "take?" "take!" "khvolt veln", zogt der yid, "forn mit mayn froy, af a vokh tsayt, in di mantns, in di Ketskls". "iz for" entfert der dzhini". "for? end hu vil maynd di stor?" Zogt der dzhini "dos bin ikh dokh gekumen aher. ikh'l shoyn alts atendn. lern mir ober oys vos tsu ton". Vayst er im, der yid: ot hostu bobl-gam far a sent, dzeli-bins iz tsvey far a sent, an Ekrim far a nikl. Tsu morgns forn man un vayb in di Ketskls. Der dzini shteyt in kendi-stor un farkoyft bobl-gam, dzheli-bins, Ekrims, punkt vi me hot im oysgelernt. Mit a mol bavayst zikh ober a koyne un zogt im "Make me a chocolate malted". Blaybt shteyn der dzhini a farplefter (vos iz dos den 'mayk mi a tshoklet molted'?), tut a makh mit der hant un zogt "Poof, you're a chocolate malted". Mikhl Herzog 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 20 Nov 1994 23:31:05 -0500 (EST) From: seb28@columbia.edu Subject: Oyfn Boydem Arre Komar asks about the words to this folk song, which Shostakovich set in his song cycle "From Jewish Folk Poetry." Here they are as printed in Joachim Braun's essay "Shostakovich's Jewish Songs": Af dem boydem shloft der dakh, Tsugedekt mit shindelekh, Un in vigl ligt a kind Naket, gor on vindelekh. Hop, hop, ot azoy, Est di tsig fun dakh dem shtroy, oy! (x2) Af dem boydem shteyt a vig, Vigt zikh dort a shpin in ir, Tzit fun mir dos khayes oys Un dem dales lozt er mir. Hop, hop . . . Af dem boydem shteyt a hon, Un zayn kam iz fayer royt, Zol mein vayb khotsh far di kinder Ergetz borgn a shtik broyt. Hop, hop . . . (In the music, the words "ergetz" and "borgn" are reversed.) Joachim Braun's excellent essay is published by the World Council for Yiddish and Jewish Culture -- in English, Russian, Yiddish, and Hebrew (all in one book!). Soreh Benor 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 20 Nov 94 15:14:54 EST From:74064.1661@compuserve.com Subject: A Mendele Convention? On Sun, 30, Oct 1994, Zellig Bach (4.159) passed on Noyekh Miller's suggestion, "Maybe we should have a convention." I thought it was a great idea. Ober, vi azoy kumt di kats ibern vaser? We are a scattered crowd of over 600. Where? When? Who? What? The newspaper reporter's basic questions apply to almost any kind of report or to any kind of plan. It certainly would apply to a Mendele convention. I have no experience in organizing any convention, let alone an international meeting of such wide scope. However, I volunteer to think about it. (Not much, but it's a start.) Maybe local meetings among locals could be the "dry runs." Each small meeting may hammer out ideas to propose to the shames who would select and publish. Zellig Bach has already listed some basic needs: "overall theme, speakers and panelists for the plenary sessions, workshop topics and leaders, etc." Zellig Bach's experience in the Yiddish world of letters and learning is no doubt a rich source of ideas and inspiration. Maybe a small East Coast meeting drawing on his experience and talents should be planned among those in that area. We are probably too thinly scattered on the West Coast to make a preliminary meeting among ourselves truly productive. Ober ver veyst? A kashe oyf a mayse? How about it? Louis Fridhandler 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 21 Nov 94 11:42:10 EST From: ssteinmetz@randomhouse.com Subject: How to influence a publisher I wish to thank publicly our khaver, Dr. Zellig Bach, for his hearty recommendation of my book, _Yiddish and English: A Century of Yiddish in America_ in Mendele Vol. 4 190. There was actually a Second Printing of the book in 1987 but all copies were sold out. If anyone wishes to take up Zellig's campaign for an updated edition of the book, he or she may write to: Malcolm M. MacDonald The University of Alabama Press Box 2877 University, Alabama 35486-2877 Sol Steinmetz ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 4.193 Mendele has 2 rules: 1. Provide a meaningful Subject: line 2. Sign your article (full name please) A Table of Contents is now available via anonymous ftp, along with weekly updates. 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