Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 11.018 October 16, 2001 1) 'Shpeter Shnit' iz aroys (Beatrice Baer) 2) radio documentary (Grietje Keller & Paul ?ner) 3) Hazel D. Cole Fellowship in Jewish Studies (K I Weiser) 4) VIIth EAJS Congress (Ruth Peeters) 5) Sheyn Bin Ich, Sheyn (David Krycer) 6) Blessings, Curses, Hopes, and Fears by James A. Matisoff (Al Grand) 7) Lea Rudnicki (Thalia Klein) 8) Yiddle/Fiddle (Scott E. Meyer) 9) "Development of Yiddish," [sic] at U. of Chicago (Arieh Lebowitz) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 7 Oct 2001 13:15:39 -0400 (EDT) From: "EDYTAD" Subject: 'Shpeter Shnit' iz aroys A toyznt-zaytlekh gesheenish in yiddishland - di dray bender "Shpeter Shnit" fun Azario Dobruszkes zaynen aroys!! Azario Dobruszkes iz a shrayber in yiddish, vos iz alt 89 yor. Der "Shpeter Shnit", azoy heysn zayne dray bikher, zamlt ayn nit gedrukte tekstn un zayne artiklen, vos hobn zikh gedrukt zint a sakh yorn in di yiddishe tsaytshriftn fun der gantser velt. Men ken zey oysshraybn zint september 2001. Azario Dobruszkes iz geboyrn in Vilne, Lite. Er iz gevaksn in a kultureler yiddisher mishpokhe un er iz geven a talmid fun eyner fun di yiddishe mitlshuln fun der shtot. In 1939 vert Vilne bahersht durkh der royter armey. In 1941, eyder di daytshn farnemen dem gebit, antrint er mit zayn vayb keyn Ratnfarband. Dort gelingt im tsu bakumen arbet a dank dem, vos er hot in Frankraykh shtudirt boykunst. Er bagegnt dem stalinizm tsuzamen mit der arbetershaft fun der oytonomer, bashkirisher republik. Nokh der milkhome, lebn zey iber a yor in Poyln. Dernokh ordenen zey zikh ayn in Belgie, vu er banayt zayn tetikayt als ingenier spetsializirt in boymaterialn. Er zetst for zayn shrayberishe tetikayt, er git referatn un er nemt an aktivn onteyl in yiddish-kultureln lebn fun Brisl. Di yetsire fun Azario Dobruszkes iz a filformiker tsuzamenshtel. Zi iz an eyntsikartiker eydes fun intelektueln lebn in Vilne. Men ken nokhfolgn, vos es geshet oyfn kultureln gebit durkh di zikhroynes fun yungn shiler, a talmid fun Meyshe Kulbak un fun Max Erik, tsu velkhe es gibn zikh tsu di derkentenishn funem student, vos er iz geven. Er bashraybt dem togteglekhn lebn in Ratnfarband in der form fun dertseylungen un noveles. Er hot geshafn poemes un eseyen vegn der Shoa, Yisroeyl, yiddishe yontoyvim un got. Zayn yetsire git undz a bild fun der yiddisher kultur in tsvantsiksten yorhundert, vos er hot komentirt vi a literatur-kritiker. EDYTAD iz a gezelshaft fun kultureln kharakter loytn gezets fun 1901. Zi hot bashlosn aroystsugebn "Shpeter Shnit" un zi hot dos fartroyt dem farlag oyfn nomen fun Y.L. Peretz in Yisroeyl. EDYTAD farnemt zikh mitn farkoyf un mit der farshpreytung fun di bikher. Zi iz tetik in Montpellier (Frankraykh) in enger tsuzamenarbet mit dem mekhaber. Der proyekt iz bagrist gevorn durkh der parizer Medem-bibliotek, vos hot ibergenumen di apetropses iber dem oysgob un, oyf aza oyfn, opgemerkt zayn vert. Di dray bender, tsuzamen 1000 zaytn, ken men shoyn atsind bashteln bay der gezelshaft EDYTAD tsum prayz fun 500 frantseyzishe frank / 70 USD / 77 euros mitn ibershikn far Eyrope. Far di eyntslhaytn benoygeya der bashtelung, shtelt zikh in farbindung mit EDYTAD, c/o Beatrice Baer, 1043 chemin de Moular=E8s, Montpellier, France (blitspost adres: evans@wanadoo.fr, faks: (33) 4 67 65 74 38). Men ken oykh bashteln mit a kredit-kart durkh der Medem-bibliotek: Bibliotheque Medem, 52 rue Ren=E9-Boulanger, 75010 Paris, France (blitspost adres: medem@yiddishweb.com). A 1000-page event in Yiddishland - the 3 volumes of "Shpeter Shnit" by Azario Dobruszkes have just been published!! Azario Dobruszkes is an 89-year old Yiddish writer. His collected works, Shpeter Shnit ("Late Harvest"), contain his articles published over many years in Yiddish magazines throughout the world, together with some of his unpublished work. The 3-volume edition in Yiddish came out in September 2001. Azario Dobruszkes was born in Vilnius, Lithuania. He grew up in a cultured Jewish family and attended one of the town's Yiddish secondary schools. In 1941, when the Germans reached Vilnius, he fled with his wife to the Soviet Union. His qualifications as an engineer, obtained in France, enabled him to find work there. He experienced life in a Stalinist society on a day-to-day basis. He spent a year in Poland immediately after the war, before settling in Belgium. There he worked until his retirement as an engineer specializing in construction materials. He continued to write, gave lectures and took an active part in Yiddish cultural activities in Brussels. Azario Dobruszkes writes in a variety of different genres. His writings are a unique testimony to intellectual life in Vilnius. His recollections of his school days - he was a pupil of Moishe Kulbak and Max Erik - are interwoven with cultural events and his discoveries in the fields of literature and the theatre. He describes daily life in the Soviet Union in short stories and narratives. He has written poems, essays and articles about the Shoah, Israel, Jewish holidays, and God... His essays and literary criticism give the reader a panoramic view of Yiddish culture in the 20th century. EDYTAD, a French registered charity, was founded with the aim of publishing Azario Dobruszkes' work in book form, and entrusted the task to the I. L. Peretz Publishing House in Israel. EDYTAD works in Montpellier (France) in close cooperation with the author and is responsible for the sales and promotion of the book. The project has the backing of the Biblioth=E8que Medem (Paris), whose support is in itself an indication of its worth. The three 300-page volumes of "Shpeter Shnit" are at last available - place your order now! Libraries, cultural organizations and individuals can purchase the books from EDYTAD. The 3-volume set costs 500 FF/ 70 $ US / 77 euros (postage paid in Europe). For details on how to order, get in touch with EDYTAD, c/o Beatrice Baer, 1043 chemin de Moular=E8s, Montpellier, France (e-mail: evans@wanadoo.fr, fax: (33) 4 67 65 74 38). Copies can also be purchased by credit card from the Biblioth=E8que Medem, 52 rue Ren=E9-Boulanger, 75010 Paris, France (e-mail: medem@yiddishweb.com). Beatrice Baer 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 08:10:48 -0400 (EDT) From: Grietje Keller Subject: radio documentary We, two radiomakers from Holland, are making a radio documentary series (3 x 45 minutes, Dutch national radio) about the memories on Yiddish life before WWII. We would like to come into contact with Yiddish speakers to interview them about their pre-war youth memories. We are interested in the Yiddish cultural life (music & theatre), the social movements - Der Bund, zionism and other movements - and we are interested in family- and day-to-day life. One of our focuses in our radio documentary is the composer Mordechai Gebirtig, who wrote 'folk-songs' like Kinder-jorn, 's Brennt en Gehat hob ich a hejm. We hope that his songs invoke memories of the people we interview. We plan to come to the USA (or around the end November or in February 2002), we will go to New York and one other city in the USA or Canada. Can you please help us with finding people who we could interview: an older familymember, of maybe you yourself? You can contact us on: grietje@xs4all.nl or on the address below. More information about the radio documentary on this website: http://www.xs4all.nl/~grietje/gebirtig.html Grietje Keller & Paul ?ner Van Oldenbarneveldtstraat 13-a-1 1052 JP Amsterdam The Netherlands Telephone Grietje Keller: 31 20 6868 385, Paul ?ner: 31 20 6711162 Thank you very much for your attention, Respectfully yours, Grietje Keller & Paul ?ner 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 8 Oct 2001 16:53:44 -0400 (EDT) From: "K I Weiser" Subject: Hazel D. Cole Fellowship in Jewish Studies The Jewish Studies Program at the University of Washington is welcoming applications for the Hazel D. Cole Fellowship in Jewish Studies for the academic year 2002-2003. The Fellowship may be used for either doctoral or post-doctoral research in Jewish history, religious studies, Hebrew literature, Israel Studies or contemporary Jewish studies. Candidates must agree to be in residence at the University of Washington for the tenure of their fellowship. The Hazel D. Cole Fellow will receive a stipend of $25,000 for the academic year. The Hazel D. Cole Fellow will take part in the ongoing Jewish Studies Colloquium, and be invited to offer an undergraduate seminar in his/her field. Applicants from all United States and foreign universities in all relevant disciplines are welcome. Applications should consist of: -A current curriculum vitae. -A description (not exceeding five pages) of the proposed research proposal. -Three letters of recommendation. PLEASE NOTE THE NEW DEADLINE: All applications (including letters of recommendation) should be received no later than December 1, 2001. Application materials and letters of recommendation may be mailed (WITH COVER SHEET) to: Search Committee, Cole Fellowship, JSIS, University of Washington, Box 353650, Seattle, WA 98195-3650. No applications, or letters of recommendation can be accepted either by FAX or email. K Weiser 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 07:05:25 -0400 (EDT) From: "Ruth Peeters" Subject: VIIth EAJS Congress Under the auspices of the European Association for Jewish Studies VIIth EAJS Congress, Amsterdam 21 - 25 July 2002 Jewish Studies and the European Academic World Organizing committee: Prof. dr Albert van der Heide, president (a.van.der.heide@let.leidenuniv.nl) Dr Emile G. L. Schrijver, treasurer (jerams@xs4all.nl) Dr Resianne Smidt van Gelder, secretary (svgfontaine@let.vu.nl) Prof. dr Wout van Bekkum (bekkum@let.rug.nl) Prof. dr Pieter van der Horst (pvdhorst@theo.uu.nl) Prof. dr Irene Zwiep (i.zwiep@hum.uva.nl) Honorary Committee: Drs Judith C.E. Belinfante Mr Job Cohen Ing. David Cohen Paraira Dr H.A. Markens Dr G.W. Noomen Dr Sijbolt Noorda Drs Joop Sanders Adrianus Kardinaal Simonis Rabbijn Avraham Soetendorp Drs Tom de Swaan Prof. Drs Ed van Tijn Rivka Weiss-Blok Call for Papers Scholars in the various fields of Jewish Studies are invited to participate in the VIIth EAJS Congress by submitting their proposals for a lecture (20 minutes + 10 minutes for discussion) or a presentation (15 minutes) to the Section Leaders of the section of their choice. Proposals for lectures should contain a working title and a short explanation. All proposals will be vetted and accepted on the basis of a 300-word abstract which should have reached the Section leaders by 1 November 2001. Decisions on proposals will be sent to participants before 31 December 2001. Presentations can cover a wide range of forms and topics. They may be submitted by title only. Participants are requested to contact the Section Leaders of the relevant section. Decision of acceptance rests with them. Sections and section leaders: Language and Literature: Dr Shlomo Berger (berger@hum.uva.nl) Dr Arie Schippers (a.schippers@hum.uva.nl) History and Social Sciences Prof. dr Judith Frishman (jfrishman@ktu.nl) Dr Karin Hofmeester (kho@iisg.nl) Ancient Judaism Dr Lieve Teugels (gteugels@theo.uu.nl) Dr Leonard Rutgers (lrutgers@theo.uu.nl) Medieval and Modern Traditional Judaism Drs Edward van Voolen (edward@jhm.nl) Drs Thomas Kollatz (kol@sti1.uni-duisburg.de) Jewish Philosophy and Mysticism Prof. dr Reinier Munk (r.w.munk@ph.vu.nl) Dr Annelies Kuyt (kuyt@em.uni-frankfurt.d400.de) Art History and Library Sciences Drs Julie-Marthe Cohen (julie-marthe@jhm.nl) Drs F.J. Hoogewoud (hoogewoud@uba.uva.nl) Location The VIIth EAJS Congress will take place on the premises of the Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam. Its organization is in the hands of the Foundation EAJS Congress 2002 under the auspices of the European Association for Jewish Studies General information The European Association for Jewish Studies promotes the interests of scholars actively engaged in Jewish Studies in Europe. One of its main activities is the organization of international scholarly conferences. The EAJS secretariat resides at Yarnton Manor, GB Oxford OX5 1PY, Great Britain. The present EAJS Executive Committee consists of Prof. dr Albert van der Heide (Leiden, Amsterdam), president; Prof. dr Hanne Trautner-Kromann (Lund), secretary; Prof. dr Wout van Bekkum (Groningen), treasurer; Prof. dr Giulio Busi (Berlin); Prof. dr Paul B. Fenton (Paris); Prof. dr Luis F. Gir?n Blanc (Madrid); Prof. dr Martin Goodman (Oxford); Prof. dr Angel S?z-Badillos (Madrid); Prof. dr Margarete Schl?ter (Frankfurt aM). With kind regards, Ruth G. Peeters On behalf of the EAJS National Committee 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 9 Oct 2001 18:52:06 -0400 (EDT) From: krycer Subject: Sheyn Bin Ich, Sheyn For Claire Silverman, who asked about the song "Sheyn Bin Ich, Sheyn" [11.017]. It appears in the book "Jewish Folk Songs" by Ruth Rubin (Oak Publications, 1965). There's no information about the song's origin there unfortunately, but Freydi Mrocki, with whom I've recorded the song, always sings it in a strong Varshaver (Warsaw) accent. David Krycer 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 10:04:11 -0400 (EDT) From: Al Grand Subject: Blessings, Curses, Hopes, and Fears by James A. Matisoff Among the several dozen books I own dealing with Yiddish there is one that I ^?e owned since it appeared in 1979 (and which recently [2000] came out in a slightly revised edition) to which I^?e returned more often and with more intense joy than to any other publication. I speak of _Blessings, Curses, Hopes, and Fears_ by James Matisoff. Unlike the (to me) embarrassing borscht circuity, tasteless, badly edited and inaccurate _Joys of Yiddish_ by Leo Rosten (see Peddling Yiddish Midstream, March 1969, Pp 75 - 80) or the rather dry and opaquely written semantic and sociolinguistic treatises by some other authors from academia Matisoffs book takes a refreshing middle course. In his delightful book he enumerates and classifies the formulas Yiddish speakers use to express their emotions. He, too, develops a most rigorous, totally footnoted linguistic argumentation - but he does it with such charm and wit that I can^? recommend it too highly. James A. Matisoff, Professor of Linguistics at Berkley, has just returned from a trip to Sweden, where he gave a talk on Yiddish psycho-ostensives (a term which he coined and which is fully explained in _Blessings, Curses, Hopes, and Fears_) at a place called the Multiethnic Center at the University of Uppsala. He tells me that Yiddish has just been declared one of the five official minority languages of Sweden (along with Romany and Finnish, among others). Al Grand 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 14:32:51 -0400 (EDT) From: "Gur Klein" Subject: Lea Rudnicki My Ph. D. research concerns aspects of veneration of Jewish Women which I am doing with Prof. D'Haen of the Leiden University and the Theological department of the Catholic University of Utrecht. Part II deals with the veneration of Jewish women victims of the Holocaust. I have two queries for you. 1. I am trying to find data about the poet Lea Rudnicki, or Rudniski, or Rudniska, born in Kalvarija, Lituania in 1916, member of the editorial staff of the Yiddish newspaper Vilner Emes. Killed in Trablinka or Majdanek in 1943. The writer of the Ghetto song Dremlen Feygl, published a volume of poetry entitled Neplen . 2. I would like some confirming information about the case of the schoolgirls of Krakow, of whom it is told that they collectively committed suicide on the eve of their deportation to serve as soldier's prostitutes and sent a letter relating it. I can read Hebrew, Yiddish, Dutch, German or English. I would be more than willing to cover all costs involved in copying material and postal. kind regards Thalia Klein 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2001 11:01:37 -0400 (EDT) From: "Scott E. Meyer" Subject: Yiddle/Fiddle I am trying to determine if any connection exists between the name Yiddle and Fiddle (other than the fact that they rhyme)--most likely a story, poem, song or play, prior to 1905. My grandfather's original name, Yehuda, was often used in the diminutive, Yiddle. He used to say that he was called "Yiddle with a Fiddle," as a child. I recently saw his 1904 passenger ship records, and he is variously referred to as "Iddle" and "Fiddle!" That certainly seems to back up his statement. But I wonder what the derivation was. I have leaned that Irving Berlin penned the song Yiddle on Your Fiddle circa 1909, and Molly Picon starred in the film "Yiddle Mitn Fiddle" circa 1937. (I believe that script was more recently turned into a theatrical musical.) However, I have not been able to locate any references to similar titles prior to 1905--when my grandfather was dubbed with the phrase. Any ideas? Scott E. Meyer Evanston, IL 9)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2001 12:47:25 -0400 (EDT) From: ariehnyc@prodigy.net Subject: "Development of Yiddish," [sic] at U. of Chicago Linguistics The University of Chicago Linguistics Department is offering a course in the Development of Yiddish. Its description online is I would say controversial enough to suggest that I share it with others, text below. The website I secured the text from is: http://humanities.uchicago.edu/depts/linguistics/courses.html 355. Development of Yiddish. PQ: 2 years of German or Yiddish or consent of instructor. Yiddish is the term for the dialects of German traditionally spoken by the Jews of non-German speaking Eastern Europe. Various theories as to its origin exist including, 1) that it is a sister language to the extinct Judendeutsch that the Jews of Germany used before the nineteenths century, both descending from a common ancestral "Proto-Yiddish" dating back to the Middle Ages, 2) that Yiddish arose only in the East, developing independently of Judendeutsch, 3) Yiddish is a creole language that came about when speakers of a Slavic language learned German imperfectly. These views will be examined using a variety of evidence including the Jewish writings in some from of German that made use of Hebrew letters, the rather numerous grammars of Judendeutsch that Gentile scholars and missionaries produced in the 17th and 18th centuries, and the representations of Jewish speech in roman letters that German authors included in their writings from the late medieval period onward. taught by Jerrold M. Sadock, Glen A. Lloyd Distinguished Service Professor. Arieh Lebowitz ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 11.018 Address for the postings to Mendele: mendele@lists.yale.edu Address for the list commands: listproc@lists.yale.edu Mendele on the Web: http://www.mendele.net http://ibiblio.org/yiddish/mendele.html