Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ____________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 15.032 November 2 , 2005 1) gehakte bankes (Berish Goldstein) 2) gehakte bankes (Hershl Hartman) 3) gehakte bankes (Jack Berger) 4) Chaim Zhitlowsky in translation (Tao-Yee Lau) 5) kaprosh and other game dances (Helen Winkler) 6) Shura Volovets z"l (Amanda Miryem-Khaye Seigel) 7) The Jewish Socialist Ferband (Arieh Lebowitz) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: October 21, 2005 Subject: Re: gehakte bankes poshete bankes shtelt men af glater hoyt, zey makhn royte erter af der hoyt, mit blut bloyz unter der hoyt (vi zogt men "hickeys" af yidish)? mit gehakte bankes shnayt men uf di hoyt frier, vos heyst af english "scarification". inem nayem Niborsky iz dos "ventouses scarifees". Berish Goldstein 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: October 21, 2005 Subject: Re: gehakte bankes "gehakte" is used in at least one other instance that springs to mind to intensify a negative image: "gehakte tsoris" is trouble squared. Similarly, the dubious effectiveness of bankes is underlined by calling them "gehakte bankes," since chopping up the glass cups renders them useless. Hershl Hartman 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: October 25, 2005 Subject: Rr: gehakte bankes I have heard of 'gehakte tsoris,' but never 'gehakte bankes.' Jack Berger 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: October 30, 2005 Subject: Chaim Zhitlowsky in translation I'm writing an honours thesis on Chaim Zhitlowsky at the University of British Columbia. I unfortunately do not have Yiddish language reading skills, so am currently searching high and low for English translations of his works. Does anyone have a better sense than me what English language material exists out there, published or archival? I'm also looking for anyone who themselves has Zhitlowsky essays in translation they would be willing to share. I'm looking for some key essays (listed below), and am especially interested in his writings from 1887-1908, but I would jump at the opportunity to access _any_ material in English. Please let me know what you have. Essays contained in Zhitlowsky, Chaim, Collected Works. 1912 Gezamelte Shriften / Hayim Zshitlovski. Yubileum Oysgabe, V 1-4 Edition. Nyu York: c 1912-1919. 10 v, 21 cm. / 1641 (v. 1-10). Das Program Fun 'Das Naye Lebn' (The Program of Das Naye Lebn), GS, Vol 3 Vegn Faraynigung (Concerning Unity), GS, Vol 4 A Brif Fun A Idishn Sotsialist (A Letter from a Jewish Socialist), Gs, Vol. 5. Tsionizmus Oder Sotsializmus (Zionism or Socialism), GS, Vol 5. A Id Tsu Idn (A Jew Speaks to Jews), GS, Vol 6 In Shverer Tsaytn (In Difficult Times), GS, Vol 8 Di Asimilatsie, Vos Zee Zogt Tsu Un Vos Zee Git (Assimilation: What it Claims to Do and what it actually accomplishes), GS, Vol 8 Alter un nayer natsionalizm (Old and New Nationalism), GS, Vol 8 Di Klayn-Kolonizatsie in erets-yisroel un ir politishe badaytung (The Small Colonization effort in the land of Israel and its Political Significance), GS, Vol 9. Di Russishe Revolutsie Un Dos Idishe Folk (The Russian Revolution and the Jewish People), Vol 10. Der Arbayter Ring (the Workmen's Circles), GS, Vol 10. Der Kamf far idish-natsionale rekht (1900-1907) (The Struggle for Jewish National Rights, 1900-1907) Zukunft 38 (Dec 1933) Teritorializm - bemzumn oder oyf borg? (Territorialism in Cash or on Credit), GS, Vol. 5 Di Problemn Fun Dem Golus-Natsionalizm (the Problems of Diaspora Nationalism), Zuklunft 38 (November 1933) I can be reached at taoyee.lau@gmail.com or at (604) 736-8322. Any help people can offer on this matter would be very appreciated. Tao-Yee Lau 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: October 30, 2005 Subject: kaprosh and other game dances I wonder if anyone can lead me to some sources. I have lots of information about the standard Yiddish dance genres (see my web page www.yiddishdance.com ), but I know that this only scratches the surface of dances that were once done. I am particularly interested in finding out more information about dances that are game-like. I have been sent information about the shtockshpil, and I am certain there are other such dance/games in existence, but am not sure where to locate music (either notations or recordings), or instructions as to how to do the dances. Below is an example of one such dance that I would love to track down. I wonder if there are others. Helen Winkler Toronto Some time ago in a Yizkor books about shtetls in the Ukraine, I read about a dance that I had never heard of before called Kaprosh. Here is what the yizkor books have on it: http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/Rozniatow/roz103.html "He was a good conversationalist. He was able to tell stories and gather around him interested people who would drink up his words with thirst, words that were spiced with humor and jokes. Despite his Hassidic appearance, he did not hesitate at weddings to be at the head of those who entertained and danced in front of the bride and groom. He speedily removed his outer cloak and hat, and with a kippa (skullcap) on his head he began to sing and dance "keitzad merakdim, keitzad merakdim" [14]. Accompanied by the enthusiastic group of singers and dancers, he would speedily arrange the well-known "Kaprosh" dance. He would direct it and issue the orders. Woe to the dancer who was not able to remove his shoe quick enough after been issued the command, or to take out his fringes from the four corners. He would have to pay good money to the band." http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/gorodenka/gor169.html We had many different activities for all ages and in all subjects including the history of the Zionist movement, the history of Socialism, the history of the labour movement, etc. Saturday was our activity day. Especially popular was the Shabbat evening parties, where we had panel discussions and later singing, eating and humorous sketches. The highlight of the evening would be a "krentzchen" or dancing to the tunes of our friend Shmuel Shekhner (the son of the Kleyzmer Mosh Babitzky) who played the violin. We would dance the Hora and other types of dances. One dance in particular, the "Kaprosh" has its roots in both the Hasidic and Polish folk traditions. Our friend Monya Shtachel was an expert. He was our leader and led us during many winter nights to sweat and fun, sometimes for four to five hours in a row. We had some nights. it will never come back. I asked many Yiddish speakers and klez musicians if they knew of this dance and nobody did. So I contacted Andriy Nahachewsky, a professor at the University of Alberta in Edmonton who is an expert in Ukrainian village dances and he had heard of this dance. The one he knows of was called kopirush and was a men's dance game played like follow the leader. The leader has a towel or belt and if someone fails to follow the leader, the leader hits the person with a towel or belt. This dance was done in Canada by Ukrainians in the first half of the 20th century and isn't done anymore. Not sure if it is still danced in the Ukraine. Apparently there is specific music used for this dance and it may have been notated by someone named Roman Harasymchuk. I am interested in finding out if there is anything more written about the Jewish version of the music and the dance itself. 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: October 30, 2005 Subject: Shura Volovets z"l Di zingerin Shura (Shprintsye) Volovets iz nifter gevorn fraytik dem 21tn oktober 2005. Zi iz geven akhtsik yor alt. Shura iz geboyrn gevorn in Mezhbzh, Ukraine, un iz geforn als a yunge froy keyn Moskve zikh lernen in der barimter yiddisher teater-shul fun Shloyme Mikhoels. Ven di regirung hot farmakht di shul, hot Shura nokhdem a lange tsayt nisht gehat keyn gelegnhayt zikh tsu lernen vayter oder zingen yidishe lider af der bine. In di 70er yorn iz Shura geforn keyn amerike mit ire tsvey zin un hot zikh bazetst in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dortn hot zi ufgeboyt a nay lebn un ongehoybn vider uftsutretn. Zi hot derkvitkt dem oylem mit ir kheynevdikn oystaytsh fun yidishe un rusishe lider un iz geven a vegvayzerin far yingere doyres zingers un yidishistn. Akhuts ir zingen, iz Shura oykh geven a vareme un a breythartiske froy mit a vunderlekhn khush fun humor, un ir mishpokhe un gute-fraynd veln shtark benken nokh ir. Koved ir ondenk! The Yiddish singer Shura (Shprintsye) Volovets passed away on Friday, October 21, 2005, at the age of eighty. Shura was born in Mezhbizh, Ukraine, and as a young woman traveled to Moscow to study in the famous Yiddish theater school of Solomon Mikhoels. After the government closed the school, Shura did not have the opportunity to study or to perform Yiddish songs for a long time. In the 1970's Shura immigrated to the United States with her two sons and settled in St. Paul, Minnesota. There she built a new life and began once more to perform Yiddish and Russian songs, delighting audiences with her charming and unique style. She was also an important mentor for younger generations of Yiddish singers and Yiddishists. Besides her singing, Shura was also a warm and generous woman with a wonderful sense of humor. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Honor her memory! Amanda Miryem-Khaye Seigel 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: November 2, 2005 Subject: The Jewish Socialist Verband I'm doing a bit of research. When did the U.S. social democratic group, the Jewish Socialist Verband, "fold," and the last issue of Der Wecker appear? I have an approximate date as 1986 or so. Thanks for any details. Arieh Lebowitz ariehnyc@prodigy.net ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 15.032 Please do not use the "reply" key when writing to Mendele. Instead, choose one of these two: Messages for posting on Mendele Personal and other messages to the shamosim