--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 2016 Vol. XXVI No. I ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What’s Left To Be Done? The old adage about “a cup being half full or half empty” is false, for the empty portion has air. Without air we can live only a few minutes. The “good” part, water, is the other requirement for life and we can live only days without it. Like everyone else, my cup is half and half, but I look at it as full of life-sustaining “goods”. There is no challenge with the good part of our lives. It is the mountains we climb to overcome the sadness, the failures, the illnesses, the losses, the misfortunes, and the enemies. How we confront these misfortunes, that we all face at one time or another, determines our outlook and chances for success. Each of us is disabled or disadvantaged in one way or another—physically, mentally, financially, spiritually, socially, etc. Somehow, or other, we are compensated in unusual ways as with the savants. My personal problem has been physical, but I have been compensated with a wonderful supporting wife and family. The unusually difficult time spent physically in my youth toughened me to failures and the fortitude to believe in myself and not accept ultimate defeat. Last year was a very special one in many ways. Now as I approach 90,we are blessed with two ur-eyniklekh, Lyla Sophia a meydele and Lucas a yingele—both in Florida. Thus I am twice an elter-zeyde and all the rewards and privileges that such a rank bestows on me. My class of Yiddish students brings me joy every Wednesday evening. So tell me, “Who can ask for anything more?”

So What Now?

With the New Year comes the special time of reflection and penitence. My list of regrets is longer than usual and I have resolved to work on them. I regret not eating more ice cream. I regret not skyping with family more often I regret not spending more time with good friends. I regret not watching more football games. I regret not petting more dogs. I regret not getting enough sleep. I regret not speaking Yiddish more often.

Changes to be Made I shall continue to eat less ice cream and enjoy a

smaller tummy. I shall skype with family more often—especially with

my wonderful ur-eyniklekh. I shall spend mot time with good friends, for each

day with them may be our last. I shall not watch more football games, for there are

better things to do. I shall stop and ask more dog owners if I may pet

their dog. I shall not get more sleep, for there will be plenty of

time for that in the distant future. I shall speak more Yiddish, especially in class, and

this will please us all.

I have nothing to say about getting another ur-eynikl, and I will not see another 25 years of Der Bay. My aortic heart valve replacement has an expectancy of 5-10 years and January 12, 2016 will be 10 years.

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It’s Time to Learn and Enjoy Yiddish By Fishl Kutner

For 25 years it has been a series of wonderful people, wonderful friends, and editing articles. There has been little time to appreciate Yiddish while trying to truly master Yiddish. Spending time to learn the genders of the nouns, conjugating the verbs, properly modifying the adjectives to agree with the nouns they modify, to be grammatically correct, is extremely worthwhile for us all—and the younger learner. The goal is to savor our language just as with mama’s food. It’s to roll the words around in the mouth and have them swim in the mind so they are so natural that once again it’s thinking in Yiddish. The books and tapes are waiting. They are on the second shelf in the office. Every morning when walking in, they stare at me like a pet “Yellow Lab” waiting to be petted and taken for a walk. All of these Yiddish characters are waiting to spring into life—ready to talk and share their experiences. It is to travel with them by train and wagon to the shtetlekh on the dirt roads—rutted and muddied. It also is time to thank the many wonderful “fraynd” met along the way and who shared their love of Yiddish at the IAYC conferences, in letters, on the telephone, by email and now skyping. They included some of the great Yiddish authors, academicians, teachers, club leaders, musicians, and specialists. On the following pages are the names of those who have written articles and letter to the editor that have appeared over the 25 years. Some are no longer here and are only in the memory or filing cabinets full of letters. One is Professor Dov Noy, z”l who taught at UC Berkeley and wrote letters on small, odd pieces of paper as he traveled around the world. An article was in the last issue. Especially worthy of remembrance are founders of the IAYC, and who are not with us. Their support and enthusiasm were crucial to the organization’s success. They were: Sunny Landsman, Bess Shockett, and Dr. Harold Black. Others were: Mike Baker, Sy Graiver, Morrie Feller, and Dr. Motl Rosenbush.

After B’nai B’rith showed little interest in Yiddish, effort shifted to the Arbiter Ring. Here while on the national executive board, I met and was inspired by Dr. Barney Zumoff, Shelby Shapiro, Dr. Chava Lapin, Kolye Borodulin and those who have moved on, Willy Stern, Yosl and Chana Mlotek, and Dr. Iz Kugler whose series on the Yiddish Theater in America was one of the most read in Der Bay. Canada has been a treasure trove—starting with Phil Givens, z”l (a judge, chair of the Canadian Yiddish Committee, Member of Parliament, Mayor of Toronto), Vivain and Dr. Shim Felsen, Dr. Saul (z”l) and Ana Berman, Robert Goldenberg, Sharon Love, Helen and Bob Smolkin, Roz Usiskin, and Rochelle Zucker. Most of all are my two regular skyping buddies, Oscar Antel and Gerry Kane. The Yiddish of Greater Washington was the first major group to play a majpr role in my Yiddish world. The first IAYC conference introduced Dr. Black z”l (and co-chairs, Sid Verner Dr. Jonathan Sunshine. Speakers who remain close and dear are: the entire Vaisman family, Hilda Rubin, and Marcia G. Levinsohn. Of special note is Marilyn Fliegler, for Mendy z”l who became a tight buddy (no small degree to our common background as NJ chicken farmers). In this same category is Dr. Bonnie Rosenbush, and Dr. Motl Rosenbhush z”l. The Jewish northeast is a bastion of friends. In the home state of New Jersey: Dr. Jack Berger Frank & Troim Katz Handler, Varda Grinspan, Pearl Krupit, Bennett Muraskin. In NY: Harry Kamel, The Schaechter Family, Boris Kopit, Tova, Iris, and Ben Giladi z”l, Mildred Marmur, and Charlotte Wolpin, So. California played a roll in our success. Missing is Lilke Majzner z”l who called me Fishele—reminded me of mama. Others are Archie Barkan, Leo Bialis, Hershl Hartman, Naomi Karz Jacobs, Yale Strom, Elizabeth Schwartz, Bella Suchet, Norman Sarkin (in Israel with Heather), Mel Rogow, and Chic Wolk. There is no room to list all the other areas; especially overseas, Florida, the Midwest and N. CA. Above all are those in the Wednesday night class (some for over 15 years: Evelyn Szelenyi, Mel Zucker, Gene Blinick, Avner Yonai, Sam Zelver, David Lampach, and Deborah Kohn.

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Contributors of Articles or Had Letters to the Editor Published in Der Bay

This list is being published to update Der Bay’s database. Since January 1991, the list has grown until Der Bay was published only online. At that point new subscribers needed submit only their email address, so the majority then became unknown to Fishl. As far as the list on the following pages, they all have either had an article published in Der Bay or had a letter published in Oystsugn fun Briv in der Redaktsye, the monthly letters to the editor column. This column does not appear on the website to

prevent those who submitted letters from being contacted by outsiders. Some have moved on and are noted. With others we have lost contact, and we would be grateful if you would let us know—as well as of omissions. There are quite a few others readers that were mentioned in Der Bay who were speakers or performers at our International Association of Yiddish Clubs conferences (IAYC) but did not have articles published. Some are and were dear friends—notably Professor Motl Rosenbush z”l.

Adicoff Dr. Arnold Adamczyk Garbowska M. Adler Sophia Ajzen Roman Albritton Britt L. z”l Alon Nir Alpert Michael Andlauer Anna Anker Dorothy Antel Oscar Artzt Walter z”l Atzmon Shmuel Auerbach Geraldine Averbach Bill Azaroff Paul Bach Dr. Zelig z”l Backman Dr. Merle Baker Michael z”l Baker Shane Baker Dr. Zachary Balkin Harry z”l Barkan Archie Barlas Ruth Baston Judy Batt Samuel Bechtel Delphine Becker Bob Beckerman Miriam Belyaeva Elena Bender Sabell

Berger Dr. Jack S. Berger Lili Berger Dr. Zachary Bergman Howard Berkowitz Barry Berkowitz Prof. Joel Berman Ana Berman Debbie Bertram Manya Bibel Philip z”l Bickell Dr. Florence Blacher Chaske Black Dr. Harold z”l Blain Michael Blair Dr. Allan Blatt Warren Blinick Gene Bloom Abe Bogdanski Majer z”l Boltman Ruth Bolzern Linda Borodulin Nikolai Botwinik Leybl Braman Joan Breier Corey Brill Frances Freyde Brown Harvey Brukner Sabina Bruyn Lucas Bryks-Klein Bella

Bunyan Stanley z”l Burak Ruth W. Busch Heidi Buzby Zane Campbell William Casper Charles Celeru Anton Chandler Danise Charloff Lou Chaver Prof. Yael Chessin Prof. Meyer Chulkova Lyudomila Cielak Frida Grapa de Civins Jane Cohen Ann B. Cohen Beth Cohen Bob Cohen Dr. George Cohen Jane Cohen Marilyn Cooper Robert Cornbleet Harry Curin Pascal Dafner Alex Dailey Matt David Mark H. Davidow Ari Davidson Ray Deutsch Lucy Diamond Hindi

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Doust Richard Dowling Jennifer Dowling Stephen Dragon Elsa Dubb Lillian Dubrovsky Gert Dudwick Nancy L. Dworkin Alva Edelstein Dr. Eric Edelstein Jeffrey P. Egger Julie Ehrlich Toby Ehrlichman Gail Eilbirt Henry Enteen Renee Esselin Joseph Faigan Suzanne Falk Lillian Fallek Max Farber Sherry Fein Michael D. Feinberg Sheldon Feldman Dr. Al z”l Feldman Lillian Feldman Olga Feller Avi Feller Katie Feller Morrie z”l Felsen Vivian Fiks Yevgeniy Finkel Prof. Refoyl Firestone Andrew Fishman Gele Flamholtz Cathy J. Fliegler Marilyn Fliegler Mendy z”l Folwarczny Andrzej Forman Dr. Frieda Frankenstein Ruben Freedman Bob & Molly Freeman Carol Freidenreich Fradle

Freilich Jennie Freistadt Rose Frenkel Alexander Fridhandler Dr. Louis Friedland Barry Friedman A. A. Fuentes Sonia Pressman Galkin Dina Galay Daniel Galay Hannah Galler Meyer z”l Gellman Isaiah Gerber Mike Gerger Jerry Ghivelder Zevi Gierymski Tadeusz Giladi Ben z”l Gildin Leon Ginsburg Carol Ginsburgh Judy Glassman L. Jiminez Gohl Loffer Gold Goldie A. Gold Dr. Nora Goldberg Charles Goldenberg Itsik Goldman Edward Goldman Kay Goldstein Barbara Goldstein Eli Goldstein Harold Goldwasser Rafael Goodman Ruth Goorevitch Ruth Gordon Ethel Gotliffe Harvey Graiver Sy z”l & Perl Grand Al Green Marty Greenblatt Mel Grinspan Varda Grist Dr. Jehon

Grossman David Gruber Jimmie z”l Gruss-Levinson M. Gutin Sonny Halpern Dr. Yankl Hampel Claude Handelzalts Mike Handler Frank Handler Troim Katz Harris Roger Harris Ruth Hartman Hershl Hellerstein Kathryn Herman Debbie Heschel Abraham Hirose Prof. Yoshiji Hirsch Abigail Herbst Marion z”l Hoffer Sam Hoffman Daniel Hoffman Hart Holzman Dink Honig Alice S. Huberan Leo Hughes Mike Hurvitz Mark Hyman Gurlon Iken Dzho Ingber Judith Brin Jiminez Rose Judd Paul Juni Susannah R. Kachuck Rhoda S. Kahn Rabbi Arthur Kalifowicz-W. R. Kamel Harry Kane Gerry Kant Milton Kaplan Elaine Kaplan Ruth Katz Bess z”l Katz Prof. Dovid

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Katz Prof. Eli Katz Kitty Katzelnick Joe Katzir Dan Kavadlo Gene Kennedy Judith Kerbel Lennart Kerler Dr. Dov-Ber Kibel Seth Kirkel Rosalyn Kirschenbaum Blossom Kleinman James Kopit Boris Koral Miriam Korbman Leo Kosofsky Ritza Kotler Ed Koziol Isaac Krasnowsky Frank Krishtalke Aaron Krupit Perl Kugler Dr. Israel z”l Kumove Shirley Kunigis Dovid Kunofsky Judy Kurland Joe Kutner Fishl Kutner Samuel Kuwalek Robert Lam Pearl Landis Prof. Joseph Landsman S. z”l Lavine Linda Lasky Dr. Steve Lavine Linda Leash Dovid Leavitt Lillian Leeson Dan Leibowitz Arnold Leon Cantor David Leverett Margot Levin Joan

Levitan Ruth Levitov Tsip z”l Levitt Leon Levy Mark Levy Merle Levy Samuel W. Lewin Jack Lewin Tom Lewison Helen Lichtenbaum A. M. Lichtenstein Carol Lilienfeld Francois Lippitz Lori Lipski Aura Levin London Phil Love Sharon Lubeck Judith Lunson Tina Lupotnik Shulamis Madsen Catherine Majzner Lilke o”h Malmgreen Gail Mangaard Johnny Maramorosch Prof. Karl Marder Irv Marshall Dr. David Mayer Dr Meinhard Mazower David Megel Herbert Meld Murray Melrood Laurie Melrood Paul Meltz Hy z”l Meltzer Rae z”l Menora Chaimovitz Meyers Esther Kane Miller Bella Miller Prof. Noyekh Ming Wang Miron Prof. Dan Mitchnik Martin Mlotek Chana z”l

Mlotek Yosl z”l Mlotek Zalmen Mniewski Myra Morgentaler Goldie Moskowitz Dr. Sarah Mozes Icek z”l Mrocki Freydl Muraskin Bennett Muzlish Philip Nathan Benjamin Neumann Robert Newman Naomi Nirenberg Les Noy Prof Dov z”l Nuland Sherwin B. Pado Tomasz Patt Ethel Pearlstein Peggy K. Peñalosa Dr. Fernando Penn Harold Peppler Jane Perilman Jim Perry Roslyn B. Piatka Naava Piekarski Dr. Przemyslaw Pollack Jill Pomerantz Fradle Porter Sydney Turk Powers G. Adelman Poznanski Arthur Pransky Baila Prussin Si Rajczyk Harry Raleigh Marsha Ratson Rita Rauch John H. z”l Rawicki Jerry Rayms Prof. Will Reinhartz Henia N. Resnik Doris Rifkin Ellen Rivkind Marsha F.

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Rocklin Beverly Rogow Mel Rose Portia z”l Rosenberg Pnina Rosenfeld Adele Rosenstein Eloise Rosensweet Bruce Rosenthal Maurice Rosner Charles Ross Phyllis G. Rothstein Dr. Bob Rozier Gilles Rubin Al Rubin Hilda Rubin Joel Rudd Joan Rutberg Simon Salzer Peter Sandak Motl Sandler Berl Sapoznik Henry Sarkin Norman Sassen Robyn Savin Marcia Schaechter Binyumen Schaechter-Viswanath Gitl Schaechter Mordkhe z“l Schaechter Rukhl Schechtman Helen Schein Bette Schildt Sylvia z”l Schleimer Sylvia Schlossman Lin z”l Schram Peninnah Schreibman Harvey Schwartz Elizabeth Selavan-Schwarcz Ida Selden T. Kleinfeld Shapero Rae z”l Shapiro Carolyn Shapiro Harry B. Sharon Edy

Shek Ben Sherman David Sherman Ursala Shevelson Edith Shevrin Aliza Shockett Barry z”l Shockett Bess z”l Shore Golda Sigal Goldie Siegel Gerald M. Siegelman Stan z”l Simms Dr. Norman Singer Fay Singer Hinde Esther Sitarz Magdalena Sklaroff Michael Smith Hennie Smolkin Mitch Sneh Perla Soss Dr. Sheldon Stanton Ann Haber Starck-Adler Astrid Stein Alissa Stein Carole Stein Marion Steinlauf Michael Steinmetz Sol Stelmashevska Olga Sterling Marcia Strom Yale Stratton Bert Strauss Deborah Sumpf Clara z”l Swersky Simon Szczupak Jacob Taradalsky Chana Teitelbaum Perl Tenney Gerry Ticktin Harold Tillman Alice Todres Philip Traiberg Vladimir

Tregebov Rhea Tsanin Mordkhe Turtletaub Khane-F. Ungar Rabbi Irwin Vaisman Prof. Iosif Valentine Gloria Varga Peter Veidlinger Jeffrey Verner Sid Verschleisser E. Wacks Ray Wagreich Sylvia Wainschenker Carlos Wallach Van Warschauer Jeff Wasserman Dorothy Weiner Rochelle Weinstein Sid z”l Weintraub David Weintraub Liz Weiss Annabelle Weiss Steven White Rebecca Wiegman Jack Wilchesky Nachum Winer Gershon z”l Winer Rochelle Winkler Helen Wolpin Charlotte Wroclawski Cynthia Yi-en Prof. Yao Yoker Fannie z”l Yonai Avner Zaremba Meyer Zemtovsky Izaly Zimmerman Dr. N Zucker Rochelle Zucker Prof. Sheva Zumoff Dr. Barney Zurer Diana Zwang Milton Zylberman Michael!

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City of the Future, Yiddish Songs from the Former Soviet Union

Artists: Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi Catalogue #: EUCD2617 Release Date: 13th November, 2015 Total playing time: 72:35 min. City of the Future, Yiddish Songs from the Former Soviet Union is a new production by Yale Strom & Hot Pstromi with compositions by Shmuel Polonski and lyrics by Yiddish poets such as Peretz Markish, Izi Kharik and Itzik Feffer. Most of the songs on City of Future are introduced to the world for the first time such as The Young Guard, Girls Sewing at the Machines, This Will Be, Village Pain, The Song of the Collective Farmer, My Youth, Luminous Detachments, Not to Worry and City of the Future. These songs were formerly only heard within Yiddish communities in the Soviet Union. It has songs from Birobidzhan located on the Amur River in the 1930s when Yiddish culture thrived in the former USSR with theatres, schools, and choirs. Composer Shmuel Polonski wanted to spread the joy of Yiddish and Soviet life through these songs, largely sung by youth choruses. City of the Future is as much an historical record as it is musical album, as the executive producer, and certified vegvayzer, Eric A. Gordon writes in his liner notes, ‘City of the Future is a contemporary recreation of the 19 songs in his [Shmuel Polonski] 1931 songbook Far yugnt …. At that moment in the arc of Russian, Soviet, and world history, this 29-

year-old composer was hopeful. Addressing himself to youth, Polonski optimistically presumed that other songbooks and new traditions would emerge.’ Only 3 songs on the album were well-known in Yiddish culture— The Well, The Factory Song and Hirsh Lekert. Hirsh Lekert was a celebrated folk hero amongst Jewish workers. As a Jewish social activist, Lekert defied the Czarist Governor of Vilna and was arrested and hung for his protests in 1902. Translating songs from Polonski’s works for City of the Future was by linguistic specialist Hershl Hartman, who also assisted the singers to adhere to Yiddish theatre’s Voliner dialect where possible. The original rhyme-patterns were also maintained as far as they could be. City of the Future follows in Yale Strom’s tradition of musical excellence and variance from a cappella in The Factory, to the art song October and carnival Klezmer Young Forces. Yale Strom selected seven of the best interpreters of Yiddish songs Judy Bressler, Michael Alpert, Jack ‘Yankl’ Falk, Daniel Kahn, Vira Lozinsky, Anthony Russell and Elizabeth Schwartz. As Yale Strom says, ‘ This recording brings a freshness to a genre of Yiddish songs that still resonates today. I hope this project encourages Yiddish singers to once again sing these songs that represent a golden era of Yiddish culture in Soviet Jewish history.’ Yale Strom is one of the world’s leading pioneers in the revival of klezmer music from Central and Eastern Europe from amongst the Jewish and Roma communities and has received multiple awards for his documentary filmmaking. Yale’s work as a ethnographer includes 75 research expeditions, 14 albums and 9 books, ‘ He’s a gifted photographer and author, a talented documentary filmmaker and has his own klezmer band… Strom’s multifaceted career is a wonder ’ – The New York Jewish Week. Yale Strom ensures the continuation of Shmuel Polonski’s vision for his compositions. City of the Future was released worldwide on 13th November, 2015 through the ARC Music label. For more information please contact Angie Lemon: angie@arcmusic.co.uk Tel: +44 (0) 1342 770 486 | www.arcmusic.co.uk ARC Music Productions International | PO Box 111 | East Grinstead | West Sussex | RH19 4FZ | United Kingdom

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Please Help Rachel with Her Yiddish Research Project

Rachel Steindel Burdin is a doctoral candidate in Linguistics at the Ohio State University. She’s originally from New Jersey via North Carolina, and became interested in Yiddish during her undergraduate days at UNC-Chapel Hill. Rachel has studied Yiddish language and literature under Professors Neil Jacobs and Dovid Miller at OSU, and, thanks to a scholarship from the Melton Center for Jewish Studies, spent a summer at the Vilnius Yiddish Institute, studying under Anna Vershik and Avrom Lichtenbaum. At the institute, she learned more Yiddish, and participated in tours of the city lead by the program's librarian, survivor of the Vilna Ghetto, and partisan, Fania Brancovskaja, and had the chance to connect with the next generation of Yiddish scholars from around the world. She had some contact with Prof. Dovid Katz, but unfortunately, wasn't in his class there!

***** My dissertation is looking at Yiddish and Jewish English. Part of my dissertation has been working with the Lynda A. Cohen Yiddish club in Dayton; I'm starting to run a survey looking at how people perceive Yiddish-influenced speech. Would it be possible to include the following blurb and a link to my survey in Der Bay? It would really help my research to have some Yiddish/English bilinguals take the survey:

My research looks at how Jewish English differs from other varieties of English. How much can you tell about somebody based on how they talk? Will you help me? If you have no language or hearing deficits, click on this link to participate in my study. https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0rNslJcGm538MQJ Listen to the following clip: HTML5 audio not supported What sort of list did this clip come from? A closed list (the speaker is naming all of the items in the list) An open list (the speaker is giving examples from the list) How likely is it that the speaker... is from the United States? is from New York City? is from the Midwest? is from the South? is white? is Jewish? is a non-native speaker of English? speaks Yiddish? speaks Polish? How old do you think the speaker is? How do you think the speaker feels right now? Happy Excited Angry Neutral Annoyed Other My research concerns are with linguistics (what happens to different languages when speakers of those languages interact) and sociolinguistics (the study of variation in language). Yiddish provides an excellent language to focus my research, as over the centuries, Yiddish has been influenced by (and, in some cases, has influenced) German, Polish, Hebrew, and English. My research includes the morphology (word structure) of Yiddish and how it has been influenced by Slavic languages, the phonetics and phonology (sounds) of Yiddish, Yiddish’s influence on the sound of English spoken by Jews in America, and the social meaning of Yiddish (what are people’s attitudes and feelings about Yiddish?). You can find out more about my research at: www.ling.ohio-state.edu/~burdin .