Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 08.136 March 21, 1999 1) Young Bashevis (Larissa Privalskaya) 2) American Lit Assoc. Symposium (Hannah Berliner Fischthal) 3) G. Winer's discussion of Grade (Sam Guncler) 4) Gershon Winer vegn Chayim Grade (Herman Taube) 5) Chaim Grade, intellectual property, and U.S. Congress (Iosif Vaisman) 6) konkordantsie far _vi kumt di kats ibern vaser?_ (Barry Goldstein) 7) H. Levik's poem (Frayda Teitelbaum) 8) Seyder parody (Leonard Koenick) 9) name in question (Jennifer (Baltaxe) Kolodner) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 05:36:45 -0500 (EST) From: "larissa" Subject: Young Bashevis Dear Mendele, I am Larissa Privalskaya, graduate student of Judaics, Russian State University for Humanities, Moscow. The subject is my diploma paper is "Bashevis' fiction: variety of motives". Due to the lack of nesessary material in Russia, I'll highly appreciate all information concerning this writer's beginnings, the Yiddish literary life in Warsaw 1920s uo to his emigration in 1935, the Yiddish rewiews of his early work, his own non-fiction publications in Warsaw Yiddish magazines, his fellow writers from the Yiddish literary world, and relevant material. Thank everybody who could help. Larissa Privalskaya Moscow 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 23:24:43 -0500 (EST) From: HannahBF@aol.com Subject: American Lit Assoc. Symposium I will be chairing a panel on Yiddish-American literature at the ALA conference this October 1999. Anyone interested in participating please send me a brief abstract. Hannah Berliner Fischthal 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 09:52:49 -0500 (EST) From: gunclers@juno.com Subject: G. Winer's discussion of Grade It's interesting that Schwartz felt Khayem Grade's failure to write poetry after coming to New York was an economic decision (Gitl Dubrovsky, Mendele Vol 08.132). I hadn't heard or considered that possibility during my research for the stage version of "The Quarrel," which closed this past weekend (after being extended by popular demand). After one performance, Alan Nadler (a protege of Grade's, formerly of YIVO, now at Drew University), Duvid Fishman (also a protege, from Jewish Theological Seminary) and Jacqueline Berke (from Drew) held a symposium to discuss aspects of the work. I hope I don't mischaracterize, but I recall them saying that Grade turned to prose because he was unable to continue writing his nature poetry after the Holocaust. I will forward this exchange to Miriam Hoffman, who also knew Grade and teaches his work (and also writes for The Forward), to see if she has any comments. By the way, the debut production of "The Quarrel" at Playwrights Theatre of New Jersey sold more tickets than any production in the company's thirteen-year history. Reviews and audience response were wonderful and some tentative discussion is underway to mount the play elsewhere, including Off-Broadway (where raising money will undoubtedly be the concern). Sam Guncler NYC 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 09:15:33 -0500 (EST) From: HTaube218@aol.com Subject: Gershon Weiner vegn Chayim Grade Be'emes geven interesant tzu lezn Prof. Gershon Weiner's bamerkungen wegn Chayim Grade. Ikh hob gehat dem koved tzu hobn Chayim Grade als main gast in Baltimore. Nokh zain interesante lektzie in "Brith-Sholom Center" ,hobn mir farbrengt etlekhe sho in a Yiddishn delikatessn un oyfmerkzam zikh tzugehert tzu interesante episodn vegn di marokhe funYiddish in Yisroel un di unermidlekhe arbet fun Avrohom Sutzkever in der "Di Goldene Kayt" un zain hilf tzu Yiddishe shrayber in Yisroel. Derloybt mir tzu tzitirn etlekhe shires fun main bukh: "Autumn Travels Devious Paths" (Dryad Press, 1992, Washington, D.C.) In mayn essay: Chaim Grade - 1910-1982, dort dermon ikh fogendes: I remember him on a visit with us to Baltimore. We sat hours past midnight lisening to him speak with anxiety and affection about Zalman Shazar, about Israel, about the Jewish community in the Soviet Union being destroyed spiritually and about his friend Abraham Sutzkever. His lecture at the Brith- Sholom Hall in Baltimore was eloquent, cool, to the point, wonderfully phrased. But in the three hours after the lecture that we spent together, all the hidden hurt confined in his heart came out. He talked aboutdisunity in the Jewish world, how we forsake the struggle of Russian Jewry, the same way that part of American Jewry forsaked European Jewry during the great calamity of the Holocaust.He called on us not to give up the struggle''.... When we mentioned to Grade that Sutzkever was here, in Baltimore, Chaim became emotional: "I am older than Sutzkever, he told us. Our backgrounds differ, though we have a lot in common: the powerty in which we grew up, the struggle to keep alive. Our families were crushed by the Nazis and our deep, stron love for the Yiddish language. Abrasha (Sutzkever) was a unique character, different than many of us in "Young Vilna". He was in love with nature, always searching in his nature poems the source of creation. In the depressing reality we all lived in Vilna, Sutzkever escaped to writing about nature and searching for treasures of Yiddish in the "Yivo". Even when hiding in a wooden coffin, Sutzkever imagines that he is swinging on a boat carried by the waves. This is the secret of his survival of our survival". Chaim Grade hot erlikh fardint az zaine werk, poezie un proze, zoln bashainen yedere Yiddishe heym un bibliotek. Ikh dermon zain nomen mit derekh-eretz un libshaft.... Herman Taube 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 14 Mar 1999 23:03:01 -0500 (EST) From: Iosif Vaisman Subject: Chaim Grade, intellectual property, and the U.S. Congress On January 6, 1999, when the House of Representatives adopted the resolution appointing managers for the impeachment trial of you know whom for you know what, another largely unnoticed piece of legislation was introduced by the Honorable Eliot L. Engel (D-NY). Mr. Engel suggested to grant to Inna Hecker Grade and her successors all rights for Chaim Grade's works and translations for a term of 50 years from June 26, 1982 (the date of death of Chaim Grade). This bill was first introduced by Rep. T. Weiss (D-NY) in the 101st Congress (H.R.1332, Mar 8, 1989), and then reintroduced by Rep. Engel four times (103d - H.R.2329, May 27, 1993; 104th - H.R.524, Jan 13, 1995; 105th - H.R.377, Jan 7, 1997; and 106th - H.R.320, Jan 6, 1999). (Side note: Congressman Engel has been persistant in this particular matter, may be his constituents from the 17th Congressional District in NY could help him to direct his energy and good will for the benefit of Yiddish at large.) The bill is unique in many respects, here I would like to point out that as far as I know this is the only bill in the history of the U.S. Congress with half of its text written in Yiddish (or, for that matter, probably in any language other than English). The bill is a public document, and I am taking the liberty of reproducing part of it here since it may be of interest to many Mendele subscribers. HR 320 IH 106th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 320 For the relief of Inna Hecker Grade. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES January 6, 1999 Mr. ENGEL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary . . . SEC. 2. WORK SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT. The following works of Chaim Grade (including lectures and essays) are covered by section 1: (1) `Yo' (`Yes'); (2) `Musarnikes' (`Mussarists'); (3) `Dojrois' (`Generations'); (4) `Oyf di Hurves' (`On the Ruins'); (5) `Pleitim' (`Refugees'); (6) `Farvoksene Vegn' (`Overgrown Paths'); (7) `Der Mames Tzavoe' (`The Mother's Will'); (8) `Shayn fun Farloshene Shtern' (`Shine of the Extinguished Stars'); (9) `Mayn Krig Mit Hersh Rassayner' (`My Quarrel with Hersh Rassayner'); (10) `Yerushalaim shel Maylah, Yerushalaim shel Matah' (`The Heavenly Jerusalem and the Earthly Jerusalem'); (11) `Hurbin'; (12) `Vilna', with 5 major parts entitled: (A) `Vilna'; (B) `Di Shank' (`The Tavern'); (C) `Der Ger-Tzadik' (`The Convert'); (D) `Di Hiter fun der Shtot' (`The Guardians of the City'); (E) `Unter di Gevelbte Toyern' (`Beneath the Vaulted Gates'); (13) `Talmidei-Hahomin in der Lite' (`Talmudic Scholars in Lithuania'); (14) `Oyf Mayn Veg Tzu Dir'; (On My Way to You); (15) `Dos Alte Hoyz' (`The Old House'), alternate titles are: (A) `Zin un Tahter' (`Sons and Daughters'); (B) `Der Beth-Horav' (`The Rabbi's House'); (16) `Fun Unter der Erd' (`From Beneath the Ground'), the title of the first version is `Froyen fun Ghetto' (`Women of the Ghetto'); (17) `Yury Goresha', a part of the novel `From Beneath the Ground'; (18) `Alte Boherim' (`The Bachelors'); (19) `In Gerangl mitn Malah' (`Wrestling with the Angel'), subtitle is `Lieder un Elegyes' (`Poems and Elegies'); Collected Poems, 1932-82; (20) `Chaim Nachman Bialik'; (21) `H. Leivik, der Poet fun Laydn un Goyrl' (`H. Leivik, The Poet of Suffering and Fate'); (22) `H. Leivik in Mayn Lehn and Shafn' (`H. Leivik in my Life and my Works)'; (23) `Itzik Manger, der Poet fun Shaynkayt un Shpil' (`Itzik Manger, the Poet of Beauty and Play); (24) `Dray Yiddishe Classiker, Mendele, I.L. Peretz, Sholem-Alaychem' (Three Yiddish Classics, Mendel, I.L. Peretz, Sholem-Alaychem); (25) `Anski, der Maskl, Revolutioner un Baal Tshuvah' (`Anski, the Champion of Enlightenment, the Revolutionary and the Penitent'); (26) `Problemen fun a Yiddishen Shrayber un Problemen fun der Yiddisher Literatur' (`Problems of a Yiddish Writer and Problems of the Yiddish Literature'); (27) `Mayn Veg in der Yiddisher Literature' (`My Path in the Yiddish Literature'); (28) `I.L. Peretz'; (29) `Mayn Bagegenish mit Sovetishe Yiddisher Shrayber' (`My Encounter with the Soviet Yiddish Writers'); (30) `Dray Dramatishe Poemen--`Di Goldene Kayt' `Der Goylem', Der Dybbuk', (`Three Dramatic Poems--`The Golden Chain', `The Goylem', `The Dybbuk'); (31) `Dray Hoybt Motiven in Mayn Shaffung' (`Three Mayn Motives in My Works'); (32) `Yung Vilna un ir Svivah' (`Young Vilna and its Milieu'); (33) `Shevet Tzion' (`The Return to Zion'); (34) `Shabes un Voh in der Yiddisher Literatur' (`The Sabbath and the Weekdays in Yiddish Literature'); (35) `Mussarnikes un Litvishe Yeshives' (`The Mussarists and the Lithuanian Yeshivas'); (36) `Sholem Alaychem'; (37) `Nusah Mizrah Evrope un Reb Isroel Baal`Shem'Tov' (`The Jewish Way of Life in Eastern Europe and Rabbi Israel Baal`Shem'Tov'); (38) `Reb Isroel Salanter un Reb Isroel Baal`Shem'Tov' (`Rabbi Israel Salanter and Rabbi Israel Baal`Shem'Tov'); (39) `Der Talmudhokem in der Yiddisher Literatur' (`The Talmudic Scholar in Yiddish Literature'); (40) `Di Haskore in Vilner Shtot Shul nohn Ger-Tzadik, Graf Potocki' (`The Memorial Service at the Grand Synagogue of Vilna for the Convert, Count Potocki'); (41) `Dr. Shmuel Ravidovitch un zayn Philasophia fun Yiddishen Kium Umetum' (`Dr. Samuel Ravidovitch and his Philosophy of the Jewish Life Worldwide'); (42) `Dr. Shmuel Ravidovich un zayn Kamf farn Yiddishen Kium Umetum' (`Dr. Samuel Ravidovich and his Struggle for the Jewish Life Worldwide'); (43) `Zaynen di Yiddishe Shrayber in Sovet Russland Geven Marranen?' (`Were the Yiddish Writers in Soviet Russia Marranos?'); (44) `Reb Yehudah Ibn Shmuel Dr. Kaufman' (`Rabbi Jehudah Ibn Samuel Dr. Kaufman'); (45) `Shir-HaShirim--a Liebe-Lied, a Natzional Gezang un Mistishe Poeme' (`The Song of Songs--A Love Song, a National Hymn and a Mystical Poem') lecture and essay; (46) `Tzfas un der Barg Miron' (`Saffed and Mount Miron') lecture and essay; (47) `Mentshen, Shtayner un Flantzen in Eretz-Isroel' (`The People, the Stones and the Greening of Israel') lecture and essay; (48) `Mit Vos Vilna Iz Geven Andersh?' (`What Made Vilna Unique?'); (49) `Histadruth'; (50) `Yiddish Lebn in Vilna far der Zvayter Velt Melhome' (`Jewish Life in Vilna Before World War II') alternate title is `Yiddish Folk lebn un Traditzie in der Lite' (`Jewish Folk-Life and Tradition in Lithuania'); (51) `Di Naye Hebreishe Literatur un der Yunger Dor in Isroel' (`The New Hebrew Literature and the Young Generation in Israel'); (52) `Di Ibergeblibene' (`The Survivors'); (53) (`To the Survivors of the German Concentration Camps, World Federation of Bergen-Belsen, Associations'); (54) `Drayssik Yor Shpeter' (`Thirty Years Later'); (55) `Der Bodn un di Legende fun Eretz-Isroel,' (`The Soil and the Legend of the Land of Israel'); (56) `Di Letzte Mahlaykes tzvishn Rabonim in Vilna' (`The Last Controversies Among the Rabbis of Vilna'); (57) `Amerikaner Yiddishe Poetn, Morris Rosenfeld, Avrohom Reisen, Walt-Lessin un Mani Leib', (`American Yiddish Poets, Morris Rosenfeld, Avrohom Reisen, Walt-Lessin un Mani Leib'); (58) Any other works of Chaim Grade, however created, whether pubished or unpublished. Iosif Vaisman 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 23:26:03 -0500 (EST) From: Barry Goldstein Subject: konkordantsie far _vi kumt di kats ibern vaser?_ Thanks to Stephen Dowling for pointing out to me my shortsightedness. I have now posted the Qtext files for the concordance (Mendele 08.133(6)) on my FTP site: ftp://ftp.shore.net/members/bag file: Concordance.zip for those who want it electronically and who have Qtext. The zip contains two files: REFS.QTW has the raw data REFSTBL.QTW has the same information re-formatted into tables for easier reading. Be warned: Qtext is more than a little flaky when dealing with such large files and large tables. As mentioned in the earlier posting, copies are available by regular mail for the cost of postage (5.2 oz.) sent to Barry Goldstein, 124 Otis Street, Newtonville, MA 02460-1846. Barry Goldstein 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 18:31:40 -0500 (EST) From: "Max and Fuzzy Teitelbaum" Subject: H. Levik's poem H. Levik wrote a poem called "Tzar Un Kampf". The first line goes "Unter der geleh lateh". Can anyone tell me the background to this poem/song? Frayda Teitelbaum 8)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 14:49:46 -0500 (EST) From: "Leonard Koenick" Subject: Parody My father, Tzvi Hersh, z"l, and his brothers and sisters used to sing this song, usually at Pesach after consuming four cups of wine (at a minimum). It is, of course, a parody of the well known song 'Az Moshiach Vet Kumen' (pardon my illiteracy in Yiddish). The words they sang, increasingly animated, with much pounding on the table, will give you an idea of the age in which it was created. I would greatly value any additional verses or variations and the words as they would be in Yiddish. So as not to make matters too confused, I will state only my English understanding of the verses. Rebynu, what will we do when the Moshiach comes? When the Moshiach comes, we will have a banquet. What will we eat at the banquet? Hot dogs (sung as hot doggies), Hot doggies Hot Dogs we will eat. At the banquet What will we drink at the banquet? Coca Cola, Coca Cola Coca Cola we will drink. Hot dogs we will eat. At the banquet. Who will teach us Torah at the banquet? Jack Dempsy will teach us Torah. Coca Cola, etc. Who will dance at the banquet? Gilda Grey will dance at the banquet. Jack Dempsy, etc. Leonard Koenick 9)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 16 Mar 1999 17:55:56 -0500 (EST) From: Jennifer Baltaxe Subject: name in question While browsing (in Virginia) the www, I came across a reference to the name Baltaxe in your Volume 4.008. Turns out that someone had met my father (in New Zealand- isn't technology amazing!) and was asking about the meaning of the family name. I vaguely remember my grandfather (his father) telling me that Baltaxe meant "head tax collector" not "bailiff in rabinnical court" as my father apparently remembers. Any answers? Jennifer (Baltaxe) Kolodner Alexandria, VA ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 08.136 Address for the postings to Mendele: mendele@lists.yale.edu Address for the list commands: listproc@lists.yale.edu Mendele on the Web: http://www2.trincoll.edu/~mendele http://metalab.unc.edu/yiddish/mendele.html