Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 3.120 October 30, 1993 1) Peygern (Bob Poe) 2) Yiddish material in Portuguese or Spanish (Regina Igel) 3) Introduction (Joyce Rappaport) 4) Introduction (Leean Knetzer) 5) Yidish teater in montreal (Pierre L. Lewis) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue Oct 19 11:20:39 1993 From: poe@keps.com (Bob Poe) Subject: peygern The recent discussion over the etymology of peygern reminds me of a mystery. A phrase that my mother remembered from her childhood was: "Bin ikh mir a tsig, un peyger oykh in tsherida." She would recite this in a kind of childish sing-song, and she thought it might have been from a children's story or folktale, or perhaps it was just the punch line of a joke. She translated "tsherida" as "field", "pasture", "meadow"; I don't know if it is a Yiddish word or (perhaps) Ukrainian or Russian. (I have just transcribed it, more or less, phonetically; the accent is on the first syllable.) The meaning of the phrase, as she explained it, was, "I [too] am a goat and [have the right to] die [with the others] in the pasture." Can anyone shed light on this phrase and the (presumed) story that leads up to it? Bob Poe 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue Oct 19 13:06:40 1993 From: Regina_IGEL@umail.umd.edu (ri1) Subject: Yiddish material in Portuguese or Spanish Just to let you know that I am replying to Mr. LEvacov directly, and in our native language, Portuguese. By the way: Mr. Levacov wrote from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, a Brazilian region from where comes an outstanding Jewish Brazilian writer: Moacyr Scliar. Mr. Scliar has written more than 20 novels and many more short stories. Most of the subjects of his stories deal with the Jewish immigrant to the southern Brazilian area. Presently at Brown University, Mr. Scliar will be at my University on Thursday to give us a talk. (I am organizing this conference, with the support of the Univesity of Maryland, Georgetown University, The Catholic University (Washington, D.C.), the Woodro WIlson Center for Latin American Scholars, the Brazilian -AMerican Cultural Institute and the Brazilian Embassy). This is a partial listing of Scliar's novels in English: *The Centaur in the Garden* *The Carnival of the Animals* *The One-Man Army* and *The Strange Nation of Rafael Mendes*. If you are in the Washington are and would like toa attend his presentation, please call the Brazilian American Institute for more information: (202)362-8334. He will be there on Thursday, October 21, at 8 PM If you want information on Scliar or his works, please feel free to write to me: RI1@umail.umd.edu or to the address below. A sheyne dank! Regina E-mail: Regina_Igel@umail.umd.edu OR RI1@umail.umd.edu Snail-mail: Dr. Regina Igel Department of Spanish and Portuguese University of Maryland, College Park Campus Maryland 20742 USA Office Tel: (301) 405-6457 Office FAX: (301)314-9752 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed Oct 20 01:52:50 1993 From: "Joyce Rappaport" Subject: introduction I am an English professor at Chapman University, specializing in eighteenth-century poetry. My Yiddish connection is that I attended the Workman's Circle elementar-shul and middle-shul in NYC. My grandmother was the poet Malka Lee, and my other grandparents helped to establish the Jewish People's school in Montreal. Lately I've been haunted by the fact that all this "yichus" means nothing if I don't carry on the Yiddish tradition. That's why I have joined this group. Joyce Rappaport 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed Oct 20 03:34:34 1993 From: Leean Knetzer Subject: introduction I read about Mendele in the magazine Lilith. The only Yiddish I know is "Rednish for the children". My Grandmother used to say it before speaking yiddish to the other members of my large family when we lived in Oakland, Ca. I was an elementary school teacher but have returned to school to study for a Master's degree in Library Science.Israeli dance and music are my hobbies---I like Yiddish music, too. Leean Knetzer 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed Oct 20 11:05:33 1993 From: "Pierre (P.) Lewis" Subject: Yidish teater in montreal Tayere MENDELnikes For those who might be interested, here are some news from the Yiddish Theater in Montreal (der yidisher teater beim saidye bronfman center). >From a letter from the Yiddish Theater... This year's season opens with the Yiddish premiere of "Conversations with my father" by Herb Gardner, the award-winning playwright of "I'm not rappaport" fame. This though-provoking dramatic comedy, a smash hit on Broadway, will entertain and inspire audiences of all ages. ... (past achievements) This year will be another outstanding one. So join us for Opening night on November 13, at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $36.00 and can be purchased at the box office, (514) 739-7944. I expect tickets for other nites to be around $20 (I haven't called yet). The comedy runs 'till Dec 5. Saidye Bronfmann Centre general no: (514) 739-2301. There will be a musical next June. No details available at this point. Last Sunday saw a special event, a Gala Musical Review featuring Mike Burstyn (Israel) and Joanne Borts (NY). The event, organized by the Yiddish Consortium (as a fund-raising event), celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Monument National which recently reopened. This was the home of the Yiddish Theater for the first half of this century (they are now in the SBC), and many great names (including Mike's tate) were seen/heard there. The evening was *very* enjoyable. The first half featured Joanne in a number of songs, mostly in Yiddish, but with some English. The second half featured Mike Burstyn in songs and humor, a very entertaining program. His show was multi-lingual: Yiddish, English, Hebrew, French, and even a bit of Spanish! But it was a tough test for someone like me who's learning. He talks fast, in a different dialect (mamelushn anstat -loshn and no long syllables), and when he imitates the voice of a 103 year old zayde or a 3 year old yingl, it was hopeless. My ears obviously still need a lot of training... But most of the audience had no trouble (and thoroughly enjoyed themselves). Pierrele ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 3.120