Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 5.129 October 2, 1995 1) Teaching Yiddish to children (Morrie Feller) 2) Teaching Yiddish to children (Leybl Goldberg) 3) Teaching Yiddish to children (Marcia Gruss Levinsohn) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 23:53:09 -0700 (MST) From: feller@indirect.com Subject: Teaching Yiddish to children In Mendele 5.127, Ellen Cassedy asks: "...what goals are appropriate for a child learning Yiddish? There's no Torah reading at the Bas Mitzvah to aim for.." It seems to me that Ellen must have had some purpose in mind, however vague, when she started to teach her daughter Yiddish. Be that as it may, her question is a good one. There are those who believe that the prime reason for learning Yiddish is to carry on conversations with others in normal, interactive situations. This school of thought is well represented by exponents such as Mordkhe Schaechter and the League for Yiddish, Yugentruf, Workmen's Circle, etc. They sponsor activities which encourage, and are conducive to, conversation. However, in Ellen's situation, unless Yiddish is spoken in her home, this would not be a practical goal. In my own case, whether teaching children or adults, my goal has always been, and will continue to be, the creation of literate students who can read and write in Yiddish. I want them to be able to partake of our Yiddish literary treasures from original versions of Sholem Aleikhem, Peretz, Singer, etc. I want them to be able to correspond with friends and relatives who live far away. The ability to truly converse in any language requires a knowledge of grammar and vocabulary far greater than most people realize. Ellen has enumerated several books and tapes which she has used. Two that she has not mentioned, but which would be good for her, are: "Yiddish" by Sheva Zucker, and "Learning Yiddish in Easy Stages" by Zuckerman & Herbst. Both of these emphasize conversation as well as reading and writing. If Ellen wants further justification for teaching her daughter Yiddish, I recommend that she read the post on Mendele by Matt Dailey entitled "Why Study Yiddish". I will be happy to send a copy by snail mail to Ellen (or anyone else) if I am given an address. Morrie Feller Phoenix 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 30 Sep 95 23:49:00 -0400 From: lee.goldberg@neteast.com Subject: Yiddish books For kids I want to echo the recommendation of the "Arele" readers from Mexico and Leon Elbe's "Yingele Ringele" (really delightful for those of us who prefer silly to preachy) and to suggest a couple of other things. One is Y. Kaminski's "Ikh lern zikh yidish" (Workmen's Circle, 1945), which has a lot of two-tone, red and black, and blue and black, pictures, coloring and cutout exercises, and an afterward with advice on making learning fun. It's basically an alphabet primer and a beginning reader, but it's more fun than the usual "Serele geyt. Berele geyt. Serele accuses Berele of sexual harrassment." etc. I got my copy from the National Yiddish Book Center. Another, more recent, primer is the "Yiddish Alphabet Book" by Frederica Postman (Adama Books, 1988; first published in 1979). It gives two or three Yiddish words (not necessarily the most common ones: for yud, it gives "yingl, yam-fleyts, yam-multerl" [the last two translated as "tide" and "sea shell"]) and a two-tone, black-and-sepia illustration for each letter. The choice of words is really curious. Under samekh, you get Uriel Weinreich's neologism "stashkeshmir" (supposedly meaning peanut butter), along with "sendvitsh" and "sloy" (jar), but under tof, you just get the statement that no Yiddish words begin with tof, only words "taken directly from Hebrew". (Secularist that I am, I'm still astonished the author apparently couldn't bring herself to say "Toyre".) Adama Books lists its address as 306 W. 38 St., NY, NY 10018 (it may also be available through the Arbeter Ring [tel. 1-800-WC-CALL-US] book center). For small children, Chaya Burstein's "Hebrew Alphabet Coloring Book" (Dover, 1986; $2.50) and "The Jewish Kids' Hebrew-English Wordbook" (Jewish Publication Society, 1993; hardcover, $16.95) may also be worth looking at. Yes, they concentrate on Hebrew vocabulary, but there's at least one Yiddish word (albeit one "taken directly from Hebrew") on almost every page and they're certainly up-to-date. The Hebrew print could be bigger in the "Wordbook", but I liked the picture of the mouse saying "Mazl-tov!" to the mother cat with the four kittens. (Too bad there's nothing like the Renyi picture dictionaries for Yiddish!) Leybl Goldberg 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 2 Oct 1995 03:20:27 -0400 (EDT) From: mashinke@wam.umd.edu Subject: Teaching children Yiddish In Mendele Vol 5.127 Ellen Cassidy recommends for young beginning Yiddish learners, "ARELE," a 3 volume workbook by Frida de Cielak, my storybook, "Di Dray Bern, Mirele-Goldherele Antshuldikt Zikh," and "Yiddish 30, a Berlitz-type vocabulary for teens and adults. The later three include text/tape/English translation. For this school year Yiddish of Greater Washington has subsidized the purchase of the "ARELE" workbooks for the aleph/beys/gimel classes of Chaim Weitzmann Yiddish/Hebrew Folk Shule. They meet Sunday mornings in Rockville, Md. For more information you can call the Yiddish teacher, Sarita Zimmerman at 301-384-5136. She says the books have been very well received. I believe they are a welcome alternative to the standard "Berele geyt in Shule." Ellen asked about goals for a "non-Torah reading Bas Mitsvah." A Bar/Bas Mitsvah is a 'right of passage'- an acknowledgement of the youngster's 'coming of age.' When they show they can be responsible for their continuing education and participation in Jewish life, they deserve a celebration. The party should include "a droshe" a speech by the celebrant (a research paper on a Yiddish writer or a significant Jewish event, and/or about a Jewish/Yiddish project the celebrant is doing) and a program of songs, poems, and possibly a "maysele." The 'mitsva' of a Bar/Bas Mitsva is generally considered to be the Torah or Haftorah reading. It might therefore be misleading to call the above celebration thus. Do Mendelyaners have a suggestion? I have begun the practice of presenting a Yiddish 'lid' at the bar/bas mitsvas I've recently been attending, either to the assemblage, if appropriate, or when the video photographer comes around to ask you to say something. The poem/song follows; (Several guests told me their parents would sing this at the Bar Mitsvas they used to attend.) Der Nayer Yid words and music by Lipa Feingold (I've translated it and changed some spelling) Fraynd, haynt iz do a simkhe Friends, today is a celebration, A bar/bas mitsva bay a Yid A Bar/Bas Mitzvah for a Jew. Vil ikh zogn a por verter (Therefore) I will say a few words Tsu dem/der yungen/r nayem/r Yid. To the young, new Jew. Vos ikh gey atsind dir zogen What I will now say to you Vet dos zayn gants kurts un sharf. Will be altogether short and poignant, Zolst fartaydekn dem Yidn "You should defend the Jews Ven s'iz noytig, ven men darf. When it's necessary, when one must." Chorus: Tsugekumen haynt iz a nayer/e Yid A Jewish son/daughter has come here today In der groyser Yidisher mishpokhe To join the larger Jewish family. Lomir ale vinshen dem/i nayem/e Yid Let us all wish the new Jew Lange, gute yorn mit hatslokhe Many good years and success. 2. Zolst nor imer kind gedenkn (My) child, (you) should always remember Ver dayn yikhes iz geven From whence you came. Du zolst visn az mir Yidn You should know that we Jews Zaynen imer shtoltz geven Have always been proud Un mir viln az di kinder And we want our children, Fun dem altn eybik Yid Descendents of the eternal Jew, Zoln undzer fon nor trogn To carry our banner forever. Chorus... For my granddaughter's Bas Mitsva we printed the Yiddish and English translation in the program, I recited the verses and a younger granddaughter sang the chorus with me. (oy, hob ikh geklaybt nakhes!) ikh vintsh aykh ale a yor mit gezunt, sholem, un libe! Marcia Gruss Levinsohn Silver Spring ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 5.129