Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 6.005 May 22, 1996 1) Introduction (Frank G. Freedman) 2) Shmukler (G. Daniel Bugel) 3) Dzigan and Schumacher audio/video tapes (Morry Koperwas) 4) Mendele iz alt finif yor (Michael Shimshoni) 5) Bravo - L.A. Yiddisher Kultur Klub (Miki Safadi) 6) Internatsionaler Yidish tog (Dovid Tsukerman) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 May 96 10:42:40 PDT From: gedalia@mail.pbvm.edu Subject: Introduction To be honest, I am not a `newbie'. I have been lurking for about 2 years now, reading with interest the many articles about mame-loshen, even the nit-picking ones. It makes me wish that I was on the East Coast, and not out on the plains of South Dakota, and able to be more exposed to this very vital part of my heritage (in spite of the attitude of certain factions in Israel today, who consider Yiddish part of a dead culture). Besides working in the library, I teach courses in Jewish history and tradition at the college, and the response to the classes has been most gratifying. This past semester, we literally had to turn away students for lack of a classroom large enough to accomodate them. _None_ of the students are Jews, but it amazed me to hear, in the last weeks of the course, the comfortable use of both Hebrew and Yiddish by my students in discussing the material under discussion. A beautiful result of the class -- well worth sharing, and a point to be taken by every non-observant person, of any faith. Two of my students were Native American women, who knew little of their culture and none of their language. In a self-evaluation they wrote as part of the final, both indicated that, as a result of being exposed to a LIVING tradition of Judaism, they would be making a concerted effort to learn more of their heritage, and to learn their `mame-loshen'. Among my community duties is that of Rabbi-without-portfolio for a _very_ small shul in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Where there were once 35 families, there are now 11, most of whom are thoroughly disinterested in things Jewish. I doggedly hold services every week, and two families are semi-regular attendees. Yiddishkeit is minimal -- these are not observant Jews in the old sense of it, but wonderful people. There is, however, a rich history of Judaism in this area over the years, particularly in North Dakota. If anyone wants to know more, contact me privately. A tickler for you -- in Ashley, N.D., where there are no Jews today, there is a frume cemetary with a unique charter. Thanks for being there for me, keeping my Yiddish alive. Frank G. Freedman 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 01:42:18 +0200 From: ind1116@mail.be.innet.net Subject: Shmukler My first association was from Yiddish 'Shmukler' [see Victor Bers' query in 6.001] to German 'Schmuggler' (identical pronunciation), meaning smuggler. My German etymological dictionary tells me that both German 'schmuggeln' (to smuggle) and German 'Schmuck' (jewellery) are from the same root. The verb 'schmuecken' originally meant to snuggle up to something (as smugglers did to the ground as to not be seen), and women would (in)to a dress. The verb, which today means 'to adorn oneself', was originally used particularly adornment by garments, and here you have a possible lace connection. G. Daniel Bugel Antwerp, Belgium 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 22 May 1996 22:57:11 -0400 From: koperwas@astral.magic.ca Subject: Dzigan and Schumacher audio/video tapes I am wondering if anyone could help me by directing me to the appropriate place in which to aquire audio/video tapes of either both Dzigan & Schumacher or Dzigan himself. I heard that a movie called "Undsere Kinder" exists and would like to know how I could get a copy? Where can one hunt this down? Would it be easier to find it in Israel? Thank you for your help and wishing you all a Gutn Shvues. Regards Morry Koperwas 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 21 May 96 15:22:47 +0300 From: mash@weizmann.weizmann.ac.il Subject: Mendele iz alt finif yor Mazel tov for your fifth birthday. I have to admit my shameful ignorance in that were it not for Mendele I would not have know who Khone Shmeruk was when I watched him receive with others the Israel Prize. Just from the looks of it, he is a very distinguished gent. These days with the elections just a week away, I have to ask you please do desist from writing things like "Un yetst, nokhamol afn *rehktn* fus". That is all what we need, khas vesholem. Michael Shimshoni [The shames proposes, in order to satisfy all tsdodim, to set out mitn linkn fus in odd-numbered years. nm] 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 07:45:03 -0700 From: msafadi@ucla.edu Subject: Bravo - L.A. Yiddisher Kultur Klub Der Los Angeleser Yiddisher Kultur Klub vet fayern zayn 70 - tsey op! - 70 yorikn yoyvl! Bravo!! Me fayert oykh dem 50-yorikn yoyvl funem oysergeveyntlchn literarishn journal, "Heshbon." Die groyse fayerung vet kumen for dem 2tn yuni, 2 pm in dem binyen fun der Jewish Federation of Los Angeles. Miki Safadi 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 23 May 1996 13:10:45 -0700 From: davisc@adinet.com.uy Subject: Internatsionaler Yidish tog Es vundert mir vos ikh tref zikh nisht on mit kayn fayerungen lekoved dem Internatsionaln Yidish tog vos iz proclamirt gevorn in Moskver conferents far Yidish un Yidishe Cultur, vos iz forgekumen mit etlekhe ior tsurik. Vi del Internatsionaler Yidish Tog, iz bashtimt gevorn dem 31stn. may. Mir do in Montevideo-Urugvay (un kh'veys az oikh in Argentine), veln mir fayern mit a groysn iomtev in undzer Kehile mit der bateylikung fun Prof. Manuel Tenembaum vos iz haynt Direktor fun der Latayn Amerikaner opteylung fun dem World Jewish Congress, un redt a prekhtikn natirlekhn yidish; der aktyor un teater Direktor Khaym Javits, vos iz Direktor fun der Natsionaler Shpanisher teater fun Urugvay un di bagapte folks zingern Tsirele Birnboym, fun Buenos Aires. Der ovnt vet zikh onrufn: "Di freyd fun Yidish", un mir hofn az es vet kumen a groyser oylem. Ikh volt gevolt visn di sibes farvos men fayert nisht umetum, ot der Internatsionaler Yidish tog. Dovid Tsukerman ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 6.005