Yiddish Lives

Susan Leviton

yiddishlives — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:41:53 +0000

Susan Leviton is a singer, artist, story teller and all around stunning & charming performer. She recently treated the attendees of the 2011 Conference of the International Association of Yiddish Clubs to a recital. Here is your opportunity to hear a portion from that evening.

You can find more of Susan, and you’ll want to, at www.SusanLevitonArts.com.

Dem Zeydns Nigndl

Vilne

Yidl Mitn Fidl

Harbst Lid

S’iz Der Step

Katarina Moloditsa

Dos Bisele Shpayz

Levine Mit Dayn Flaying Mashin

Dir Fir Muskatirs

Sonia Pressman Fuentes’ Interview

yiddishlives — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 01:50:35 +0000

Sonia Pressman Fuentes escaped from Nazi Germany as a child with her immediate family and went on to become the first woman attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) and then a co-founder of NOW (the National Organization for Women). She’s become a significant feminist activist of our day, a public speaker, and the author of a book that will intrigue many of you, “Eat First–You Don’t Know What They’ll Give You, The Adventures of an Immigrant Family and Their Feminist Daughter” (available from Amazon here).

The interview was conducted on January 2nd, 2011, in Sonia’s condo in Sarasota, Fl. Helping in the recording were friends: Deborah Perkola, videographer, and Joan Froede, interviewer.

Sonia can be reached directly through her website: erraticimpact.com/fuentes
or via email at: spfuentes@comcast.net

Mike Burstyn – a Yiddish Interview

yiddishlives — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 01:14:54 +0000

We had the exceptional good fortune to have some sit down time with Mike Burstyn in his home.

Mike Burstyn, the son of Yiddish Theatre actors Pesach Burstyn and Lillian Lux, is one of the most famous of our interviewees with a history of performing from early childhood on. His popularity crossed lines rarely crossed, from Yiddish Theatre performer, to Hebrew film actore, to TV star, to Broadway leading man, starring in Barnum as P.T. Barnum. To this day, he continues to bring Yiddish theatre back to Israel.

We were joined by Mike’s wife, Cyona, who is guaranteed to charm you and make you smile.

To see more of Mike, visit his site: www.MikeBurstyn.com

The story of Mike, his twin sister, and parents is the subject of the movie, The Komediant, which can be seen on NetFlix or ordered from his site.

Study A Yidish Song

yiddishlives — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 03:12:45 +0000

DISCLAIMER: I cannot not NOT(!) sing.
lozt mikh iberkhazeren: ikh bin avade un avade nit kayn zinger!

The goal is to create what I always wanted to be given in order to learn songs:

The words pronounced slowly and clearly
A translation giving an understanding of the words
A format in which I could:
listen to or watch on my iPod at the gym, or my iPhone while waiting in line at the supermarket, or on the computer, so I wouldn’t need to search for the text and the translation
A study guide, so I can learn the song, the words, the melody, all in one package

We had Greg Presley on hand, a concert pianist, so we couldn’t resist the opportunity to give this a shot – for better or worse on my part.

To repeat: Please forgive my voice and see if this can be of any practical study use in learning the songs.

Tum Balalaika

Shteyt a bokher un er trakht
trakht un trakht a gantze nacht
Vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen
Vemen tsu nemen un nit farshemen

Chorus:
tum balalayka
shpil balalayka
freylekh zol zayn!

Meydl, meydl, ikh vil bay dir fregn
Vos ken vaksn, vaksn on regn?
Vos ken brenen un nit oyfhern?
Vos ken veynen, veynen on treren?

Chorus

Narisher bokher, vos darfstu fregn?
A shteyn ken vaksn, vaksn on regn.
Libe ken brenen un nit oyfhern.
A harts ken veynen , veynen on treren.

Chorus

Note:
In some versions, they sign “vos ken benkn, veynen on treren”.

Vu Is Dos Gesele
Note: my particular pronunciation is fairly non-standard (klal yidish). Also, for some reason, when I learned this song as a kid, I learned “darfele”. For those learning it now, note that “derfele” is the standard diminutive of “darf”.

vu iz dos gesele?
vu iz di shtib?
vu iz dos meydele vos ikh hob lib?
do iz dos gesele.
do iz di shtib.
do iz dos meydele vos ikh hob lib.

vu iz dos taykhele?
vu iz di mil?
vu iz dos derfele?
vu iz di shil?
do iz dos taykhele.
ot iz di mil.
do iz dos derfele.
ot iz di shil.

arayn in dem shitbl
mayn veytik iz groys
alts iz geblibn a kholem far bloyz
nishto mer dos gesele
nishto mer di shtib
nishto mer dos meydele vos ikh hob lib

Notes:
1. In this dialect “shtub” in klal yiddish is pronounced as “shtib”
2. In some versions of this song, the more grammatically correct “vemen ‘kh’ob lib” is used.

Mark Bonine Yiddish Lives Interview

yiddishlives — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 02:50:58 +0000

Mark Bonine is the co-founder of Yiddish Lives, Inc. In fact, it was he who was critical and crucial to getting from “an interesting idea” to a fact, getting us from a concept to a company. It was due to Mark’s participation that we were able to create a incorporated company at the end of 2009 and eventually receive our 501(c)(3) status this year. While Mark does not speak Yiddish, he’s been our strongest advocate due to his historical understanding of the importance of Yiddish story preservation.

Irwin Keller’s Yiddish Interview

yiddishlives — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:22:12 +0000

Irwin Keller is a performer with the gay musical group The Kinsey Sicks as well as a lay rabbi with the congregation Ner Shalom in the California Bay Area.

Irwin’s musing on all things Jewish can be found here at his blog: itzikswell.blogspot.com
You can see more of The Kinsey Sicks at their website: www.KinseySicks.com

The Complete Interview is a must see for Irwin’s fans

We’ve created exerpts below targetted at specific topics.

Personel Interview

Performing Papirosen with Kinsey Sicks

Jewish Identity

On becoming a gay Rabbi

Itzak Manger’s Midrash

On Israel

Irwin’s work on a memorial account of his ancestors

The history of Kinsey Sicks

Papirosen – fun dor tsu dor (from generation to generation)

And if you’ve made it this far, check out this wonderful promo he did for us!

Achi Ben Shalom Leads Yiddish Singalong

yiddishlives — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:44:50 +0000

Achi Ben Shalom led a Yiddish Singalong in November of 2010 at Congregation Ner Tamid.

For more of Achi and his work in the Yiddish community, please see his site at www.AchiBenShalom.com

Opening Prayer in Yiddish & English led by Rabbi Moshe Levin

Yoshke

Yidl Mitn Fidl

Yankele

Vu Iz Dos Gesele

Tum Balalayka

Simkhes Toyre

Shnirele Perele – a duet with Amy Rose and Achi Ben Shalom

Sheyn Vi Di L’Vone

Sha! Shtil!

Sapozhkele

Rozhenkes Mit Mandlen

Reyzele

Partisaner Lid – performed with Mira Shelub

Oyfn Veg Shteyt A Boym

Mazl

Lomir Ale In Eynem

Kinder Yorn

Hobn Mir A Nignundl

Hey Klezmorim

Hershele – performed by Samuel Sonnenblick

Flits Feygelekh

Dzhankoye

Dortn Dortn

Bulbes

Borukh Ate

Ale Brider

A Brivele Der Mamen

Abi Gezunt

A Nign

The Herman Taube Archive

yiddishlives — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 23:47:09 +0000

We were extremely fortunate to have the participation of Herman Taube in this project. He is the author of more than 23 books from poetry in Yiddish to essays in English. Through his life, he’s been a medic, a newspaper man, a teacher, a writer, all the while very dedicated to his family.

Note, for a full and proper biography, please visit the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s write up:
Holocaust Museum

Herman Taube’s Biography – Part One

Herman Taube’s Biography – Part Two

Coming to the U.S.

Pre-War Poland

Herman Taube’s Morals of a Medic

Herman Taube on Religion and Poetry

Herman Taube’s Role with Yiddish Organizations

Herman Taube on Being a Journalist and a Poet

Herman Taube’s American Life

Herman Taube’s Blind Eye to the Past

Herman Taube’s Life Stories in English

Interview with Herman in English – Part 1

Interview with Herman in English – Part 2

Henry Michalski Interview

yiddishlives — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 09:37:29 +0000

We discussed Henry’s travels to the U.S. on the ship as a young child, followed by his subsequent life in the States.

Belle Ganapoler’s Yiddish Interview

yiddishlives — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 10:56:59 +0000

Belle Ganapoler and I chatted about her life and times from her home in Petaluma.