The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

‫מיר טרויערן נאָך די מער ווי 1,200 מענטשן שוידערלעך אומגעבראַכט פֿון דער טעראָר-גרופּע כאַמאַס אין ישׂראל דעם 7טן אַקטאָבער 2023. מיר זאָרגן זיך זייער וועגן די פֿאַרוווּנדעטע, זאָלן זיי אַלע האָבן אַ רפֿואה־שלמה, ווי אויך וועגן די פֿאַרכאַפּטע, זאָלן זיי אַלע צוריקקומען אַהיים בשלום.‬ ‫ הערט אַ קאַמענטאַר פֿונעם היסטאָריקער פּראָפֿ׳ שלום ביינפֿעלד, אַ באַריכט פֿון ישׂראל פֿונעם ייִדיש-ראַדיאָ פּרעזענטירער אבֿרהמי זאַקס און אַ דיסקוסיע וועגן דער טעראַר-אַטאַקע און דער איצטיקער מלחמה אין ישׂראל.‬ We mourn the more than 1,200 people horribly murdered by the terror group Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023. We are deeply concerned for the wounded -- may they all be restored to health, and the captives -- may they all get home safely. Hear commentary by historian Sholem Beinfeld, a report from Israel by Yiddish radio presenter Avremi Zaks, and a discussion about the terror attack and the current war in Israel. Music: Shalom Shalom YisroelDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: October 11, 2023

Chol Hamoed SuccosVortSuccos/Shemini Atseres/Simchas Torah אַ גוט, געבענטשט יאָר אַלע אונדזערע צוהערער אַ גוט קוויטל און אַ גמר חתימה טובֿה Highlights: Judy AltmannLeyzer MaimonVortChol Hamoed SuccosYitzchok-Boruch TeitelbaumAmerican Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants of Greater BostonEli DovekIsrael BookshopKolya BorodulinArbeter-Ringcircle.org/yiddishHy WolfeHebrew Actors FoundationSholem Aleichem Cultural Center (Bronx)CYCO Yiddish Bookssinger and actor in both Yiddish and English Music: DEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing WaltzSuccos/Shemini Atseres/Simchas Torah Air date: October 4, 2023

This week, greetings for גמר חתימה טובֿה (Gmar Chassima Toyve, a good final sealing) from friends, participants, and sponsors of The Yiddish Voice / דאָס ייִדישע קול, combined with an excellent "Best of Succos" program from our archive (2019) with various presenters and lots of Succos music. אַ גוט, געבענטשט יאָר אַלע אונדזערע צוהערער אַ גוט קוויטל און אַ גמר חתימה טובֿה Highlights: Judy AltmannLeyzer MaimonYitzchok-Boruch TeitelbaumAmerican Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants of Greater BostonEli DovekIsrael BookshopSuccosMiriam LibensonMyer LoketchIzchak Kin Music: DEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: September 27, 2023

This week, greetings for Rosh Hashona from friends, participants, and sponsors of The Yiddish Voice / דאָס ייִדישע קול, combined with an excellent interview from our archive with Rabbi Moshe Kesselman (2022). אַ גוט, געבענטשט יאָר אַלע אונדזערע צוהערער אַ גוט קוויטל און אַ לײַכטן תּענית - גמר חתימה טובֿה Highlights: Judy AltmannLeyzer MaimonYitzchok-Boruch TeitelbaumAmerican Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants of Greater BostonLeague for Yiddishדי ייִדיש-ליגעGitl Schaechter-ViswanathEli DovekIsrael BookshopLeah Shporer-LeavittSholem BeinfeldMoshe Kesselman Music: Zochreinu L'ChayimDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: September 20, 2023

This week, greetings for Rosh Hashona from friends, participants, and sponsors of The Yiddish Voice / דאָס ייִדישע קול, combined with an exciting new interviews with Rabbi Avrohom Marmorstein as well as an encore presentation on the High Holidays by Miriam Libenson ז״ל from the archive of our predecessor show די ייִדישע שעה from 1992. אַ גוט, געבענטשט יאָר אַלע אונדזערע צוהערער לשנה טובֿה Highlights: American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants of Greater BostonAvrohom MarmorsteinMehadrin KashrusLeague for Yiddishדי ייִדיש-ליגעEli DovekIsrael BookshopLeah Shporer-LeavittSholem BeinfeldMiriam Libensonדי ייִדישע שעה Music: Zochreinu L'ChayimZochreinu L'ChayimDer Nayer YorL'Shonoh ToivoShofar Shal MoshiachL'el Orech DinHayom Haras OlomMelech RachamonAl ChetDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: September 13, 2023

This week, greetings for Rosh Hashona from friends, participants, and sponsors of The Yiddish Voice / דאָס ייִדישע קול, combined with exciting new interviews with Rabbi Mordechai-Tzvi Solomon and Eli Grodko! אַ גוט, געבענטשט יאָר אַלע אונדזערע צוהערער לשנה טובֿה Highlights: American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants of Greater BostonEli GrodkoEli DovekIsrael BookshopLeah Shporer-LeavittSholem BeinfeldLeague for Yiddishדי ייִדיש-ליגעMordechai-Tzvi Solomonhttp://brityy.org Music: Zochreinu L'ChayimAvinu MalkeynuAl ChetDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: September 6, 2023

Interview with Lily (ליליע) Weitzman and Jonah (יונה) Sidman, who recently led a workshop to teach songs created by them and others active in Yiddish language and culture activities around the Boston Workers Circle. The Yiddish Voice was on hand to record four songs sung by participants in the workshop they led, titled נײַע לידער פֿון באָסטאָן (New Songs from Boston), presented at the 2023 Yidish-Vokh, which took place earlier in August in Copake, NY, and was sponsored by the organization Yugntruf-Youth for Yiddish. These songs, as well as selected highlights from the workshop, were presented on this show. The four songs are (1) Levone-Mol by Lily Weitzmann; (2) In Hartsn Zol Undz Akhdes Zayn, Yiddish lyrics by Jonah Sidman, a translation of Let Union Be in All Our Hearts (traditional); (3) A Bletele Vert a Bletl by Adah Hetko; and (4) Eyn Kol, Yiddish lyrics by Linda Gritz, based on One Voice by Ruth Moody of The Wailin' Jennys. Weitzman and Sidman's creative Yiddish activities are an outgrowth of Di Nest, an incubator for Yiddish creative projects. For more information, visit https://circleboston.org/yiddish-community-informal-learning/#dinest. Music: SummertimeFisher LidArbeter FroyenAmerican TuneDer Nayer YorVos Ken Yu Makh Es Iz AmerikeBattle Hymn of the RepublicDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: August 30, 2023

This week, interviews with Nick Underwood and Dovid Braun! Interview with Nick Underwood on Yiddish Paris and Nick's book Yiddish Paris: Staging Nation and Community in Interwar France (Indiana University Press, 2022), which describes the rich Yiddish-speaking culture of emigrants from Eastern Europe in Paris during the interwar years. The interviewer is Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of The Yiddish Voice, co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor of History, Emeritus, Washington University, St. Louis. Interview with Dovid Braun, Academic Advisor in Yiddish Language, Pedagogy, and Linguistics at the Max Weinreich Center at Yivo and academic director of YIVO’s summer program, who gives an update on recent and upcoming opportunities for Yiddish studies at YIVO. See YIVO.org's website for classes starting in early September, 2023. Music: In ParizÀ ParisParis New YorkDos Libn fun ParizDave Cash fun ParizDer Parizer TangoS'faln di BleterAutumn LeavesLes Feuilles MortesDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: August 23, 2023

This week, interviews with Yelena Shmulenson and Boris Sandler in memory of the August 12, 1952 tragedy known as Night of the Murdered Poets, when thirteen Soviet Jews, all leading intellectuals, five of whom were top Yiddish writers, were executed in the Lubianka Prison in Moscow on false charges of spying and treason. The charges were reexamined and admitted to have "no substance" by the Soviet authorities less than four years later. For more information on August 12 1952 and the history and tradition of its memorialization, see Rokhl Kafrissen's excellent 2019 article in Tablet Night of the Murdered Poets. Yelena Shmulenson discusses her theater piece "Night of the Murdered Poets", being presented in New York City on Thursday, August 10, 2023, sponsored by https://congressforjewishculture.org/, and how it relates to the tragedy of August 12, 1952, a/k/a the Night of the Murdered Poets Boris Sandler discusses his personal connection to the tragic events of August 12, 1952, as well as his main project, the monthly Yiddish journal Yiddish Branzhe. Links two of Sandler's books discussed in the interview: דער ענין נומער 5390: (פון די ק.ג.ב. ארכיוון) With a Mission to Moscow (Yiddish Edition) Music: Ikh Bin a YidDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: August 9, 2023

from our archive: Nathan Kasdan (נחום קאָזשדאַן), who died one year ago (JULY 14, 2022), gave us an extraordinary interview in 2013, which we've previously aired in 2013 and 2014 as well as in 2015. We recently learned that Nathan passed away, about a year ago. Considering Nathan's yahrtzeit, as well as the fact that it's erev Tisha B'Ov, we're re-airing our interview with Nathan again. from our archive: Miriam Libenson, our late-great resident poet and Yiddish presenter extraordinaire, discusses Tisha B'Ov, which occurs next week, as we're now in the 9 days from the beginning of the month of Ov. Music: Keil Molleh RachamimDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: July 19, 2023

This week, Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath and Rabbi Izchak Kin. Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath is chairperson of the League for Yiddish. She discusses the League for Yiddish's Words of the Week, specifically the recent week devoted to the armed uprising in Russia. We reached her by Zoom on June 9, 2023. Rabbi Izchak Kin talks about various memories of his personal life, starting with memories of Pesach in his childhood. Rav Kin is a Modzitzer chossid who now lives in Los Angeles but grew up in Israel. This previously unaired recording was made when we recorded Rav Kin's presentation for Pesach 2023. DEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: June 12, 2023

This week, Sholem Beinfeld discusses the recent uprising in Russia, and Avremi Zak and Meyer Hirshman discuss Israeli society and politics. Sholem Beinfeld was recorded on the day of broadcast (July 5, 2023). The first interview with Avremi Zak was by The Yiddish Voice on April 26, 2023. The second interview of Meyer Hirshman by Avremi Zak was by Kan Yiddish and originally aired on Israeli radio on June 30, 2023 -- thanks to Kan Yiddish, Avremi Zak, and Meyer Hirshman for this interview. A Zemerl fun HayntFigaroKinder Zaynen Mir GevenBeltsVu Nemt Men a Bisele MazlYankeleVos Geven Iz GevenDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing WaltzAir Date: June 5, 2023

The Yiddish Voice was in Israel earlier in June 2023 and had the opportunity to interview Avrom Novershtern, who is professor emeritus from the Yiddish Program at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and currently serves as the director of Beit Sholem Aleichem in Tel Aviv, a cultural center devoted to Yiddish and the Eastern European Jewish Heritage Topics discussed: Find on FacebookFind on the WebNovershtern - Women Writers Controversy - Timeline and Links: Yiddish Women Writers (Part 1) with Avraham Novershtern (In Yiddish)https://youtu.be/3wl81swZO2AVaybertaytshEpisode 54: Re: "Yiddish Women Writers" | ייִדישע שרײַבערינס / July 19, 2021http://www.vaybertaytsh.com/episodes/2021/7/18/episode-54-re-yiddish-women-writers-hjhesYiddish Women Writers (Part 2) with Avraham Novershtern (In Yiddish)https://youtu.be/66iydt6dzg0Women Writers in Yiddish Literature with Anita Norich and Karolina Szymaniak (In Yiddish)https://youtu.be/p2p_gt0EBIQMusic and Comedy Recordings, mostly in honor of July 4th, America's Independence Day: DEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing WaltzAmerican TuneBattle Hymn of the RepublicAmerica MedleyAmerike di PrekhtikeGetzel at a Baseball GameTelebende Furt Kein AmerikaChasidic in AmericaAir Date: June 28, 2023

Highlights: interview with Kolya Borodulin, Director of Yiddish Programming at Arbeter Ring (circle.org), talking about the Summer 2023 Yiddish course offerings currently starting or about to start online now. interview, part 2, with Mary Ehrlich, a Boston-area Holocaust survivor originally from Gedrevitsh (Giedraiciai in Lithuanian), a shtetl near Vilna (and closer to the Vilkomir). In Mary Ehrlich's first interview she talked about her childhood years up through the arrival of the Germans in 1941. In this, her second, interview Mary spoke of her later life, starting with the German takeover of Lithuania, including the lifesaving role played by a Lithuanian mother and her children, who hid Mary and her parents for most of the war, saving their lives. About ten years ago, Mary reunited with two of these children whose mother had saved her life, which was widely covered in the press. Here's a NY Post article: https://nypost.com/2011/11/24/holocaust-survivor-reunites-with-lost-friends-at-jfk/ Here's a Jerusalem Post article: https://www.jpost.com/jewish-world/jewish-features/holocaust-survivor-to-be-reunited-with-her-saviors For this interview we reached Mary by phone at her home in the Boston area on June 20, 2023. Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Outro instrumental music: Itzhak Perlman, Dov Seltzer, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: Afn Veg Shteyt A Boym Air Date: June 21, 2023

Encore from our archive, from 2019, but enhanced for 2023 with Fathers Day music at the end. See original show notes here: https://podcast.yv.org/episodes/nechama-netali-gonen Air date: June 14, 2023

interview with Daniel Galay (דניאל גלאי), an Israeli composor, musician, translator, writer, educator, and Yiddish community leader and activist. He is chairman of Leyvik House, which publishes and sells books, in Yiddish and other languages, and serves as a Yiddish cultural center in Tel Aviv, housing Israel's Yiddish Writers Union. Born in Argentina in 1945 and raised in a Yiddish speaking home, Galay moved to Israel in 1965. In this interview, he talks about many of his life experiences and achievements as well as current interests and projects, including his recent Yiddish Intonation Youtube series, teaching Yiddish intonation for English-speaking Yiddish students, and about the "Ashkenazi Identity movement" he promotes in Israel and online. He also discusses Yiddish in Israel and offers comments on the recent book Yiddish in Israel, whose author, Rachel Rojanski, discussed the book on The Yiddish Voice/דאָס ייִדישע קול in 2021. This interview took place in Tel Aviv on June 4, 2023 Music: Es keytlt zikh di tsaytDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: June 7, 2023

Encore from our archive, from 2019, but enhanced for 2023 with an announcement from our sponsor Boston Workers Circle: Boston Workers Circle presents FREEDOM IS A VERB: 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT: A Besere Velt Chorus with special guest Daniel Kahn. June 10, 2023, 7:30 PM ET - virtual and in person. Details at: circleboston.org/arts/ See original show notes here: https://podcast.yv.org/episodes/esia-friedman-part-2 Air date: May 31, 2023

Encore from our archive, from 2017, but enhanced for 2023 with an announcement from our sponsor Boston Workers Circle: Boston Workers Circle presents FREEDOM IS A VERB: 25TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT: A Besere Velt Chorus with special guest Daniel Kahn. June 10, 2023, 7:30 PM ET - virtual and in person. Details at: circleboston.org/arts/ See original show notes here: https://podcast.yv.org/episodes/itzchak-kin-shvues-yom-yerusholayim-shulman-and-cycowicz-trump-in-israel Air date: May 24, 2023

Interview with Elena Luchina (עלענאַ לוטשינאַ), who is the Yiddish instructor at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, discussing her interesting background and current career at one of the leading Yiddish-language and Jewish-studies programs in the United States. Originally from Moscow, Yelena received her PhD in linguistics from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She has taught Yiddish at U. Mich. since 2019. For more info, see Elena's U. Mich. faculty page or follow Elena's Instagram, @SimpleYiddish. The interview took place over Zoom on May 9, 2023, and was led by Sholem Beinfeld, regular contributor to The Yiddish Voice, co-Editor in Chief of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor of History, Emeritus, Washington University in St. Louis. From our archive: Miriam Libenson ז״ל discusses the upcoming holiday Shvues. Recorded and originally aired on The Yiddish Voice in the 1990's. Music: Afn PripetshikDEM HELFANDS TANTSJeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: May 17, 2023

We observe יום העצמאותּ Yom Haatsmaut with Avremi Zaks, whom we reached in Jerusalem, Israel, today: Avremi ZaksKan YiddishNational Authority for Yiddish Culture in Israelhttps://www.kan.org.il/radio/program.aspx/?progid=1136Yiddish Radio ייִדיש ראַדיאָExodusYerusholayim Shtot fun GoldIn Erets Yisroel Air date: April 26 2023