The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

We continue our summer rerun season with a panel discussion of the tragic events of August 12, 1952, in Moscow, with Gennady Estraikh, Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh, and Sholem Beinfeld, which was originally aired August 12, 2020. Air date: July 27, 2022 PS: you can still find the original podcast in our archive: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/estraikh-mazurkiewicz-meisarosh-beinfeld-august-12-1952

Part 1: We took a temporary break from our summer rerun season to bring our dear listeners breaking news, of a sort, from the real world: we reached friend of the show Gitu Cycowics hours after her meeting with President Biden at Yad Vashem to get her first impressions. Gitu -- a/k/a Giselle (Gita) Cycowicz (née Friedman) -- who was born in 1927 in the town of Chust in the Carpathian Mountains, then part of Czechoslovakia, survived Auschwitz and other camps, later starting a new life in the USA, and eventually getting her PhD in psychology. In her later years, she moved to Israel and then worked for decades for AMCHA (https://amcha.org), helping with the psychological needs of her fellow survivors. Today (Weds., Jul. 13, 2022) she was one of two Holocaust survivors invited to meet President Joseph Biden at Yad Vashem in Jerusalem. We are thankful for sharing with us her first impressions of that experience hours after it took place. Here is a YouTube from the live stream of Gitu meeting Biden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q96DZT4qMXs&t=731s Here is Gitu's page at Yad Vashem: https://www.yadvashem.org/blog/i-have-to-tell-my-story-giselle-cycowicz.html Part 2: We continue our summer rerun season with an interview of Diego Rotman, interviewed by Sholem Beinfeld, discussing the famed Yiddish actors and comics Shimon Dzigan and Yisroel Schumacher. The interview was originally aired in March, 2022. Air date: July 13, 2022 PS: you can still find the original podcast containing the Diego Rotman interview aired on Mar. 2, 2022, in our archive: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/diego-rotman-dzigan-schumacher

This week we listen back to our February 2018 interview with Zvi Gitelman, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Judaic Studies at the University of Michigan, author and editor of numerous books, including A Century of Ambivalence: The Jews of Russia and the Soviet Union, 1881 to the Present (2001) and The New Jewish Diaspora: Russian-speaking Immigrants in the United States, Israel and Germany (2016), speaking with Sholem Beinfeld. Air date: July 6, 2022 PS: you can still find the original podcast containing this interview aired on Feb. 7, 2018, in our archive: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/zvi-gitelman

This week we listen back to our March 2020 interview with Elissa Bemporad, author of the book Legacy of Blood: Jews, Pogroms, and Ritual Murder in the Lands of the Soviets (Oxford University Press, 2019), interviewed by Sholem Beinfeld. Today we're re-airing the entire interview. It was originally aired in two parts in amid the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, and may have gotten a bit lost in the shuffle. But in case you missed it or just want to relisten, it's still as interesting and relevant today, if not more so, considering today's war between Russia and Ukraine in the news. Air date: June 29, 2022 PS: you can still find the original podcasts containing this interview aired on Mar. 18 and Mar. 25, 2020, in our archive: Part 1: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/covid-19-with-berger-schaechter-plus-author-elissa-bemporad Part 2: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/covid-19-avremi-zak-author-elissa-bemporad-cont-eli-rosen-unorthodox-s-yiddish-consultant

This week, we're listening back to a favorite Yiddish Voice interview from the past: our interview with famed American-Israeli actor and singer Mike Burstyn, discussing the streamed production Megillah Cycle as well as many aspects of Yiddish theater and his history with it, originally aired in February 2021. Air date: June 22, 2022 PS: you can still find the original podcast containing this interview, and the original podcast with part 2 of this interview, in our archive: Part 1: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/the-megillah-and-mike-burstyn Part 2: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/the-megillah-and-mike-burstyn-part-2

This week, we're listening back to a favorite Yiddish Voice interview from the past: our interview with Rachel Rojanski, author of Yiddish in Israel: A History. This is part 1 of the interview, originally aired in May, 2021. This podcast includes a current (June 2022) announcement: Event announcement: Linda (Libe) Gritz announces the forthcomingBostoner Arbeter Ring Chorus concert, featuring Lorin Sklamberg and Paulina Shepherd. Info: https://circleboston.org/peace-freedom A Besere Velt Yiddish Chorus: Singing For Peace & Freedom Concert: June 18, 2022 It removes a dated interview and adds as a bonus several fantastic Yiddish-in-Israel-realated commercial recordings at the end that you won't want to miss. Enjoy! Air date: June 15, 2022 PS: you can still find the original podcast containing this interview and some other dated stuff, and the original podcast with part 2 in our archive: Part 1: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/rachel-rojanski-yiddish-in-israel-part-1-dovid-braun-yivo-summer-program-2021 Part 2: https://the-yiddish-voice-podcast.zencast.website/episodes/rachel-rojanski-yiddish-in-israel-part-2-and-comprehensive-english-yiddish-dictionary

Interview with Sheldon (Shulem) Londner, discussing growing up speaking Yiddish as the child of Holocaust survivors, and later joining and eventually leading the Los Angeles Yidish-Leyenkrayz (Yiddish reading circle), which started in the 1990's and, under his leadership, has met on Zoom practically every week during the Covid Pandemic. Event announcement: Linda (Libe) Gritz announces the forthcoming Bostoner Workers Circle Chorus concert, featuring Lorin Sklamberg and Paulina Shepherd. Info: https://circleboston.org/peace-freedom Music: 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 8, 2022

Dr. Sheva Zucker presents her new bilingual audio album The Golden Peacock: The Voice of the Yiddish Writer, which she edited and produced. It was originally published in 2001 in an all-Yiddish CD format. In 2021, it was released as a revised bilingual edition, making it available either as MP3 files or as two audio CDs. The set now includes the voices of twelve Yiddish writers and a 138-page book that contains the work of each writer in Yiddish with parallel text in English, a biography of each writer in English and Yiddish as well as notes in English about each selection. Hear the voices of Celia Dropkin, Yankev Glatshteyn, Rokhl Korn, Aron Glanz-Leyeles, H. Leivick, Kadya Molodowsky, Itzik Manger, Avrom Sutzkever, Sholem-Aleichem, Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman, Yekhiel Shraibman and Elie Wiesel. English is read by Sheva Zucker and Trudie Kessler, Professor Emeritus of Voice and Acting at The Theatre School/DePaul University, Chicago. Sheva Zucker served as the executive director of the League for Yiddish and editor-in-chief of its publication Afn Shvel from 2005-2020. She is the author of the textbooks Yiddish: An Introduction to the Language, Literature & Culture, Vols. I & II, and has taught Yiddish language and literature for over two decades in the Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture. For more info: https://shevazucker.com The interviewer, Lillian ("Leah") Shporer-Leavitt, is a frequent cohost of The Yiddish Voice and an experienced Yiddish translator and teacher. She has taught Yiddish for many years at various institutions in the Boston area, including Workers Circle and Gann Academy. Music: Sidor Belarsky: Babi Yar (lyrics by Shike Driz, music by Rive Boyarska) Theresa Tova: Mayn Khaverte Mintsye (lyrics and music by Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: May 25, 2022

Joseph Alexander, a 99-year-old Holocaust survivor now living in Los Angeles, originally from Kowal, Poland, talks about his Holocaust experiences. We recorded this interview with him via Zoom on May 17, 2022. Miriam Libenson ז״ל: Lag B'Omer (from our archive, originally recorded and aired in the 1990's) Music: 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: May 18, 2022

Tonight's show aired on the night after Yom HaZikaron and on the eve of Yom HaAtsmaut. We present a new interview with Yehuda Neufeld, an Israeli war veteran, now living in Los Angeles, who was wounded in Israel's war with Egypt arising out of the Suez Crisis of October 1956. We also heard from our archives: Hasia Segal ז״ל on the Boston Zionist hero Dewey Stone. We also heard music related to Israel and mothers, in honor of Mother's Day, which falls the following Sunday. Music: Barry Sisters: Exodus David Esheth: Yerusholayim Shtot fun Gold (music Naomi Shemer, origin Hebrew lyrics Naomi Shemer, Yiddish translation Dovid Esheth) Barry Sisters: Vu Ahin Zol Ikh Geyn (lyrics: Igor S. Korntayer) Dudu Fisher: A Yidishe Mame Marilyn Michaels: Mamele Moishe Oysher: *Afn Veg Shteyt A Boym" (Lyrics: Itsik Manger) Dudu Fisher: Mamenyu Dudu Fisher: A Brivele Der Mamen Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: May 4, 2022

Tonight's show aired on the eve of Yom HaShoah. We present a new interview with Naftali (Tuli) Deutsch, an Auschwitz survivor, as well as recordings of three others from past years. They are Al (Zoli) Langer, Rokhl Zicherman, and Matele Friedman ז״ל. All of these survivors were born in Carpathian Ruthenia, then in Czechoslovakia, now known as Zakarpatska Oblast, in the western part of Ukraine. Naftali Deutsch is the author of A Holocaust Survivor: In The Footsteps Of His Past, his auto-biography. Info here: https://holocaustsurvivorbook.com Announcement: The American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston invites you to Boston's 2022 Virtual Community Holocaust Commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 2:00PM Eastern. Info and registration here: https://www.jcrcboston.org/yh2022/ Music: Shimon Yisraeli: Zog Nit Keyn Mol (lyrics: Hirsch Glick) The following sung by Matele Friedman, recorded by The Yiddish Voice on January 1, 2020: Es Brent (Words and music by Mordkhe Gebirtig) The following sung by Rokhl Zicherman, recorded by The Yiddish Voice in January 2019: In Auschwitzer Lager Holocaust 'Dem Milners Trern' Abraham Brun: Why Need We Cry? Dudu Fisher: Vu Ahin Zol Ikh Geyn (lyrics: Igor S. Korntayer) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: April 27, 2022

Happy Passover! ‫אַ זיסן און כּשרן פּסח און אַ גוטן מועד!‬ Happy Passover and thanks to friends, participants, and sponsors of this show: Israel Book Shop (Eli Dovek recorded Mar 28 2007) The Butcherie (Max Gelerman ז״ל recorded Mar 28 2007) Cheryl Ann's Bakery, featuring kosher and pareve breads and pastries American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston (Tania Lefman, Treasurer, co-sponsor of Boston's 2022 Virtual Community Holocaust Commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 2:00PM Eastern. Info and registration here: https://www.jcrcboston.org/yh2022/ League for Yiddish (Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, Chair of the Board) Dovid Braun, Leonia, NJ Sholem Beinfeld, Cambridge, MA Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Newton, MA Motl Murstein, Brookline, MA Boston Workers Circle Yiddish Committee, (Linda Gritz, Somerville, MA) Fishl Kutner, from Der Bay, IAYC, and Fishl's Yiddish Group Featured Interview: Pinchas Gutter, Warsaw ghetto & Majdanek survivor; author: MEMORIES IN FOCUS; USC Shoah Foundation hologram witness (https://iwitness.usc.edu/dit/pinchas). For additional info see Shoah Foundation's info page on Pinchas Gutter: https://sfi.usc.edu/survivor/pinchas-gutter and Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinchas_Gutter Music: Moishe Oysher: Chad Gadyo Moishe Oysher: Got Iz Eyner (Mu Asapru) Michael Silverman: Dayenu (instrumental) Sholom Katz: Keil Moleh Rachamim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: April 20, 2022

Happy Passover! ‫אַ זיסן און כּשרן פּסח!‬ Happy Passover and thanks to friends, participants, and sponsors of this show: Israel Book Shop (Eli Dovek recorded Mar 28 2007) The Butcherie (Max Gelerman ז״ל recorded Mar 28 2007) Cheryl Ann's Bakery, featuring kosher and pareve breads and pastries American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston (Tania Lefman, Treasurer, co-sponsor of Boston's 2022 Virtual Community Holocaust Commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 2:00PM Eastern. Info and registration here: https://www.jcrcboston.org/yh2022/ League for Yiddish (Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, Chair of the Board) Dovid Braun, Leonia, NJ Sholem Beinfeld, Cambridge, MA Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Newton, MA Motl Murstein, Brookline, MA Boston Workers Circle Yiddish Committee, (Linda Gritz, Somerville, MA) Fishl Kutner, from Der Bay, IAYC, and Fishl's Yiddish Group Hy Wolfe, from CYCO Yiddish Bookstore and Publishing House Featured Interview: Dov-Ber Kerler, writer and poet, professor at Indiana University, co-director of the AHEYM project, with his thoughts on the war in Ukraine. He also read out a short poem of his, a kind of response to the Hebrew poem They Say There's A Land (אומרים ישנה ארץ) by Shaul Tchernichovsky. Kerler frequently publishes his poetry under the pen name Boris Karloff (באָריס קאַראַוו) here on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/berkale For more info on Kerler and AHEYM: https://aheym.com/contact/ Music: Moishe Oysher: Chad Gadyo Moishe Oysher: Got Iz Eyner (Mu Asapru) Michael Silverman: Dayenu (instrumental) Barry SIster: Chad Gadyo (in the style of Moishe Oysher) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: April 13, 2022

Happy Passover! ‫אַ זיסן און כּשרן פּסח!‬ Happy Passover and thanks to friends, participants, and sponsors of this show: Israel Book Shop (Eli Dovek recorded Mar 28 2007) The Butcherie (Max Gelerman ז״ל recorded Mar 28 2007) Cheryl Ann's Bakery, featuring kosher and pareve breads and pastries American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston (Tania Lefman, Treasurer, co-sponsor of Boston's 2022 Virtual Community Holocaust Commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 2:00PM Eastern. Info and registration here: https://www.jcrcboston.org/yh2022/ League for Yiddish (Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, Chair of the Board) Dovid Braun, Leonia, NJ Sholem Beinfeld, Cambridge, MA Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Newton, MA Motl Murstein, Brookline, MA Boston Workers Circle Yiddish Committee, (Linda Gritz, Somerville, MA) Fishl Kutner, from Der Bay, IAYC, and Fishl's Yiddish Group Hy Wolfe, from CYCO Yiddish Bookstore and Publishing House Featured Interview: Hy Wolfe, executive director of CYCO Yiddish Bookstore and Publishing House, talks about the organization's campaign to survive and thrive as New York City's last secular Yiddish book store, helped by Friends of CYCO Books, a new organization and web site, and thanks to recent publicity such as the New York Review of Books article The Joy of Yiddish Books. Besides heading up CYCO, Wolfe is a veteran actor, director, and singer, both in English and Yiddish. More info at HyWolfe.com. Music: Moishe Oysher: Got Iz Eyner (Mu Asapru) Hy Wolfe: Es benk zikh nokh di kinder yorn (Childhood Years) Marthe Schlamme: Zog Maran Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: April 6, 2022

Happy Passover! ‫אַ זיסן און כּשרן פּסח!‬ Happy Passover and thanks to friends, participants, and sponsors of this show: Israel Book Shop (Eli Dovek recorded Mar 28 2007) The Butcherie (Max Gelerman ז״ל recorded Mar 28 2007) Cheryl Ann's Bakery, featuring kosher and pareve breads and pastries American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston (Tania Lefman, Treasurer, co-sponsor of Boston's 2022 Virtual Community Holocaust Commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Sunday, May 1, 2022, at 2:00PM Eastern. Info and registration here: https://www.jcrcboston.org/yh2022/ League for Yiddish (Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, Chair of the Board) Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Newton, MA Gitu Cycowicz, Jerusalem Sholem Beinfeld, Cambridge, MA Motl Murstein, Brookline, MA Interviews Mrs. Gisel (Gitu) Cycowicz, Holocaust survivor originally from Chust, Czechoslovakia, and now living in Jerusalem, discussing recent events Erev Pesach. Motl Murstein, Holocaust survivor recalls his home towns of Pyesk and Volozhin, and sings a Yiddish song (we'll try to name that tune presently: watch this space) Dovid Braun discusses forthcoming Yivo Summer-Program (repeat from previous week). More info here: https://summerprogram.yivo.org Music: Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: March 30, 2022

Hear all about the upcoming 2022 YIVO Summer Program from Dovid Braun, the summer program's academic director. There's still time to register, for in person or online classes. For more info, check out their web site: https://summerprogram.yivo.org Hear an interview with Lilly Segelstein, an Auschwitz survivor who was born in Klitsherkes (קליטשערקעס), then in Czechoslovakia, and today's Kliucharky, a village in Ukraine, near Mukacheve in Zakarpattia Oblast. Lilly is the mother of Cookie Segelstein, who assists her mother on this interview. Cookie is the acclaimed Klezmer violinist of Veretski Pass, whose music is featured in the latter part of the show. Hear greetings for Pesach from sponsors and friends! Motl Murstein, Holocaust survivor in Brookline (from 2020) Max Gelerman ז"ל, proprietor of The Butcherie (from 2005) Cheryl Moore/Moore Family/Cheryl Ann's Bakery Eli Dovek, proprietor of Israel Book Shop (from 2009) Music: Veretski Pass: Veretskier Kolomeyke Veretski Pass: Segelsteins Geveyn Veretski Pass: Papir is Dokh Vays Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: March 23, 2022

Interview with Gennady Estraikh discussing the war in Ukraine. Estraikh, who was born in Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, is a professor at NYU who specializes in Jewish intellectual history, Yiddish language and literature, and Soviet Jewish history. He has written numerous books, academic papers, and journal and newspaper articles in English, Russian, Ukrainian, and Yiddish, notably for the Yiddish Forverts. He served as managing editor of the famed Yiddish literary journal Sovetish Heymland from 1988 to 1991. His books include Yiddish Culture in Ukraine (Kyiv: Dukh i Litera, 2016, in Ukrainian) and Transatlantic Russian Jewishness: Ideological Voyages of the Yiddish Daily Forverts in the First Half of the Twentieth Century (Academic Studies Press, 2020). The interview took place over Zoom on Friday March 4, 2022, 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. Music: Emil Gorovets: Reyzele Tatiana Vayntraub: Gitara Sidi Tal: Nokhemke Emil Gorovets: Ikh Bin a Yid Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: March 9, 2022

Diego Rotman, author of The Yiddish Stage as a Temporary Home: Dzigan and Shumacher’s Satirical Theater (1927-1980), discusses the famed Yiddish comedy duo Shimon Dzigan and Yisroel Schumacher in an interview with Sholem Beinfeld, Professor Emeritus of the Department of History at Washington University in St. Louis, and a co-host of The Yiddish Voice. For further info: Home page for this book's English translation at the publisher, De Gruyter Home page for this book's Hebrew original, הבמה כבית ארעי: התאטרון של דז'יגאן ושומאכר (1980-1927) , at the publisher, Magnes Press דזשיגאַן און שומאַכער: אױף דער בינע פֿונעם ייִדישן גלות (Review article in Yiddish by Michael Krutikov, published in the Yiddish Forverts, April 16, 2021) Diego Rotman's home page at Hebrew University's Department of Theatre Studies Yivo Encyclopedia page on Dzigan and Schumacher Music: Wolf Krakowski: Yeder Ruft Mikh Zhamele Intro and Outro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: March 2, 2022

The show presents an interview with Eddie (Avrum) Hoffman, who survived Auschwitz, slave labor at a Krupp factory in Breslau (Wrocław), a death march, and the last days at Ebensee, the brutal Mathausen subcamp.Eddie Hoffman was born in February, 1929, in Sevluš, Czechoslovakia, one of three brothers. The town was in the Subcarpathian Ruthenia part of Czechoslovakia and was also known in Yiddish as Seylesh (סעליש) and in Hungarian as Nagyszőlős. It is now called Vynohradiv and is in Ukraine. His father ran a small shoe manufacturing business, and his mother ran a small general store. In 1944 his father left the family to join the partisans fighting against the Nazis, never to be heard from again, and he and his mother and brothers were deported to Auschwitz. He was the only immediate family member to survive the Holocaust. He eventually settled in Los Angeles, where he owned and managed several bars and restaurants. He now resides with his wife in Orange County, near Los Angeles. The interview took place at his home in October, 2021. The interview with Eddie is dedicated to the memory of Arthur Machlovitz ע״ה, also an Auschwitz survivor from Subcarpathian Ruthenia, from the town of Iza. He was long-time friends and a former business partner with Eddie and was friendly with Yiddish Voice host Meyer Dovid, and so he introduced them in a way: they met at Arthur's funeral in the summer of 2021. Also on this show we sadly announced the passing of Mrs. Margaret (Matele) Friedman ע״ה, who died just two days earlier (Feb. 21, 2022). She was friends with Yiddish Voice host Meyer Dovid, had been featured on several of our broadcasts over the years, and was known in the community for her wonderful singing ability, especially in Yiddish. Also an Auschwitz survivor from Subcarpathian Ruthenia, after the way she returned to the area and married and started a family in Seylesh, and lived there for more than twenty-five years under the Soviets, before the family moved to the US in the 1970's. ‮געבענטשט זאָל זײַן איר אָנדענק!‬ Music: The following were sung by Matele Friedman and recorded by The Yiddish Voice on Jan 1 2020: Fraytik Tse Nakhts (Composed by Shuli Hollender, Matele's first cousin, who died right after the liberation.) Vu Nemt Men A Bisele Mazl Af Dem Pripetshok (Oyfn Pripetchik) (Words and music by Mark Warshawsky) Intro and Outro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Extended episode: this episode is slightly longer than 1 hr 23 minutes. Thanks to the generosity of our radio station WUNR 1600 AM (Brookline, MA) for allowing us to exceed our usual one-hour time slot. Air Date: February 23, 2022

This show features an interview with Efraim (Froyim) Kessler, who, at age 105, is the oldest person ever interviewed on The Yiddish Voice. In the interview Kessler, who was born in Bilgoray, Poland, in 1916, recalls various aspects of his youth, including encounters with the Nobel Prize-winning author Isaac Bashevis Singer and Rabbi Aharon Rokeach, the Belzer Rebbe. He also recalls surviving the Spanish flu. (We learned after the interview that he also survived Covid-19.) Efraim Kieslowicz was born and raised in Bilgoray (Polish spelling: Biłgoraj) on July 27, 1916, one of nine siblings. His father was a rabbi and also ran a grain mill and grocery store. He became an electrician in prewar Poland. He spent the war years in various places in the Soviet Union, including Chukotka in the Russian Far East and Samarkand and Tashkent in Uzbekistan. After the war, he spent several years in a DP camp in Ebensee, Austria. He arrived in the USA in 1952, spending several years in New York and elsewhere before arriving in Los Angeles, where he has lived until now. Along the way, he anglicized his name to be Fred Kessler. In 1960, he started his own electrical contracting business, Fred Kessler Electric, later called Robert Kessler Electric when his son took over the business. He was for decades a member of the shtibl known as "Rabbi Moskovitz's shul" on Fairfax St. in Los Angeles, and has been a member of Young Israel of Los Angeles for over 40 years. He now resides with his son Michael in Los Angeles. The interview took place in September 2021. Also on tonight's show, Kolya Borodulin, director of Yiddish Programming at Workers Circle in New York, talks about the upcoming virtual program, Vinter in Yidishland. We'll also hear the Yiddish Voice debut of a new Yiddish version of the Dolly Parton song Jolene, performed by the Israeli singer and actress Ronit Asheri. Finally, to observe Tu Bishvat, which fell two days ago, from our archives: Miriam Libenson Z"L: a talk in honor of the holiday Tu Bishvat, the holiday of the trees, originally broadcast in 1994, followed by music related to Tu Bishvat and/or to trees, generally. Music: Ronit Asheri: Jolene (Music and original English lyrics by Dolly Parton, Yiddish lyrics by Leyzer Burko) Victor Berezinsky: Tu Bishvat Ruth Levin: A Hoykher Boym (Lyrics Shike Driz, Music by Leibu Levin) Hilda Bronstein: Afn Veg Shteyt A Boym (Lyrics by Itzik Manger) Dudu Fisher: Unter Beymer (Lyrics by Alexander Olshanetsky, Music by Moishe Oysher) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: January 19, 2022

This show is a special Shloyshim program in memory of Israel (Izzy) Arbeiter ז״ל, Holocaust survivor and founder and former long-time president of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston, who passed away Oct. 29, 2021, at the age of 96. This show is sponsored by The American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston and Descendants. The first part features remarks in memory of Izzy, while the second contains excerpts of his recordings for The Yiddish Voice. Remarks: Janet Stein Calm, President The American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston and Descendants (with remarks read in Yiddish by Dovid Braun); Tania Lefman, Holocaust survivor, long-time friend of Arbeiter's, and treasurer of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston; Rabbi Moshe Waldoks of Temple Beth Zion, Boston, who officiated at Arbeiter's funeral; and Dovid Braun, a co-host of The Yiddish Voice and director of the YIVO Yiddish Summer Program Recordings of Izzy Arbeiter for The Yiddish Voice: excerpt of Izzy's interview in 2005 discussing early life and family in Plock, Poland; excerpt of Izzy's interview in 2019 discussing one episode of nearly miraculous survival in 1942 in the midst of the Holocaust; excerpt of Izzy's interview in 1995 discussing the opening of the New England Holocaust Memorial and his personal history as a survivor; excerpt of Izzy's greeting for Passover in 2020 (recorded March 31, 2020) Music: Shimon Yisraeli: Zog Nit Keyn Mol (lyrics: Shmerke Kaczerginski) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: December 8, 2021

David Forman and Jordan Kutzik are interviewed about the recently published children's book The Clever Little Tailor/דאָס קלוגע שנײַדערל. The book was written by Solomon (Shloyme) Simon and originally published in the 1930's. This new edition of the book features a translation into English side by side with the Yiddish original. David Forman, the author's grandson, did the English translation. Jordan Kutzik, who is also chairman of the Yugntruf - Youth for Yiddish organization, led the project to publish this book. For additional info on the book, visit: https://yiddishchildrensbooks.com/products/the-clever-little-tailor-by-solomon-simon The interview is conducted by Sholem Beinfeld, a regular contributor to The Yiddish Voice, co-Editor in Chief of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor of History, Emeritus, Washington University, St. Louis. Music: Intro/outro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

The Yiddish Voice/דאָס ייִדישע קול lost a great friend. Izzy Arbeiter passed away this past Friday, Oct 29 2021, at the age of 96. To mark this sad loss, we are replaying our 2005 interview that was led by our late cohost Iosif Lakhman. See also: Boston Globe: Israel Arbeiter, 96, Holocaust survivor who believed ‘there is never enough remembering’ Forward: Remembering Izzy Arbeiter, the Holocaust survivor honored by Germany, by Linda Madchan Legacy.com obituary: ISRAEL "IZZY" ARBEITER Music: Anna Monka: Zog Nit Keymol (The late singer, a former member of the famed Bielski partisans, recorded this song, also known as Partizaner Lid, exclusively for The Yiddish Voice in 2009.) Wolf Krakowski:Yeder Ruft Mikh Zhamele Wolf Krakowski: Varshe Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

Sosye Fox (Sandy Fox) of Vaybertaytsh interviews Meyer Dovid (Mark David), host of The Yiddish Voice / דאָס ייִדישע קון, and vice versa. Thanks to In Geveb for putting this together. See also/related: Yiddish Podcasts in Conversation: Vaybertaytsh and Dos Yidishe Kol -- article about this interview in In geveb Episode 59: ?דער ייִדישער פּאָדקאַסט – װוּהין | The Yiddish Podcast Today /October 13, 2021 -- version of the same interview for the Vaybertaytsh / װײַבערטײַטש Podcast This feels very meta. In a great way. -- Tweet by Miriam Udel Music: Ladytron: Blue Jeans (Vaybertaytsh intro, excerpt) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: October 13, 2021

Recorded at Yugntruf's Yidish-Vokh in Copake, NY, in August 2021: Ruth Kohn, Libby Pollak and Dovid Braun telling jokes in Yiddish Best of Rosh Hashona - Announcements and well-wishes for the new year from sponsors and friends and a High Holidays mix of recent and past audio highlights. Enjoy! Eli Dovek, proprietor of Israel Book Shop (from 2009) Holocaust survivors Tania Lefman and Mary Ehrlich, on behalf of the American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston. Note: the annual Hazkore (Holocaust Memorial) will be virtual only at 11 AM on Sun Sep 12, 2021, at 11 AM; for details, consult JCRC Boston. Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of the Yiddish Voice and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Dovid Braun, cohost of the Yiddish Voice and Academic Director of [YIVO Summer Program] (https://summerprogram.yivo.org/) Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, chair of the board of the The League for Yiddish/די ייִדיש-ליגע Cheryl Moore/Moore Family/Cheryl Ann's Bakery Leyzer Maimon, Holocaust survivor and Rabbi at Young Israel of Mill Basin, Brooklyn, NY (from 2020) Motl Murstein, Holocaust survivor in Brookline, sings Afn Pripetshik and Hobn Mir a Nigndl (from 2019) Hasia Segal ז"ל, late cofounder and cohost of the Yiddish Voice (from 2007) Max Gelerman ז"ל, late proprietor of The Butcherie (from 2005) Iosif Lakhman ז"ל, late cohost of the Yiddish Voice (from 2007) Avrom Cohen ז"ל, late bal tefila from Boston's North Shore, chants Rosh Hashonah/Yom Kippur tefilas and talks about his life and about being a bal tefila (from 1997) Mordkhe Schaechter ז"ל, late Yiddish scholar, discusses Yiddish-language idioms and greetings tied to holidays Rosh Hashonah, Yom Kippur, and Succos (from 1997) Music: Cantor Simcha Koussevitzky: Zochreinu L'Chaim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: September 1, 2021

Highlights: Zelda Polofsky, a Holocaust survivor from a shtetl near Vilna, interviewed by Dovid Braun, discussing her early life, both before and during the Holocaust. Announcements and well-wishes for the new year (Rosh Hashona) from sponsors and friends. Music: Goldie Malavsky: Zochreinu L'Chayim Shmuel Malavsky and Family: B'Rosh Hashonah" Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: August 25, 2021

Listen to the Yiddish Voice recorded live at the annual Yiddish Week (Yidish-Vokh) in Copake, NY, in the foothills of the Berkshire mountains. There, every year, the organization Yugntruf - Youth for Yiddish creates summer colony, where Yiddish-speaking people from all parts of the world gather each year to enjoy a week of summer vacation entirely in Yiddish. We played a game show-type game, listened to jokes told by Ruth Kohn, and heard a musical performance by the famed Schaechter-Tekhter duo (sisters Reyna and Temma Schaechter), accompanied on piano by their dad, the highly accomplished musical director and composer Ben (Binyumen) Schaechter. Guests on the show, in approximate order of appearance: Eli Grodko, Dovid Braun, Christa Whitney, Ruth Kohn, Yankl-Peretz Blum, Perl Teitelbaum, Meylekh Viswanath, Reyna Schaechter, Temma Schaechter, Binyumen Schaechter (piano), Isaac Bleaman. In addition, we heard many announcements and well-wishes for the new year (Rosh Hashona) as well as some holiday music. Music: Sholom Katz: Zochreinu L'Chayim Theo Bikel: Di Yontevdike Teg Leybele Waldman: Der Nayer Yor Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Special thanks to Yugntruf: visit yugntruf.org Recording date: August 15, 2021 Air date: August 18, 2021

Interview with Hershl Hartman, discussing his work as a Yiddish journalist, an educator in secular Yiddish-oriented schools, and a translator from Yiddish to English. Hershl Hartman was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1929. He has been a leader at the Sholem Community in Los Angeles for more than fifty years, serving as Education Director/Vegvayzer since 1967. Between 1967 and 1985, he was also the school’s principal. Hartman holds degrees in Secular Jewish education and in Yiddish journalism. As a younger man, he became the first American-born Yiddish newspaper reporter, having written for the Morgen Freiheit when it was a New York City daily with a print run in the thousands. In recent years, he has worked as a professional translator from English to Yiddish, translating both literary works, including poetry, and personal documents and correspondence. His literary translation work has appeared in the online Yiddish studies journal In Geveb (https://ingeveb.org/people/hershl-hartman), and he contributed to the translation of the book The Jews of Felshtin (https://felshtin.org/). The interview was recorded via Zoom on July 9, 2021. Music: Lillian Lux: Vashtis Kloglid (with Mike Burstyn as narrator; lyrics by Itzik Manger) Chava Alberstein Rabeynu Tam (lyrics by Itzik Manger) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: July 28, 2021

From our archive: The Yiddish Voice from July 24 2013, with Gitu Cycowitz (Jerusalem) and Rabbi Shmuel Posner (Boston). Air Date: July 21 2021 (originally aired July 24 2013)

Interview with Irene Zisblatt, who was one of the participants in the film The Last Days, released in 1998, about the Holocaust in Hungary. The Yiddish Voice spoke to Irene recently (late June 2021) via Zoom. Irene was born in Polena, Czechoslovakia, which was in Hungary during WWII and is now in Ukraine. Irene survived the Holocaust, including Auschwitz, as she describes in the film and to some degree in the interview. The film The Last Days, was originally released on DVD in 1998. It was rereleased in 2021 in a restored print on Blu-Ray disk and also through Netflix. Info: The Last Days (1998) on Netflix The Last Days (1998) Wikipedia page From our archive: 2015 interview with Dovid Mermelstein, who died the previous day (Tuesday, July 6, 2021). The Yiddish Voice spoke to Dovid in Miami, FL, in August 2015 and aired the interview shortly thereafter. Dovid was born in Kivjazd, Czechoslovakia, which was in Hungary during WWII and is now in Ukraine. He survived the Holocaust, including Auschwitz and Ebensee. In recent decades, he was a leader of the survivors in the Miami, FL, area and an internationally known activist on behalf of survivors in order to get restitution from the US government for property looted from Hungarian Jews during the war, as well as serving as a vocal critic of the Claims Conference on behalf of his fellow survivors. Info: Times of Israel article: David Mermelstein, Holocaust survivor and restitution champion, dies at 92 Miami Herald obituary (via Legacy.com): David Mermelstein 1928 - 2021 Forward article: David Mermelstein, Holocaust survivor who fought Nazi-era insurance companies, dies at 92 Music: Cookie Segelstein (violin), Pete Sokolow (piano): Hora Serba (instrumental, excerpt) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: June 7, 2021

Most of this week's show was taken up with the second part of our interview with Rachel Rojanski, discussing her book Yiddish in Israel: A History, published in English by Indiana University Press in 2020. The discussion is in Yiddish. Last week's show (May 26 2021) presented the first part of the discussion. The second part aired this week on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. Rachel Rojanski is Associate Professor of Judaic Studies at Brown University. She is author of Conflicting Identities: Labor Zionism in North America 1905-1931 (in Hebrew) as well as many articles on political and cultural history of East European Jewish immigrants in the U.S. and Israel. About the book (blurb): Yiddish in Israel: A History challenges the commonly held view that Yiddish was suppressed or even banned by Israeli authorities for ideological reasons, offering instead a radical new interpretation of the interaction between Yiddish and Israeli Hebrew cultures. Author Rachel Rojanski tells the compelling and yet unknown story of how Yiddish, the most widely used Jewish language in the pre-Holocaust world, fared in Zionist Israel, the land of Hebrew. (Additional publisher info here: https://iupress.org/9780253045140/yiddish-in-israel/) The interview was led by Sholem Beinfeld, professor of history emeritus at Washington University, St. Louis, and co-chief editor of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary. Also, from our archive we heard an excerpt of our 2016 interview with Gitl Shaechter-Viswanath and Hershl Glasser, editors of Comprehensive English-Yiddish Dictionary. (Interviewed by Dovid Braun and Iosif Lakhman ז״ל) Additional info here: https://englishyiddishdictionary.com To close, we aired a series of songs with words by the late poet Itzik Manger, whose 120th birthday was observed by lovers of Yiddish literature the world over this past Sunday, performed by various singers and musicians. Music: Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Molly Picon and Simche Fostel: Yidl Mitn Fidl Gadi Yagil: Di Elegye fun Fastrigose Rosalie Gerut and Betty Silberman: Sarah's Lullabye and Hagar's Lament (Sores Viglid Hogers Kloglid) Chava Alberstein: Dona Dona Moyshe Oisher: Afn Veg Shteyt A Boym Itzhak Perlman, Dov Seltzer, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra: Afn Veg Shteyt A Boym (instrumental) Air Date: June 3, 2021

Most of this week's show was taken up with the first part of our interview with Rachel Rojanski, discussing her book Yiddish in Israel: A History, published in English by Indiana University Press in 2020. The discussion is in Yiddish. This week's show (May 26 2021) presented the first part of the discussion, with the second part set to air the following Wednesday, June 2, 2021 (and later be made available via podcast). Rachel Rojanski is Associate Professor of Judaic Studies at Brown University. She is author of Conflicting Identities: Labor Zionism in North America 1905-1931 (in Hebrew) as well as many articles on political and cultural history of East European Jewish immigrants in the U.S. and Israel. About the book (blurb): Yiddish in Israel: A History challenges the commonly held view that Yiddish was suppressed or even banned by Israeli authorities for ideological reasons, offering instead a radical new interpretation of the interaction between Yiddish and Israeli Hebrew cultures. Author Rachel Rojanski tells the compelling and yet unknown story of how Yiddish, the most widely used Jewish language in the pre-Holocaust world, fared in Zionist Israel, the land of Hebrew. (Additional publisher info here: https://iupress.org/9780253045140/yiddish-in-israel/) The interview was led by Sholem Beinfeld, professor of history emeritus at Washington University, St. Louis, and co-chief editor of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary. Also, we heard from Dovid Braun, Summer Program Academic Director at the Yivo Institute, giving an overview of the upcoming 2021 incarnation of the venerable Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature, and Culture. Info online here: https://summerprogram.yivo.org/ Music: 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: May 26, 2021

Online Concert Announcement: May 15, 2021: Arbeter Ring's A Besere Velt chorus with special guests - see: https://www.circleboston.org/abetterworld Avremi Zaks, Jerusalem-based radio journalist and host of Israel's weekly Yiddish radio show Kan Yiddish, speaks about recent news in Israel, including the latest war and the Miron tragedy this past Lag Baomer. Rav Izchak Kin talks about the Shavuos holiday (from our archive, originally recorded and aired in 2017). Music: Louis Danto: Shavuos Iz Gekumen Lori Cahan-Simon and Michael Alpert: Peysekh Avek Cindy Paley: Shvues Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman: Shvues-Lid Moshe Kusevitsky: Korutz M'chomer Louis Danto: Shabbos, Yontev un Rosh Chodesh Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: May 12, 2021

Interview with developers of the Yiddish course on the language-learning app Duolingo: Meena Viswanath, brothers Isac Polasak and Israel Polasak; Sholem; and Yosi (@MudnerParshoyn on Twitter). The interview was recorded on April 11, 2021, over Zoom and is entirely in Yiddish. Participating in the interview are historian Prof. Sholem Beinfeld, along with regular host Mark David. For more info, here are several links: Home page of Duolingo Duolingo's Yiddish course announcement Forverts article in Yiddish: ייִדיש־„דואָלינגאָ‟ דיאַלעקטן־קשיא רופֿט אַרויס טיפֿן אינטערעס Miriam Libenson z"l: a talk on the Holiday Lag Ba'Omer by our dear late collaborator, from our archive, originally recorded and aired on May 24, 2000. Music: Martele Friedman: Afn Pripetshik Tova Ben-Zvi: Arum Dem Fayer Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

Extended version of interview with Miriam Trinh, which was shortened due to time limitations on the original broadcast.

Extended version of interview with Avremi Zaks, which was shortened due to time limitations on the original broadcast.

We observe יום העצמאותּ Yom Haatsmaut with three guests who all currently reside in Jerusalem, Israel: Mrs. Gisel (Gitu) Cycowicz, Auschwitz survivor originally from Chust, Czechoslovakia, discussing her personal history and reflections on this year's Yom Hazikaron/Yom Haatsmaut. Avremi Zaks is the host of Kan Yiddish, which is sponsored by the National Authority for Yiddish Culture in Israel (https://www.yiddish-rashutleumit.co.il/), and which is broadcast in Israel on public radio at frequencies 104.9 FM and 105.3 FM every Friday at 4 p.m. and on 101.5 FM at midnight from Saturday to Sunday. Audio archives of the Kan Yiddish radio show can be accessed online here: https://www.kan.org.il/radio/program.aspx/?progid=1136 See also their Facebook group: Yiddish Radio ייִדיש ראַדיאָ. Note: shortened due to time constraints —the full-length interview will be released presently as a bonus podcast. Dr. Miriam Trinh is Editor-in-Chief of Afn Shvel, organ of the League for Yiddish (ייִדיש-ליגע) and a lecturer in Yiddish language and literature at Hebrew University in Israel, as well as at various intensive Yiddish programs internationally. In 2018 she and her husband Eliezer Niborski jointly created a new center for Yiddish culture in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv called יאָ (“yes”) — ייִדיש-אָרט (Place for Yiddish). Featuring Sholem Beinfeld as interviewer. Note: shortened due to time constraints —the full-length interview will be released presently as a bonus podcast. Music: Dovid Eshet: Yerusholayim Shtot fun Gold (lyrics and music by Naomi Shemer) Dovid Eshet: Yerusholayim Shtot fun Ayzn /Yorusholayim Shal Barzel (lyrics: Meir Ariel, Music: Naomi Shemer) Dudu Fisher: Vu Ahin Zol Ikh Geyn (lyrics: Igor S. Korntayer) Air date: April 14 2021

In this show we observe Yom HaShoah with part 2 of a fantastic new interview with Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter, discussing his experiences as a boy growing up in Lodz, Poland, later relocating to Warsaw, surviving the Warsaw Ghetto as well as deportation to the Majdanek death camp. This week's show the second part of the discussion, with the first part having aired the previous Wednesday, March 31, 2021. Pinchas Gutter is well known as a Holocaust survivor, and frequently serves as a speaker and educator in various forums around the world. He was the first survivor to create a lifelike hologram of himself for the USC Shoah Foundation's Dimensions in Testimony project. For more info on Pinchas Gutter visit: Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinchas_Gutter Shoah Foundation Page: https://sfi.usc.edu/survivor/pinchas-gutter We also played an extended selection of Holocaust-related songs as part of today's broadcast. Music: Shimon Yisraeli: Zog Nit Keyn Mol Avrom Brun: Vos Darfn Mir Veynen Chava Alberstein: Friling Avrom Brun: Shtiler, Shtiler Margaret (Martele) Friedman: Es Brent Chava Alberstein: Unter Dayne Vayse Shtern Henry Sapoznik: Itzik Vitnberg Dudu Fisher: Vu Ahin Zol Ikh Geyn Adrienne Cooper: Shtiler, Shtiler Michael Alpert: S'Iz Geven a Zumertog David Waletzky: Yisrolik Josh Waletzky: Yid, Du Partizaner Josh Waletzky: Shtil Di Nakht Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: April 7, 2021

In this show we finish out Pesach and transition to Yom HaShoah with a fantastic new interview with Holocaust survivor Pinchas Gutter, discussing his experiences as a boy growing up in Lodz, Poland, later relocating to Warsaw, surviving the Warsaw Ghetto as well as deportation to the Majdanek death camp. This week's show presents the first part of the discussion, with the second part airing the following Wednesday, April 7, 2021. Pinchas Gutter is well known as a Holocaust survivor, and frequently serves as a speaker and educator in various forums around the world. He was the first survivor to create a lifelike hologram of himself for the USC Shoah Foundation's Dimensions in Testimony project. For more info on Pinchas Gutter visit: Wikipedia Page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinchas_Gutter Shoah Foundation Page: https://sfi.usc.edu/survivor/pinchas-gutter Happy Passover! א כשרן און געזונטן פסח! Happy Passover and thanks to friends, participants, and sponsors of this show: Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ (Eli Dovek recorded Mar 28 2007) The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ (Max Gelerman ז״ל recorded Mar 28 2007) Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ AAJHS of Greater Boston http://www.generationsafterboston.org/ (Mary Erlich recorded Mar 17 2021) Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Boston (recorded Mar 17 2021) Music: Meshugga Beach Party: Dayenu Malavsky Sisters: Tayere Malke Moishe Oysher: Eliahu Hanovi Sholom Katz: Mole Rachamim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: March 31, 2021

Happy Passover! א כשרן און געזונטן פסח! Happy Passover and thanks to friends, participants, and sponsors of this show: Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ (Eli Dovek recorded Mar 28 2007) The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ (Max Gelerman ז״ל recorded Mar 28 2007) Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ AAJHS of Greater Boston http://www.generationsafterboston.org/ (Mary Erlich recorded Mar 17 2021) Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Boston (recorded Mar 17 2021) Gitu Cycowicz, Jerusalem (recorded Mar 17 2021) Sholem Beinfeld, Cambridge, MA (recorded Mar 23 2021) Esti Shnek, Haifa (recorded Mar 24 2021) Dovid Braun, Leonia, NJ (recorded Apr 1 2020) Motl Murstein, Los Angeles (recorded Apr 7 2020) Interviews Mrs. Gisel (Gitu) Cycowicz (part 2), Holocaust survivor originally from Chust, Czechoslovakia, discussing her personal history and current doings today in Israel erev Pesach. Mrs. Esti Shnek (nee Jahr) Holocaust survivor originally from Jasina, Czechoslovakia, discussing her personal history and current doings today in Israel erev Pesach. Also featuring extended remarks on Pesach by Sholem Beinfeld, midway through the first hour. Prof. Beinfeld is cohost of The Yiddish Voice, co-editor-in-chief of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor Emeritus of history at Washington University in St. Louis. Dovid Braun, from 2020, in middle of 2nd half-hour. Braun is YIVO Summer Program Academic Director and co-president of the Sholem Aleichem Cultural Center (Bronx, NY). Music: Meshugga Beach Party: Dayenu Malavsky Family: Ho Lakhmo Anyo and Fir Kashes Moishe Oysher: Chad Gadyo Richard Tucker: Tal Bo Richard Tucker: Tal Tein Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: March 24, 2021

Happy Passover! א כשרן און געזונטן פסח! Happy Passover and thanks to friends, participants, and sponsors of this show: Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ (Eli Dovek recorded Mar 28 2007) The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ (Max Gelerman ז״ל recorded Mar 28 2007) Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ AAJHS of Greater Boston http://www.generationsafterboston.org/ (Mary Erlich recorded Mar 17 2021) Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Boston (recorded Mar 17 2021) Gitu Cycowicz, Jerusalem (recorded Mar 17 2021) Rabbi Moshe Kesselman, Los Angeles (recorded Mar 17 2021) Interviews Rabbi Moshe Kesselman talks about various topics regarding this year's Pesach. Mrs. Gisel (Gitu) Cycowicz (part 1), Holocaust survivor originally from Chust, Czechoslovakia, discussing her personal history and current doings today in Israel erev Pesach. Music: Barry Sisters: Passover Medley Meshugga Beach Party: Dayenu Sidor Belarsky: In Dem Land Fun Piramidn Sidor Belarsky: Der Seyder Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: March 17, 2021

Interview (part 2) with Mike Burstyn, discussing the recently released stream of Megillah Cycle, which premiered February 21. The first part aired the previous Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Burstyn directed Megillah Cycle and performed three of its roles. The show is his adaptation of Itzik Manger’s famed Megile-Lider (Poems of the Megillah), a book published in Warsaw in 1936 as a playfully anachronistic version of the Book of Esther and the traditional Purim-shpil. Burstyn's connection to this material is long and deep, having begun his career as a child actor in the famed Burstein family of Yiddish singers and actors who staged the original Megillah of Itzik Manger, a Yiddish-language musical that became an overnight sensation in Israel in the 1960s, and eventually came to Broadway. From that success Burstyn went on to stardom in Israeli film and TV/film/theater internationally in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and other languages, as well as being a singer with a great many recordings to his credit, also in English, Yiddish, Hebrew and other languages. For more info on Mike Burstyn, visit: https://www.mikeburstyn.com Besides Burstyn, the cast of Megillah Cycle features Shane Baker (Tevye Served Raw), Yidlife Crisis performers Eli Batalion (Stage Fright) and Jamie Elman (California Dreamin’), Avi Hoffman (Too Jewish?), Daniel Kahn (Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish), Lia Koenig (Shtisel), Noah Mitchel (My Favorite Year), Eleanor Reissa (Those Were the Days), Joshua Reuben (Shakespeare in Yiddish), Allen Lewis Rickman (A Serious Man), Yelena Shmulenson (Orange Is the New Black), and Suzanne Toren (From Door to Door). The streamed production of Megillah Cycle, presented in Yiddish with English-subtitled translation, also features interspersed English rhymes written by the late Joe Darion (Man of La Mancha). Original artwork is by Adam Whiteman, with music, editing and technical supervision by Uri Schreter. It was produced by Shane Baker, executive director of the Congress for Jewish Culture. For more information and to view the stream, visit CongressforJewishCulture.org. Participating in the interview are historian Prof. Sholem Beinfeld and Yiddish scholar Dovid Braun, along with regular host Mark David. Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Other music: Soundtrack excerpts from Megillah Cycle, composed by Uri Schreter, featuring Abigale Reisman on violin Mike Burstyn:Fastrigoses Elegye, from The Megillah of Itzik Manger (Israeli cast album) Mike Burstyn: Flits Feygele, from The Megillah of Itzik Manger (Israeli cast album) Cast:Gevald, from The Megillah of Itzik Manger (Israeli cast album) Mike Burstyn and Cast: Di Goldene Pave, from The Megillah of Itzik Manger (Israeli cast album) Lillian Lux: Fastrigoses Mame, from The Megillah of Itzik Manger (Israeli cast album) Air date: March 3, 2021

אַ פֿריילעכן פּורים! Interview (part 1) with Mike Burstyn, discussing the recently released stream of Megillah Cycle, which premiered February 21. The second part will be airing the following Wednesday, March 3, 2021. Burstyn directed Megillah Cycle and performed three of its roles. The show is his adaptation of Itzik Manger’s famed Megile-Lider (Poems of the Megillah), a book published in Warsaw in 1936 as a playfully anachronistic version of the Book of Esther and the traditional Purim-shpil. Burstyn's connection to this material is long and deep, having begun his career as a child actor in the famed Burstein family of Yiddish singers and actors who staged the original Megillah of Itzik Manger, a Yiddish-language musical that became an overnight sensation in Israel in the 1960s, and eventually came to Broadway. From that success Burstyn went on to stardom in Israeli film and TV/film/theater internationally in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and other languages, as well as being a singer with a great many recordings to his credit, also in English, Yiddish, Hebrew and other languages. For more info on Mike Burstyn, visit: https://www.mikeburstyn.com Besides Burstyn, the cast of Megillah Cycle features Shane Baker (Tevye Served Raw), Yidlife Crisis performers Eli Batalion (Stage Fright) and Jamie Elman (California Dreamin’), Avi Hoffman (Too Jewish?), Daniel Kahn (Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish), Lia Koenig (Shtisel), Noah Mitchel (My Favorite Year), Eleanor Reissa (Those Were the Days), Joshua Reuben (Shakespeare in Yiddish), Allen Lewis Rickman (A Serious Man), Yelena Shmulenson (Orange Is the New Black), and Suzanne Toren (From Door to Door). The streamed production of Megillah Cycle, presented in Yiddish with English-subtitled translation, also features interspersed English rhymes written by the late Joe Darion (Man of La Mancha). Original artwork is by Adam Whiteman, with music, editing and technical supervision by Uri Schreter. It was produced by Shane Baker, executive director of the Congress for Jewish Culture. For more information and to view the stream, visit CongressforJewishCulture.org. Participating in the interview are historian Prof. Sholem Beinfeld and Yiddish scholar Dovid Braun, along with regular host Mark David. Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Other music (excerpts): Soundtrack excerpts from Megillah Cycle, composed by Uri Schreter, featuring Abigale Reisman on violin Cast: Excerpt of Dos Lid Funem Loyfer, from The Megillah of Itzik Manger (Israeli cast album) Air date: February 24, 2021

A discussion between Forverts editor Rukhl Schaechter and historian Prof. Sholem Beinfeld on the topic of the powerful role of the woman in the Eastern European shtetl. Schaechter argues women in Jewish traditional life are often stereotyped as passive and invisible particularly in the public sphere, while they were in fact highly respected and relied upon within the family, and, because they were often the primary breadwinners, they wielded financial power as well. She notes the matrilineal character of traditional Jewish society and that Ashkenazi Jewish last names are often based on matriarchal first names. This program is part of the Dr. Thomas Zand Forward Event Series. Music Shoshana Ron:Kum Leibke Tantzn (lyrics by Mordkhe Gebirtig) Chava Alberstein: Rabeynu Tam (lyrics by Itzik Manger) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: February 17, 2021

Tonight's show is an interview with Sasha Lurje and Zisl Slepovitch, who discuss the Songs From Testimonies project, which collects and records songs and poems discovered in the testimonies of the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University. The songs are sung in a variety of languages, including Yiddish, Polish, and French, from both the prewar period as well as from the ghettos and camps during the war. All were found among individual testimonies recorded by survivors for the Fortunoff Archive. The Archive's musician-in-residence, Zisl Slepovitch, took the songs, conducted research about their origins, and then arranged and recorded versions with his ensemble, featuring singer Sasha Lurje. The project has resulted in two albums, Where Is Our Homeland? Songs From Testimonies in the Fortunoff Video Archive, Vol. 1, released in 2019, and שרײַ, הערצעלע, שרײַ! Cry, My Heart, Cry!, Songs from Testimonies, Volume 2, which was just released in 2021 for streaming and download and is soon to be available on CD and vinyl. This past week, on Jan 27, Slepovitch and Lurje streamed live to debut and introduce the most recently recorded songs, along with video recordings of the musicians performing, COVID-style in video boxes. The live-stream replay is available now on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/101650124837284/videos/530750214557627/ For additional information and to hear the music from the Songs From Testimonies project, visit: https://fortunoff.library.yale.edu/education/songs-from-testimonies/ Zisl Slepovitch, producer and artistic director of the recordings, arranged all the tracks and also contributed as composer, lyrics translator, additional vocalist, and musical instrumentalist on most of the tracks. A native of Minsk, Belarus, he is a musicologist (Ph.D., Belarusian State Academy of Music); a multi-instrumental klezmer, classical, and improvisational musician; a composer and poet; and a music and Yiddish educator. He is a founding member of the critically acclaimed bands Litvakus, Minsker Kapelye, and Zisl Slepovitch Trio. Additional info at his web site: http://dmitrislepovitch.com Sasha Lurje, the main vocalist of the recordings, is an internationally renowned Yiddish singer, born in Riga, Latvia, and now based in Berlin, Germany. She is the featured singer of several Yiddish music bands and projects, including Forshpil, Litvakus, STRANGELOVESONGS with Daniel Kahn, Semer Ensemble, and You Shouldn’t Know from It. Additional info at her web site: https://sashalurje.com Music: Zisl Slepovitch Ensemble featuring Sasha Lurje: In Dinaverke Lily M. (Fortunoff interviewee/survivor): In Dinaverke Liubov K. (Fortunoff interviewee/survivor): In Dem Kleinem Dorf Von Smiltschenz Zisl Slepovitch Ensemble feat. Sasha Lurje: In Dem Kleinem Dorf Von Smiltschenz Zisl Slepovitch Ensemble feat. Sasha Lurje: Walc François Zisl Slepovitch Ensemble feat. Sasha Lurje: W Pociągu Jest Tłok Peretz H. (Fortunoff interviewee/survivor): W Pociągu Jest Tłok Zisl Slepovitch Ensemble feat. Sasha Lurje: Shtubuneltsto Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Je...

Professor Ellie (Elke) Kellman of Brandeis University discusses her research on the radical Yiddish press in the America of the late 19th and early 20th century. Ellie Kellman researches and writes about modern Yiddish literature and literary history, specializing in the history of the Yiddish periodical press and publishing industry. Her book-in-progress is entitled Reading the New Country: Abraham Cahan and the Invention of American Jewish Popular Culture. She is Associate Professor of Yiddish at Brandeis University, where she teaches Yiddish language and literature and modern Jewish literature. The interview is conducted by Sholem Beinfeld, a regular contributor to The Yiddish Voice, co-Editor in Chief of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor of History, Emeritus, Washington University, St. Louis. Our friend and cohost Dovid Braun provided an announcement after the interview, namely, the following links to the Ellie Kellman lecture of July 13, 2020, for the Uriel Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research and Bard College. Prof. Ellen Kellman: Abraham Cahan's Early Experiments in Yiddish Journalism / אַב. קאַהנס ערשטע ליטעראַרישע עקספּערימענטן https://yivo.org/YCLS2020-Kellman https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KhAJY3wSPFA To observe International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we played three recordings of Holocaust survivors from the Yiddish Voice archives: Rochel Zicherman, a survivor originally from a small village in Carpathian Ruthenia in Czechoslovakia, who survived Auschwitz (recorded in 2019); Dovid Lenga, a survivor originally from Lodz, Poland, who survived the Lodz Ghetto as well as Auschwitz (recorded in 2020); and Anna Monka ע״ה, a survivor originally from Lida, Poland, a former Bielski partisan, who sings the partisan song Zog Nit Keymol (recorded 2009) Music: Music: Di Shvue, anthem of the Bund, performed by a youth choir led by Zalmen Mlotek Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: January 27, 2021

On this day of President Trump's second impeachment (Jan 13 2021), following last week's historic 2021 storming of the United States Capitol, we discussed DC Meshugas (Washington craziness), with Sholem Beinfeld, co-host of The Yiddish Voice, co-chief-editor of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor Emeritus, Washington U. in St. Louis; Dr. Zackary (Sholem) Berger, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, an active primary care doctor in the Baltimore area, author of Talking to Your Doctor: A Patient's Guide to Communication in the Exam Room and Beyond, as well as a Yiddish writer, poet, and translator; Yosef Rappaport, @YosefRapaport on Twitter and commentator for hotline broadcaster Kol Mevaser (http://Yiddish24.com); and Hy Wolfe, actor, singer, and director of the Hebrew Actors Foundation and CYCO Books Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: January 13, 2021

Roundtable discussion of current events, including the American and Israeli elections, COVID-19, and antisemetism in Eastern Europe. Participating in the discussion are Professor Dovid Katz, a Vilna-based Yiddish scholar and activist in the field of Holocaust history and human rights; Avremi Zaks, radio journalist and host of Israel's weekly Yiddish radio show Kan Yiddish; and Sholem Beinfeld, a regular contributor to the Yiddish Voice, co-Editor in Chief of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary, and Professor of History, Emeritus, Washington University, St. Louis. A shorter version of this interview was originally aired on the Yiddish Voice radio show aired December 23 2020 in episode 224 of The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast with title "Katz, Zaks, Beinfeld: Current Events Roundtable". The first 43 min. 6 sec. are the same as in the originally aired radio show/podcast. There follows an additional 2 min. 18 sec. about COVID-19 impact in the Chareidi communities, followed by the final originally aired segment, followed by 18 min. 43 sec. of the previously unaired end of the interview, mostly expanding on the theme of antisemitism in Eastern Europe, with a few minutes of wrapping up the whole interview at the end.