The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast

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.

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. Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air date: December 23, 2020

Interview with Miriam Udel, editor and translator of Honey on the Page: A Treasury of Yiddish Children's Literature (NYU Press, October 2020). Additional info from publisher: https://nyupress.org/9781479874132/honey-on-the-page/ Miriam Udel is associate professor of Yiddish language, literature, and culture at Emory University, where she studies the Jewish encounter with modernity. She holds an AB in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University, as well as a PhD in Comparative Literature from the same institution. For more information visit her web site: http://miriamudel.com Udel was interviewed by regular Yiddish Voice contributor Lillian ("Leah") Shporer-Leavitt, who prepared by reading the English translation as well as the Yiddish original from scans of old books. Leavitt is an experienced Yiddish teacher and translator, and is currently offering Yiddish language classes on "Zoom" at Boston Workers Circle (https://www.circleboston.org/yiddishclasses). From our archive: for Hanukkah: Miriam Libenson gives a tribute to Ben Gailing (http://www.yiddishvoice.com/gailing/), reading excerpts from his book Git A Shmeykhl. Originally recorded and aired in 1993 on Di Yidishe Sho (WBRS 100.1 FM/Waltham, MA). Music: Sidor Belarsky: Oy Ir Kleyne Likhtelekh Jacob Barkin: Chanuko oy Chanuko Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: December 2, 2020

Khanedank / Thanksgivukkah 2013! Special rebroadcast! We rebroadcast/restreamed our 2013 special live broadcast from Weds Nov 27 2013, which that year occurred on the eve of both the USA Thanksgiving holiday and the first day of Hanukkah. Here's part of our press press release for that show: "Erev Thanksgivukkah" Live! Wednesday Night on the Yiddish Voice WUNR 1600-AM/Boston 11/27/13 7:30 PM Internationally renowned Yiddish music master Hankus Netsky joins several musical friends live in-studio on "The Yiddish Voice" (WUNR 1600-AM, Boston) on Wednesday, November 27, 2013, at 7:30 PM, to celebrate "Erev Thanksgivukkah", the eve of both Thanksgiving and the first day of Hanukkah, an extremely rare occurrence in Jewish and American calendars. Hanukkah music, as well as music giving thanks for America, will be played live. Dr. Hankus Netsky, chair of the Contemporary Improvisation Department at the New England Conservatory, founder and director of the Klezmer Conservatory Band, and musical director, producer and arranger for "Eternal Echoes," Itzhak Perlman's acclaimed Jewish music project, featuring cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot. He has composed extensively for film, theater, and television, and has also collaborated on projects with such artists as Robin Williams, Joel Grey, and Theodore Bikel. Besides Netsky, additional anticipated musical guests include Henry Carrey, Linda Gritz, and Dina Ressler. Henry Carrey is a veteran Yiddish actor and singer, as well as the son of Leah Carrey, known on the Yiddish stage as Leyke Post, the late longtime Boston Jewish radio celebrity. Linda Gritz is a founding member of the Boston Workmen's Circle Yiddish Chorus, and leads monthly Yiddish singalongs in Brookline. Dobe (Dena) Ressler is bandleader, cofounder, and clarinetist of Di Bostoner Klezmorim (yiddishmusic.com). Air Date: November 25, 2020

This week's Yiddish Voice presents an interview with Eleanor Reissa, narrator of Those Who Were There, a new podcast from Yale University’s Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies. Survivors and witnesses of the Holocaust are the subjects of the podcast, which just released its second season featuring witness interviews conducted by New York's Museum of Jewish Heritage. Eleanor Reissa is a singer, actress, director, and writer, on both the English and Yiddish stages. In the interview Reissa discusses not only the podcast and her role in it, but also her own connection to the Holocaust as the daughter of Holocaust survivors, as well as a look back and an update on her work as an actress and singer. Eleanor Reissa's website: http://www.eleanorreissa.com/ For more information on THOSE WHO WERE THERE: VOICES FROM THE HOLOCAUST, visit thosewhowerethere.org or visit Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/those-who-were-there-voices-from-the-holocaust/id1479564642 Music: Eleanor Reissa: Zol Zayn Eleanor Reissa: Der Nayer Sher Eleanor Reissa: Yidl Mitn Fidl Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: November 18, 2020

Luzer Twersky, actor in Yiddish and American Theatre and Film (on Twitter as @Twersky). Twersky grew up speaking Yiddish in a Chassidic home in Boro Park but left that life behind as a young adult, cutting most ties with his family and community. He now works as an actor in film, television, and theater, performing both in Yiddish- and English-speaking roles. Twersky appears as one of the three subjects of the recent documentary One of Us, recently released on Netflix, which chronicles his and two others' break from Chassidic life. Recently, he performed on the Yiddish stage in New York in the role of Sam Feinschreiber in Awake and Sing! (Yiddish title: Vakh Oyf Un Zing), which was presented by the New Yiddish Rep theater company at New York's 14th Street Y in Union Square. A shorter version of this interview was originally aired on the Yiddish Voice radio show aired October 28 2020 and in episode 218 of The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast with title "2020 Election Discussed by Holocaust Survivors et al". The first 11 min. 1 sec. are the same as in the originally aired radio show/podcast. The remainder is new, previously unreleased audio.

Jake Turx, senior Whitehouse correspondent for Ami Magazine (on Twitter as @JakeTurx) A shorter version of this interview was originally aired on the Yiddish Voice radio show aired October 28 2020 and in episode 218 of The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast with title "2020 Election Discussed by Holocaust Survivors et al". The first 11 min. 17 sec. are the same as in the originally aired radio show/podcast. The remainder is new, previously unreleased audio.

Holocaust survivors and several others discuss the 2020 United States presidential election. Guests include: Bronia Brandman, a survivor originally from Jaworzno, Poland, not far from Auschwitz (Oświęcim); David Lenga, a survivor originally from Lodz, Poland; Carol Stulberg, a child of survivors and Senior Advisor for Leadership Giving at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; Jake Turx, senior Whitehouse correspondent for Ami Magazine (on Twitter as @JakeTurx); Luzer Twersky, actor in Yiddish and American Theatre and Film (on Twitter as @Twersky); and Sholem Beinfeld, cohost of The Yiddish Voice and Professor of History (Emeritus) at Washington University (St. Louis) as well as Co-Chief Editor of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary. The Yiddish Voice (Dos Yidishe Kol / דאָס ייִדישע קול), Boston's weekly Yiddish-language radio show, is heard in the Boston area every Wednesday on WUNR 1600 AM from 7:30 to 8:30 PM (Eastern) and live-streamed on the Internet at www.yiddishvoice.com. Air date: October 28, 2020 PSSST: Like our show? Want to show your love? Here's how: rate and review The Yiddish Voice on Apple Podcasts. Thank you!

In this time Chol Hamoed, between Succos and Shemini Atseres/Simchas Torah, we hear and remember three late great participants in the Yiddish Voice: Rav Myer Loketch z'l: on Succos, from our archive, originally recorded and aired in 2006 Hasia Segal z'l and Iosif Lakhman z'l: Rosh Hashonah greetings from our archives Lovely New Year's greetings from friends, supporters, and participants in The Yiddish Voice: Tanya Lefman/American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston Eli Dovek/Israel Book Shop Cheryl Moore/Moore Family/Cheryl Ann's Bakery Max Gelerman z"l/Gelerman Family/The Butcherie Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, chair of the board of the League for Yiddish/Yidish-Lige Hy Wolfe, director of the Hebrew Actors Foundation and CYCO Books Kolya Borodulin, director of Arbeter Ring-Workers Circle Yiddish Program Sholem Beinfeld, cohost and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Dovid Braun, cohost and Director of YIVO Summer Program Motl Murstein, friend and frequent guest Leah Shporer-Leavitt, cohost and Yiddish teacher at Boston Arbeter Ring-Workers Circle Rabbi Leyzer Maimon, Young Israel of Mill Basin, Brooklyn, NY Music: Yiddisher Orchestra: Simchast Torah (instrumental) Choral Society Hasomir: Die Sukele Sidor Belarsky: Sisu V'Simchu B'Simchas Torah Sholom Katz: Moleh Rachamim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz We wish you all the best for a healthy, happy New Year. Wishing you much joy of Succos! לשנה טובֿה - אַ גוט געזונט יאָר - גמר חתימה טובֿה אַ פֿריילעכן יום-טובֿ סוכּות, שמיני עצרת און שמחת תורה Thanks to our 2020 High Holiday sponsors! American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston Workers Circle https://www.circle.org/ Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ League for Yiddish http://www.leagueforyiddish.org/ Hebrew Actors Foundation http://hebrewactorsfoundation.org/ CYCO Books https://www.facebook.com/groups/307415619354386 Air Date: October 7, 2020

Highlights: Israeli Yiddish radio host Avremi Zaks's interview with Sholem Beinfeld continues and concludes. From our archive, from the 1990's, Miriam Libenson talks all about Succos and Simchas Torah, reads an article about Succos by Ben Gailing, sings the song A Sukele, and is briefly interviewed about Succos, sharing somewhat mixed feelings she'd had as a child. Lovely New Year's greetings from friends, supporters, and participants in The Yiddish Voice: Tanya Lefman/American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston Eli Dovek/Israel Book Shop Cheryl Moore/Moore Family/Cheryl Ann's Bakery Max Gelerman z"l/Gelerman Family/The Butcherie Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, chair of the board of the League for Yiddish/Yidish-Lige Hy Wolfe, director of the Hebrew Actors Foundation and CYCO Books Kolya Borodulin, director of Arbeter Ring-Workers Circle Yiddish Program Sholem Beinfeld, cohost and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Dovid Braun, cohost and Director of YIVO Summer Program Music: Leibele Waldman: Der Nyer Yohr Yiddisher Orchestra: Simchast Torah (instrumental) Malavsky Family: Zachor and Tefilas Geshem Suki Berry, et al: A Sukele Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz We wish you all the best for a healthy, happy New Year. Wishing you much joy of Succos! לשנה טובֿה - אַ גוט געזונט יאָר - גמר חתימה טובֿה אַ פֿריילעכן סוכּות Thanks to our 2020 High Holiday sponsors! American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors (AAJHS) of Greater Boston Workers Circle https://www.circle.org/ Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ League for Yiddish http://www.leagueforyiddish.org/ Hebrew Actors Foundation http://hebrewactorsfoundation.org/ CYCO Books https://www.facebook.com/groups/307415619354386 Air Date: September 30, 2020

Rosh Hashona and Yom Kipur, the Jewish new year holidays, as well as COVID-19, are a constant theme throughout this show, which features two terrific interviews, along with greetings and announcements by sponsors, friends, and participants in The Yiddish Voice. Highlights: Interview with Kolya Borodulin, director of Workers Circle/Arbeter Ring Yiddish programming, now registering for Fall 2020 classes, all available via interactive audio/video over the Internet! Info: https://circle.org/what-we-do/yiddish-language/ Interview (continued from last week) with Avremi Zaks, presenter for the Yiddish-language radio program of Kan, the Israeli public broadcasting corporation, interviewed by Sholem Beinfeld, regular contributor to the Yiddish Voice. For Israeli Yiddish radio program announcements, visit the "Yiddish Radio" page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/181106619326190/ Gitu Cycowicz, a Holocaust survivor originally from Chust, Czechoslovakia, and now an Israeli, gives an extended greeting from her home in Jerusalem Lovely New Year's greetings from friends, supporters, and collaborators: Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, chair of the board of the League for Yiddish/Yidish-Lige Hy Wolfe, director of the Hebrew Actors Foundation and CYCO Books Tanya Lefman/Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston Eli Dovek/Israel Book Shop Max Gelerman z"l/Gelerman Family/The Butcherie Cheryl Moore/Moore Family/Cheryl Ann's Bakery Kolya Borodulin, director of Arbeter Ring-Workers Circle Yiddish Program Rabbi Leyzer Maimon, Young Israel of Mill Basin, Brooklyn, NY Leah Shporer-Leavitt, cohost and Yiddish teacher at Boston Arbeter Ring-Workers Circle Sholem Beinfeld, cohost and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Dovid Braun, cohost and Director of YIVO Summer Program Music: Leybele Waldman: Der Nayer Yor Goldie Malavsky: Zochreinu L'Chayim Josef Rosenblatt: Kol Nidre Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz We wish you all the best for a healthy, happy New Year. לשנה טובֿה - אַ גוט געזונט יאָר - גמר חתימה טובֿה Thanks to our 2020 High Holiday sponsors! Workers Circle https://www.circle.org/ Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ League for Yiddish http://www.leagueforyiddish.org/ Hebrew Actors Foundation <a href="http://hebrewactorsfoundation.org/" r...

Rosh Hashona, the Jewish new year, as well as COVID-19 are a constant theme throughout this show, which features two terrific interviews along with greetings and announcements by sponsors, friends, and participants in The Yiddish Voice. Highlights: Interview with Rabbi Simon Jacobson, founder of the Meaningful Life Center (https://www.meaningfullife.com/) and publisher of Algemeiner Journal, both an English-language Jewish news website (https://www.algemeiner.com/) and a Yiddish-English weekly newspaper. Interview with Avremi Zaks, presenter for the Yiddish-language radio program of Kan, the Israeli public broadcasting corporation, interviewed by Sholem Beinfeld, regular contributor to the Yiddish Voice. For Israeli Yiddish radio program announcements, visit the "Yiddish Radio" page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/181106619326190/ Lovely New Year's greetings from friends, supporters, and collaborators: Tanya Lefman/Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston Eli Dovek/Israel Book Shop Max Gelerman z"l/Gelerman Family/The Butcherie Cheryl Moore/Moore Family/Cheryl Ann's Bakery Kolya Borodulin, director of Arbeter Ring-Workers Circle Yiddish Program Rabbi Leyzer Maimon, Young Israel of Mill Basin, Brooklyn, NY Leah Shporer-Leavitt, cohost and Yiddish teacher at Boston Arbeter Ring-Workers Circle Sholem Beinfeld, cohost and co-chief editor of Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary Dovid Braun, cohost and Director of YIVO Summer Program Music: Leybele Waldman: Der Nayer Yor Goldie Malavsky: Zochreinu L'Chayim Sholom Katz: Zochreinu L'Chayim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz We wish you all the best for a healthy, happy New Year. לשנה טובה - א גוט געזונט יאר Thanks to our 2020 High Holiday sponsors! Workers Circle https://www.circle.org/ Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ Air Date: September 16, 2020

Highlights: Interview with Leo (Leybl) Melamed, Chairman Emeritus of CME Group, better known by its former name The Chicago Mercantile Exchange, discussing the recent film Futures Past, made by his son, the film maker Jordan Melamed, partly documenting the end of an era in financial futures trading and partly documenting the relationship between a father and son. Further info: http://www.futurespastmovie.com/ Sholem Beinfeld continues his discussion of Yiddish proverbs collected by Ignats Bernshteyn. Miriam Libenson z"l, our beloved former colleague, with excerpts from her presentation for Rosh Hashonah/Yom Kippur from the 1990's. Professor Mordkhe Schaechter z"l, the great linguist and Yiddish expert, with excerpts from a discussion of Yiddish greetings for the High Holidays, originally recorded and aired in the 1990's. Music: Shmuel Malavsky and Family: Unesanneh Tokef (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Musaf) Theo Bikel: Di Yontevdike Teg Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz We wish you all the best for a healthy, happy New Year. לשנה טובה - א גוט געזונט יאר Thanks to our 2020 High Holiday sponsors! Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ Air Date: September 9, 2020

In the first part of our show, hear Dovid Braun talk about the amazing 2020 YIVO Yiddish Summer Program, interviewed by Sholem Beinfeld. And in the last part of the show, hear Sholem Beinfeld read and interpret selections from the book יידישע שפּריכווערטער און רעדענסארטען (Yidishe Shprikhverter un Redensartn), by Ignats Bernshteyn, originally published in Warsaw in 1908, likely the largest collection of Yiddish proverbs ever assembled. Dovid Braun is the Academic Director of the intensive U. Weinreich Summer Program in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. Sholem Beinfeld is Professor of History (Emeritus) at Washington University (St. Louis) as well as Co-Chief Editor of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary. Music: Leibele Waldman: Der Nyer Yohr Theo Bikel: Di Yontevdike Teg Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz We wish you all the best for a healthy, happy New Year. לשנה טובה - א גוט געזונט יאר Thanks to our 2020 High Holiday sponsors! Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ Air Date: September 2, 2020

We wish you all the best for a healthy, happy New Year. לשנה טובֿה - אַ גוט געזונט יאָר Hear a roundtable discussion of three 2020 Yiddish summer programs and how they've managed with the COVID-19 circumstances. Our particpants: Hy Wolfe / חיים וואָלף - we're delighted to welcome Hy on board as guest co-host of this week's show! Hy Wolfe is an actor, head of the Hebrew Actors Union Foundation, head of CYCO Yiddish Book Center, multi-decade participant in Yidish-Vokh [New York] Miriam Trinh / מרים טרין - head of Yidish Ort, Yiddish teacher at both Yidish-YO and YIVO 2020 summer programs, Yiddish lit and language teacher at Hebrew U., editor of Afn Shvel [Jerusalem] Andreas Schmitges / אַנשיל שמיטקעס - Curator and Board member of Yiddish Summer Weimar (and of Other Music Academy) [Weimar] Diana Matut / דינע מאַטוט - one of the Yiddish teachers of Yiddish Summer Weimar [Weimar] Meena-Lifshe Viswanath / מינע ליפֿשע ווישוואַנאַט - Treasurer of Yugntruf, lifelong attendee of Yidish-Vokh, an active particpant in the planning of Yidish-Vokh in her role as member of Yugntruf's board [Maryland] Music: Leibele Waldman: Der Nyer Yohr Theo Bikel: Di Yontevdike Teg Shmuel Malavsky and Family: Unesanneh Tokef (Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur Musaf) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Thanks to our 2020 High Holiday sponsors! Israel Book Shop https://www.israelbookshop.com/ The Butcherie https://www.butcherie.com/ Cheryl Ann's Bakery http://cherylannsbakery.com/ Air Date: August 26, 2020

This show recalls the tragic events in the USSR of August 12, 1952. Popularly known as "Night of the Murdered Poets", the event itself, as well as associated themes -- such as Yiddish language and culture in the Soviet Union, Soviet Bloc, and in leftist circles -- is being remembered on this special broadcast by two distinguished guests, Gennady Estraikh and Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh. The so-called Night of the Murdered Yiddish Poets took place on August 12, 1952, when thirteen leading Jewish political, cultural, and intellectual figures of the Soviet Union, among them five highly distinguished Yiddish writers, were executed in the Lubyanka Prison in Moscow, after having been arrested, imprisoned, and falsely accused of espionage and treason, part of a broad anti-Jewish campaign in the postwar USSR. Gennady Estraikh is the Rauch Clinical Professor of Yiddish Studies at New York University, where he teaches and writes about Yiddish intellectual history. He is the former managing editor of Sovetish Heymland and writes regularly for the Yiddish Forward (Forverts). He has been the author or editor of numerous scholarly works. His books include Yiddish in the Cold War (Routledge, 2008); Uncovering the Hidden: The Works and Life of Der Nister (Routledge, 2014); and his latest Transatlantic Russian Jewishness: Ideological Voyages of the Yiddish Daily Forverts in the First Half of the Twentieth Century (Academic Studies Press, 2020). He spoke to us from his summer residence in Oxford, England, via Zoom. Jana Mazurkiewicz Meisarosh is the founder and CEO of YAAANA (yaaana.org), and a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Michigan. She is working on her dissertation on Yiddish Theater in Communist Warsaw. Originally from Poland, Jana holds a Master of Arts degree in Polish Philology and Jewish Studies from the University of Wrocław. She spoke to us via Zoom from her home in San Diego. Sholem Beinfeld, regular contributer to the Yiddish Voice, joins as co-host to lead the interview and provide additional commentary. He is Professor of History (Emeritus) at Washington University (St. Louis) as well as Co-Chief Editor of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary. He spoke via Zoom from his home in Cambridge. Music: Emil Gorovets: In Vinter Farnakhtn, words by Dovid Hofshteyn, music by Emil Gorovets, musical arrangement and piano accompaniment by Zalmen Mlotek Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: August 12, 2020

Meet Diana Cohen (a/k/a Dina Godiner). She is the first cousin of a famous journalist, the late Daniel Schorr. She's also the first cousin of a not-so-famous violinist, the late Semyon Godiner. In 2008, Diana and Daniel had not met nor heard of their cousin, who grew up in the former Soviet Union and was now living in Israel. The Yiddish Voice got them together! How? Well, to find out, listen to that amazing story, told by Dina, and find out more about her interesting life. You'll also hear some of Semyon's voice and music, as well as an excerpt from Daniel Schorr's historic journalistic coup: interviewing Nikita Khrushchev! To hear even more from Dina (in English), here's her Wexler oral history video: https://www.yiddishbookcenter.org/collections/oral-histories/interviews/woh-fi-0000320/diana-cohen-2012 #Beyle100: Dovid Braun and Shane Baker discuss their connections, as two of the dozens of participants, to the upcoming international online concert Beyle 100, celebrating a century of the Yiddish songs, poetry, and artistic vision of the late Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman, Sunday Aug 9, 2020 at 1:30pm (New York time). For info, and to register to watch it live on Zoom, go here: yivo.org/beyle100 Music: Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman: Zumerteg, words and music by Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman, musical arrangement by Binyumen Schaechter, violin accompaniment by Alicia Svigals, guitar accompaniment by Meyshke Alpert Janet Leuchter and Meyshke Alpert: Harbstlid, words and music by Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman, musical arrangement and piano accompaniment by Binyumen Schaechter Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: August 5, 2020

Rav Moshe Kesselman is the rabbi of Congregation Shaarei Tefila in Los Angeles. He talks about Tisha B'Ov, the Jewish day of fasting and communal mourning that begins the same evening (July 29) as this show goes out on the radio. He was interviewed via Zoom the day before the show from his home in Los Angeles. The late Anita Garlick was interviewed at her home in Brookline, MA, in September 2019. She later passed away in March of 2020. Born in 1924 and raised in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, NY, she raised her family in the town of Monticello, NY, in the Catskill Mountains, where her husband was a funeral director and the mayor. In the interview she recalled, among other things, her and her family's encounter with the famous Woodstock Music Festival of 1969, 50 years earlier, and how it had surprised, fascinated, and nearly overwhelmed her small town and the surrounding region. An extensive obituary is online here: https://josephngarlickfuneralhome.com/tribute/details/1621/Anita-Garlick/obituary.html The late Larry Lester was interviewed at his home in Los Angeles in April 2019. He later passed away in January 2020. In the interview he talks about various phases of his long and interesting life. Born in 1928 in Iršava, Czechoslovakia (now Irshava, Ukraine), he survived the Holocaust, including Auschwitz, as a teenager, but lost his parents and most siblings. He came to America in 1946 to join a surviving brother, served two years in the US Army, and eventually settled in Los Angeles, where he got married, had children, and established Lester Carpet, a successful area business still run by his family. His obituary from the LA Times is online here: https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/latimes/obituary.aspx?n=larry-lester&amp;pid=195138541 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: July 29, 2020

This is Miriam Libenson's 1995 talk for Tisha B'Ov. This is a supplementary bonus podcast of the Yiddish Voice. This was originally recorded for and aired on the Yiddish Voice (ייִדיש קול) on Aug 2 1995. Miriam Libenson (מרים ליבנזון ז״ל) was born in Aniksht, Lithuania, in the early 1910's. She moved to Palestine in the 1930's, and moved to the US after the war, settling in Boston. She was a Jewish studies and Hebrew language teacher in the Boston area for over forty years. Her poetry in Yiddish was published in such publications as the Tog Morgen Dzhurnal and the journal of the Pioneer Women (Na'Amat). She was a regular contributor to the Yiddish Voice and its predecessor, the Yiddish Hour (ייִדישע שעה) throughout the 1990s. She moved back to Israel around 2000 and died there in 2004.

This week's Yiddish Voice presents an interview, in Yiddish, with the creator of the recently published Yiddish translation of the first of theHarry Potter book series, Arun ("Arele") Viswanath (אַרעלע ווישוואַנאַט). Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is the wildly popular first novel in the Harry Potter series, written by British author J. K. Rowling. The book was first published in 1997. The Yiddish edition, with the title הערי פּאָטער און דער פֿילאָסאָפֿישער שטיין (Harry Potter un der filosofisher shteyn), was published by Olniansky Tekst in 2020 and immediately sold out its first print run. A second printing has since sold out as well. A third printing is planned but delayed due to COVID-19. The publisher web site for information and future purchases is here: https://harrypotter.olniansky.com Arun “Arele” Schaechter Viswanath is the grandson of the prominent Yiddish linguist and professor Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, in a Yiddish- and Tamil-speaking home. He has stated that his desire to translate Harry Potter grew from a strong feeling that a translation of such a popular children’s novel into Yiddish would be a boon and a resource for Yiddish students and teachers, Yiddish-speaking children and parents, and the Yiddish world more broadly. Arun lived for a time in the Boston area as a Harvard undergrad majoring in linguistics, and he now resides in New York and works in high tech as an operations strategist and data analyst. Viswanath was interviewed by regular Yiddish Voice contributor Lillian ("Leah") Shporer-Leavitt, who prepared by reading the entire Yiddish translation, having already read every Harry Potter book in the series with her children. Leavitt, a daughter of Shoah survivors, grew up speaking Yiddish and graduated from the Boston Workmen's Circle Yiddish Shule. A former computer business analyst and software trainer, she is an experienced Yiddish teacher and translator, having taught at the Workmen's Circle, Gann Academy of Greater Boston, Boston University Hillel, and Brandeis University. In addition, she has subtitled Yiddish films for the National Center for Jewish Film and translated Yizkor (memorial) books for the Jewish Genealogical Society. Excerpts of Harry Potter in Yiddish! (and English) In addition to short readings by Arele Viswanath during the interview, the show presented excerpts of his longer reading of the entire first chapter of this book. The full recording has been produced and made available by the League for Yiddish (ייִד׳יש-ליגע), who received the blessing and permission of author JK Rowling's organization as well as the publisher Olniansky Tekst. The recording is the first in the new League for Yiddish series of audio recordings called געהערט אַ מעשׂה / Have you heard. Our thanks to Arele and the League for Yiddish for letting us use these excerpts on our show. We also played a brief excerpt of Daniel Radcliffe's recent reading the original English version of the same text, available on web here: https://www.wizardingworld.com/chapters/reading-the-boy-who-lived Music: Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone movie soundtrack (short excerpts), composed and conducted by John Williams Intro instrumental music: ...

Thanks to tonight's wonderful guests! They were all recorded on Wed Apr 29 2020, during the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, during the day of Yom Haatzmaut in USA and Motzei (night after) Yom Haatzmaut in Israel. יום העצמאות בשעת דער מגפֿה Yom Haatzmaut Amid COVID-19: Esti (Jahr) Shnek - a Holocaust survivor living in Haifa, originally from Jasina, Czechoslovakia. In the interview Esti recounts that around this day 75 years ago she was in a subcamp of Dachau, and a few days later was finally liberated on May 1, 1945 by American soldiers. Miriam Trinh - the new Editor of "Afn Shvel", the journal of the League for Yiddish, teacher of Yiddish through numerous institutions, including Hebrew University in Jerusalem, and founder and director of "YO - Yiddish-Ort", the new Yiddish cultural organization in Israel, which is preparing to teach an international Yiddish summer course through Zoom this summer of 2020. Michoel Felsenbaum - editor of the Yiddish literary journal Yidishland, cohost of the national Israeli Yiddish radio broadcast, and writer, including for the Yiddish Forverts. See also: Facebook public group page for "ישׂראלדיק ראַדיאָ אױף ייִדיש - רדיו ישראלי ביידיש - Israeli radio in Yiddish - Израильское радио на идиш" - https://www.facebook.com/groups/181106619326190/ See also Yidishland subscriptions through Olniansky: http://olniansky.com/store/yidishland-subscription/ Historian, and regular Yiddish Voice cohost, Sholem Beinfeld interviewed Felsenbaum and Trinh. Music: Barry Sisters: Exodus Dovid Esheth: Yerusholayim, Shtot fun Gold (music Naomi Shemer, origin Hebrew lyrics Naomi Shemer, Yiddish translation Dovid Esheth) Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz Air Date: April 29, 2020

To mark this year's Yom HaShoah and the 75th anniversary since liberation we hear from two survivors: Zoli Langer, who lives in Los Angeles, was born in 1927 in Minai, a village near the small town of Užhorod, Czechoslovakia, (now Ukraine). He, his parents, and 5 siblings were deported to Auschwitz in the spring of 1944. He was the only one to survive. He describes his life before and during the war and ultimately his liberation in April 1945, 75 years ago this month. Recorded November, 2019. Rokhl Zicherman lives in Los Angeles and is an Auschwitz survivor from Carpathian Czechoslovakia. She loves to sing with her two sisters who don't live very close, but they often talk by phone. Here she sings In Auschwitzer Lager, describing a fate common to many the many teenagers from this region who were deported to Auschwitz in 1944: being separated from their mothers who were killed at Auschwitz, often due to holding on to younger children of theirs. She also sings a Holocaust 'Dem Milners Trern', a Holocaust version of the song Dem Milner's Trern, written by Mark Varshavski around the turn of the 20th century. Recorded in January 2019. Originally aired May 1, 2019. Music: Shimon Yisraeli: Zog Nit Keyn Mol (lyrics: Hirsch Glick) Rokhl Zicherman: In Auschwitzer Lager, Holocaust 'Dem Milners Trern' (Singer is a Carpathian Auschwitz survivor. This is a Yiddish Voice exclusive recording.) Emma Lazaroff Schaver and Chorus: Zog Nit Keyn Mol (lyrics: Shmerke Kaczerginski) 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 22, 2020

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/ Friends and Sponsors of the Show Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath wishes a happy Pesach and tells of the wonderful work being done by League for Yiddish http://leagueforyiddish.org/, including their new online English-Yiddish dictionary https://englishyiddishdictionary.com (recorded Apr 7 2020) Hy Wolfe gives us an "ear-witness" account of the daily 7 PM cheering for the health workers from NYC apartment and then, half to the tune of Dayenu, promos our show and wishes the listeners a happy Pesach on behalf of CYCO Books http://www.cycobooks.org/ and Hebrew Actors' Foundation http://hebrewactorsfoundation.org; see also http://www.hywolfe.com (recorded Apr 7 2020) Yiddish Voice Participants - Regular Contributors, Cohosts, Writers Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Boston (recorded Apr 1 2020) Sholem Beinfeld, Boston (recorded Apr 1 2020) Dovid Braun, New York (recorded Apr 1 2020) Holocaust Survivors Izzy Arbeiter, Boston, for AAJHS of Greater Boston http://www.generationsafterboston.org/ (recorded Mar 30 2020) Note: Virtual Yom HaShoah Remembrance and Reflection - Sunday, April 19th, 2020 at 2pm - Registration by April 17th is required. Go to http://jcrcboston.org to register by Apr 17 2020. Motl Murstein, Boston (recorded Mar 25 2020) Gitu Cycowicz, Jerusalem (recorded Apr 1 2020) David (Dovid) Lenga, Los Angeles (recorded Apr 7 2020) In Memoriam: Khasye Segal ז״ל (recordings from 2006) Iosif Lakhman ז״ל (recording from 2010) Music: For Pesach: Malavsky Family: Fir Kashes - Peysakh Pripetshik Singers: Mu Asapru Barry Sisters: Passover Medley Moyshe Oisher: Kiddush for Pesach and Dayenu For Yom HaShoah: Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman: Mayn Khaverte Mintsye Khane Cooper: Shtiler, Shtiler Cantor Sholom Katz: Kel Moleh Rachamim Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz