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THE IAYC KLUB KORNER
This column will meet the needs of the
expanding Yiddish Club Program of the International Association of Yiddish
Clubs (IAYC). Below is a list of Informational Help Sheets being prepared—
we’ll report on their availability. Do you wish an additional topic?
1. How Can I Start A Yiddish Club?
2. Why Should We Join The IAYC?
3. Where Do I Get Yiddish Films?
4. Where Can We Purchase Yiddish Materials?
5. Ideas For Club Programming.
6. What Publications Should We Get
7. To What Organizations Should We Belong?
8. What Yiddish Dictionaries Are Available?
9. What Is The YIVO Standard “Transliteration”
10. Where
Can We Get “Transliterated” Skits?
11. Where Can We Find A Yiddish Translator?
12. Where Can We Find A Yiddish Teacher?
13. Where Can We Find The Words To A Song?
14. Where Can We Find A Klezmer Group?
15. Where Can We Get A Good Speaker?
16. Where Can We Go For A Yiddish Conference?
17. Where are The Yiddish Elderhostels?
18. Where Are Yiddish College Courses?
19.
Where Can We Find Yiddish Pen-Pals?
20. What Are Good Beginners Yiddish Books?
21. Where Can We Find Lists of Yiddish Words?
22. What Materials Are Available For The Blind?
23. What Yiddish Sites Are On The Internet?
25. Ideas For Learning The Hebrew Alphabet
26. Ideas For Using The Yiddish Dictionary
27. One-Hundred Simple Yiddish Words
Coming Soon:
24. What Yiddish
Software Is Available?
Contact any IAYC Officer or Director:
Paul
Melrood: President, WI •
Dr. Motl Rosenbush: Vice President: MD • Lenora
Zimmerman:
Secretary, IL • Jerry Gerger: Treasurer,
MI/FL
• Oscar Antel: Winnipeg,
Canada
• Dr.
Allan Blair:
OH • Cookie Blattmen:
FL • Morrie Feller:
AZ • Prof. Rafoyel
Finkel:
KY •Troim Handler: NJ/FL
• • Philip “Fishl” Kutner:
CA • Cantor Hale
Porter: CA • Helen
Smolkin: Toronto, Canada • Dr.
Barney Zumoff: NY
No.
1: How Can I Start A Yiddish Club?
Immediate Action
• Set a meeting time and date--suitable to YOU.
• Get out the publicity in your synagogue, templeJCC / newsletter.
• Get out the publicity in your local newspapers.
• Use your local free radio announcements.
• Get friends/family to make calls— this is best of all. Here
is a possible script. “Hello, I want to wish you and your mishpokhe
a Healthy New Year (or the nearest holiday/festival). The reason I call
is to ask you if you are interested in Yiddish.” If the answer
is yes, tell them of the meeting. If they can't make it, ask them what
times they are available. If they say not interested, ask if they know
anyone who might be-and follow-up. Be sure you say to the follow-up
that so and so thought that you might be interested in Yiddish. If
they say no, ask for other names.
• Start a file of names. Keep them on separate 3X5 cards AND on the
computer.
• Go online and check out my web site and go to the wonderful Yiddish
links.
Things to Do After You Are Organized.
• Join the International Association of Yiddish clubs (IAYC).
• List your meetings free in Der Bay’s Kalendar
and on the website.
Order the
newsletter, Der Bay.
• Put on a program for the temple/synagogue's men's club, sisterhood,
Hebrew School, or a general meeting.
• Have speakers.
• Have Klezmer
entertainment.
• Have the members tell of their background, experiences, etc.
• Sign up free for Der
Bay’s Pen Pal program.
• Have members join or subscribe to a different Yiddish publication
or organization. Then report on an article, and start a lending library.
• Read skits and short stories, poems, etc. in Yiddish—in transliteration,
if necessary.
• Have a sing-along
• Show Yiddish films.
• Start a Yiddish class.
• Attend Yiddish conferences,
festivals, etc.
No.
2: Why Should We Join The IAYC?
By Bess Shockett, Toronto, ONT CANADA
Excerpt from IAYC Mission/Vision Statement
•To access all groups—leyenkrayzn,
shmooz-grupes, shtudir, choral, choirs, clubs, all classes kindergarten--post
secondary to adult, to make them aware of their rich heritage.
•To become a clearinghouse for educational and program materials.
•To encourage and initiate research of existing or new material be
it educational, music, art or literature and make it available to the
clubs.
•To encourage new writers by giving them a forum in our newsletters
or local papers that have a Yiddish column.
•To encourage the formation of new Yiddish groups wherever possible,
be they large or small.
•To keep in touch with other Yiddish groups through; e-mail, web
site, telephone, postal mail & newsletters.
•To encourage groups to issue newsletters even if only once or twice
a year.
•To lobby Holocaust committees to include Yiddish in their memorial
programs.
•To encourage younger people to take classes, wherever available,
or form them.
•To those who are already learning the language, encourage them to
explore their Ashkenazic roots through history, music and literature— the
history and literature in translation, if necessary.
•To lobby Jewish schools to include Yiddish classes in their curriculum.
•To lobby universities to include Yiddish in their Jewish Studies
Program.
•To unite Yiddish, and give it a strong international voice. The
IAYC conferences have been a source of interaction for groups, from
meeting like-minded people to hearing and meeting the best resource people, be
they writers, scholars, teachers, musicians, actors singers, or organizers.
•To arrange inter-city touring groups, speakers, singers, theatre
groups etc., through existing newsletters/electronic media.
•To have Yiddish benefit from such alliances.
If your interest is in keeping Yiddish alive and growing, join us in our
effort to march forward in a united effort.
No. 3: Where Do I Get Yiddish Films?
Yiddish films are an excellent and
inexpensive way to have a different type of program. We no longer need
to have a 16 millimeter film projector with all the problems it entailed.
The problem of skipping sprockets and needing to know how to loop the
film has now been simplified by using videos. These are easily played
on a TV set and a VCR. Your first step is to call for the catalogs. They
usually have a short description of the films.
The leader in resurrecting the old films is
The
National Center for Jewish Film at:
Brandeis University Lown 102,
Waltham, MA 02254-9110,
Tel 617-899-7044
Fax 617-736-2070
E-mail NCJF@logos.cc.brandeis.edu
You can pick up their excellent web site from Der Bay's site of Yiddish
Links. Their web site contains a description of each film and there is
also a calendar of events.
Mark
Davids web site is full of all kinds of Yiddish material in addition
to videos. Mark has a Yiddish radio show and is moderator of the technical
UYIP list. He also is linked at Der Bay's web site, or can be reached
by phone at US Toll Free Tel: 1-800-943-9925
International: +1-617-730-8484.
The Workmen's Circle in New York lists a dozen classics and 2 newer ones
which are novel—Shvitz (A Yiddish Workout) and No Shmaltz (A Yiddish
Cooking Video). Their out-of-town phone number is 1-800-922-2558
Ergo
Media 668 American Legion Drive, PO Box 2037 Teaneck, NJ 07666-1437
has a web site.
Their toll-free number is 800-695-3f746
Members of CAJE can get "A Jewish Educational Video Catalog",
prepared by Media Center, Board of Jewish Education, New York.
Local Bureaus of Jewish Education have Yiddish videos. These can be rented
for a small fee. If you have a large club, you may wish to purchase a
few of the "oldies, but goodies." Another possibility is to
start your own lending library of Yiddish videos, and that would be an
added benefit for local club membership.
As far as preparing to show a video, remember to tell the members who
have a limited Yiddish vocabulary, that we have subtitles to permit them
to enjoy the films. An introduction/explanation should start the program.
Later have a discussion and note unknown words/phrases.
Below are recommended films.
• Dybbuk - Star Avrom Marevsky
• Yidl Mitn Fidl - Star Molly Picon
• A Brivale der Mamen - With Lucy Gehrman
• Green Fields - star Herschel Bernardi
• Tevye the Milkman - Star Maurice Schwartz
• The Singing Blacksmith - Star Moishe Oysher
• Two Sisters - Starring Jennie Goldstein
• Vu iz mayn kind? - Star Celia Adler
• The Cantor's Son - Star Moishe Oysher
No.
4: Where Can I Purchase Yiddish Materials?
Last month's article covered Yiddish films and videos. This month we center
in on Yiddish magazines, newspapers, books, booklets, journals, and newsletters.
First, try to get as many free catalogs as possible. I don't believe one
should have to pay for a catalog to buy merchandise. Most of them will
have a description of the item. This will help you make choices.
Second, look for 800/888 area code numbers that are free phone calls.
Even better is to go online and see the listings. Give credit card numbers
only to vendors who are well-established or that are recommended sites.
Most of all, shop around for the best prices. Some vendors give discounts
for member-ship. Visit Der Bay's web site at: fishl@derbay.org
Since Der Bay has never taken an ad, every item mentioned in the newsletter
or online has been recommended impartially by at least one of our readers.
At the site go to YIDDISH LINKS. If you have a bad experience with any
site, let us know. We do not receive any funds from these sites other
than for receiving Der Bay.
It has been mentioned before in Der Bay that each club might wish to start
a lending library. If each member joins or subscribes to different organizations,
then reports can be given and then start circulating.
If you are not computer literate, here is a list of publishers, organizations
and suppliers. If you have any additional ones that you can recommend,
let us know. To this list should be added some wonderful Khasidik outlets.
In addition we need to add your favorite Judaica and bookstores.
• Biblothèque Medem: 52 rue René-Boulanger, 75010 Paris,
France
• CYCO/Congress for Jewish Culture: 25 E. 21st St, New York City
10010
• Der Algemeiner Journal: 211 63rd St., Brklyn, NY 11220
• Der Onheyb: 7601 Byron Ave., Mimi Beach FL 33141
• Der Yid: 13 Hooper St., Brooklyn, NY 11211
• Der Yidisher Tam-Tam: B.P. 3256, Cedex 03 75122 Paris, France
• Forverts: 45 E. 33rd St. NY, NY 10016
• Hatikvah: 436 N Fairfax Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90036
• Heshbon: 8339 West Third St., Los Angeles, CA 90048
• Kadimah: 7 Selwyn St., Elsternwick, 3135, Victoria, Australia
• Ktav Publ. Co.: 900 Jefferson, Hoboken, NJ 07030
• League for Yiddish: 45 E. 33rd St.
Rm. 203, NY, NY 10016
• Lebns Fragn: 48 Kalisher St., Tel Aviv, Israel
• Naye Vegn: Beys-Leivick, 30 Dov Hoz St., Tel Aviv 63416 Israel
• NYBC: 1021 West St., Amherst, MA 01002
• Schocken Books: 201 E. 50th St., NY, NY 10022
• Solomon's: 445-7 N. Fairfax, Los Angeles, CA 90036
• Workmen's Circle: 45 E. 33rd St. NY, NY 10016
• World Council for Yiddish Culture: POB 11676 Tel Aviv, 61116 Israel
• Yid. Voice Store: PO Box 313, Brookline, MA 02446
• YIVO: 15 West 16th St., NY, NY 10011
• YKUF: 1133 Broadway, Rm 820, NY, NY 10010
• Yugntruf: 45 E. 33rd St.
Rm. 203, NY, NY 10016
No. 5: Ideas for Club Programming
Because groups range from serious reading, writing, or performing groups
through informal "entertain me" or "shmoozing sessions,"
not all suggestions will apply. Often we overlook programming resources
in certain areas. One system of dividing resources is by origin.
Internal—Within the Club—A major mistake is to have the leader
be responsible for all programming. This is both tiring and eventually
becomes boring. First, survey your group to learn what their abilities/
interests, (especially musical and acting). Second, you can easily ascertain
their Yiddish speaking ability, but how well can they read (if at all),
and write Yiddish. Third ask them to list Yiddish publications they receive
and if they have Yiddish books at home. Fourth, determine if they have
any relatives who occasionally visit who might be the source of programming.
Communal—Local Resources—Depending upon the size of your
city/town and location, there is a large variation in Yiddish availabilities.
One of the best areas is the college/university, for the number of Jewish
teachers and students is usually higher than the average in the general
population. Another resource is the Bureau of Jewish Education. Its name
may vary by community, but it is a resource for Hebrew school teachers.
While they generally are not very interested in Yiddish they often, as
in San Francisco, have films available. Local startup Klezmer groups are
looking for publicity and will play for a reduced rate at non-peak times.
This also goes for storytellers and comedians. After your club has become
well-established you should put on a money-making event and hire the great
local talent.
External—Traveling Resources— These tend to be the most
expensive and most difficult to schedule. However, they usually are the
most talented and draw the largest crowds. The key here is name-recognition.
Prices range from $50 to thousands of dollars. They range from a little-known
individual, to a Klezmer group, to an acting theater. Out-of-town resources
can have the costs greatly reduced by having multiple performances in
an area or nearby locations. An example of such planning is the West Coast
tour. It includes San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland, Seattle
and Vancouver. There also are several excellent stops in-between such
as those in the San Fernando Valley, and the Los Angeles suburbs. This
type of tour is very popular on the East Coast and in Florida during the
winter season.
Negotiating Fees—It has already been mentioned that there are times
when presenters are interested in getting publicity or in fostering Yiddish
and will not charge. If this is the person or group's livelihood then
it's another matter. One method I use is the guarantee. This permits the
presenter/s to earn a minimum with the possibility of much higher than
usual fee. For example, an author might place an income value on a book
at say ten dollars. If the guarantee is $100, then any number of books
not sold up to ten books is covered by the club. If the number is over
ten, then it is the author's profit. This can be done with tickets sold
to a concert or a play.
No.
6: What Publications Should Our Club Get
The maximum number of publications that any club can acquire will depend
on the number of members and their financial ability to pay. Some clubs
charge dues and use the money for speakers, refreshments, room rental,
mailings and belonging to organizations like the IAYC.
We shall discuss organizations in a future issue and their publications.
Therefore, we shall omit these organizations in this column, such as,
NATIONAL YIDDISH BOOKCENTER, YIVO, WORKMEN'S CIRCLE, YUGNTRUF, and the
LEAGUE for YIDDISH.
Because most groups are heterogeneous and have members covering the entire
spectrum of Yiddish knowledge, we should endeavor to have material that
is all in Yiddish and ones which contain some or mostly the language of
the country—English, etc.
Most run from chai to double chai. These can be purchased by individual
members, and a report can then be given on articles, or the club can purchase
them and assign readers to report on interesting items.
Among the all-Yiddish newspapers, is the secular Forverts; 45 East 33rd
St., NY, NY 10016—also the Ultra-Orthodox—Der Yid, at 13 Hooper
St., Brooklyn, NY 11211 (718-797-3900) and Algemeiner Zhurnal, at 211
63rd St. Brooklyn, NY 11120 (718-492-6420)
All-Yiddish journals include, Heshbon, Moshe Shklar, 469 N. Orlando Ln.,
Los Angleles, CA 90048.
• Der Onheib, Noah Chaim Lewin, (Oct-May) 231 174th St. #1120, Miami,
FL 33160-3318, (June-Sept) 10212 65th Ave. Apt. C62, Flushing, NY 11375.
There are several excellent Club newsletters that have great news and
ideas for other clubs. The ones to consider first is Yiddish of Greater
Washington which recently changed the newsletter name to:
• Tsum Punkt—To the Point. It has an excellent Yiddish section.
Y.G.W. 6125 Montrose Rd. Rockville, MD 20852. Also excellent from the
Friends of Yiddish of Toronto and which has had a very popular column
entitled Kokh-lefl, is:
• Dos Bletl, c/o Marvin and Eda Zimler-Schiff, 640 Roselawn Ave #600,
Toronto, ONT M5N 1K9, CANADA.
Two other club newsletters which are rising fast are from Boulder, Colorado
and Houston, Texas.
While it is an organization and not a club, this next one in the Los Angeles
area, is superior for it covers more than just the Los Angeles area:
• Yiddishkayt LA, 3780 Wilshire Blvd. #910, Los Angeles, Ca 90010
For overseas reading from Israel, we recommend
• Lebns Fragn, 48 Kalisher Str., Tel Aviv 65165, Israel
and a definite must is the French,
• AEDCY, Der Yidisher Tam Tam, B.P. 3256, 75122 Paris CEDEX 03, FRANCE
Related publications, in English,
• Jewish Currents, 22 E. 17th St. Suite 601, New York, NY 10003-1919
• The Voice of Piotrkow Survivors, Ben Giladi, 135-30 82nd Ave.,
Kew Gardens, NY 11435
The key thing to remember is not only that these publications are acquired—but
more important—is that they are utilized to their fullest and are
circulated among the members of your group.
No. 7: To Which Organizations
To Which Organizations Should
Our Yiddish Club Belong?
This is the seventh in a series of 27 monthly columns that are being written
to aid Yiddish clubs. The series can be used to help organize a new group,
or help stimulate existing ones. Last month we covered To What Publications
Should Our Club Subscribe? It did not include publications from the organizations
included in this article.
We all gain by supporting these following organizations, for each has
a different area of interest and adds a unique dimension in supporting
Yiddish. It is essential that we maintain a vibrant interest in our greater
Yiddish community if we are to foster its survival.
Your editor consistently recommended that it is very important that your
club receives more different publications than to have all the members
join only one or a few groups. Each organization has wonderful resource
materials, and these help to diversify your interest and background. Below
is a starting list with addresses.
• YIVO is the premier Yiddish organization in the world. It is the
primary repository of Yiddish archival material. YIVO has new headquarters
at, 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011.
• National Yiddish Book Center has the largest membership, and is
the major group collecting Yiddish books that might otherwise be discarded.
It is located at 1021 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002, and can be called
at 1-800-535-3595. Their calendar of events can be found at Der Bay's
web site
• Yugntruf (Youth for Yiddish) headquarters is at 45 East 33rd St.
Rm 203, New York, NY. Tel. 212- 889-0381; Email: yugntruf@yugntruf.org.
It publishes the Yugntruf Journal.
• League for
Yiddish, has the same address
as Yugntruf. Dr. Sheva Zucker is one of the world's foremost
Yiddishists and very helpful,
Tel. 212-889-0380; E-mail: info@leagueforyiddish,org. The League also
publishes Afn Shvel
• Congress for Jewish Culture publishes Zukunft, and is located at
25 East 21st St., 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10010. Their phone number is
212-505-8305
• Yiddishe Kultur Farband, Inc. is at 1133 Broadway, Rm 820, New
York, NY 10010 has the Yidishe Kultur.
• Workmen's Circle/Arbeter-Ring is the only major fraternal organization
fostering Yiddish. It is in the same building as the Forverts and has an excellent
bookstore. Their location is at 45 East 33rd Street, New York, NY 10016. The
Workmen's Circle Tel. is 800-922-2558 if you are calling from out of the area.
The key thing to remember is not only that these publications are acquired—but
more important—is that they are utilized to the fullest and are circulated
among the members of your group. Also remember that the events put on
by these organizations are found on the New York page of Der Bay's web
site—with the exception of the National Yiddish Book Center for which
there is a separate page.
All the above are American, others are in Canada, Israel, Australia, France,
and former Soviet Union.
No.
8: Available Yiddish Dictionaries
Next month's article in this series will be how the dictionary can be
the basis around which excellent meetings can revolve.
Having a Yiddish dictionary available at meetings can settle differences
and can be the basis of several interesting programs. Der Bay's web site
has over two-dozen lists of words in transliteration including over 400
verbs Eng-Yid and Yid-Eng.
A complete list of dictionaries, most out of print, is found at Iosif
Vaisman's Virtual Shtetl web site. A link is found at Der Bay's site under
Yiddish links. Iosif is the moderator of Mendele, the premiere Yiddish
list.
Those Available for sale can be purchased from Mark David, Workmen's Circle,
National Yiddish Book Center, and many Judaica stores.
Yiddish and English Dictionaries
• Harkavy, Alexander. English-Yiddish dictionary, Yidish-English
verterbukh / NY, Hebrew Pub. Co., 1910
• Abelson, Paul. English-Yiddish encyclopedic dictionary, New York:
The Jewish Press Publ. Co., 1915
• Harkavy, Alexander. Yidish-English-Hebreisher verterbukh / New
York: Hebrew Pub. Co., 1959 (4th ed.)
• Kogos, Fred. A dictionary of Yiddish slang & idioms / Secaucus,
NJ : Citadel Press, 1967
• Bergman, Aaron. Yidish-English, English Yidish verterbukh far shul
un heym / NY: Kinderbukh, 1968
• Weinreich, Uriel. Modern English-Yiddish, Yiddish-English dictionary
/ New York : Shocken Books and Yivo Institute for Jewish Research, 1968
• Sheheen, Dennis. A child's picture dictionary / New York : Adama
Books, 1985
• Galvin, Herman & Tamarkin, S., The Yiddish Dictionary Sourcebook
: a Transliterated Guide to the Yiddish Language, Hoboken, N.J.; Ktav,
1986 ISBN 0-87068-715-8
• Coldoff, Harry. A Yiddish dictionary in transliteration Toronto
: Proclaim, 1988 ISBN 0-919415-03-2
• Schaechter, Mordkhe. English-Yiddish dictionary of academic terminology/
New York : Yiddish Language Resource Center, The League for Yiddish, 1988
• Harduf, David, Mendel. English-Yiddish, Yiddish-English dictionary
/Willowdale, Ontario : D. M. Harduf, 1993 (corrected edition)
• Gross, David C. English-Yiddish, Yiddish-English dictionary, romanized.
/ NY: Hippocrene Books, 1995
• Sheheen, Dennis, A Child's Picture Dictionary English/Yiddish,
NY, Adama Books, 1985 ISBN 0-915361
Yiddish and Hebrew Dictionaries
• Jacobson, Steven A. A guide to the more common Hebraic words in
Yiddish/ Fairbanks, Alaska: S.A. Jacobson, 1995
• Niborski, Yitzhak, Verterbukh fun loshn-koydesh shtamike verter
in yidish, Paris, France, Medem bibliotek, 1997 ISBN 2-9511372-0-6
• Wolf, Moshe, Hebrew and Aramaic Words in the Yiddish Language,
Portland Oregon, World Jewish Congress, 1998
No. 9 Using Yiddish Dictionaries in Programs
Last month's article in this series contained a list of Yiddish dictionaries.
Now we shall show ways that they can be used to enrich our meetings and
make them even more enjoyable. Whether your group is just for shmoozing
or it is a serious leyenkrayz (reading circle) or shraybkrayz (writing
circle) at least one Yiddish dictionary should be on hand at each meeting.
The most important reason for learning any alphabet in its accepted series
is to be able to catalog any item. One could learn the letters of the
alphabet, without knowing the accepted sequence. We use the accepted sequence
to list items in a universally accepted order.
HINT: In any dictionary the words across the top show the first
and last words on a page. Use these words to locate the page your word
is on rather than going up/down columns. This will speed up the word search.
HINT: Read explanations of Guidelines, Symbols, Abbreviations,
etc. that are given to help you further understand the words.
HINT: In learning the alphabet, there are several patterns that
will help you locate the words. The lamed, mem, nun are in the middle
of the alphabet as are their L, M, N counterparts in the Roman Alphabet.
HINT: There are sets of sequential letters that sound alike—pey-fey,
khes-tes, kof-khof, shin-sin, and tof-sof.
HINT: Know the half dozen letters that are found only in words
of Hebrew origin.
HINT: More words start with aleph than any other letter.
HINT: Learn the common prefixes and suffixes.
HINT: The YIVO standard orthography is the most widely accepted
method of spelling Yiddish words.
• One of the best programs is "What is the Yiddish Word for…"
This can be altered so that you give the Yiddish word and ask for a synonym
or meaning.
• Spelling Bees can be done in Yiddish (using the yidish oysyes)
or using transliteration, using our Roman alphabet.
• Themes periodically can be selected using the
lists on Der Bay's web site or in Coldoff's Dictionary. You
can have sessions based on various areas, such as:
Animals, Colors, Family Relationships, Flowers, Foods, Fruits, Geography,
Music
Occupations, Parts of the Body, Plants, Short Common Words, Sound the
Same Y-E
Spelled the Same Y-E, Time, Vegetables, Verbs, Weather
No. 10 Where Can We
Get Transliterated Skits?
Der Bay has published a series
of comical bible scenes. These were written by Edward Goldman of Bayonne,
NJ. Subscribers may receive several copies free by sending a self addressed
stamped envelope to the editor at 1128 Tanglewood Way, San Mateo, CA 94403
Why God Made Adam Nov '92
Why God Made Eve Dec '92
Why Snake Crawls on His Belly Jan '93
Why Cain Has a Sign on His Forehead Feb '93
Why Lot's Wife Became a Pillar of Salt Mar '93
Why God Called Abram "Abraham" Apr '93
Why God Made a Rainbow May '93
Why All People Don't Speak the Mame-loshn J-A '93
Why Isaac Blessed Jacob Instead of Esau Oct' '93
Why Jacob Became Old Before His Time Nov '93
Why King Ahashverus Hanged Haman Instead of Mordechay Feb '94
Why Moses and the Jews Wandered 40 Years and 1 Minute in the Dessert Mar
'94
Why Jonah Hid in the Belly of a Whale Apr '94
Why They Called Samson a Sissy May '94
Why Mona Lisa is Smiling June '94
No.
11 Where Can We
Find A Yiddish Translator?
Der Bay maintains an international
database of translators. It is essential that you have a clear understanding
with the translator as to exactly what you wish and the format in
which the final product is to be submitted. For a list of translators
and caveats click on translators on the home page. If you are a translator
and wish to be listed, submit your name and informatin to the webmaster.
No.
12 Where Can We
Find A Yiddish Teacher?
Der Bay maintains an international
database of Yiddish Teachers. There is no central certifying agency for
Yiddish teacher certification. At this point anyone who is or has ever
taught Yiddish is listed as a Yiddish teacher. Your editor estimates
that there are less than 500 people in the U.S. who either are currently
teaching or have ever taught a Yiddish class. Check the home page for
the presenter list. If you do not find a teacher in your desired location,
contact Fishl
and he will check his database.
No.
13 Where Can We
Find The Words To A Song?
The three Mlotek songbooks contain
250 songs with the music and words in Yiddish, English and transliteration
using the YIVO standard. On the Der Bay homepage is
a link to all 250 songs with their titles, first lines, the book
they are in and the page number.
No.
14 Where Can We
Find A Klezmer Group?
Der Bay maintains
a database of over 160 klezmer groups. They may be
accessed from the homepage. The finest website for klezmer information
and groups is by Ari Davidow. His URL is listed in Yiddish links.
No.
15 Where Can We
Get A Good Speaker?
Der Bay maintains a database of Yiddish
presenters. They may be accessed from the homepage. The ideal situation
is for a speaker to have several presentations in a given locale so as
to cut down expenses and maximize income. If you are able to work with
other clubs, temples, JCCs, or colleges, it could cut the cost for the
speaker.
No.
16 Where Can We
Go For A Yiddish Conference?
Out International
Association of Yiddish Clubs (IAYC) confernces are the premiere
meetings for Yiddish clubs. The next one will be held at the
Marriott Cleveland East Hotel in Cleveland, Ohio August 3-6, 2007.
For the Eleventh Conference the theme chosen is, A Flourish of
Yiddish Culture. The choice of programs, speakers, entertainers
and venfors reads is sure to please beginners as well as our fluent
speakers. Information and registration can be accessed from the
homepage.
No.
17 Where are The
Yiddish Elderhostels?
The traditional Elderhostel programs
can be located easily by searching the Elderhostel database by inserting
the word YIDDISH.
However, there are many more options. These include the Lifelong Learning
Institutes (LLIs)
affiliated with the Elderhostel Institute Network (EIN).
They are mainly for locals at their local colleges.
No.
18 Where Are Yiddish College Courses?
There are a
few colleges
that have a regular program of Yiddish courses; however, there is a variation
from semester to semester with colleges instituting and dropping both
courses and programs. In some colleges it is part of the Germanic Studies
Department.
No.
19 Where Can We
Find Yiddish Pen-Pals?
Der Bay maintains
a briv fraynd database of over 400 from all over the world. These
pen pals are self-rated and write either in transliteration online or
using the Hebrew/Yiddish letters in hardcopy. To be listed and
receive a list of briv
fraynd see the homepage and register.
No.
20 What Are Good
Beginners Yiddish Books?
The old standby Weinreich's College
Yiddish is being used less now. Sheva
Zucker's Yiddish: An Introduction to the Language, Literature
& Culture is receiving more attention. Unlike Weinreich's book, it has
an answer key. Volume 2 has been published.
Marvin Zuckerman has a very good beginner's book also Jean Jofens
Yiddish for Beginners. A truly excellent children's book is the new, Hulyet,
kinderlekh!. there are older books like Der Onheyber by
David Bridger. In my beginners class, I use Goldin's Yiddish Teacher.
It has one major flaw--it does not use the YIVO standard transliteration.
No.
21 Where Can We Find Lists of Yiddish Words?
Der Bay has over two dozen lists of
Yiddish words in transliteration using the strict YIVO Standard. There
also is a self test with an answer sheet. See the homepage. These
lists are excellent sources for club programs.
No.
22 What Materials
Are Available For The Visually Challenged?
As a visaully impaired person your
webmaster also maintains a website and edits a newsletter for the Council
of the Blind. To read about excellent suggestions, and an extensive list
of links, go to the section for the disabled on the homepage.
No.
23 What Yiddish
Sites Are On The Internet?
Der Bay maintains a list
of over 130 selected Yiddish sites as well as a large, separate list
of most important other Jewish links. They are easily accessed with
just a click of your mouse at the homepage.
No.
24 What Yiddish
Software Is Available?
No.
25 Ideas For Learning
The Yiddish/Hebrew Alphabet
One needs to learn the alphabet in
the accepted order. While it is not necessary to know the alphabet in
the accepted order for reading purposes, it is essential to use it in
looking up items in lists as in a dictionary. While texts introduce letters
in the order of simple words as in mame, tate and bobe it is essential
that one early begins to learn the names of the letters and be able to
identify them in the accepted sequence.
Several aids make the task a little simpler.
• Series--Lamed, mem, nun are in the middle of the alphabet and
are similar to L, M, N
• Sound alikes--They occur in pairs; beys, veys; khes, tes; kof,
khof; pey, fey; shin, sin; tof, sof.
• Look alikes--This may be the most difficult task. In older
texts some of these are shown differently. First, these include
the presence or absence of a dot or bar above the letter; beys, veys;
pey, fey; shin, sin; tof, sof. Second, these include the location or presence
of a slit. Nun has no slit while giml does. The mem has a slit
on the bottoMM while the tes has the slit on the TTop (note the caps).
Third are the protrusions. The reysh is RRounded while the daled protrudes,
The zayen protrudes on both sides while the vov only on the left.
• Final letters--With the exception of the shlos mem, all the
other final letters exactly like the regular letter except that the bottom
horizontal portion has been dropped down and goes below the line as in
khof, nun, fey,tsadik.
No.
26 Ideas For Using
The Yiddish Dictionary
No. 8 above has a list of Yiddish
dictionaries. We are using Weinreich as an example. Unfortunately
it does not have a Table of Contents. It starts with
guidelines for using the dictionary. One must either learn or refer
to the lists of symbols and abbreviations.
Included are the Hebrew/Yiddish
alphabet, along with spelling, pronunciation.
grammar and a discussion on Standard Yiddish.
Some other dictionareis have lists of words on a given topic which are
very helpful.
For those who need to use the Roman alphabet a tranliterated dictionary
will be helpful.
I start my dictionary lesson with the question, "Why do we need to know
the alphabet in a specific order—as long as we know the letters
does it make a difference?"
One of the ways to speed looking up words is to use the words at the
top left and right of the page. This gives you the first and last words
on that page. Thus you can go directly to the page you want without having
to go up and down the columns of each page.
Having a dictionary at meetings
can save an arguement when there is a question or a difference
of opinion. Encourage members to get at least one dictionary.
No.
27. One-Hundred
Simple Words
Der Bay has a section for
Yiddish words using the YIVO standard with their English equivalents.
The section has 36 lists divided into categories. One of these is
the list of 100 simple words. There is also a self-test along with
the answers. It can all be found as a link from the homepage.
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