Mendele: Yiddish literature and language ____________________________________________________
Contents of Vol. 21.002 July 12, 2010 1) heirs of Yiddish poets sought (Michal Arieli) 2) "halb yokish, halb fayvish" (Beyrl Kabak) 3) shitere finger (Khane-Faygl Turtletaub) 4) shitere finger (Zulema Seligsohn) 5) "Shver tsu zayn a yid" (Hershl Hartman) 6) "Shver tsu zayn a yid" (Hershl Hartman) 7) Abbreviation giml''pey (Lena Watson) 1)---------------------------------------------------- Subject: heirs of Yiddish poets sought Date: June 30 Hello, I've been working on an anthology of Kinderlider, Yiddish poems for children translated for the first time into Hebrew. Among the poets, there are some whose heirs I could not find in order to ask their permission to publish the poems. Therefore, I would like to ask whether someone in the Mendele discussion group knows any of the poets who lived in USA and died there. *Leyb Berkovich* (1897-1957) Children's poet, as well as his wife, *Lea Kapilowitz Hofman* (d. 1952). *Shmuel Yokir Londinsky* (1889-1956). He wrote the famous song "Gegangen iz a yingele" and *Abraham Reisen *(d. 1953) If you know something about their children or where I could find such information, I'd be happy to hear about it. Many thanks, Michal Arieli 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: June 19 Subject: "halb yokish, halb fayvish" shalom aleykhem. efsher kent ir mir derklern dem taytsh fun "halb yokish, halb fayvish." Fun vanen kumt es? a sheynem dank Beryl Kabak 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 20 June Subject: shitere finger The person who possess "shitere finger" is someone who cannot save or hold on to money, a spendthrift. The money runs right through his/her fingers. Khane-Faygl Turtletaub 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: June 19 Subject: shitere finger In reply to Jane Peppler's question, it means exactly that the person's money runs through his fingers. No sense of being a crook is attached to the idiom. Zulema Seligsohn 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 20 June Subject: "Shver tsu zayn a yid" I am forwarding the following inquiry in hopes that Mendelyaner may be of help. Sholem Aleykhem's play was also known as "Der blutiker shpas" and was last performed in the U.S., I believe, by the Yiddish Theater Ensemble in 1945-6 at New York's Barbizon Plaza (see Leksikon fun yidishn teyater, Vol. 6, cols. 5877-5879). (I had a non-speaking role, but that's a whole 'nother story.) Hershl Hartman Here's the inquiry: From: Jacky Altalef-Tenenbaum <[email protected]> Date: June 18, 2011 4:16:50 PM EDT Subject: It's hard to be a Jew script Hello, my name is Jackeline Tenenbaum and I'm a teacher at the Jewish school in Guatemala City. I would love to do a theatrical adaptation of "It's hard to be a Jew" with my students but I have been unable to find the script. Can you advice me on where to find it? Hope to hear from you soon. Thank you very much in advance. Yours truly, Jackeline 6)---------------------------------------------------- Date: June 22 Subject: "Shver tsu zayn a yid" Since sending the following inquiry two days ago (6/20/2011), I've been informed of a Folksbiene production in 1983 (NY Times review, 11/9/83: http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9D02EFD71439F93AA357 52C1A965948260>http://theater.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9D02EF D71439F93AA35752C1A965948260) The inquirer has been referred to the Folksbiene. Interestingly, one of the members of the Yiddish Theater Ensemble, Jacob Gostinsky, with whom I performed as a callow youth, is also listed as an actor in the 1983 production. Hershl Hartman 7)---------------------------------------------------- Date: June 20 Subject: Abbreviation giml''pey I often translate hand-written Yiddish letters from private family archives and frequently come across the abbreviation giml''pey that usually follows any mention of family, particularly children. It's clearly a blessing, but does anyone know what these letters actually stand for? I assume it's something like "Got farhit," but this is nothing more than a guess. Many thanks, Lena Watson ______________________________________________________ End of Mendele Vol. 21.002 Please do not use the "reply" key when writing to Mendele. Instead, direct your mail as follows: Material for postings to Mendele Yiddish literature and language, i.e. inquiries and comments of a non-commercial or publicity nature: [email protected] Material for Mendele Personal Notices & Announcements, i.e. announcements of events, commercial publications, requests to which responses should be sent exclusively to the request's author, etc., always in plain text (no HTML or the like) to: [email protected] (in the subject line write Mendele Personal) IMPORTANT: Please include your full name as you would like it to appear in your posting. No posting will appear without its author's name. 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