hshgu, puihHuuâ€ - YIVO Institute for Jewish Research

Star-studded and crammedwith events, exhibits and

book publishing, YIVO’s 80thanniversary is a celebration ofEast European Jewish culturalvigor, transplanted and thrivingin the United States. Its physicalsize, with more than 350,000books, primarily in one of 12major languages, and operationsspanning five floors at the Cen-ter for Jewish History in lowerManhattan, would undoubtedlyamaze the small group of ninefounders who gathered in Vilnain 1925. At the time, they lackedthe money to print and posttheir opening appeal letter.

“From the ashes of World WarII, YIVO’s American leadershave rebuilt the institute so that

it is a majorforce in international Jewish historicalstudies,” noted YIVO Executive DirectorDr. Carl Rheins. “Like the institute’sfounders, YIVO’s current leadershipunderstands the need to constantly adapt YIVO to an evolving AmericanJewish landscape.”

The most spectacular event planned isThomashefsky’s Yiddish Theater: An Eveningof Remembrances, at Carnegie Hall onThursday, April 14. Internationally

acclaimed conductor and com-poser Michael Tilson Thomaswill serve as moderator. In doingso, he personifies YIVO’s mis-sion of connecting the best of thepast, present and future of Jew-ish culture. Music Director of the San Francisco Symphonyand Artistic Director of the NewWorld Symphony, Thomas isalso the grandson of Yiddish theater legends Bessie and BorisThomashefsky.

The Carnegie Hall event fol-lows YIVO’s 80th Annual BenefitDinner, which will be held onApril 5, and the opening of theYIVO at 80: Triumphs andTreasures exhibit. The dinner,YIVO’s main annual fundraiser,attracts some of the leading per-sonalities in the Jewish cultural

spectrum. This year, it will feature Tony award-nominateddirector, singer and actress Eleanor Reissa in a special per-formance, in Yiddish and English, of Between Two Worlds.The dinner is also an occasion for YIVO to recognize thefinest creative talent in the Jewish world. Although thisyear’s nominees have not yet been announced, recent

Y I V O N E W Shshgu,puihHuu† No.199 • Winter 2005

Y I V OInstitute for Jewish Research

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Spanning Generations and Continents

YIVO Celebrates 80 Years of Survival and Growth

Chairman’s Message . . . .2Executive Director . . . . . .3YIVO Donors . . . . . . . . . . .4Development . . . . . . . . . . .5Directors, Overseers . . . .6Heritage Luncheon . . . . .7YIVO News . . . . . . . . . . .10EPYC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Exhibition . . . . . . . . . . . . .13Publications . . . . . . . . . .14Max Weinreich Center .18Collections . . . . . . . . . . . .21Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22New Accessions . . . . . .23Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28Yiddish Section . . . . .30-36

[continued on page 8]


CONTENTS

YIVO at 80 — celebrating the workof Bessie and BorisTomashefsky, with

Michael Tilson ThomasCarnegie Hall

April 14, 2005For more information

please call Ella Levineat: (212) 294-6128

Hold the Date

Conductor and composer Michael Tilson Thomas, who willserve as moderator at YIVO’s event honoring his grandpar-ents, who were Yiddish theater legends.

OPERATING ON FAITH

Eighty Years YoungExcerpted from an essay written by longtime YIVO ChiefArchivist and Senior Research Scholar Marek Web. The full article can be read on the YIVO web site at www.yivo.org.

Eighty years ago, in 1925, a group of Jewish intellectuals,some living in Vilna, some in Berlin, and some in far-

flung New York, decided to found a research institute thatwould become home for the study of the Yiddish languageand of the people for whom Yiddish was their mothertongue. At that time there were 11 million Jews in variouscountries around the globe who claimed their allegiance tothe extraterritorial “Yiddishland.”

2 YIVO News Winter 2005

From the Chairman of the Board

Taking the Long ViewYIVO NewsFounded in 1925 in Vilna, Poland, as theYiddish Scientific Institute and headquarteredin New York since 1940, YIVO is devoted to the history, society and culture of AshkenazicJewry and to the influence of that culture as itdeveloped in the Americas. Today, YIVOstands as the preeminent center for EastEuropean Jewish Studies; Yiddish language,literature and folklore; and the study of theAmerican Jewish immigrant experience.

A founding partner of the Center for JewishHistory, YIVO holds the following constituentmemberships: • American Historical Associa-tion • American Association of Professors ofYiddish • Association for Jewish Studies •Association of Jewish Libraries • Council ofArchives and Research Libraries in JewishStudies • Museums Council of New York City• Society of American Archivists and • WorldCongress of Jewish Studies.

Chairman of the Board: Bruce Slovin

Executive Director: Carl J. Rheins

Director of Development and External Affairs: Ella Levine

Director of Finance and Administration: Antonio Megino

Dean of the Library and Senior Research Librarian: Brad Sabin Hill

Chief Archivist: Fruma Mohrer

Head Librarian: Aviva Astrinsky

Associate Dean of the Max Weinreich Center/Yiddish Editor: Hershl Glasser

Editor: Elise L. F. Fischer

Production Editors:Jerry Cheslow, Michele Alperin

ContributorsJesse Aaron Cohen, Krysia Fisher, Shaindel Fogelman,Michael Glickman, Leo Greenbaum, Christine Guillory,Fern Iva Kant, Suzanne Leon, Yeshaya Metal, ChanaMlotek, Allan Nadler, Miriam-Khaye Seigel, Ellen B.Siegel, Lorin Sklamberg, Deborah Stundel and MarekWeb

15 West 16th StreetNew York, NY 10011-6301

Phone: (212) 246-6080 Fax: (212) 292-1892

www.yivo.orge-mail to Yedies: [email protected]



In issue #176 of this publica-tion (Spring 1991), there was

a review of my first year asChairman of the YIVO Board. It began, “It’s been a busy firstyear for YIVO’s new Chairman... as he faces the extraordinarychallenges confronting YIVO.”The challenges continue today— short term and long term.Meeting these challenges is justpart of how I express my pas-sion for YIVO and all it repre-sents.

We are the inheritors of a greatdream — a dream of a Jewishresearch institution that wouldencompass a great library andarchives, post-doctoral training,language studies, and majorJewish historical projects. Ourdream lives and grows. You canvisit the library and archives,attend a lecture by a YIVOscholar, study Yiddish, see anexhibition and receive assistanceon research projects large andsmall. YIVO is the storehouse ofour history and culture; we em-brace 1,000 years of AshkenaziJewish life as we also forgeahead as an American Jewishinstitute.

YIVO has come a long wayfrom its origins in Vilna, andchange has not always beeneasy. Yet, when I look back onmy early days as Chairman, Istill feel the excitement I feltwhen I first came to YIVO,because our dream is a largeand precious one.

David Remnick, Editor of theNew Yorker and a new memberof the YIVO Board of Overseers,put it this way: “Because of itsorigins, because of its deep con-nection to Jewish history andscholarship, YIVO is uniquelypositioned to expand on itssense of original purpose andbecome a home not only forscholars-in-search but also forpeople in search of the kind of

discussion andcongregationthat is, for themost part,missing fromNew YorkJewish life.”

I certainly agree.The incredible link between

our East European past andtoday was forged for me person-ally when, newly in the office ofChairman, I led a YIVO delega-tion to Moscow and Vilnius,where a large portion of YIVO’sprewar archives had been dis-covered. This trip was thebeginning of the complicatednegotiations to bring thesematerials back to our new homein New York. On the trip I rep-resented the New World; wewere there to retrieve vital YIVOcollections so necessary for afirm foundation for present andfuture activities.

As we enter our ninth decade,in our new permanent home,the books and archival treasuresthat we brought back can nowbe made available to a new gen-eration of scholars and studentsin ways that the founders ofYIVO could never have con-ceived. With The Gruss-LipperDigital Archive on Jewish Life inPoland we are taking a giant steptoward putting our collectionsonline. People from around theglobe will be able to tap into ourgreat Library and Archives.

As we embark on this journeythat will put us on the cuttingedge of Jewish scholarship, weask you to travel with us. Be apartner in this grand work bysupporting YIVO. Future gener-ations will thank you for yourforesight in bringing their her-itage into the digital age, and forhelping to ensure that the visionof YIVO's founders will still bevital and relevant biz hundert untsvansik and beyond.

Bruce Slovin

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In the last weeks of the SecondWorld War, Dr. Vannevar Bush,

the former Dean of Engineeringat M.I.T. and Director of theOffice of Scientific Researchunder President Franklin D.Roosevelt, developed a majorapproach to guide the nation’speacetime research agenda.Bush’s strategy called for a newresearch foundation that wouldprovide funding to universitiesfor basic research in the sciences.1

In his work (Science: the EndlessFrontier, Washington, D.C., 1945),Bush, who many now considerto be the “grandfather” of theInternet, argued that “publiclyand privately supported col-leges and universities andendowed research institutesmust furnish the nation both the new … information and thetrained research workers” thatpostwar America demanded.“These institutions are uniquelyqualified by tradition and bytheir specific characteristics tocarry on basic research. They arecharged with the responsibilityof conserving the knowledge ac-cumulated by the past, impart-ing that knowledge to studentsand contributing new knowl-edge of all kinds. It is chiefly inthese institutions that [academicresearchers] may work in anatmosphere which is relativelyfree from the adverse pressure of convention, prejudice or com-mercial necessity.”2

“At their best they provide the[researcher] with a strong senseof solidarity [and] a substantialdegree of intellectual freedom.All of these factors are of greatimportance in the developmentof new knowledge since muchof new knowledge is certain to

arouse opposition because of itstendency to challenge currentbeliefs.”3

Bush was concerned withestablishing a foundation toencourage world-class researchin the physical and biologicalsciences. At the same time, MaxWeinreich, YIVO’s founder andDirector of Research, was strug-gling in 1945 to create an inde-pendent research institute toserve the needs of the Jewishcommunity in the United States.

At the opening session of the19th YIVO Annual Conferencein New York City (January 5 - 7,1945), Leibush Lehrer, Chairmanof the YIVO Executive Board,declared, “YIVO’s real contri-bution lies in its planned andorganized story of every aspectof Jewish social life and heritage… the objective expression ofour spiritual possessions and asthe scientific (italics added) con-trol mechanism for public lead-ers.” In a major paper entitled“The YIVO Faces the Post-WarWorld,”4 Max Weinreich arguedthat, as a result of the murder ofsix million European Jews, theresponsibility for the survival ofthe Jewish people had devolvedupon American Jewry. To aidthe U.S. Jewish community inunderstanding its new historicrole and to utilize [this knowl-edge] “to the advantage of thegroup and of the nation as awhole,” Weinreich advocatedthat YIVO become an incubatorfor Jewish “social planning.”5

This theme of YIVO evolvinginto a major research center forthe social sciences was echoedstill further by the historianHarry J. Carman, Dean ofColumbia College and a mem-

ber of the YIVO Academic Ad-visory Council. While acknowl-edging the role of science andtechnology in the quest forpeace, Carman observed that“science and technology in andof themselves are not sufficient.We need to establish definitivesocial goals … social engineer-ing. The YIVO… should fit intothis pattern. Through its studies,YIVO… can contribute in nosmall measure to the solution of many institutional problemsthat confront American Jews.6

Carman concluded his paper by calling upon the organizedJewish community in the U.S. to assume almost total financialresponsibility for YIVO.

Faced with unparalleled de-mands to care for hundreds ofthousands of Jewish war victimsand the need to establish an in-dependent Jewish homeland inPalestine, the Jewish communi-ties in the United States andCanada could provide Wein-reich and his colleagues withonly a fraction of what theyenvisioned they would need.

During the next 55 years YIVOwould face many difficult chal-lenges, including fierce competi-tion from newly emerging uni-versity Jewish Studies programsand government-supportedHolocaust research museums.The founding of the Center forJewish History in January 2000,with YIVO as the lead partner,provides the Institute once againwith an opportunity to play amajor role in social science andhumanities research — this time,however, as the nucleus of a Na-tional Center for Jewish Historyand as the largest archive of Jew-ish memory in the United States.

From the Executive Director

YIVO’s Birth as an American Center for Jewish Research

Dr. Carl J. Rheins

1William Tash and Stephen M. Sacks, The Payoff: Evaluating Research Centers, Institutes, Laboratories and Consortia (Haverford, Pennsylvania: 2004,p.7).

2Vannevar Bush as quoted in Ibid., p.1.

3Ibid.

4Leibush Lehrer as quoted in “YIVO Conference Outlines Broad Program”, Yedies, No.7, February 1945, p.1.

5Ibid.

6Ibid.

YIVO News Winter 20054

YIVO Institute for Jewish Research DonorsWe acknowledge gifts of $1,000 and above from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2004. We also extend our grati-tude to the thousands of donors who are not listed in this issue of Yedies.

$500,000 +The Gruss-Lipper Foundation/Joanna H. Lipper

$100,000 +Atran Foundation, Inc.Conference on Jewish Material Claims AgainstGermany, Inc.

Francesca C. and Bruce SlovinMotl Zelmanowicz

Estate of Jacob Perlow

$50,000 +Smart Family FoundationCindy and David Stone

The Nash Family FoundationHelen and Jack Nash

Alice M. and Thomas J. Tisch Estate of Eda Taub

$25,000 +Evelyn BerezinEmily A. and Len BlavatnikDibner Fund, Inc.Healthy Foods of AmericaJudy and Dr. Edward L. SteinbergS. Daniel Abraham

Fanya Gottesfeld HellerAndrea and Warren GroverRuth Kremen and FamilyRuth and David A. LevineGrace and Scott Offen

Ronald O. PerelmanAnna and Martin PeretzDavid M. PolenBeatrice and Charles J. RoseDiane H. and Joseph S. Steinberg

The Robert Wood Johnson FoundationStuart Schear

The Mandell Gisnet TrustAnonymous

$10,000 +Beate and Joseph D. Becker Halina and Samson BitenskyMarina and Feliks FrenkelKindy and Emanuel J. FriedmanRuth GayElisabeth and Max GitterKatja B. Goldman and Michael Sonnenfeldt

Yvette and Larry GrallaGreystone & Co.Stephen Rosenberg

Herbert G. Feldman CharitableFoundationDorothy and David Rothbart

Eugene HerscherJesselson FoundationErica JesselsonLinda and Michael G. Jesselson

Leah and Michael KarfunkelCarol and Gershon KekstMitchell KonichowskyConstance and Harvey M. KruegerBetty and Leo MelamedVivian and Edward MerrinEsther L. MishkinJonathan I. Mishkin

Jacob J. MorowitzNew York Metropolitan Reference andResearch Library Agency

National Foundation for JewishCulture

Ray PalevskyDoris L. and Martin D. PaysonArlene and Arnold D. RichardsSalo W. and Jeannette M. BaronFoundation, Inc.Bettina L. and Russell S. Knapp

Carol and Lawrence Saper

Stanley and Ethel Glen FamilyFoundationRosina K. Abramson and Jeffrey Glen

The Herman Kaiser FoundationThe Morris and Alma Schapiro FundWachtell, Lipton, Rosen & KatzToby and Bernard W. Nussbaum

Workmen’s Circle Cultural Foundationof the Southern Region

Cathy W. and Seymour W. ZisesEstate of Alexander E. RacolinEstate of John Gordon

$5,000 +Joan and Robert H. ArnowBank of AmericaBaruch CollegeDavid Gallagher

Jack BendheimAnn and Kenneth J. BialkinLotte and Ludwig BravmannEdythe L. and Eli BroadSharon and Jeffrey W. CasdinStanley ChaisCaren and Arturo ConstantinerValerie and Charles M. DikerBernice and Donald G. DrapkinFirst NationwideGerald J. Ford

Forward Association, Inc.Gittis Family FoundationHoward Gittis

Susan and Michael B. GoldbergArlene and Morris GoldfarbDiane S. and Mark GoldmanArnold GoldsteinHSBC Bank USAJ.P. Morgan Chase & Co.Anne and William B. Harrison, Jr.

Ruth and Sidney LapidusLazard Freres & Co.Kenneth M. Jacobs

Ida (z”l) and Max LublinerCarol and Earle I. Mack

Victor MarkowiczMax and Anna Levinson FoundationAbram MerczynskiNew York State AssemblyManhattan Delegation

Harold OstroffClaudia and Nelson PeltzR.A.K. GroupRandy Kohana

Sandra and William L. RichterRebecca E. RiegerLily SafraSanders Morris & HarrisDon A. Sanders

Jay SchottensteinCarol A. StahlVera SternVinson & Elkins L.L.P.Harry M. Reasoner

Claudia and William G. WaltersFrances WeinsteinJohn WeissWest End Financial AdvisorsLouise Crandall and William Landberg

Zantker Charitable Foundation, Inc.Anonymous

$1,000 +Nira and Kenneth AbramowitzCarmela and Milton R. AckmanAdolph & Ruth SchnurmacherFoundation, Inc.

Wilma and Arthur AederAzita and Zoheir AghraviMarjorie and Norman E. AlexanderHelen V. and Sheldon M. AtlasSanford L. BatkinMartin H. BaumanGitl BialerLaura and Llyod Blankfein

Robi BlumensteinMarion and George S. BlumenthalEve and Anthony BonnerBovis Len Lease LMB, Inc.Jill L. and Melvin J. BukietMarilyn and Marshall D. ButlerMarilyn and Harry CaginCanadian Consulate GeneralGail and Gerald L. ChasinMathis ChazanovLouis CilibertiAbby and David Cohen

Joseph M. CohenKatherine and Gerald D. CohenAlice and Theodore CohnLenore CohnJames T. Conroy, Esq.Thomas E. Constance, Esq.David E.R. DangoorDavid Berg FoundationRosalee C. and Richard DavisonLaurie and Jeffrey M. DeaneLetitia and Albert P. DelacorteCharles Dimston

Alisa and Daniel L. DoctoroffSol EldmanRosalyn and Irwin EngelmanRochelle and Maks EtinginEzra Jack Keats Foundation, Inc.Bambi and Roger H. FelberbaumBenjamin P. FeldmanJoseph FeldschuhFink FoundationGella J. and Joshua A. FishmanLaura W. and Robert C. Fleder, Esq.Constance K. and Theo W. Folz

Although YIVO is turning 80 years old, we arereally 80 years young, as is evident in the ex-

citing changes here. Many of you have watchedus grow, going from strength to strength. Thechallenges to YIVO’s continued growth are many,but so are the opportunities. Therefore, we forgeahead annually to refine our programs to meet theneeds of our people in changing times. To contin-ue this challenging work, we must strengthenYIVO by teaching our children to value their her-itage and history, even as we reach out to demon-strate to the world at large the enormous contri-butions Jews have made, and continue to make, to Western civilization.

The mission of YIVO was profoundly impactedby the Holocaust. In the darkest times of death,despair and destruction, YIVO always endeavoredto implement the dreams of its founders and fol-lowers. As a child of Holocaust survivors growingup in postwar Kovno and Vilna, I was constantlyreminded of the Holocaust. My parents’ sufferingand loss deepened their resolve to rebuild and

reclaim their lives. They built anew family and a new Jewishcommunity, and expressed a strongcommitment to Israel and World Jewry.

As the torch was handed to my generation, webecame the legacy of our parents and we have theresponsibility to that legacy. To help us bolsterYIVO's preeminent role in Jewish scholarship andcommunal life, I urge you to continue your sup-port through milestone projects like the YIVO En-cyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europe. We can worktogether to reaffirm the value of 1000 years of Ash-kenazic history and culture, and to strengthen ourgreat library and archives.

Your support is crucial to ensuring a rich Jewishlife for current and future generations. Onlythrough a joint effort - our work and your finan-cial support - can we ensure that our descendantsremember their roots. Let us weave a new andenduring tapestry, ensuring our history alwaysremains connected to the present and the future.

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Development and External Affairs

Our Role and Our Vision During Times of Changeby Ella Levine, Director of Development and External Affairs

Ella Levine

$1,000 + Jean and Samuel FrankelPhil GaroonDavid GerberRhonda E. and Douglas B. GershGettry Marcus Stern & Lehrer C.P.A., P.C.

David GildinPerla and Isaac GilinskiFranklin GittesCarl GlickMargaret and Perry GoldbergEugene M. GrantMarcy and Bennett GrauPearl and Joseph GreenbergerRia and Mike GrussPaula and Jeffrey R. GuralEstelle M. GuzikEllen and Kamran HakimGeorge A. HambrechtFleur and Leonard M. HarlanHarry and Celia ZuckermanFoundation, Inc.

Robert HechtmanAnne and John A. Herrmann, Jr.Ellen and David S. HirschMartha M. and Anthony J. IanITM World Group, LLCJoseph Meyerhoff Family Charitable Funds

Nancy and Nathan KacewMatthew H. Kamens, Esq.Emile KarafiolSusan and Jerome L. KatzLinda and Ilan KaufthalPatricia and Jeffrey Kenner

Ann P. KernPearl and Ralph KierGeorge KleinSarah and Victor A. KovnerFradie and Milton KramerDeborah and Herbert KrasnowLynn and Jules B. KrollLinda and Benjamin V. LambertLeona and Meyer LaskinEileen G. and Peter M. LehrerCarol L. and Jerry W. LevinTamar and Gerald LevinRita K. and David LevyLouis Williams Foundation, Inc.Missy and Jerry LublinerAndrea and Matthew LustigVladka and Benjamin MeedIsak MerinRobert MillerMark MlotekMiriam MondryMorris J. & Betty Kaplun Foundation, Inc.

Beth Goldberg Nash and Joshua NashNathan & Helen Kohler FoundationRuth G. and Edgar J. Nathan IIIDavid NeikrugNancy and Morris W. OffitStanley A. and Susan OppenheimJoseph H. OrleyAmy M. and Joseph R. PerellaWilliam I. PetscheckIrene E. PipesAnn and Harold PlattDiane and Robert Pryt

Lewis RabinowitzJudith and Burton P. ResnickDouglas S. RobertsMarjorie and Jeffrey A. RosenPhyllis and Jack RosenNanette and George S. RosenbergJon RosenblattRuth and Arthur RosenblattLindsay A. RosenwaldAmy and Howard J. RubensteinRichard Rubin and Michelle PhilipCarol and Michael A. SchefflerJoan G. and Richard J. ScheuerMarian Scheuer and Abraham SofaerBrigitte and David SchoreFred SchwartzRobert and Nancy Bissel SegalHerta and Samuel N. SeidmanSeymour and Barbara J. LeslieFoundation

Jean and Martin D. ShafiroffRobert and Jane ShapiroHenry A. SheinkopfPatty and David SilversKlara and Larry A. SilversteinMichael C. and Adina Cimet SingerGreta and Mark SlobinJudy and Todd SlotkinJeffrey T. SlovinJoan and Ira H. SlovinSobel Affiliates Inc.Sara and Martin L. SolomonJeffrey E. Spitzer, Esq.Sharon and Fred SteinMax Stollman

Alan StopperNorma and Julian SvedoshLynn and Sy SymsDorothy P. and Andrew H. TananbaumEstelle N. and Harold TannerMayer TendlerColette N. ThawMerryl H. TischLynn and Glen TobiasSara and Benjamin TorchinskyUnited Zembrover SocietyJerome Jainchill

Nina and Walter H. WeinerJoan and Bernard WeinsteinBernard WeissMelvyn I. Weiss, Esq.Leon and Shelby WhiteLois and Martin J. WhitmanJoseph WilfCharles B. Wolf, Esq.Eta and Henry WrobelGenevieve G. and Justin L. WynerArthur ZinbergSarah Slutsky TrustWilliam Wernick Estate and TrustAnonymous

Remember YIVO in Your WillFor information on planned

giving, please visit the YIVO web siteat www.yivo.org, or call Ellen Siegel

at (917) 606-8293.

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YIVO is proud to wel-come two new mem-

bers to its National Boardof Directors. Ruth Levineand Jonathan I. Mishkinwere elected in November.

Ruth Levine is an educa-tional specialist who, until2003, worked with learn-ing disabled children atthe Jewish Board ofFamily and Children’s

Services. Since leaving there, she has volunteeredat YIVO, creating an index for the EPYC project(see page 12) and is now working in the Photo Ar-chives. Levine cofounded the West Side YiddishSchool, a secular, cultural after-school program forchildren ages 5 to 13 on New York’s Upper WestSide. From 1984 to 1994, she served on its Boardas President and Treasurer. Earlier, Levine worked at Thirteen (Channel 13 in New York City) and atthe Museum of Broadcasting (now the Museum of Television and Radio).

Ruth Levine has been a longtime supporter ofthe Folksbiene Yiddish Theater and the NationalYiddish Book Center. A native Yiddish speaker,she attended the YIVO’s intensive Uriel WeinreichProgram in Yiddish Language, Literature andCulture for two summers. Levine holds a B.A.from the City College of New York and an M.S.from Bank Street College of Education.

Jonathan Mishkin, who earned his B.A. fromColumbia and his M.B.A. from the University ofChicago, is the founder and managing partner of

Sanabe & Associates, LLC,an investment banking bou-tique that specializes in mid-dle-market advisory andmerchant banking servicesto the paper, packaging andforest products industry.Prior to founding Sanabe & Associates in 2001, hewas North American GroupHead for Paper, Packagingand Forest Products forDonaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ), 1994–2000,and retained this position after DJL was acquiredby Credit Suisse First Boston (CSFB) in 2000. AtDLJ and CSFB, he initiated over 20 mergers andacquisitions, high yield and merchant bankingtransactions. From 1989–1994, he built a leadingfranchise in Canadian paper and forest productsat Burns Fry Limited. From 1981–1989, he workedat Morgan Stanley, covering Canadian and Amer-ican industrial and financial companies.

Involved in YIVO for the past five years,Mishkin is a founding member of the YIVO Lead-ership Forum and a member of the YIVO Board ofOverseers. His mother, a Holocaust survivor fromKovno, is a longtime YIVO volunteer.

“Jonathan and Ruth share my devotion to pre-serving and promoting the language and cultureof Eastern European Jewry; they bring new ener-gy, ideas and strategies at a critical time,” YIVOChairman Bruce Slovin noted.

YIVO looks forward to their ongoing involve-ment and commitment as it begins its 80th year.

A New Direction for YIVO

Ruth Levine Jonathan I. Mishkin

YIVO is looking to the future with the assistance and vision ofMartin Peretz. He joined the YIVO Board in 1981 because it was

the only institution preserving 1,000 years of Ashkenazic Jewish his-tory and culture, and investigating their worldwide influence today.Peretz returned to the Board in the 1990s hoping to attract the bestand brightest younger Jewish luminaries. His efforts led to the estab-lishment of the new YIVO Board of Overseers, which included someof his former students from Harvard University. Peretz’s prominencein the Jewish community, and his concern for Israel and related caus-es, are reflected in his work as editor-in-chief of The New Republic,and as founder of TheStreet.com. He brings this same savvy intensity tothe creation of the YIVO Board of Overseers. In each issue of Yedies we will profile three ofthe new Overseers.

Filmmaker and author Joanna Lipper’s latest book, Growing Up Fast, was published byPicador in 2003. She is currently completing Little Fugitive, a feature film that she wrote

and directed, based on the 1953 classic. Lipper came to YIVO as a natural outgrowth of herfamily tradition of preserving Jewish lives, learning, and culture, begun by her grandfather,

Profiles of Three of the Best and the BrightestA New Era Begins with YIVO Board of OverseersMartin Peretz (Chair)

Joseph D. Becker (ex officio)Peter Beinart

Professor Jeremy DauberProfessor Noah Feldman

Jonathan Safran Foer Ariel Foxman

Philip Gourevich Professor Stephen Greenblatt

Joshua HarlanProfessor Noah Isenberg

Joanna H. Lipper Jonathan I. Mishkin

Dr. Sherwin B. NulandScott OffenLeah Pisar

Professor Richard PrimusDavid RemnickCharles J. RoseJonathan Rosen

Professor Simon SchamaBruce Slovin (ex officio)

David StoneCathy Zises

Edward Zwick

Martin Peretz

Board of Overseers



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Annual Her-itage Luncheonat the Center forJewish Historyhonored Tony-nominated actorand Broadwaystar Tovah Feld-shuh and longtime communityactivists Cathy Zises, Ida (z”l)and Max Lubliner and HannaHirshaut. The luncheon raisedmore than $95,000.

Feldshuh, recipient of the Life-time Achievement Award, por-trayed Golda Meir, a nativeYiddish speaker, on Broadway in “Golda's Balcony.” Feldshuhfirst contacted YIVO while re-searching documents by IsaacBashevis Singer for her Broad-way role in “Yentl the YeshivaBoy.” Observing that YIVO notonly preserves our East Euro-pean Jewish Heritage, “but alsothe sound of it,” Feldshuh sanga Yiddish song about a little boybeginning his study of Torah.

Cathy Zises, Chair of YIVO’sLeadership Forum, was honoredwith YIVO's Me'dor Le'dor Award.She traces her strong commit-ment to the Jewish communityto her childhood and sees her-self following in the footsteps ofher grandmother, matriarch ofthe Horowitz Margareten matzobakery. Zises is involved withthe UJA-Federation and theJewish Board of Family andChildren's Services. She alsohelped create KIDS2KIDS, a

program to put the “mitzvah”back into Bar/Bat Mitzvah.

Arriving at YIVO in 1998 tostudy Yiddish, Zises helpedfound the Leadership Forum. As its chair for the past threeyears, she has attracted youngeractivists to the Forum and hashelped raise funds for EPYCand other YIVO programs. Zisesreceived her award from herproud father, Dr. Bernard Weiss.

Ida (z"l) and Max Lublinerreceived a Lifetime AchievementAward. Originally from Lodz,Poland, and liberated fromAuschwitz, Max and Ida arrivedin the United States in 1949.After Max established a success-ful business, the Lubliners de-voted their lives to internationalJewish philanthropy. They sharedtheir love by helping ordinarypeople marry, come to Americaand succeed. The Lubliners havebeen honored by Israel Bonds,the UJA-Federation andMasada-Farband. Eta Wrobel,President of the YIVO Interna-tional Women’s Division and apersonal friend of Max Lublinerand his children, introducedhim. Dr. Jerry Lubliner and hissister, Roslyn Shapiro, presentedtheir father Max with his award.

Hanna Hirshaut, a survivorand author, received the GoldeneKeyt Award. After liberation,Hirshaut raised funds to help 32 war orphans emigrate toIsrael. In 1951, she came to theUnited States with her husbandand daughter, having lost the

rest of her family.Founder of theQueens Chapter ofHolocaust Survivors,she also serves on theboard of the WarsawGhetto ResistanceOrganization(WAGRO). Hirshauthas donated her hus-band's papers, whichtrace his work as

founder and editor of the Polishdaily Life of Warsaw, the Yiddish-language Ikhed, and the Polish-Jewish Opinia, to YIVO. She isthe author of Voice of the WomanSurvivor and Survivor's Chronicle.Hannah Sara Rigler, a memberof the Women’s Committee,introduced her.

The event chair was FanyaGottesfeld Heller, Chair of theYIVO International Women'sDivision. Cindy Stone, BurtFeinberg and Esther Peterseilserved as co-chairs and emcees.

Speaking to the more than 200guests, YIVO Chairman BruceSlovin observed, “These goodand accomplished members ofthe Jewish community exempli-fy our core values, strengths andconcern for helping others. Asrole models, they understandthe need to remember and teachour history and culture.”

Nearly $100,000 RaisedHeritage Luncheon Supports EPYC and Other Programs

Tovah Feldshuh

Me'dor Le'dor Award presented to CathyZises by her father, Dr. Bernard Weiss.

(L-R) Hannah Sara Rigler, honoree Hanna (Hanka)Hirshaut and Esther Peterseil.

Fanya GottesfeldHeller

Max Lubliner (R)is presented withthe LifetimeAchievementAward by his chil-dren, Dr. JerryLubliner andRoslyn Shapiro.


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ryhonorees have included newWorld Trade Center architectDaniel Libeskind, Israeli singerand song-writer Chava Alber-stein, and Nobel Laureates EricKandel (Medicine) and ImreKertesz (Literature).

The exhibit is being designedto illustrate the depth andbreadth of the YIVO collections.It includes many unique items— rare rabbinical works fromthe 16th century, hidden manu-scripts from the Jewish resis-tance in World War II, originalmanuscripts of great Yiddishwriters, rare materials from theJewish Underground in Warsawand Lodz and posters from thefirst years after the indepen-dence of the State of Israel. Itwill occupy two exhibitionspaces in the Center for JewishHistory. In the lobby, mainlyflat items, such as sheet music,posters and photographs, willbe displayed on the walls. Themore valuable items will be kepton the second floor mezzaninegallery, where security is tighter.

Currently on display at theCenter for Jewish History is thehighly acclaimed exhibition theFamily Singer, a 30-panel photoexhibit on the lives of the mem-bers of this family of extraordi-narily talented Yiddish writers(see related story on page 13).Translated into Italian, theexhibit is also on display inRome, under the auspices of theUniversity of Rome, where aconference was held last monthto celebrate the 100th anniver-sary of the birth of Nobel Prize-winning author Isaac BashevisSinger. Other photo exhibits tobe displayed at the Center thisyear include Warsaw Cemeteries,funded by the Polish govern-ment, and an important exhibi-tion opening in the summer tocommemorate the 350th anni-versary of Jewish settlement in the United States.

In September, Nusakh Vilne, thefriendship society of Vilna sur-vivors in New York, will inau-gurate a major annual memoriallecture at YIVO to commemo-

rate the final destruction of theVilna Ghetto on September 23,1943. The lecture, which will beendowed in perpetuity, will beestablished to include an annualYizkor memorial service.

This year will also mark thepublication of six new books,YIVO’s most productive year in decades. Included are theproceedings of the May 2003international conference on anti-Semitism, Old Demons, NewDebates. Other books include thelong-awaited American Jewishautobiography project, ToUnburden My Heart: Autobiogra-phies of Eastern European JewishImmigrants, edited by Dr.Jocelyn Cohen and Dr. DanielSoyer (New York UniversityPress/ YIVO), Plant Names inYiddish by Mordkhe Schaechter(see related article on page 15) ,and a new translation of MaxWeinreich’s two-volume Historyof the Yiddish Language, whichwill be published by YaleUniversity Press in the fall.

YIVO Celebrates 80 Years [continued from page 1]

The Mission will take you on an unforgettable tour of Jewish heritage, religious life, art and learning. Join uson a journey into the world where Jewish culture, education and folklore bloomed and then perished. You willexperience the rebirth of small, yet vibrant Jewish communities, meet with representatives of government,local Jewish institutions and communities; scholars and educators; and with remaining Holocaust survivors.

• Russia, home to Europe’s second largest Jewish community. Visit the Hermitage and royal palaces in St. Petersburg.

• Prague, Bratislava, and Karlovy Vary, with splendid Jewish treasures,the oldest synagogue in Europe, a new reborn Jewish community.

• Vilna — the Jerusalem of Lithuania — the birthplace of the legendary YIVO Institute for Jewish Research. Visit the former ghetto, Ponar and the new Jewish museum.

• Kovno, with the famous Slobodka Yeshiva and Ghetto, the 9th Fortand community centers.

• Tour famous historical and architectural sites, castles, museums and galleries.

For more information, contact Ella Levine at YIVO (212) 294-6128 or [email protected].

Explore the new and old, see thepast, and look into the future

Background: GreatSynagogue of Vilna.

Left: 1999 YIVO Mission participants.

the late JosephGruss. Shenow serves astrustee of TheGruss-LipperFoundation,which recentlyprovided fundsto create TheGruss-LipperDigital Archive on Jewish Life inPoland at YIVO. The new archivewill be comprehensive in mate-rials on the years 1900 to 1950,as well as Holocaust-era Poland.It will include a dedicated web-site to facilitate access to YIVOcollections through online find-ing aids and databases.

Lipper serves as Trustee of theMuseum of Jewish Heritage – ALiving Memorial to the Holo-caust in New York City. Sheholds a B.A in Literature andFilm from Harvard and an M.Sc.in Psychoanalytic Developmen-tal Psychology from UniversityCollege London and The AnnaFreud Centre. Her first docu-mentary, Inside Out: Portraits ofChildren, premiered on the Sun-dance Channel and received theHollywood Discovery Award.The Academy of Motion PictureArts and Sciences distinguishedLipper’s second documentary,Growing Up Fast, as one of theoutstanding short documen-taries of 1999.

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Sherwin B. Nuland, M.D.,F.A.C.S., is Clinical Professor

of Surgery at the Yale School ofMedicine and Fellow of the uni-versity’s Institute for Social andPolicy Studies. He serves on theexecutive committees of Yale’sWhitney Humanities Center andits Interdisciplinary BioethicsProject. Nuland is a graduate ofthe Bronx High School ofScience, New York University(summa cum laude), and theYale School of Medicine. Aftertraining in surgery at the Yale-NewHaven Hospital, he practicedand taught there from

1962 to 1992,when he beganto write fulltime. He con-siders the mostrewardingwork of hiscareer the bed-side and opera-tive care of theapproximately 10,000 men andwomen who became his patientsduring those three decades.

His interest in the emergingfield of bioethics, which began in1977, culminated in his appoint-ment as a founding member ofthe Bioethics Committee of theYale-New Haven Hospital from1986 to 2000. Growing out of hisinterests in history, human biol-ogy, ethics and the nature ofhumanity, he undertook a wide-ranging study of these fields,resulting in the publication in1997 of The Wisdom of the Body(Alfred A. Knopf), availableunder the title of its paperback,How We Live, in English and 10European and Asian languages.He has also authored TheMysteries Within: A SurgeonExplores Myth, Medicine and theHuman Body (2002), How We Die(1994) and Doctors: The Biographyof Medicine (1988).

Nuland has also produced amemoir, Lost in America: AJourney with My Father (2003), aswell as The Doctors’ Plague:Germs, Childbed Fever and theStrange Story of Ignac Semmelweis(2003). His biography of MosesMaimonides will be publishedin September 2005.

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Noah Feldman specializes inthe relationship between

religion and political authority.He served as senior advisor onconstitutional law to the Coali-tion Provisional Authority inIraq, and subsequently advisedmembers of the Governing Coun-cil on the Iraqi constitutionalprocess. His book After Jihad:America and the Struggle for Is-

lamic Democracy was publishedin 2003; his next book, The Ethicsof Nation Building, came out inNovember 2004. A third book onGod and nation in the Americanrepublic will follow in 2005.

Feldman joined the NYUSchool of Law faculty in fall2001, coming from Harvard Uni-versity, where he was a JuniorFellow of the Society of Fellows.He is Associate Professor of Lawat NYU. In autumn 2004 hebecame a visiting professor atYale Law School, and in spring2005 will serve as visiting pro-fessor at Harvard Law School.

Feldman received his A.B.summa cum laude in Near East-ern Languages and Civilizationsfrom Harvard University. ARhodes Scholar, he earned aD.Phil. in Islamic Thought fromOxford University in 1994. Hereceived his J.D. from Yale LawSchool in 1997. Feldman servedas a law clerk to Chief JudgeHarry T. Edwards of the U.S.Court of Appeals for the D.C.Circuit, and to Justice David H.Souter of the U.S. SupremeCourt. He lives in GreenwichVillage with his wife, authorand Assistant District AttorneyJeannie Suk.

Feldman described his interestin YIVO by noting, “among theyounger generation of AmericanJews there is an unexpressed,perhaps unrecognized yearningfor Jewish engagement that doesnot focus primarily on religionor politics, and that adopts abroad-minded conception ofwhat comes under the heading‘Jewish.’ Many of us are tired ofdefinitional games ... and of theinchoate feeling that to belongto Jewish organizations is toembrace their values and agen-das wholesale. Part of the enor-mous potential of YIVO is that itcarries none of this baggage, butinstead already stands for open-minded inquiry, not for defini-tive answers.”


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Joanna Lipper Sherwin B. Nuland

Noah Feldman

Michael Tilson Thomas Visits YIVOSeeking Grandfather’s Song

Conductor and composer Michael TilsonThomas, who will host Thomashefskys’ Yiddish

Theater: An Evening of Remembrances (see page 1),recently visited YIVO in search of a number ofmusical pieces. YIVO Music Archivist ChanaMlotek helped him find a song that his grandfa-ther sang to him in his youth, “Dos lid funayznban” (The Song of the Railroad), by thefamous bard Elyokem Tsunzer. Written in 1870,the song was inspired by the building of the firstrailroad in Lithuania; it uses the train’s journey as an allegory of a human life. The first stanzareads:

A whole world of railroads have arisen in our times,Which carry passengers, poor and rich.Run to see the wonder, but bear in mindThat this is a parable about yourselves.We are the ones sitting in the railroad cars,The engine is the time.It pulls along millions of people,And flies like bullets in the battle.Each rail is a second,Each station – a year,Each station house is like an hour.A train is a whole generation,

And the ticket that one holds in one’s caseIs his fortune, his itinerary,How far to travel and in which classAppointed by God, the director of the train.A gantse velt mit ayznbanen iz in undzer tsayt gevorn,Velkhe firn pasazhirn, orem un raykh,Loyft zen dem khidesh, nor hot bezikorn,Az dos iz a moshl punkt kegn aykh.Mir zitsn dos in di vagonen,Der lokomotiv iz di tsayt,Zi shlept mit zikh mentshn milyonen,Un flit vi di koyln in shtrayt.Yetvider reltse iz a sekunde,Yetvider statsye – a yor,Yeder kusatke iz glaykh tsu a shtunde,A poyezd iz in gantsn a dor.Un dem bilet vos er halt in tash,Dos iz zayn mazl, zayn rayze-plan,Vi vayt tsu forn un in voser klas,Bashtimt fun Got, fun direktor ban.

Tilson Thomas examined Yiddish sheet musicand other historical musical references during histour of the YIVO Archives.

Michael Tilson Thomas shares a laugh with YIVO MusicArchivist Chana Mlotek.

Photo:StefanCohen


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YIVO Board Member Arthur RosenblattThe Board and staff of YIVO Institute for

Jewish Research mourn the passing of ourfriend and devoted National Board memberArthur Rosenblatt on January 10, 2005, at age73. He served with distinction as Chair of theBuildings and Grounds Committee of the YIVO Board.

A native New Yorker, he was founding direc-tor of the United States Holocaust MemorialMuseum, where he served from 1986 – 1988. A partner in thefirm RKK&G Museum and Cultural Facilities Consultants,Rosenblatt’s important projects included the Hechal ShlomoMuseum of Jewish Art and History in Jerusalem and Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico. In New York City, he helped restruc-ture the Metropolitan Museum of Art and restore the NewYork Public Library and Bryant Park. He was also involved in the restoration of the Chevra Lomdei Mishnayot Synagogueand the creation of a Jewish cultural center, both in Oswiecim(Auschwitz), Poland.

Rosenblatt was commited to remembrance, continuity andpreserving Yidishkayt, and had a great love of the Yiddish lan-guage. His dedication to YIVO, to practical problem-solvingand to planning for the future has inspired us all. He will besorely missed. We extend our deepest sympathy to his wifeRuth, his children Judy and Paul, and his grandchildren. Koved zayn ondenk!

YIVO Inspires Poets

YIVO is the subject of Yiddish poems byAbraham Reisen, Daniel Charney and

Abraham Sutzkever. Daniel Charney’s “TheTires Are Rolling” was written in 1935 in Vilnaas YIVO commemorated its 10th anniversarywith a conference attended by scholars fromYiddish-speaking communities around theworld. The English-language version ofCharney’s poem starts by portraying YIVO as a Jewish treasure trove. The tires are rolling, tire after tire:Of the yesterdays, the todays and the tomorrows.To Vilna, to the YIVO, to the stone vaultWhere our folk’s wealth is hidden.

The tires toll, tire after tire,From the East, the North, the SouthThey come together at the YIVOTo the treasure of books and tomes.

In an unprecedented event co-sponsored by YIVO and the

Union for Traditional Judaism,UTJ Rabbi and Professor DavidWeiss Halivni spoke at YIVO.His subject was “The Last Jew-ish Nobility of Vilna: Matisyahuand Shmuel Strashun.” The De-cember event was part of YIVO’sDistinguished Lecture Series.UTJ is a rabbinical organizationthat promotes Jewish education

and halakhic observance. The collaboration wasappropriate given the evening’s theme — RabbiShmuel Strashun wrote one of the most influentialmodern commentaries, in the form of “glosses” tothe Babylonian Talmud, and his son Matisyahufounded the Strashun Library (the first JewishPublic Library in Eastern Europe), which wasincorporated into the YIVO collections in Vilnajust prior to the Second World War. That libraryforms the core of the YIVO Library’s famous“Vilna collection.”

David Weiss Halivni is the Littauer Professor ofClassical Jewish Civilization at Columbia Univer-sity and Reish Metivta (Dean) of the Institute forTraditional Judaism, the rabbinical school of theUTJ. To advanced students of the Talmud, WeissHalivni is renowned for his five-volume, trailblaz-ing Talmudic commentary, Mekorot u-Mesorot. Healso authored numerous seminal works on rab-binic literature, including Midrash, Mishna andGemara: The Jewish Predilection for Justified Law(Harvard, 1986). This historical overview of thedevelopment of classical rabbinic literature ana-lyzes “apodictic law,” legal codes such as theMishna, and “justified law,” discursive texts likethe Talmud. Halivni’s subsequent book,Peshat and Derash: Plain and Applied Meaningin Rabbinic Exegesis, illuminates the exegeti-cal methodology and the theology thatlargely gave rise to normative rabbinic lit-erature.

A native of Sighet, Rumania and a Holo-caust survivor, Halivni is also the author of a remarkable memoir, The Book and TheSword (Westview, 1996) which chronicleshis lifelong love affair with “the book.”Beginning with the amazing story of a“bletl” — a torn fragment from a destroyedrabbinical text — that helped keep his faithand hope alive during his ordeal as aHasidic youth in the Nazi exterminationcamps, it concludes with the drama of hisdeparture from the Jewish Theological

Seminary of America and his founding of theTraditional movement in American Judaism.Weiss Halivni’s recent book, Revelation Restored:Divine Writ and Critical Response (Westview, 1998), isa veritable post-modern Guide for the Perplexed forthose who are today torn between their commit-ment to traditional Jewish life and the sanctity ofTorah on the one hand, and their conflicting inter-ests in the findings of modern critical biblicalscholarship on the other. The work combines his-torical text analysis with theological profundity tobrings the sanctity of the revelation at Sinai inharmony with modern scholarship.

In his lecture, Weiss Halivni focused on theunique features of Rabbi Shmuel Strashun’s gloss-es to the Talmud, recounting the history of theirpublication as part of the standard edition of theTalmud — best known as the Vilna Shas, producedby the famous Romm Family publishers of Vilna— and the impact of Strashun’s Talmudic method-ology on generations of rabbinical scholars, him-self included. He also expounded more generallyupon the history of the publication of glosses tothe Talmud and other sacred Jewish texts, com-paring this very concise form of writing with themore common and expansive linear commentaries(known as peyrushim) to classical Jewish texts. Heconcluded by comparing the Talmudic glosses ofShmuel Strashun to the work both of his prede-cessors and of his own son, Matisyahu, who asidefrom founding the great library in Vilna, was adistinguished rabbinical scholar, albeit of a moremodern orientation. This event was the mostrecent in a series of programs at YIVO over thepast several years focusing on the StrashunLibrary and its enduring impact on the field ofJewish Studies.


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Unpecedented Collaboration with UTJRabbi Professor David Weiss Halivni Speaks on the Strashuns at YIVO

Rabbi ProfessorDavid WeissHalivni

The StrashunLibrary readingroom, housed in the VilnaSynagogue, 1939


EP

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Aglimpse into 1,000 years ofEast European Jewish histo-

ry and culture is now availableon the Internet at a new YIVOsite. Titled “When these streetsheard Yiddish,” the site can beaccessed at http://epyc.yivo.org.The content was drawn fromYIVO’s EPYC (Educational Pro-gram on Yiddish Culture), acomprehensive curriculum thatrequired five years of researchand development to complete.

Officially launched on Decem-ber 1, 2004, the web site was de-signed for educators, studentsand the general public. Viewersare encouraged to explore itsthree sections, covering “JewishCulture,” “Lives” and “Places.”

Coupled with the launch, letters explaining the scope ofEPYC were sent to 7,500 Jewishschools, educational institu-tions, museums and libraries.The launch drew internationalattention, appearing as an elec-tronic news flash on the JewishTelegraphic Agency’s GlobalNews Service. It was also cov-ered in the educational supple-ments of the Forward and NewYork Jewish Week, the Forverts,Lifestyles magazine, and inIsraeli publications.

News, and educational materi-als and photos from EPYC canbe downloaded from the “Press

Room” link on the YIVO website home page www.yivo.org.

Dr. Carl J. Rheins, YIVO Exec-utive Director, reflected, “This isour most important pedagogicalproject since 1938 and YIVO’sfirst serious effort to fill thelacuna in the teaching of Jewishhistory at the secondary level inthe United States. It is the only program that comprehensivelyaddresses the 1,000-year historyof Eastern European Jewish civi-lization prior to 1939.”

The EPYC curriculum includesmultiple lesson plans, supple-mentary materials and back-ground information for teachersand students. In the spring, itwill be available for online pur-chase in downloadable formatthrough the EPYC web site, at acost of $250. A Hebrew-languageversion will be completed forthe Israeli educational marketby June.

EPYC originated in YIVO’sLeadership Forum. Its missionwas to address the importanceof Ashkenazi life, culture andhistory, and its profound impacton world affairs.

“It is vital that our childrenand grandchildren know ourhistory in detail,” explainedCathy Zises, Leadership Forum

Chair. “We designed EPYC as afar-reaching resource for second-

ary school education in publicand private schools around theglobe.”

The EPYC curriculum andtexts were completed in 2003, inan effort led by sociologist Dr.Adina Cimet, working closelywith the Leadership Forum.Cimet developed the texts, lesson plans and monographs,aided by research assistantsMichael Cohen, Jesse Cohen andAvi Patt. Cimet also workedclosely with Joshua Feinberg, a curriculum specialist andmuseum educator.

Major contributors to theEPYC program include TheSmart Family Foundation, theYIVO International Women’sDivision, The Dibner Fund,Seymour and Cathy Zises, TheFJJ Foundation, Inc., FanyaGottesfeld Heller, David andRuth Levine, Charles J. Rose, theEstate of Julius Stamm and theConference on Jewish MaterialClaims Against Germany, Inc. —The Rabbi Israel Miller Fund forShoah Research, Education andDocumentation.

For more information contactSuzanne Leon, (917) 606-8227 [email protected].

EPYC Site LaunchedWeb Site Focuses on 1,000 Years Of Jewish History and Culture

Materials for the media andfor educatorsand studentscan be found at the “PressKits” link on theYIVO web sitewww.yivo.org.

Press Kits

A scene fromLubartowskaStreet, 1937. Photo on the EPYC web site.


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In Rome and New York

The Family SingerAlthough the world is celebrating the 100th

anniversary of the birth of Isaac BashevisSinger, he had two other siblings who werealso well-known Yiddish writers. In a 30-panel exhibit, the Family Singer, whichopened in December in Rome and at theCenter for Jewish History in New York, YIVOhonors the Singer family. This includes par-ents, grandfather, brothers Israel Joshua andIsaac Bashevis, and sister Esther SingerKreitman. Their writings were inspired by the changing world of Eastern EuropeanJewry.

Panels from the Italian version of the exhibit.

The eldest child, Esther, was givenup to a foster family as an infant,then reclaimed by her family at theage of three. Esther was moody andan epileptic. Her brother Bashevislater wrote that “at times, she seemedpossessed by a dibbuk.”

Esther was self-educated. Her earlyworks include Der sheydim tants (TheDevils Dance), a thinly disguisedautobiographical novel about a wo-man who consents to an arrangedmarriage. Esther’s own unhappymarriage to Avrom Kreitman, a dia-mond cutter from Antwerp, servedas an escape from her brilliantthough disturbed family. It also madeher an exile to London, where shespent almost all her adult life.

She wrote Brilyantyn (Diamonds) in1944 and short stories, and she trans-lated Charles Dickens and GeorgeBernard Shaw into Yiddish. Her bookDeborah, translated by Maurice Carr,was published by The Feminist Press(New York, 2004).

The elder Singer son, Israel Joshua,lost interest in religious studies andmoved out of the house at 18. Hejoined the Warsaw Jewish bohemia,working as a newspaper correspon-dent and writing tales of Hasidic life.His first collection of stories, pub-lished in 1922, entitled Perl und anderedertseylungen (Pearls), was an inter-national success. He wrote for Yid-dish newspapers in Kiev and Mos-cow, then returned to Warsaw, wherehe cofounded a literary magazine.Impressed with Singer’s writing,Abraham Cahan, a writer and editorof the Jewish Daily Forward in NewYork, hired him as a correspondent.

In 1934, I.J. Singer immigrated tothe United States, where his writingswere serialized in the Forward. Healso wrote The Brothers Ashkenazi andThe Family Carnovsky. Israel JoshuaSinger died prematurely of a heartattack at age 50.

Isaac Bashevis Singer’s memoir, InMy Fathers Court, depicted his earlychildhood in a shtetl. After the familymoved to Warsaw, he attended kheyderand a rabbinical seminary, then aban-doned religious studies. In 1923, hisbrother found him a job as a proof-reader. Isaac admired his older broth-er, whom he referred to as his men-tor. His first story, “Af der elter” (InOld Age), was published in 1925. Hewrote under the pen name Bashevis;his mother’s name was Basheve.

His first novel, Satan in Goray, wasserialized in the magazine Globus,which he cofounded with poet AaronZeitlin in 1932. In 1935, Bashevismoved to New York and began hislong association with the Jewish DailyForward, where most of his work wasserialized. A prolific writer of novels,short stories, memoirs and children’sbooks, he won the Nobel Prize inLiterature in 1978.

Three Yiddish Writers in the Singer Family

YIVO held a scholarly symposium and reception

to celebrate the October pub-lication of The Jews of Poland-Lithuania in the Eighteenth Cen-tury: Chronology of Modernityby McGill University Profes-sor Gershon David Hundert.In addition to chairing theDepartment of Jewish Studiesat McGill in Montreal, Hun-dert is the editor in chief of the forthcoming YIVOEncyclopedia of Jews in EasternEurope. YIVO was thereforethe obvious venue for launch-ing his new book, publishedby the University of Califor-nia Press.

Three specialists in Euro-pean Jewish history and liter-ature — Professors ElishevaCarlebach of Queens College, Allan Nadler ofDrew University and David Roskies of the JewishTheological Seminary of America — presentedcritical appreciations of Hundert’s book.

Nadler pointed to Hundert’s reevaluation of theidea of modernity when applied to Polish andLithuanian Jews, whose experience was so radi-cally different from that of their Western Euro-pean coreligionists. Hundert’s real contribution,Nadler noted, is his insistence on not viewingPolish Jews through the lens of conventional,mainly German-Jewish historiography and theWestern experience, but in terms of their ownunique religious values and cultural milieu.Nadler also praised Hundert’s depiction of Polish Jews as inhabiting a universe constructedfrom their own cultural and religious sources and unique experiences — a world in which they thrived, in the author’s words, as a “minor-ity that is not a minority.” Nadler observed thatHundert’s fresh approach helps explain theunique Polish-Jewish characters that inhabit the world of Yiddish literature.

David Roskies also discussed the book in thecontext of the dominant view of Polish Jewry produced by earlier Jewish historians, referringparticularly to the highly influential model ofJewish modernity developed in Jacob Katz’s semi-nal work, Tradition and Crisis. Roskies pointed outthat 18th-century Polish-Jewish culture was notproduced mainly by a crisis precipitated by out-side forces, but developed largely from within. He

observed that Hundert’s workhelps to undermine the manymisleading nostalgic mythsabout the East European Jews,most popularly symbolized byFiddler on the Roof. He elaborat-ed on Hundert’s rich explo-rations of the Jews’ importanteconomic role, despite their ulti-mate subordination to thePolish nobility, and the richnessand originality of Polish-Jewishspirituality in this period, bestexemplified by the develop-ment of Hasidism in the late18th century. Roskies suggestedthat Hundert’s historical studycan serve as an excellent “pre-lude” to the study of Yiddishliterature.

Elisheva Carlebach roundedoff the symposium by offering

some critical observations, specifically regardingwhat she perceives as the insufficiency ofHundert’s treatment of women’s role in Polish-Jewish society. While lauding both the scope andambition of Hundert’s book, specifically itsoverview of the economic and communal historyof 18th-century Polish Jewry, Carlebach said shecould not fully accept Hundert’s casting aside ofthe Western paradigm for studying the modernperiod. Given her role as the only woman and theonly historian of Western European Jewry on thepanel, Carlebach’s critique was largely addressedat reasserting the role of women and the relevanceof the Western idea of modernity to the study ofthe Jews of Poland–Lithuania in the modern peri-od. On a humorous note, she observed that thebook’s cover features the Polish artist KrzysztofRadziwillowski’s elegant “Portrait of Chajka,”which depicts a proud Polish-Jewish noble-woman, and she wryly advised the audience, “buy this book, but do not judge it by its cover.”

At the conclusion of the symposium, Hundertreflected on the personal process that led to thecomposition of the book and offered several ob-servations about the many problems raised in hisredefining the notion of modernity. As for the roleof women, raised by Carlebach, Hundert arguedthat given 18th-century Jewish sensibilities, wheregender issues were not framed as they are today,it would be both inappropriate and anachronisticto present an overly gendered presentation ofwomen’s role in Polish Jewish society.

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Scholarly Discourse

Symposium Held on Hundert Book

Dr. Gershon David Hundert

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Available in March 2005Yiddish-English Botanical Dictionary Goes to Press

Yiddish linguist Dr. MordkheSchaechter confronts the

stereotype that “there aren’t anyplant names in Yiddish” withthe meticulously researched,long-awaited Plant Names inYiddish, to be published byYIVO in March. This ground-breaking Yiddish-English-Latinbotanical dictionary draws onliterary, scientific, linguistic and

religious sources to document a wealth of Yiddishplant names — including many dialectal and

regional variants. It is an essential reference workfor Yiddish speakers and readers, scholars, re-searchers, culinary and nature enthusiasts, histori-ans, scientists and linguists.

Plant Names in Yiddish is a fascinating study notonly in botany, but also in the development of theYiddish language. For example, Schaechter citesYiddish terms for willow: sháyne-boym, noted inthe writings of Mendele Moykher-Sforim and A.Golomb, derived from hoysháyne, hesháyne, sháyne— “willow twigs used ritually on the holiday ofSukkoth.” He also notes that Yiddish terms for thehalakhically appropriate vegetable species for aPassover seder have been documented since atleast the 12th century, and that “potato” is region-ally known as búlbe, búlve, bílve, kartófl(ye), kartó-plye (!), érdepl, ekhpl, ríblekh, barbúlyes, zhémikes,mandebérkes, bánderkes, krumpírn, etc. One town inGalicia, Sanok, at a crossroads of languages andcultures, boasts five different synonyms for “pota-to.” Such examples display the richness of theYiddish language and its regional diversity.

Several important reference sectionsare incorporated into the book, in-cluding the English-Yiddish dic-tionary of botanical terms andplant parts, which providesmany words not available in the standard WeinreichModern English-YiddishYiddish-English Dictionary.The “Trilingual Latin-English-Yiddish TaxonomicDictionary” section helpsthose who may know aword in one language to find itin another. An extensive indexmakes searching easier, and thereis a detailed source bibliography.There are many cross-referencedvariations of plant words inYiddish, a useful tool given thediversity in spelling, dialect andregion. A special section on orthographical andmorphological variations is also included.

The thoughtful organization and thorough con-tent of Plant Names in Yiddish make it an excellentresource. Readers can use the book to find defini-tions of plant words that are not available in otherdictionaries. Scholars can use it to learn moreabout Jewish history and the historical Jewishrelationship to the world of plants in the fields ofscience, culinary arts, linguistics and folklore.Teachers and students can build vocabulary bylooking up, defining and using new words.

The dictionary lists 13 ways to say “potato”in Yiddish.

Dr. MordkheSchaechter

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This book will be availablefrom the Jewish BookCenter of the Workmen’sCircle, 45 East 33rd Street,New York, NY 10016 (212) 889-6800, ext. 285,or (800) 922-2558, ext.285, or at the Center forJewish History Bookstore(917) 606-8220.


The proponents of the new institute, which theynamed Yidisher visnshaftlekher institut — YIVO(Jewish Scientific Institute) believed that historywas on their side. In the aftermath of World War Ithe European powers imposed throughout thecontinent previously unheard of laws regardingnational minorities’ rights to self-determinationand to national cultural autonomy. While the new-ly formed states of Eastern Europe, each with alarge Jewish minority, detested such requirements,they nevertheless were forced to include pertinentarticles in their constitutions.

In the beginning all that they had to their namewere two documents in which the idea for a Yid-dish academic institute was spelled out. The firstwas a tiny brochure titled Vegn a yidishn akadem-ishn institut (About a Yiddish Academic Institute)written in 1924 by the philologist Nokhum Shtif.Eight typewritten copies were circulated in Berlin,Vilna, New York and Paris among Yiddish intel-lectuals whose help in gathering support for thecause was anticipated. The other document, Vilnertezisn vegn dem yidishn akademishn institute (VilnaTheses About a Yiddish Academic Institute) was asummary of the meeting held on March 24, 1925by Yiddish teachers in Vilna, at which Shtif’s pro-posal was discussed and approved. The reportwas written by an instructor at the Vilna JewishTeachers’ Seminary, Max Weinreich, who from thebeginning was a staunch supporter of the project.

In her memoir, From that Place and Time, LucyDawidowicz writes: “The Yiddishists who createdthe YIVO in 1925 had deep faith in its future …Without financial resources it exploited its intel-lectual and scholarly resources drawing upon awhole generation of university-trained Jewishscholars in a wide variety of disciplines.”

Cecile E. Kuznitz, a young historian who wroteher dissertation at Stanford on the subject of theYIVO Institute in Vilna and its relation to Yiddish

scholarship, explains, “YIVO wasborn in the wake of World War I,at a moment when modern Yid-dish culture was on the verge ofits fullest flowering. As the mostprestigious institution of its cul-tural movement YIVO went farbeyond collecting historical docu-ments or publishing academicmonographs to play a central rolein the redefinition of Jewish peo-plehood in modern times.”

With little else but faith, a sec-ond gathering, this time in Berlinon August 7-12, 1925 (nine peoplein attendance), which called itself

forbaratung (preliminary conference) declared that, while the time is not yet ripe for a full-scalefounding convention, the work toward the goal of creating the institute must begin right now, and they asked Max Weinreich to take the firststeps. On his return to Vilna Weinreich assigned a room in his apartment to serve as the YIVO’stemporary quarters, and the Yidisher visnshaftlekherinstitut was born. A couple of months later, aspace could be rented for the fledgling institute inwhich the YIVO remained for the next eight years.Eventually, in 1933, YIVO’s own building on 18Wiwulski Street opened its door bringing in theprocess to the new halls the many treasures,which it amassed for its library and archives inthe space of just a few years.

YIVO concentrated on studying the present con-ditions, which prevailed among the Jewish peo-ple. Language, contemporary culture, ethnogra-phy, sociology, psychology – those were the disci-plines utilized by YIVO researchers who in the fif-teen years of YIVO’s existence in Vilna pouredforth 2500 publications.

When thinking about YIVO during these first 15years, one is astonished by the great number ofthings accomplished in such a short span of time.There were the research sections, each with itsown program of research work; the library andthe archives, both begun from scratch and bothalready famous for their volume and contents; aYiddish theater museum; networks of volunteers,the famous YIVO zamlers organized in 500 circlesaround the world who collected printed matter,and historical and ethnographic documents forthe YIVO collections; brilliantly conceived con-tests for young people to write their autobiogra-phies; and academic-level courses, the aspiranturfor young Yiddish scholars.

By the end of this period YIVO’s fame and recog-nition assumed worldwide proportions. And itwas with pride in its accomplishments that in

Eighty Years Young [continued from page 1]Y

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In 1933 YIVO opened its new research institute in Vilna. LucyDawidowicz would later describe the building as "verdant."

Di Organizatsiyefun der YidisherVisnshaft, inwhich NokhumShtif outlined howYIVO was to beorganized (Vilne,Poland 1925).


1938, on its 13th anniversary,YIVO’s board resolved to con-struct a new wing, which was tobe finished in 1940. The existingquarters were so cramped thatthere was no more space toaccommodate new books andarchival collections. Max Wein-reich commented: “YIVO indeedappears as healthy as a barmitzvah boy but its pants aretoo short”.

But in 1940 the Vilna YIVOwas in Soviet hands, and a yearlater, in the Nazi-occupied Vilna,the YIVO was no more.

* * *

Under the Nazis, the houseon Wiwulski Street where

YIVO thrived before the warwas turned into “the Ponar ofour Jewish culture,” as AbrahamSutzkever wrote. There, underGerman guard, 20 Jews werebrought each day from the Vilnaghetto “to dig the graves for oursoul.” The annihilation of JewishVilna was two-pronged: the peo-ple — the YIVO workers amongthem — perished in the Ponarkilling grounds, on the streets ofthe ghetto, and in the concentra-tion camps in Estonia; at the sametime YIVO’s books, manuscripts,artifacts, as well as collectionsfrom other libraries from Vilnaand surrounding towns weredumped at YIVO, then a Nazidepot for looted collections,where some were selected forshipment to Germany and the

rest wasmarked fordestruction.

One thing that couldnot be extin-guished wasfaith. Whatelse would propel the Jews work-ing at 18WiwulskiStreet, mem-bers of the“paper bri-

gade” as they were known inthe ghetto, to snatch from undertheir Nazi guards’ noses price-less records of the Jewish pastand, at considerable risk to theirlives, hide them in secret placesor entrust them to their Lithu-anian friends.

* * *

Halfway around the globefrom Vilna, despair and

faith mixed as the YIVO leaders,some of them refugees from thewar-torn Europe and the othersmembers of the Amopteyl (YIVOAmerican Branch), resolved inSeptember 1940 to establish YIVOheadquarters “for the durationof the hostilities” in New YorkCity. Max Weinreich was amongthem, a recent arrival from Eu-rope whom the Farvaltung of theVilna YIVO directed to go to theUnited States to do whateverpossible for the survival of the Institute. The tempo-rary measure becamepermanent within a shorttime, as hope for the re-covery of the pre-warYIVO and return to nor-malcy evaporated.

To Max Weinreich, thebond with the Vilna pastwas of paramount impor-tance. He once said in hisspeech to a YIVO confer-ence: “The fate of theworld Jewry depends on how much will theJews in Jerusalem, and

Moscow, and Buenos Aires, and first of all in New York,immerse themselves in the spirit of Yerushalayim d’Lita.”

Journalist Estelle Gilson ofPresent Tense, visiting YIVO in1975, was moved to write: “Theguardians of YIVO’s treasurehave a deep sense of history and mission. The explanation of every YIVO function beginswith tasks defined 50 years ago,with the fulfillment of dreamsdestroyed by the Holocaust. Tounderstand what YIVO is todayand wants to be tomorrow, onemust go back to the 1920s.”

This was the key to re-startingYIVO in America: keeping alivethe ties that bind YIVO in Amer-ica to its predecessor in Vilna;keeping YIVO a research centerof Yiddish in all its manifesta-tions as the basic tool of Jewishnational culture; maintaining aposition of prominence in thestudy of East and Central Euro-pean Jewry and in the collectionand preservation of relatedlibrary and archival collections.To this, new considerations wereadded to anchor the YIVO in theAmerican-Jewish environment.Thus, on the one hand the YIVOwould emphasize the influenceof the East European Jewish her-itage on the development of theAmerican Jewish community,and on the other encourage gen-eral studies in Jewish Americanaduring the modern period.

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YIVO reading room in Vilna.

YIVO leaders and scholars openthe first of 420crates of survivingYIVO materialsnewly arrived from Europe (B.Manischewitz Co. warehouse,Jersey City, NJ)1947.[continued on page 20]


Max

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r YIVO’s Uriel Weinreich Pro-gram (UWP) in Yiddish

Language, Literature and Cul-ture will be hosted by New YorkUniversity (NYU) beginning in2005. The program has gradu-ated more than 1,300 studentssince its inception in 1968. Itssix-week intensive structureincorporates grammar, literatureand conversation classes, alongwith a full program of scholarlylectures, cultural workshops and excursions. Each summer,the UWP draws students fromaround the world who regard it as an essential experience forestablishing proficiency in theYiddish language. The programwas held for many years atColumbia University, where the renowned linguist Dr. UrielWeinreich (son of Dr. Max Wein-reich, also a renowned linguistand a founder of YIVO) taughtfrom 1951 to 1967.

The move will enable scholarsto better utilize the resources ofthese two important institutionsand to take advantage of theirgeographic proximity. NYU was

founded in 1831 and is knownfor its research facilities. As oneof the largest private universi-ties in the nation, its 14 schoolsand colleges draw a large andinternational student popula-tion. The UWP is an appropriatecomplement to NYU’s impres-sive offerings of courses in theSkirball Department of Hebrewand Judaic Studies, as well as itsRauch Visiting Professorship inYiddish Literature and Culture,established in 2003.

“Scholars at NYU will be ableto develop a closer relationshipwith YIVO and will benefit fromYIVO’s location at the Center forJewish History [approximatelyone mile from the NYU cam-pus],” noted Dr. Paul (Hershl)Glasser, Associate Dean of theMax Weinreich Center and headof the summer program. “OurUWP students will also enjoyimproved access to other impor-tant centers of Jewish culture inNew York, such as the LowerEast Side and Brooklyn.”

Yiddish continues to be animportant tool for today’s schol-ars of eastern European Jewishhistory. Knowing Yiddish ena-bles them to access primarysources such as those in theYIVO Library and Archives, aswell as to teach Yiddish to oth-ers, as a significant percentageof UWP graduates do.

The pioneering UWP remainsone of the few places in theworld where it is possible tostudy Yiddish in an intensive,high-quality learning environ-ment, and it has drawn studentsfrom as far away as Europe,Israel, South America and Asia,as well as from all over NorthAmerica. Many renowned schol-ars in the field of Jewish history,linguistics and literature aregraduates of the UWP. Somegraduates have even returned asinstructors and guest lecturers.UWP alumni have also createdimportant artistic and literaryworks; translated historical ma-terial; taught Yiddish classes;and revitalized Yiddish language,literature and culture in commu-nities throughout the world.

Together with NYU, YIVO willcontinue providing outstandingeducation in Yiddish language,literature and culture for today’sscholars. The UWP will continueto be situated in YIVO’s MaxWeinreich Center and will beheld on the NYU campus inGreenwich Village. This year,the program will take place June 27–August 5, 2005, offeringits full regular schedule of inten-sive language study at severallevels. For more information,please call (212) 294-6138, orvisit the YIVO web site atwww.yivo.org.

NYU New Home of YIVO Zumer-program

Zumer in New York, Summer 2005!Uriel Weinreich Program

in Yiddish Language, Literature and Culture6-week intensive summer program June 27-August 5Now on the campus of

New York UniversityContact: Miryem-Khaye Seigel,[email protected]

Tel: (212) 294-6138, Fax: (212) 292-1892

Campus of NewYork University,where the UrielWeinreichProgram will be held.


February 8 Professor Bernard Dr. Gur Alroey “The Silent Revolution: Jewish Emigration from the 7 P.M. Choseed Memorial University of Haifa Russian Empire in the Early 20th Century”

February 22 Dina Abramowicz Dr. Magdalena Teter “The Legend of the Ger Tsedek of Vilna: Polemics and 7 P.M. Emerging Scholar Wesleyan University Reassurance”

April 19 Rose and Isadore Dan Link “Every Day Was a Battle: Jewish Labor Activists and 7 P.M. Drench Memorial New York University the Cold War in New York City”

May 4 Workmen’s Circle Dr. Rakhmiel Peltz “All in the Family: The Yiddish Culture of the East European 7 P.M. Dr. Emanuel Patt Drexel University Family” (in Yiddish)

LECTURES BY RECIPIENTS OF YIVO FACULTY AND GRADUATE STUDENT FELLOWSHIPS, 2005

The Max Weinreich Center offers more than one dozen research fellowships, primarily for doctoralcandidates and recent Ph.D.s. Our researchers specialize in European and American Jewish history,labor history, Yiddish literature, Yiddish music, Jewish education, and the Holocaust. These lecturesare free and open to the public. For reservations, please call the CJH Box Office at (917) 606-8200.

DATE FELLOWSHIP LECTURER TOPIC

Faculty and Graduate Semi-nars in Jewish Studies, a

YIVO tradition modeled on the 1935 Dr. Tsemakh ShabadAspirantur program, have beenrevived. The driving force be-hind the renewed program isFruma Mohrer, Head Archivist,who sees them as part of YIVO’shistoric mission to train youngJewish Studies scholars.

Besides seminars, the programprovides a venue for informalexchanges of ideas among col-leagues, faculty and graduatestudents. Before each seminar,academics, students and othersgather over refreshments.

The 2004–2005 academic yearhas already seen four seminars,each with about 35-40 attendees.The most recent one, on Janu-ary 5, featured Deborah DashMoore, Professor of Religion at Vassar College, discussing“Writing Memory and WritingHistory,” based on her recentbook, GI Jews: How World War II Changed a Generation.

In the inaugural seminar, inOctober, Dr. David Engel, Pro-

fessor of Holocaust Studies atNew York University, spoke on“The Trial of Sholem Schwartz-bard and the Defense of EasternEuropean Jewry: A Prelude tothe Holocaust?” Engel notedthat the Schwartzbard trial wasone of the first of its kind, aneducational trial at which thedefendant, avowedly guilty ofassassination, was found inno-cent; his defense cited pogrom-related injustices to UkrainianJews. Engel’s newest book, TheHolocaust and the Writing ofModern Jewish History, is soon to be published in Hebrew.

For the second seminar, heldin mid-November, Dr. CaroleFink, Distinguished HumanitiesProfessor in History at OhioState University, spoke on the subject of her new book,Defending the Rights of Others:The Great Powers, the Jews, andInternational Minority Protection,1878–1938 (Cambridge Univer-sity Press, 2004). Hasia Diner,Professor of American JewishHistory at New York University,addressed the third seminar in

December, on “Before theHolocaust: Post-World War IIAmerican Jews and the Con-frontation with Catastrophe.”She argued against claims thatAmerican Jews’ awareness ofthe Holocaust began in the1960s, saying they were verymuch aware of the scope of theHolocaust even in the 1940s.

The faculty and graduate sem-inars, begun in Vilna, were re-newed in the 1970s and 1980s bythe Max Weinreich Center forAdvanced Jewish Studies.Another incarnation of them isthe Uriel Weinreich Program inYiddish Language, Literatureand Culture, now looking for-ward to its 38th summer.

Dr. Chava Lapin, a participantand YIVO National BoardMember, observed, “The atmos-phere of these seminars is pro-fessional, but the format andsetting allow for an unfetteredinterchange of ideas among pro-fessors and students and othersinterested in Jewish Studies. Wehope these seminars will contin-ue for a long time.”

70-Year-Old Tradition Revived

Faculty–Graduate Student Seminar Reestablished

Max

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YIV

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80 Faith, it turns out, sometimes can produce mira-cles, too. For YIVO, recovery of its Vilna archivaland library collections was one such miracle.Through the devotion and courage of YIVO work-ers and friends, along with sheer luck, blocks of the YIVO pre-war archives and library, the sur-viving remnant of a vibrant Yiddish civilization,surfaced after the war, in Vilna, in Frankfurt-am-Main, outside Marseilles, and then in the post-Soviet archives in Vilna, and were brought back to YIVO.

The YIVO library has grown to more than350,000 volumes in 12 major languages, thearchives to 22 million document pages. One whowishes to look deeply at this record would needto examine all 198 issues of the Yedies/ News of theYIVO published since 1943, where YIVO projects,symposia, books, journals, exhibitions, archivalaccessions, library acquisitions, and public pro-grams have been heralded. The reader of thosepages will soon realize how forward-looking andcommunity-oriented YIVO was and is in its proj-ects and vision from one work project to the next.

There were — and there still are — dangersalong the way. And the gravest of these pose athreat to the continuity of YIVO’s mission. DanMiron, at YIVO’s 60th anniversary conference in1985 expressed it thus: “Against the onslaughts ofan unaccommodating cultural reality it becameprogressively more difficult to base one’s workand intellectual existence on the belief in the liv-ing continuity of Yiddish; and yet, without such abelief, the YIVO could not remain itself.”

Max Weinreich thought that the answer to thisdilemma was to attract the young and bring theminto the YIVO-krayz, the YIVO circle of scholarsand friends. In the late 1960s YIVO began offeringgraduate courses in Yiddish and Jewish studies touniversity students. The Max Weinreich Centerfor Advanced Jewish Studies, and the Uriel Wein-reich Program in Yiddish Language, Literatureand Culture were both launched in 1968, and eachcontinues today. Former YIVO students now teachJewish Studies topics in a variety of schools.

Eighty years from its founding in Vilna, YIVO isundergoing transformations and change. Settledin the campus of the Center for Jewish History,where it shares the physical plant and the intellec-tual purpose with other like-minded Jewish schol-arly and cultural institutions, its collections bene-fit greatly from being housed in the modern, well-appointed building. Its library and archival re-sources are easily accessible to the public through

new technologies, online catalogs and electronicfinding aids. In these new quarters YIVO is ableto realize an ambitious and diverse program ofpublic events.

YIVO workers and associates are producingscholarly and educational tools, which will enrichthe existing resources in Eastern European Jewishhistory and in Yiddish culture. As was reported inthe most recent issues of Yedies, innovative proj-ects such as the EPYC/Educational Program onYiddish Culture and the companion web site areup and running. Work continues on the multi-volume YIVO Encyclopedia of Jews in Eastern Europeand The Gruss-Lipper Digital Archive on Jewish lifein Poland is being created. This is good news notjust for students but for anyone interested in Yid-dish culture and in the Jewish milieu in which 80years ago YIVO was born.

Eighty Years Young [continued from page 17]

Longtime YIVOlibrarian DinaAbramowicz, 1909 – 2000.

Participants in YIVO’s 60th anniversary celebration, held atTemple Emanuel in New York, 1985.

Today YIVO is housed in the modern Center for JewishHistory in New York.


Co

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sThe Max and Frieda Wein-stein Archive of YIVO Sound

Recordings is not only a reposi-tory of older music but also aninspiration for new music. YIVOproved to be a major resourcefor aspiring klezmorim when itissued the LP Klezmer Music1910-1942 in 1980, a reissue of 78 rpm recordings from theSound Archive compiled andannotated by Henry Sapoznik.“It is not an overstatement tosay that the ‘klezmer revival’ ofthe last 25 years would not havehappened without the holdingsof the YIVO Sound Archive,”observes Lorin Sklamberg, YIVO Sound Archivist.

The LP recordings of klezmermusic document both develop-ments in the 1950s and theresurgence in the late 1970s.Earlier musicians include DaveTarras and Sam Musiker (withtheir great klezmer conceptalbum, Tanz!), the EpsteinBrothers, Paul Pincus and MartyLevitt. The Yiddish-Americanklezmer revival began with theBerkeley-based Klezmorim’srecord East Side Wedding andsubsequent debut discs byBoston’s Klezmer ConservatoryBand, New York City’s Kapelyeand the duo of Andy Statmanand Walter Zev Feldman.

Klezmer is just one of the genres collected by the SoundArchive in its collection of“long-playing” 33 rpm discs(LPs). These LPs, introduced by Columbia Records in 1948,offered improved sound fidelityand expanded playing time,while the 12.5-inch square sleeveprovided greater opportunityfor eye-catching graphics, pro-gram notes and photographs.The LP ushered in an explora-tion of diverse musical idioms inboth secular and Jewish music.

The YIVO Sound Archive pro-vides visitors with the entirerange of Ashkenazic music and

spoken word with 40 years ofLPs. Cantorial music was enor-mously popular. The archivesoffer both reissues of older re-cordings by Joseph Rosenblattand Gershon Sirota and rarediscs by contemporary artistslike Cantor Sidney Shicoff (thefather of opera star Neil Shicoff)and Cantor Bela Herskovits, amember of the HungarianUnderground during World WarII famously profiled on the tele-vision program “This is YourLife” in 1956.

Synagogue chant is renderedby Bas Sheva, Jean “Shaindele”Gornish and Freydele Oysher, aswell as the “Boy Wonder Cantor”Hershele Lebovits. The MalavskyFamily Choir, the “Singers ofIsrael,” pioneered the“concept album” withtheir LP, The PassoverFestival.

Yiddish song rangesfrom Jewish-Americanfavorites like the BarrySisters, Theodore Bikeland Ruth Rubin to inter-national singers likeSimon Ossovitzky andDavid Eshet (Israel),Max Zalkind (Argentina)and Leo Fuld (Nether-lands). Yiddish art songis represented on albumsby Sarah Gorby, MarinaGordon and virtually thecomplete LP output ofthe great bass SidorBelarsky. A special re-lease documenting therepertoire of North Americantraditional singer MariamNirenberg was produced by Dr.Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblettand issued by YIVO in 1986.

Jewish-American humor of theBarton Brothers, HerschelBernardi, Lee Tully, Eli Basse,Benny Bell, Allan Sherman,Mickey Katz and Jackie Masonis all available for listening, as are readings of Sholem

Aleichem and Peretz (by DinaHalpern), Elihu Tenenholts,Tsuny Rymer and Herts Gros-bard. Rarities include IsaacBashevis Singer, Jacob Glatstein,Abraham Sutzkever and LeoRosten reading from their ownworks.

The YIVO Sound Archive’s LPcollection also includes a diversesampling of music from Israel,Sefardic and Mizrahi music,Hasidic nigunim old and new,contemporary liturgical song,classical compositions, music for children and stage and filmscores.

The Max and Frieda WeinsteinArchive of YIVO Sound Record-ings, adjacent to the readingroom of the Center for Jewish

History, is open to all byappointment and continues toexpand its collections throughthe generous donation of soundrecordings. If you have any LPs,78s, CDs or tapes of Jewishmaterial, we invite you to contact Lorin Sklamberg at (212) 294-6169 or via e-mail at [email protected].

Jewish Music Begins at Home

The YIVO Sound Archive and the Rebirth of Klezmer

East SideWedding (1977),one of the albums that started theYiddish-Americanklezmer revival.

On the 350th anniver-sary of Jewish life in

America, YIVO’s MusicArchives has been payingspecial attention to its Yid-dish patriotic songs,many from World War II.They express love anddevotion for America andreflect the feelings ofJews during that tryingperiod.

Two songs encourageJews to purchase warbonds as a repayment oftheir debt to America. Inthe first, “Koyft war bondsun stamps” (Buy WarBonds and Stamps), withlyrics by Louis Stein andmusic by Sidney S.Cahan (1942), the wordscelebrate America andstress the need to helpthis country in itsdefense. America isdescribed as a placewhere “freedom is veryimportant,” where “you cancome from everywhere” and“there is no difference betweenChristian and Jew.” Listeners areexhorted to “pay your bill toUncle Sam”:

Buy war bonds, buy stamps,Help America win the war;Buy war bonds, buy stamps,So Hitler will be defeated.Help the country in itsdefense,You can’t waste any time,Buy war bonds and stamps,It will lead us to victory.Buy war bonds, buy stamps,And we will be able totriumph over the enemy.

Koyft di War Bonds, koyft diStamps,Helft amerike gevinen dimilkhome;Koyft di War Bonds, Koyft diStamps,Vet Hitler shoyn lign in deradome;Helft dos land in dem defense,

Men tor keyn tsayt farlirn,Koyft milkhome Bonds un Stamps,Tsum zig vet es undz firn.Koyft di War Bonds, koyft di

Stamps,Veln mir ale bald derlebn di nekome.

The second song, “Koyf a bond”(Buy a Bond), with words byZigmund Zauberman and musicby Lipa Feinfold (1942), urgesJews to buy a bond and to lenda hand in the war effort. Bondsshould be purchased by richand poor:

Don’t stand aside; extend yourhandPay a debt, carry your flag high,Buy a U.S. bond as soon asyou canAnd see that your friendshould do the same.

Shtey nit op, un shtrek oys a hant,Batsol a khoyv, halt hoykh

dayn fon;Koyf vos shneler a U.S. Bond,Un ze dayn fraynd zol oykh

dos ton.

It also urges AmericanJews to lend a hand inthe war effort, to “driveaway the ones whostrive to usurp yourthreshold, then yourcountry, your freedomand your right.”

Still another song of1941 enunciates loveand readiness to defendthe American flag. Thelove expressed in thesong is for “the land ofthe free and the brave,”with “laws of brother-hood” and “opportunityfor each one who hascourage.” This loveimplies defense ofAmerica and its flag:

And always your flag,which I hold high Will be dear to meI will always defend itAnd will die for it also.

Un shtendik vet mir tayer zaynDayn flag ikh halt im hoykh,Kh’vel tomid im farteydikn,Un shtarbn far im oykh.

“The central themes of thesongs — defense of the flag, offreedom and liberty — wereprime motives in American patri-otic songs of the period andwere carried over to contempo-rary Yiddish songs,” notedYIVO Music Archivist ChanaMlotek. “Praise and devotion tothe United States of Americawere expressed in other songspublished in the 1940s andhelped raise morale while in-spiring and encouraging cooper-ation and participation in thewar effort.”

These song sheets are part ofthe voluminous collection ofpublished Yiddish music pre-served in the YIVO Archivesand frequently requested andutilized by the public.

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American Jews Respond

Patriotic Songs From World War II

“Koyf a Bond” (Buy a Bond), with words by ZigmundZauberman and music by Lipa Feinfold (1942).

HISTORY• Allan B. Dolgow donated Valentin Slovatshevski’s

account of the 1919 pogrom in Kamenny Brod, Ukraine.

• Rabbi Jerry Schwarzbart of the Jewish TheologicalSeminary donated an anonymous, 115-page Yiddishmanuscript about the town of Byten, Ukraine, foundamong the papers of the late Rabbi Abraham Karp.

• Eda Rak donated (via YIVO National Board memberSolomon Krystal) the papers of her father, Yiddish journalist Meyer Rak.

• Dr. Benjamin Nadel provided additional documents forthe records of the Jewish Labor Bund.

• Max Zakon donated the late Abraham Friedman’s col-lection of historical materials about American Jewry inthe 1920s.

• Herbert A. Bernhard gave additional Jewish historicaldocuments to the collection that bears his name. Thesedocuments range from the 18th century to the 1940s, and are predominantly from Central Europe and theMiddle East.

• Meyer and Diane Malakoff donated Yiddish materialsmostly relating to American Jewish history in the 1940sand 1950s.

• Shevi Herbstman donated the original Yiddish manu-script Epic of Survival: Twenty-Five Centuries of Anti-Semitism, written by Samuel Glassman, her father.

• Historical materials were also donated by MarjorieHecht, Lenore Karp (San Antonio, Texas, Public Library),Fruma Mohrer, Dr. Carl Rheins and Dominque Torrione-Vouilloz (University of Geneva).

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New Accessions to the YIVO Archives

1947 Gathering of survivorsobserving the 5thanniversary of theextermination ofthe Jewish com-munity of Brzezin,Poland on May 15, 1942. Donor: Eda Rak.

Arthur (Alter)Nunberg (z”l)

was born in thetown of Wolbrom,near Cracow, Po-land. His parents,who were merchants,provided their sonwith both a tradi-tional — Hassidic (inZawiercie) andMussar (in Bedzin)— and a moderneducation; and he

became a sales clerk in a stationery store. As ateen, he joined the Sosnowiec branch of theYouth-Bund Tsukunft movement, which advo-cated democracy, socialism and Jewish culturalautonomy, with an emphasis on the Yiddishlanguage. His labor union activism got Nun-berg arrested three times and cost him his job.

During World War II, Nunberg was an inmatein several Nazi concentration and labor camps,including Bergen-Belsen. The United StatesArmy liberated him from the Daimler-Benz fac-tory complex in Ludwigslust, Germany, onMay 1, 1945. In the Feldafing Displaced PersonsCamp he met his future wife, Bluma Glickstein,who was also active in the Bund. At Feldafing,the couple participated in the camp’s Yiddishtheater troupe.

Later, living in New York City, Nunbergworked as a tailor of ladies’ coats and wasactive in Local 117 of the International LadiesGarment Workers Union. However, theNunbergs’ primary activities continued to beYiddish-oriented. Arthur Nunberg was a lead-ing Bund activist and a member of its WorldCoordinating Committee. He served as a leaderof the Arthur Zygelbojm Branch (#349) of theWorkmen’s Circle and as a member of theWorkmen’s Circle National ExecutiveCommittee. The couple’s other commitmentsincluded the Katsetler Farband (a survivorsgroup) and the Volbrom Zaglembier Farband.Nunberg was a strong supporter of the JewishLabor Committee and of YIVO until his recentdeath.

In 2004, Bluma and Arthur Nunberg donatedtheir papers to the YIVO Archives. ArthurNunberg passed away in January.

Arthur Nunberg, 1913 – 2005Jewish Labor Activist


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24

LANDSMANSHAFTN AND FAMILY HISTORIES• Robin Kraus of the New York State

Department of Insurance Liqui-dation Bureau donated records ofthe following societies: BendinerWarshauer Benevolent Society,Beserabier Podolier BenevolentSociety, Bronx Old Age Fund, ChiosJewish Brotherhood, CommunitySons of Israel, Congregation ZeraJacob, Congregation Leiser Gans(Przemysl), Crown of Israel AnsheiWiznitz Society, Erster RomanerKranken Untershtitsungs Verein,First Bialykaminer Aid Society, FirstBolechover Society, First BuzuerBenevolent Association, FirstKlimantoff Sick and BenevolentAssociation, First Nova-UshitzerBenevolent Society, Homler Young Men’s Society, Hyfin Soci-ety, Independent Rabe MeyerPrzemyslaner Congregation (FirstRabbi Meyer Przemyslaner Sickand Benevolent Society), Irving B.Vigdor Foundation, KreminitzerCongregation, Knightly FriendsAssociation, Petrikower YoungMen’s Benevolent Society, Societyfor Bible Reading Rabbi YaakovKopel of Tarnopol and Bialkamien,Soloker Beneficial Society, Sons ofJacob Tictiner, South BrooklynLodge # 174 (Independent OrderBrith Abraham), and the WelfareLiberty Fraternal and BenevolentAssociation.

• Pearl Grumet donated the recordsof the United Dubienker ReliefCommittee.

• Ms. Susser donated the records ofCongregation Bikur Cholim BneiJacob Ladies’ Auxiliary of Brooklyn.

• Robert Lantz donated the constitu-tion of the First Yezierna Sick andBenevolent Society.

• Selma and Irwin Ehrenfreund do-nated the constitution of the FirstToporower Ladies’ Sick and Bene-volent Society.

• Harry Aizenstat donated the consti-tution of Congregation Kesser Israelof Springfield, Massachusetts.

• Michael Nolan donat-ed the 15th anniversary(1939) journal of theIndependent HebrewLadies’ and Men’sBenevolent Society ofNew York.

• The following indi-viduals donated familyhistory documents:Stanley I. Batkin (withtranslations by EstherNewman), Emily R.Birnbaum, MildredCitron (documents ofJean [Sheindl] Fleischer),Agatha Cinader (exten-sive documents of HildaSchein), David Hirsch-man, Rabbi ManesKogan (documents of the Abramowitz-Abrams-Ames family),Ted Matlow, AllanNadler, Robert Nedwich,Marjorie Osheroff (via

Evelyn R. Benson), Saul Ostrow,Vicky Richards and Frances Witzel.

HOLOCAUST• Esther Mishkin, a YIVO volunteer,

donated a speech about her experi-ences in the Kovno ghetto.

• Izhak Levine donated his unpub-lished memoir of his childhood,surviving in Germany and in occupied Belgium and France.

• Celina Hecht donated her unpub-lished memoir of survival, as achild, in the Bialystok ghetto andon the “Arian side.”

• Henry L. Gitelman gave a draft ofthe unpublished Slawatycze,Poland, memorial book, which heedited, while most of the researchwas done by the late Dr. MichalGrynberg of the Jewish HistoricalInstitute in Warsaw.

• Herman Benson donated a collec-tion of documents of the Polishgovernment-in-exile, as well as oth-ers relating to American Zionismduring the war years.

• Arthur Nunberg donated addition-al documents for his papers, manyof which relate to his survival inoccupied Poland and in NaziGermany.

• Prof. Dov Levin provided addition-al documents for his papers, manyrelating to the destruction of Jewishcommunities in the Baltic States.

• Prof. Carole Fink donated her fullyarranged collection of copies of let-ters and other documents thatserved as raw material for her biography of Marc Bloch, the great


New Accessions [continued from page 23]

Vilna Yiddish Teachers Seminary students at summer camp (c. 1930). Donors: Berland Lee Golomb.

French Jewishhistorian MarcBloch (R) whileserving in theFrench militaryduring World WarI. Donor: CaroleFink.

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French Jewish historian executed in occupied France. This collectionprovides a single location for thou-sands of documents, which, as orig-inals, are dispersed in dozens ofrepositories in several countries.

LANGUAGE, LITERATUREAND CULTURE• Samuel Gottfarstein donated

the first installment of the exten-sive papers of his father, JosephGottfarstein, the polyglot editor,essayist and translator. Theseinclude letter exchanges with many prominent Jewish culturalfigures, particularly in France.

• Yiddish poet Mates Olitsky donat-ed his papers (via Solomon Krystal,YIVO National Board member).

Olitsky’s literarycareer started inprewar Poland, asdid the Yiddishpoetic careers ofhis brothers Leyband Borekh.

• Israel Schwarzand ShoshanaWachsman donateda collection of let-ters addressed totheir father, JosephSchwarz, which arefrom many Jewishcultural figures,including Dr. MaxWeinreich, YIVOfounder.

• Dr. Chava Lapin, YIVO NationalBoard member, donated a dedica-tion to her father-in-law, theYiddish poet Berl Lapin, made byKolya Teper, the near-legendarytranslator and political activist.

• Fay and Marvin Itzkowitz donatedmaterials on the celebration for the100th birthday of Yiddish teacher,editor and essayist Itche Goldberg.

• Shane Baker donated the subscriberand supporter database, in cardformat, of the Congress for JewishCulture from the 1950s and 1960s,comprised of data on several thou-sand lovers of Yiddish culture.

• Fern Kant donated the text of the High Holiday services of theSecular Jewish Community ofGreater Philadelphia.

• Norma Shavell Coty providedadditional documents on her step-father, Israel Muraskin, who servedas Educational Director of theSpinoza Institute of America.

THEATER AND MUSIC• Alane Faber and Bob Tartel each

made donations of Yiddish adap-tations of Gilbert and Sullivanoperettas created by MiriamWalowit and Al Grand.

• Esther Brunstein donated manu-scripts of Yiddish songs of theLondon-based folk composer,Majer Bogdanski.

• Malke Gottlieb donated manu-scripts of Emil Gorovets, the SovietYiddish composer and singer.

• Miriam Gittelson donated a largecollection of materials about thecareer of the Polish Yiddish actressIda Kaminska.

• Marilyn Michaels donated supple-mentary materials about the careerof her mother, Freydele Oysher, theYiddish singer and actress.

• The Bessarabian Yiddish singer and actress Anna Ginzburg donatedmaterials about her performingcareer.

• Than Wyenn donated (via YIVOvolunteer Renee Miller) Judith andSolomon Berkovitz’s dramatization,in Yiddish, of Y. L. Peretz’s story,“The Arendar.”

• The Directors of the Rock Theaterin Dresden donated a large collec-tion of recent Yiddish song compo-sitions.

• Jerry Goodman donated Yiddishsheet music.

• Maggie Williams donated an ex-panded version of Alan Bilgora’sarticle on famous cantors.

• Jeffrey M. Pines donated Yiddish78-rpm recordings, including testpressings of the great Yiddishsinger Isa Kremer.

• Alfred and Dorothy Gelberg do-nated Yiddish 78-rpm recordings, as well as supplementary mate-rials to the papers of the YiddishSocialist editor Yizhak Levin-Shatskes.

• Recordings of Jewish music weredonated by David Abramowitz,Rubin Adler (via Ruth Edelheit),Isaac Arbus, Terry Buchalter,Stephen C. Gerard, Dr. MiltonIvker, Rabbi Moshe Lerer, JackMilgrom, Paul Nash, Allan Raskinand Louis Sole.

FILMS, PHOTOGRAPHSAND ART OBJECTS• Gerta Harriton donated twenty-

eight 8”x10” photographs taken by



Trick photograph taken in Tarr’s Studio in Harlem (New YorkCity, 1913). Donor: Marjorie Osheroff.

Rae Berkowitz Harris (center) visiting Salzburg-Hallein D.P.Camp in Austria (1947). Donor: Dr. Charles Harris.

Nephew and niece of Ida Matlow(Pilviskiai, Lithuania, c. 1918). Donor:Ted Matlow.

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her father-in-law, David M. Harriton, in Warsaw in 1937. These dynamic images present street life of the Old Town as well as Yiddish commercial signage.

• Berl and Lee Golomb donated 30 photographs from interwar Poland, primarily of Yiddish schoolgroups, which belonged to the Yiddish educatorAvrom Golomb, whose papers are in the YIVOArchives.

• Aida Rauch donated photographs of Yiddishschools in Vilnius and in Wysokie Litewskie(Vysokoye), Belarus.

• Dr. Charles Harris, with the assistance of CatherineMadsen of the National Yiddish Book Center,donated two albums made in recognition of hismother’s volunteer accomplishments for the ORTvocational school in the displaced persons camp of Salzburg-Hallein in Austria. The albums document an inspection visit by Rae Harris, thenPresident of Women’s American ORT, made in 1947.

• Henry Kellen donated photographs of Jewish life in Berlin in 1946.

• Shira Loewenberg of the United Jewish Communitiesdonated seven cartons of film reels on Jewish life in various countries.

• Video materials were donated by Aliya Cheskis-Cotel,Shuli Eshel (via YIVO National Board member Dr.Arnold Richards) and Victor and Toni Jo Friedmann.

• Posters were donated by George Birman, Roselyn Hirsch and by the Institute for Jewish Studies of theHeinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf.

• Marcia Bernstein, Michelle Frank, Dr. Joseph Stremlinand Beatrice Silverman Weinreich donated antiqueJewish postcards.

• Herbert Scherer donated many postcards and family letters, which were translated by Esther Newman.

• Rita Kramer donated a woodcut by the American Jewish

artist Todros Geller, in memory of her mother, SophieJoffe Blumenthal.

• Eva C. Graham donated a watercolor by the AmericanJewish artist Irwin Hoffman.

• Aline Shader donated (via Deborah Bogin Cohen andBernard Wax of the American Jewish Historical Society)a papercut, done in the Polish Jewish style, by Dr. JamesMoorehead, in memory of Dr. Richard I. Shader.

• Pearl Paul donated (via Emily R. Birnbaum) a hand-embroidered tallis bag made in Russia circa 1890.

• Art objects and art-related materials were donated bySamaris Ayala, Cynthia and Alan Epstein, Irene Lamm,Samuel Podemski, and Carol Rosen.

Recording of the comedy team Dzigan and Szumacher(France, c. 1950). Donor: Paul Nash.

Niedzwiedz familyportrait (Warsaw,Poland, 1929).Donor: RobertNedwich.

New Accessions [continued from page 25]

Bund activist Yosl Fryszer and his daughter (Chrzanow,Poland, 1930s). Donor: Arthur Nunberg.

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In each issue of Yedies, we report on the news that was ofconcern to YIVO members more than half a century ago.

As Yedies Issue No. 9 indicates, in September 1946, Jewsworldwide were recovering from the unthinkable, and thespontaneous activities of YIVO branches worldwide, fromEurope, to China, to Argentina, and to the U.S., gave themhope. Nourished by a tradition of popular Jewish educa-

tion that had eluded Nazi destruction, collectors and schol-ars resumed their work of rescuing remnants of the pastand collecting evidences of life in the present. YIVO’s dis-tinctive combination of Jewish scholars and educated laypeople made Jewish scholarship into a link that unitedlocal communities and connected them with Jewish lifethroughout the Diaspora.

Education and YIVO Help Rescue Remnant of the Past


Lett

ers


Family in PragueI have a letter from the Councilof Jewish Communities of Bo-hemia and Moravia (located inPrague) from 1946. I will be inPrague…and would like to con-tact either that organization or asuccessor of it in order to locatethe last known addresses of myfamily members in Prague. Areyou able to direct me to the ap-propriate contact to receive thisinformation? I would appreciateany input I can receive from youin this regard.

Celia Cizes (e-mail)

Reply: We suggest you log on tothe web site of the Jewish Museumof Prague:www.jewishmuseum.cz/aindex.htmUnder “Research Activities andServices” you will see that they canhelp you trace your relatives. Sendthem an e-mail with your questionsand take it from there.

* * *Klezmer Recordingsfrom Pre-War PolandI am a Polish ethnomusicologistfrom the universities in Wroclawand in Poznan. For a couple ofyears I have been carrying outresearch on the music of PolishJews. I have made recordings ofmusic performed in Poland,Ukraine and some other placestoday, but I would like to knowif there are any older recordingsof the Jewish music from the ter-ritories of pre-war Poland — justfrom Poland, not from the emi-grants from Poland in Americaor in Israel. Is the catalogue ofYIVO accessible on the Internet?

Bozena MuszkalskaProf. of the Department of Musicology

University of Wroclaw andUniversity of Poznan

Reply: Thanks for your inquiry.The YIVO Sound Archives has atleast a couple of hundred commer-cial recordings by Jewish perform-ers of cantorial, klezmer, theaterand comedy material, made in Po-land or other East European loca-tions. Unfortunately our catalog isnot yet available online. YIVOSound Archivist Lorin Sklamberg,[email protected], canoffer you further assistance.

* * *Jewish Organizationsin World War ICould you direct me to sourceswhere I could study the attitudeof Jews and Jewish organiza-tions in countries involved inWorld War I?

Michael GordonMelbourne, Australia

Reply: The following bibliographiccitations will be of assistance toyou:

• Destruction of the Jews inPoland, Galicia and Bukovina,S. An-ski (in Yiddish)

• Black Book of Russian Jewry,Simon Dubnow

• “Jews in World War I: A BriefHistorical Sketch,” Abraham G.Duker

• Der shvartser bukh (The Jewsin the Eastern War Zone), ViliamFoyznak

• The Attitude of American Jewsto World War I, the RussianRevolutions of 1917, and Com-munism (1914-1915), ZosaSzajkowski (Ktav Publishing,January 1972)

• The War for the World, IsraelZangwill

* * *

Chmielnik SocietyI am the project coordinator(under the auspices of NormanWeinberg) for the restoration ofthe Siedlecka cemetery, whichserviced Chmielnik and the sur-rounding towns and villages. Iam wondering if you have anyinformation concerning the fam-ilies of the Chmielnik Society orhow I would contact them.We are having a web site built

and if there is any informationor pictures you have of the areaor the people, we would like todisplay them on the web site.

It is our hope to restore thecemetery, catalog those buriedthere and take pictures of eachheadstone found. Any assistanceyou can render would be greatlyappreciated.

Howard NightingaleToronto, Canada

Reply: The YIVO Archives has inits holdings the records of theChmielniker Sick and BenevolentSociety. The information is locatedin RG 1081. It spans the yearsfrom 1935 to 1978.

* * *Shanghai Survivor There is an elderly Polish manwho is a survivor, and I havebeen trying with reasonable success to have him tell his life story. Do you know of a program that would more pro-fessionally capture his story?

Peter LenerBronx, New York

Reply: The Shoah Foundationembarked 10 years ago on a projectto interview all Holocaust survi-vors. If this person was missed, you can contact the foundation at1-818-777-6869 or www.vhf.org.

Letters to YIVOLetters should be sent to YIVO at 15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011-6301 or via e-mail to [email protected].


Lett

ersSinger in Translation

Have all of Isaac BashevisSinger's books been translatedinto Polish?

Yashmun Jamesvia e-mail

Reply: YIVO has compiled a list of 42 Isaac Bashevis Singer booksavailable in Polish editions. Theseinclude, among many others: • Niewolnik/The Slave (Warsaw:

Alfa, 1991)• Sztukmistrz z Lublina/

Magician of Lublin (Warsaw:Biblioteka Bestsellerow, 1995)

• Szatan w Goraju/Satan inGoray (Warsaw: Sagittarius,1992)

• Pokutnik/The Penitent (Torun:Crime and Thriller, 1992)

• Rodzina Muszkatow/ FamilyMoskat (Warsaw: DomKsiegarski i WydawniczyFundacji Polonia, 1992)

•Urzad Mojego Ojca/ In MyFather's Court (Warsaw: BIS1992)

YIVO would be glad to provide thefull list, with Polish, English andYiddish titles, to other interestedreaders upon request.

* * *Workmen’s CircleRecordsI understand that you are arepository for Workmen Circlerecords. I am in possession of amembership certificate in mymother’s name, dated May 24,1923. Please advise if youwould be interested in this his-torical document. I was a stu-dent at the Workmen’s Circleafternoon shule as a young childand am Yiddish-speaking, and Itreasure my Yiddish heritage.My mother passed away in 1971at an Arbeter Ring NursingHome in New Jersey.

Frances Silverstein Witzel via e-mail

Reply: YIVO would be glad add toadd this document to our holdings,especially since YIVO is the officialrepository of AR records. The cer-tificate would be separately cata-loged, and kept under professionalarchival conditions. YIVO will con-tact you to confirm safe arrival, andyou will receive a thank-you letterwith an accession number. If possi-ble, please provide us with at leastbasic biographic informationregarding your mother.

* * *A Yiddish “Saying”I have a friend who would dearly love for me to reproducefor her the Yiddish saying “Manplans while God laughs” inneedlecraft. Unfortunately, I am unfamiliar with the Yiddishalphabet ... and am unable totranslate this for her withoutruining the “surprise.” Wouldyou be able to provide me withthe Yiddish translation of thisexpression?

Susan SingleyGreat Mills, MD

Reply: The original Yiddish(transliterated into the Englishalphabet) is “Der mentsh trakht unGot lakht.”

* * *Sweetbreads —NostalgiaAt dinner tonight a group of uswas remembering typical Jewishfoods and somebody came upwith “sweetbreads”, but no-body could remember this dish's Yiddish name. Would you please help us? Our list offoods was quite long, but thisstumped everybody.

Ethel Genes (e-mail)

Reply: Our dictionaries all list grashitse as the Yiddish equivalent.

Displaced PersonsCampsI am currently a Ph.D. student atNew York University in JewishEducation ... and wonderinghow I can make use of some ofthe archival material that youhave at YIVO. In particular I am currently researching apaper on Zionist education inthe displaced persons campsafter the Holocaust, and I wasinterested in finding primarysources — memoirs, archivaldocuments, etc., related to thistopic.

David BryfmanNew York City

Reply: We have the newspapers ofthe DP camps on microfilm. Alsoin the YIVO Archives, informa-tion on the DP camps is containedin RG 294.1–4.

* * *Acquiring YIVO-bleterI am a history student at Uni-versity College Northampton,United Kingdom. I am in myfinal year of study, and I amdoing my dissertation on theHolocaust experience inLithuania. I was wondering ifthere is any way for me toacquire the 1997 edition of YIVO-bleter, which was about the Lithuanian experience?

John McDermott United Kingdom

Reply: All four issues of the new series of YIVO-bleter areavailable from: Jewish Book Center of Workmen's Circle, 45East 33rd Street, New York, NY10016, (212) 889-6800 ext. 285 or (800) 922-2558 ext. 285,www.jewishbookcenter.comor by e-mail at [email protected].

Letters to YIVO

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aPrzi crhei thcgr cgrdgr

uuU sh kupy thz ayTregrw cgxgr

s†x tuhd pTrngxyi uuh T hgdgr

uuU s†x pkTl thz druhx tui drgxgr/

uuy sgr vhnk ckuh tui khfyhe

bgny zhl nhy sgr grs Truo

uuh T muhcgrw x'thz bhay rhfyhe

zg thl uugi thl s†ry auhi euo/

mu uu†x s†x uuTbsgri tui yruhngi

zufi uu†x x'thz bhay pTrTi

cgxgr sbg pgksgr muhngi

pTrrhfy si uu†diw si dgaPTi/

mhhk sh crfu, thi si kgci

zul ehhi dkhe ≈ x'thz thi si vuhz

zg uu†x shr v†y d†y dgdgci

vTky ≈ tui k†z s†x bhay Truhx/

T chxk zuiw T chxk rgdi

b†l bTfy euny sgr y†d

aPrz thi sbg ekhhbg aygdi

tui bhay pTrdgxw T kuhc s†l z†d/

gyT uur†cgk

sh 52xyg hHuu†-e†bpgrgb. )bhu-h†rew 1591(

gyT uur†cgk

drhbgrg k†begx

chckh†yge

v YIVO News Winter 2005

sgr hHuu† T n†k thi rungbhg

thi sgr hHuu†-chckh†yge thz s†

tuh; nher†phko s†x rungbha-

hHshag jusa-ckTy nnTTrrTTnnTTrr††aaggrr

cckkggyyggrr*/ thbgo bungr pui TPrhk

2391 thz s† Ti Tryhek tuhpi agr-

ckgyk pui bTyTi nTre t"y IhHuu†w

sgr v˙byhegr rch hvusv vbåht"/

†y thz T jke pubgo Tryhek:

IhHuu†w sgr v˙byhegr rch hvusv vbåht"

zuh uuh r' hvusv vbåht)531Ω502( v†y thi zi mydgz†dy: Ig,hsv ≤urv

a≤a≤fj nhårtk" )sh ≤urv thz†bdgcrhhy pTrdgxi mu uugri pui shhHsi( tui Tkg tumru, uu†x zgbgi†Pdgvhy dguu†ri chz zi my

mubuhpdgzTnkyw dg†rsby tui njcrdguugi sh Inabv"w pui uugkfi cru-bgo s†x hHshag p†ke v†y dgagPyzi kgcbxyrTbe tui d†yxp†rfyhegcTkhhyi b†l vby sh banu, pui zhh-grg b†gbyxyg tui y˙grxyg ≈ Tzuhv†y sgr vbyhegr rch hvusv vb-åht: sgr hHuu† )hHshagr uuhxbaTpy-kgfgr thbxyhyuy( thi uuhkbgw shtuh; sgr dTbmgr uugky mgahygwmguu†rpgbg Pgrk †bdgvuhci mubuhp-muekuhciw uugkfg tuhpdgabhrky tuh; thhi abhrk uugki zi T mhrubdwTi thhchegr uugry pTri thhcheip†ke/

†cgr sgr hHuu† v†y zi ygyh-ehhyx-pgks bhay cTargbey tuh;ckuhz ITkyx mu pTrrgfyi"w gr

aTpy tuhl phk bg uugryi uugkfgv†ci thi sgo thbxyhyuy zhhgr tn,idutk dgpubgi/ Tju. sgo jusa-arhpyhhHHuuuu††--cckkggyyggrrw pTr dgahfygw khyg-rTyur-p†raubd tTz"uuw )zg nnTTrrTT--nnTTrr††aaggrr cckkggyyggrrw b' 01w z' 7( uu†xsgra˙by Phbeykgl/ v†y sgr hHuu†cTuuhzi Truhxmudgci T dTbmg rhh uuhf-yheg aarrhhppyyii: pphhkk††kk††ddhhaagg)sh cgbs-gr Itui IIzgbgi Truhx thi muuhhtuhpkTdgx(w vvhhxxyy††rrhhaaggww ggee††bb††nnhhaagg

tui T xl Tbsgrg/

x'thz T pkhfy pui hgsi †y sh uuhfyhexyg p†kex-thbxyhyumhg nhyTkg Fuju, mu ayhmi/ sh cgxygayhmubd uugy zi mu pTraPrhhyithi T uu†x drgxgrgr n†x sh hHuu†-tuhxdTcgx/

sgr cbhi thz †bdgvuhciw z†khgsgr pui tubsz mukhhdi T mhdk Tzgr z†k zhl pTrgbshei/

*Truhx thi nTrngr†aw rungbhg ≈ T dguugzg-

bg tubdgrhag ygrhy†rhg uuU hHsi v†ci

dgrgsy hHsha tui tubdgrha/ x'thz dguugi T

yh; jxhshag dgdby ≈ s†ryi thz s† sh

aygy xTyngrw xhdgyw xPhbeg t"T

jxhshag vuhpi/

T

cfkk/ thcgrzg.-Trcgy thz tuhl dguugi T uuhfyhegPrbxv pTr hHshag arcgrx/

sh Fuubv pui Iuugky-khygrTyur" thzw Tz gx z†k zithbygrgxTby tui v†ci T a˙fu, mu Fkgrkhh ngbyaiwTzuh uuh sh ekTxhag uugre uu†x zgbgi cTrhny thcgrsgr d†rgr uugky/ s†x dhky th pTr khygrTyur thcgr-dgzgmy pui Tbsgrg aPrTfi tuh; hHshaw th pTr hHshagrkhygrTyur thcgdgzgmy tuh; Tbsgrg aPrTfi/ j'ygckTu ygvbyw Tz hHsha thz yTeg T uuhfyheg yhhk pui

sgr Iuugky-khygrTyur" tui Tz ng z†k dgbhxi pui sgo†pygrw cpry tuhpi ayj pui pTrdkfhegr khygrTyur/

thhbg pui sh thbygrgxTbyxyg zTfi uu†x zh v†ydgpubgi thi sgr hHuu†-chckh†yge thz Ti tuhxdTcg pui T sgrmhhkubd uugdi sgr Phgxg Ib≤i vjfo" pubgo h†r1781w dgarhci thi Ti Tkyi Iuucgry˙ya"/ x'thz tuhlayTre thbygrgxTby mu zgi uuh Tzuh ng v†y dgnTfy shthcgrzgmubdgi tui uuh Tzuh sh thcgrzgmgrx v†cicTvTbsky pTrahhsgbg aPrTl-gbhbhow muuhai Tbsgrgsgo tubygrahhs muuhai syaw syangrha tui hHsha/

j'yg ckTu thz zhhgr muprhsi uu†x zh v†y sh dgkgdb-vhhy mu p†rai thbgo hHuu†/ zh z†dyw Tz sgr hHuu† thzthhbx pui sh cgxyg grygr tuh; sgr uugky mu dgphbgish neurho uu†x zh zufyw uuk gr pTrn†dy chfgr tuizaurbTki †i T ahgur tui sh chckh†ygegrx vgkpi thrzhhgr T xl/ zh prhhy zhl tuhl nhy sgow uu†x zh egi zhlcTegbgi nhy Tbsgrg e†kgdi tui dgbhxi pui sgr hHshagreukyur-xçhçv s† thi bhu-h†re/

TzT Trcgy uuh j'yg ckTux dhy mu T xl mu sgruuhxbaTpy/ nhr uuhbyai thr vmkjv tui euei Truhx tuh;mu vgri uuygr uugdi thr Trcgy/

syag khygrTyur ]vnal pui z' s[

p†y†w rgfyx:xyusgbyiw kg-rgrx tui dgxyco xhuo 4002/

shshgu, pui hHuu† bun' 991 uuhbygr 5002

uu˙br˙l-mgbygr

Isyag khygrTyur tuh; hHsha":thbygruuhu nhy rçev ckTu

çev ckTu v†y †egray

dguuUbgi sh xyh-Pgbshg t"b s†rTtui nthr ygbskgrco hHuu†/ j'ygckTu nTfy thm-ygr p†raTrcgypTr thr shxgr-

yTmhg tuh; sgr ygng Ithcgrzg-mubdgi pui syagr uugky-khygrT-yur tuh; hHsha"/ zh ayushry tuh; Ts†ey†rTy thi sgo †Pyhhk pui pTr-dkfhegr khygrTyur co thkhbuhgrtubhuugrxhygy thi turcTbT-aTnPhhi/

nhy h†ri murhe v†y j'yg ckTuzhl cTyhhkhey thi T ekTx )tuh; gb-dkha( uugdi sgr hHshagr khygrTyurtui zhl zhhgr pTrhbygrgxhry nhyi

hHshai kaui/ sgrb†l v†y zh ayushryhHsha cÕzhl thi tubhuugrxhygy/ zhthz tuhl dgeungi zhl kgrbgi thisgr zungr-Pr†drTo co hHuu† tuithbgo TuuTbmhryi xgnhbTr co hHsh-ai yg†k†dhai xgnhbTr tui sgohHuu†/

j'yg ckTu thz pTrfTPy dguu†riuugi zh v†y dgkhhgby T hHshag th-cgrzgmubd pubgo cul Ish uugky puibgfyi" )9591(w sh zfrubu, pui xyg-pTi muudw T hHsha-gxyrfhagrarcgr uu†x v†y surfdgkgcy shvhykgr-≤eupv/ sgn†ky v†y zhpTrayTbgiw Tz s†x thcgrzgmi kh-ygrTyur pui sya tuh; hHsha thzT rfg ygng/ mukhc thrg pgHehhyinhy hHsha tui nhy sya )uu†x zhv†y auhi dgegby( thz s†x dguugi T

dgkgdbvhhy mu cTvTbskgi sh gbhbhopui aPrTlw eukyur tui thcgrzgmituh; Ti grbxyi TeTsgnhai tupi/

gx zgbgi pTrTi vubsgrygr chfgrthcgrdgzgmyg pui sya tuh; hHsha/kuhy j'yg ckTux p†raTrcgy v†ysh druhxgw n†sgrbg ≤eupv pui th-cgrzgmi sya tuh; hHsha zhi †bdg-vuhci thi sh 0781gr tui 0881grh†riw f†ya ng v†y thcgrdgzgmyb†l thi nhyk-gkygr/ ng v†y th-cgrdgzgmy yTeg T xl pTr sgrmuuhhygr uugky-nkjnv ≈ bhay b†rkhygrTyurw b†r tuhl uuhxbaTpykgfguugre/ Tzgkfg thcgrzgmubdgiw bhyb†r pui sya b†r tuhl pui TbsgrgaPrTfiw zgbgi dguu†ri T uuhfyhegryhhk pui sgr hHshagr khygrTygr

r

˙byhex h†r thz thbgo hHuu† p†rdgeungi b†l Txgrhg xgnhbTri tuh; hHsha/ sgr pTrzTnkygr

guko v†y dgb†xi pui sh thbygrgxTbyg rgsgx uuh Tzgkygbg dgkgdbvhhy mu vgri hHshag Truhxyrhyi tuh; TiTeTsgnhai bhuu†/

sgo 01yi xgPygncgr 4002s"r dgbTsh gxyrlw bhu-h†regr tubhuugrxhygy

Isus cgrdgkx†bx cgrkhgr h†ri 1291-3391"

s"r gxyrl v†y sgrmhhky uugdi sgr hHshagreukyur-xçhçv thi cgrkhiw uuU x'v†ci zhl cTzgmy T xlnhzrj-thhr†PgHag hHsiw sgrubygr T druhxg m†karcgrx/ cgrdgkx†i t"T ruxha-hHshag arcgrx v†cis†ryi dguuuhby tui sgrb†l zhl tundgegry thbgox†uugyi-pTrcTbs/ s"r gxyrl v†y zhl Truhxdgz†dywpTr uu†x zhh v†ci s†x dgy†i/

sgo 21yi b†uugncgr 4002s"r Tvri-khhc bTskgrw sru-tubhuugrxhygy tui hHuu†

IaPhb†zg c sh arcgrx rTuuhya tui khhuuhe"

s"r bTskgr v†y dgrgsy uugdi sgo phk†z†; crulaPhb†zTw uu†x thz dguugi zhhgr T uuhfyheg phdur c hHsi tui xPgmhgk c sh arcgrx nkl rTuuhya tui v/khhuuhe/ gr v†y Trundgrgsy khsgr tui Pr†zguugre uu†xzhh v†ci dgaTpi uugdi aPhb†zT ≈ x grbxyg tui xe†nhag/

sgo 01yi sgmgncgr 4002s"r kusnhkT a†k†f†uuTw hHuu†

IhHshag nuzheTkhag e†kgemhx thi

sgr tuerTHbhagr bTmh†bTkgr

chckh†yge"

s"r a†k†f†uuTw Ti tuhxdgaukygnuzhe†k†dhi tui T chckh†yegrhi thihHuu†w v†y dgrgsy uugdi sgo kTbdpTrkuhrgbgo Trfhuu pui hHshagr nuzhe tui p†kek†ruu†x ng v†y Tbysgey thi sgr bTmh†bTkgr chckh†ygethi eHguu/ zh v†y sgrmhhky uugdi sgr rhzhegr e†kgmhgpui 000w1 uuTkmiw uu†x pTrn†dy rge†rshrubdgiwdgarhcgbg b†yi tui T eTyTk†dw tui bgny Tri shTrcgy pui a/ Tb-xehw hutk gbdgkw z/ ehxgkv†; tui n/cgrgd†uuxeh/ zh v†y tuhl dgaPhky tuhxmudi pui sgre†kgemhg: jxhshag bhdubhow jzbu,w T za†ew TnTeTr†bha khs tui T cTdrhxubd pui akuo-gkhfngi/

Pryho: thi dhfi/ ekhbdy †i 9316-492-212 †sgr arcy†i

vhHsha-xgnhbTriw vTrcxy 4002

[email protected]

thi 5002 uugki Truhxyrgyi s"r vgrak dkgzgr sgo 81yi pgcruTr

rçev ckTu sgo 52xyi nTr.

s"r rjnhtk Pgk. sgo 8yi TPrhk

s"r anutk eTx†uu sgo 6yi n˙

s"r aknv thhsgkcgrd sgo 72xyi n˙

]vnal tuh; z' v[

rçev ckTu

PuckheTmhgx

d YIVO News Winter 2005

nrsfh agfygrx sh dguuhexi-uugky thi hHshasgr hHuu† prhhy

zhlw uu†x †y-†y

uugy sgrzgi sh

khfyheg a˙i s"rnrsfh agfygrx

sshh ddgguuuuhheexxii--uuuuggkkyy

tthhii hhHHsshhaa/ s†

uuygr sruei

nhr †P tuhxmudi

pui zi Iuu†ry

prHgr"/ ≈ rgs'’

u uu†x v†ci nhr mubuhpdg-aygky sshh ddgguuuuhheexxii--uuuuggkkyy tthhii

hhHHsshhaa)s† uuygr dgehrmy: ddgguuuuhh(?x'bhay ehhi rgy†rhagr prgd/ Pauy:pTr zhl Tkhhi tui pTr Tbsgrg thzFsTh ek†r mu nTfi sgo ≤fkh, puiT ygrnhb†k†dhai vTbycul tuh; TzTitundgrhfygr ygng uuh bgngi puidguuhexi thi nTng-kaui tui tuh;TzTi tundgrhfyi pTrbgo/

mubuhpdgaygky ddgguuuuhhv†ci nhrthcgr gykgfg ygnho PrTeyhagwyg†rgyhag tui PrhbmhPhgkg/ thizhbgi dgvTy v†ci nhr x r' hårtkwx sgo Fkk hårtkw x sh hHshagaPrTl/ k†nhr zhh bgngi thhbmheuuz/pTri hjhs ≈ tui cnhkt tuhl pTriFkk ≈ v†ci nhr sgo vTbycul mudg-drhhy Fsh:

1( ng z†k uuhxi uuh †bmurupi tuh;nTng-kaui T dguuhexw uu†x zibhay-hHshai b†ngi uuhhxy ngi h†w†cgr sgo hHshai v†y ngi †sgrpTrdgxiw †sgr ehhi n†k bhaydguuUxy/ s†x thz ITvgr" ≈ pui TiTbsgr kaui mu hHsha mu/

2( nhr uuhki †cgr shbgi sgohHsha-bhmgr tuhl ITvhi" ≈ pui hHshamui Ti Tbsgr kauiw knak: ng uuhhxysgo hHshai b†ngi pui T dguuhex tuing uuhk uuhxiw uuh xg vhhxy tuh; TiTbsgr kauiw Fsh dguuuhr mu uugriPryho uugdi sgo dguuhex surlb†feuei thi Ti gbmhek†Pgshg mh TiTbsgr tbeuecul tuhpi ahhfsheiTbsgri kaui/

sgr ITvhi" ≈ pui hHsha mui TiTbsgr kaui ≈ dhky bhay b†r pTrdguuhexiw uu†x ng uuhhxy zhhgr hH-shai b†ngi/ co khhgbgi hHshag

khygrTyur ayuhxy ngi zhl †i thi T duznt ygrnhbgiw uu†x sh y˙yathz sgo khhgbgr csrl-Fkk prgns/ TcTxTrTcgrw T ayhhdgrw uugy ≤hF;uuhxi sh y˙ya pui PP††nnggiiww dd††kk--ss††bbggxxww nnTTkkhh††bbyyaahheekkw †cgr T dTkh-mhTbgrw uu†khbgrw khyuuTew mh Puhkh-agr uugy ckci ayhhi †Pvgbyhe:uu†x thz s†x? Pubey Tzuh uugyw fTPinhr †iw T sruo-hHs bhay uuhxi sgoPay pubgo dguuhexi-b†ngi nn˙wwxxggyyggbbggww ddrrhhzzggbbggww aaTTkkTTnnuueexxbbggxx)thiFkgrkhh IxTcgxsheg" uuTrhTbyi(thbgo kaui pui mpubsheg arcgrx/uugr x'thz bhay h/-h/ auuTrmgx ehhikTbsxnTi uugy nx≤o bhay uuhxiInhy uu†x ng gxy" rrhhccggkkggll)thipTrahhsgbg eTbyi ≈ nhy pTrahh-sgbg y˙yai(w eerruummeeggxxww ccrruueebbggxxwwcckk††gg hhTTddssggxxww ccTTkkccTTrrggxxiiw uu†x thizi P†gng hhuubbddgg hh††rrii/ rgdh†bTkgygrnhbgi †sgr rgdh†bTkg p†b†-k†dhag uuTrhTbyi zgbgi s†l thinTng-kaui s† thi sh vubsgrygr/

ddgguuuuhhthzw vhhxy gxw T nhyk puiaPrTl-cTrfgrubd pTr Ir' hårtk"/s† uugy ngi egbgi dgphbgi sh ≤au-çv tuh; sgr thhchegr atkv Iuuhz†dy ngi tuh; hHsha?"/ tuhpi prg-dgr uuTry s† sgr ≤hru. tuh; vub-sgrygr ygrnhb†k†dhag eahu, T xln†k dgprgdygw zgkyi dgprgdygwtpar b†l Fkk bhay dgprgdygw tuiTzuhbx uu†x xg uu†ky drkgl d†rtuh; sgr njaçv bhay dgeungi muprgdiw uugi bhay ≈ T xPgmhgkgrtbeuecul uu†x v†y Fngy s†xdTbmg uugrygruuTrd mubuhpdgekhcipubgo cgk-neabx uugdi/ bhay b†rtuhxcrhhygri sgo uugrygr-tumrpubgo hjhs zg'nhr tuhxiw b†r tuhlpubgo dTbmi aPrTl-mhcur/

sh sgxerhPyhuug khbduuhxyhe uugypui ddgguuuuhhdguuhbgi T Fngy puki thb-uugbyTr pubgo hHshai gyb†c†yTbhaicTdTzaw uu†x r'thz T xlw T xldrgxgr uuh ng uu†ky zhl thi pkuddgegby rhfyi/ uugngi uu†ky zhlTphku dgjkunyw Tz thi tubszgraPrTfa˙gr khdi tbdgaPfkgry≈ tuhc ng rgfby tuhl sh rgdh†-bTkgw vhxy†rhag tui xyhkhxyhag

uuTrhTbyi tui xhb†bhngi ≈ yuhzbygrbgngi pui dguuhexi? uugi nhr uu†kyibhay tuhxdgbhmy sh Tkg neurhowuu†x nhr v†ci zhl mu zhh sgrak†-diw uuh uu†kyi nhr dguuUxyw Tz ≈Trbrgfgbgbshe tuhl xhb†bhngi tuiuuTrhTbyi ≈ v†ci hHshag xTs†uu-bhegxw Tdr†b†ngiw tuhPxvgbskgrxdgvTy thi zhhgr rau, sgo ygr-nhb†k†dhai pTrngd †bmurupi cob†ngi 981 )!( x†ryi tui d†ryi-uuTrhgygyi gPkw muugkg; x†ryiTrcgx uFsunv/

kxu;: sgr b†rnTyhuugr mudTbd/Fngy Tkg hHshag phk†k†di ≈ pui h/-n/ )aHg-n†yk( khpah. thcgr cgrc†r†f†uuw bj Prhkumehw tkhvu †k-auuTbdgrw b/ ayh;w n/ uubrlw z/rhhzgiw z/ eknb†uuhyaw gkhg xPhuuTetTz"uu chzi b†fjurcbshei sur phk†-k†di )jhho dhbhbdgrw turhtk uubrltui sgr arcgr pui sh auru,( ≈v†ci Fnv-uFnv n†k Truhxdgvuhcis†x jahçu, pui sgr kgexhagrtuhxcrhhygrubd pui nTng-kaui: ngz†k uugdi thykgfi pgks pui ngbya-kgfi kgci tui aTpi egbgi rgsitui arci tuh; hHsha/cnhkt ≈ tuhxcrhhygritubszgr c†yTbhaiuu†eTcukTr tuhl/

cnhkt thz tubsz tuhx-dgeungi thi ddgguuuuhhmu sgrcrgbdgimui T rgkTyhuui dnr sh Trcgywuu†x khpah. v†y †bdgvuhcithi zbg uugrygrchfkgl)nhy Tzuhbg bg†k†dhzngi uuhaakkhhhhppddrr††zz(w ngbsgkg thi zissggrr kkuuppyyccTTkk††ii)tbdgphryccTT††ccTTcc(w sgr eeuukk nnççåårrnhyccrruuhhyyccuuhhoow uuuuggkkhhbbddyy††bbhhggt"T≈ sh dg†drTphag tubhuugrxTkhzhrubdpui sgr hHshagr c†yTbhagr ygrnh-b†k†dhg/ thi T vhPagr m†k pTkithz tubsz pubsgxyuugdi tuhxdgeungimu pTrpuki kgexhag ckuhzi/

T Fkkw ddgguuuuhhthz th T sgxerhP-yhuugr tbeueculw th T b†rnTyh-uugrw th T nhyk pui tunshrgeyiaPrTl-khnusw T aPrTl-PgsTd†-dhagr nfahr pTri hjhs tui pTriFkk/

m

s"r nrsfhagfygr

uuhksg mhe†rhg

chshgu, pui hHuu† bun' 991 uuhbygr 5002

b˙gx

gmgncgr 91-12w 4002 thz thiaheTdg p†rdgeungi sh hgrkgfg

e†bpgrgb. pui sgrAssociationfor Jewish Studies )AJ S ( / s†ryi v†ci dgvTkyi rgpgrTyi vub-sgrygr p†ragrx tuh; Fkgrkhh yg-ngx thi a˙fu, nhy hHsi ≈ dgahf-ygw aPrTlw khygrTyurw p†kek†rwnuzhe tTz"uu/ sgr hHuu† thz zhhgray†k.w uu†x muuhai sh rgpgrgbyiv†ci zhl dgpubgi mgbskhegr uu†xv†ci T a˙fu, nhyi hHuu† ≈ dguug-zgbg xyusgbyi tui kgrgrx thi sgrzungr-Pr†drTo t"b turhtk uubrlwvbyheg tui dguugzgbg p†ra-xyh-PgbshTbyi tui nhyTrcgygrx thbgohHuu†/ pui sh muu†bmhe cTyhhkheygthi sh phr xgxhgx uugdi sgr hHsh-agr khygrTyur v†ci ayushrywdgkgrgry †sgr dgp†ray cohHuu†: s"r sus-vhra r†xegx )hHsh-agr yg†k†dhagr xgnhbTr(w s"rh†xk eudknTx )Trhz†bgr ayTyhagrtubhuu'(w s"r jbv vgkgrayhhi )Pgb-xhkuuhhbhgr tubhuu'(w s"r hgeç kuHx)euuhbx-tubhuu'w ehbdxy†iw †by'(w s"rnTre eTPkTi )Pgbxhkuuhhbhgr tu-bhuu'(ws"r gkeg egknTi )crTbsx-

tubhuu'( t"T/ tuh; T nuzheTkhagrygngw uugdi sh grayg ruxha-hHshag xPgmhTkhxyi pui p†kexkhsgrc hHsiw v†y rgpgrhry s"r kus-nhkT a†k†f†uuT )hHuu†-chckh†yge(/

Tzuh uuh sgr hHuu† prhhy zhl thmynhy zi 08xyi huçk v†y ngi dg-nTfy T Ahnjv cÕsgr e†bpgrgb./dgeungi zgbgi T 06 TeTsgnhegrx

tui yugrx thbgo aheTdgr hHuu†/cTdrhxy sgo guko v†y sgr gezg-euyhuu-shrgey†rw s"r eTrk rbx`dgbungi T uu†ry tuh; hHsha v†ysgr nhysgeTiw s"r vgrak dkgzgr/Tkg dgxy v†ci dguuUbyai sgo hHuu†b†l kTbdg h†ri pui aTpgrhagrTrcgy!

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YIVO Institute for Jewish Research

15 West 16th Street,New York, NY 10011-6301

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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE

PAIDLANCASTER, PA

PERMIT #299

THE GAON SOCIETY NEWSLETTERA PERIODIC PUBLICATION FOR FRIENDS OF YIVO INSTITUTE FOR JEWISH RESEARCH

WINTER 2005

PROFILES IN PHILANTHROPY

Planned Giving and Endowmenthruau,w muu†u, tui gzçubu,

E ta Taub was a woman rich in friends, familyand yidishkayt. Born in the Ukraine, shemoved to Bucharest at age 13 to work as a

domestic and nanny. She waited for three yearsbefore receiving permission to move to NorthAmerica. Although she traveled alone, her radiantpersonality and determination compelled people to assist her.

Mrs. Taub made it possible for her younger brotherto move to Canada. As far as she knew he was theonly member of her family to survive the Nazis.

In her 20s she moved to New York, where she mar-ried Shitza Taub. Eta was devoted to her husband’sfamily. Although the Taubs had no children of theirown, she was a favorite of her nieces and nephews.Friends describe the Taub home as a “treasure troveof art and good taste.” Lester Taub, her nephew,remembers that there were always guests, livelyYiddish discussions, music and culture.

She never gave up hope that other relatives had sur-vived, and after the war she found cousins in Russia.This discovery was like a rebirth; she began makingvisits to Russia, bringing or sending parcels.Happily, a number of her family members later emi-grated to the United States.

Mrs. Taub celebrated the richness of Yiddish language and culture through her support for orga-

Eta Taub (1908 – 2003): Lifelong Supporter of Yiddish, Israel and Family

nizations in New York andIsrael. Her cousin EdaRybalov remembers thatshe encouraged her familyto share their Yiddish lan-guage with younger gener-ations. She herself wroteand published her memoirsin Yiddish, detailing her early life in Russia. She also wrote lovely Yiddish poetry.

YIVO was honored to be remembered in Eta Taub’swill along with other organizations that are involvedin promoting and encouraging the Yiddish languageand yidishkayt. Mrs. Taub and her family havedonated treasures from her own collection, includingpersonal photographs and manuscripts, to YIVO. Inaddition, her generous bequest to YIVO will assistus in the maintenance of our archives and library,helping to keep the treasures of YIVO accessible toscholars and lay people alike.

We are truly grateful to Eta Taub for this exception-al legacy, which will help YIVO in its work to pre-serve Yiddish history, language and culture.

If you would like information on how you can helppreserve Yiddish and yidishkayt, please call EllenSiegel at YIVO at (917) 606-8293.

Eta Taub

W hen YIVO was founded 80 years ago inVilna, it was the first institution todocument, collect and teach the language

and culture of our East European Jewish ancestors.We are also the only pre-war European institutionwhose collections have survived, largely intact —from our roots in Vilna to our vibrant center in New York City.

We are thrilled to be celebrating this great milestone,and we look forward to an exciting year of specialexhibitions and events — highlighted by our April14, 2005 gala evening at Carnegie Hall, with MichaelTilson Thomas, in honor of his grandparents, Yiddishtheater legends Bessie and Boris Tomashefsky.

Many of you have also reached this milestone year. AYIVO charitable gift annuity is a terrific way to cel-ebrate your birthday and ours!

A charitable gift annuity is a simple contract thatenables you to create a legacy for YIVO and steady,guaranteed payments for yourself or a loved one. Inexchange for your gift of $10,000 in cash or securi-ties, YIVO promises to pay you regular quarterlypayments for life!

For example, if you are 80 (like YIVO!) you mayenjoy the following benefits:• An 8% charitable annuity;• Guaranteed quarterly payments totaling $800 per

year for life;• A charitable tax deduction of $4,855 in the year you

create the gift;• The knowledge that you have created a lasting trib-

ute to Eastern European Jewish Culture;AND• As an added bonus we are proud to offer anyone who

creates an annuity between now and April 1, 2005,a complimentary ticket to the April 14 CarnegieHall celebration with Michael Tilson-Thomas.

Please help us celebrate the legacy of YIVO by cre-ating your own legacy. For more information pleasecall or write Ellen Siegel, Planned Giving Officer, at(917) 606-8293 or [email protected], or YIVOInstitute for Jewish Research, 15 West 16th Street,New York, NY 10011.

Happy Birthday to YIVO and YOU! Come Celebrate!

N amed for the 18th-century Rabbi ElijahBen Solomon Zalman — the Vilna Gaon —The Gaon Society was established to recog-

nize and thank YIVO supporters who have created a legacy for YIVO in their wills or estate plans orthrough a charitable gift annuity or charitable trust.

Like The Vilna Gaon, who was known for his intel-lect and for the importance he placed on tzedakah,these friends understand and appreciate the roleYIVO plays in preserving and perpetuating ourheritage for future generations. The resources ofYIVO, and your support of these resources, play anessential role in advancing Jewish scholarship, aswell as securing the culture, language and history of Eastern European Jewry.

To learn more about becoming a member of TheGaon Society and helping to safeguard our heritagefor the future, please use the enclosed reply enve-lope or call Ellen Siegel at (917) 606-8293. We willbe happy to discuss bequest and gift-planning ideasthat may help you preserve your assets and ourshared history.

The Gaon Society

Ice skaters on a frozen pond (Marghita, Romania, 1929).

Gaon Society News

M embers of The Gaon Society were invitedto brunch and a special viewing of trea-sures from the YIVO Archives. On

October 17, 2004, Fruma Mohrer, Head YIVOArchivist, gave Society members a “highlights”tour of YIVO’s extensive collections.

Mohrer explained that YIVO collects materials infour general areas: Jewry in the Diaspora of Europe,the American experience of European Jews, Holo-caust materials and material related to the State ofIsrael and its creation. YIVO’s archival collectionsrepresent the breadth and depth of the Jewish experi-ence from Europe, around the world and in America,touching every aspect of world Jewry.

Guests viewed materials from our Holocaust collec-tions, including documents and registry cards fromdisplaced persons camps, as well as YIVO’s pioneer-ing collection of the first eyewitness testimonies.They were shown the beautifully restored Register of the Rabbinic Court of Metz, France, dating fromthe mid-1700s, which concerns the daily lives of therelatively autonomous Jews of the period. Mohreralso shared a 1932 Yiddish letter from Golda Meir to David Pinsky in New York, demonstrating theimportance of Yiddish as the lingua franca of worldJewry.

If you have remembered YIVO in your will, trust, life insurance or pension plan, orif you would like information on how toleave a legacy to YIVO, create a charitablegift annuity, or create a memorial to honora loved one, please contact Ellen Siegel at:(917) 606-8293. Thank you.

Ms. Rosina AbramsonMs. Leone Adelson

Ms. Sylvia Antonier-ScherMr. Harold Baron

Dr. Sylvia Brody AxelradMs. Eliane Bukantz

Mr. and Mrs. Hyman CohenDr. Ethel Cutler

Mr. and Mrs. Sol EldmanMr. Stanley Engelstein

Mr. and Mrs. Gene ForrellMrs. Shulamis Friedman

Ms. Vicki GoldMr. Nathan Goldstein

Dr. Laura HapkeMr. George HechtMs. Felice Itzkoff

Mrs. Louisa JohnstonMr. Louis Osofsky

Ms. Bathsheba S. PhillipsMs. Ethel Roberts

Mr. Abraham ShermanMr. Samuel Silverstein

Mr. Bruce SlovinDr. and Mrs. Robert and Lottie Tartell

Professor Franklin TokerMr. Jacob WaisbordMr. Milton WeinerMs. Edith Weiss

Joan Wertheim, Ph.D.Anonymous (8)

Matured EstatesMr. Abe Feldman

Ms. Rebekah GisnetMs. Pauline Hechtman

Mr. Charles StopperMrs. Eta Taub

Mr. and Mrs. Max and Sylvia Wohl

Members of The Gaon Society

Ruth Kremen, Dr. and Mrs. Mark Barbasch, Dr. and Mrs. I. Bernard Weinstein at The Gaon Society event.

THE GAON SOCIETY NEWSLETTER IS NOT INTENDED TO OFFER LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE. YIVO RECOMMENDS THAT YOU

CONSULT WITH YOUR ATTORNEY OR FINANCIAL ADVISOR WITH QUESTIONS CONCERNING YOUR INDIVIDUAL SITUATION.

YIVO recommends the following bequest language:"I give and bequeath (__ dollars or __% of my estate) to

YIVO Institute for Jewish Research,15 West 16th Street, New York, NY,

for its general purposes."

B y helping people understand their pasts, webring to life the rich history and culture of theJewish people. Our staff, our archives, our

library and you, our supporters, safeguard the livesof our parents and grandparents by saving their stories and their histories.

YIVO has always understood the importance of ourwork in saving and preserving our past. We were thefirst organization to collect eyewitness testimoniesfrom the Holocaust, gathering information evenbefore the war’s end. After the war, YIVO continuedto collect information from Jews the world over,from DP camps, Latin America and Europe.

For 80 years, YIVO has collected and preserved theprimary records of daily life in Jewish EasternEurope: the large and small things that comprise aculture and society, such as theater and politicalposters, family photographs, telephone directories,books in many languages (especially Yiddish),music, record books of Jewish organizations, familytrees, folklore and much more. YIVO is consistentlyin the forefront of recognizing the need to rememberand save our past.

Our work reunites people with their history. Howwonderful it is to discover a loved one’s personalhistory hidden in a scribble written on the back of aphoto. Our staff works with individuals from around

the world who are searching for information abouttheir families — bringing life to our families’ pasts. YIVO creates a lasting legacy for future generations— we save the lives of our parents by saving theirhistory, preserving their culture, recording our histo-ry. For this reason, we hope that you will create alegacy for YIVO.

Just as documents and photos speak to current andfuture generations, your bequest — the most signifi-cant expression of the life you have lived — shouldspeak to future generations and reflect your connection to YIVO’s mission. For more information please call or email Ellen Siegel,Planned Giving Officer, at (917) 606-8293 [email protected].

YIVO: Giving Life to the Past — One History at a Time

New immigrant adjusts to Israeli life at Kibbutz Glil Yam (1968).

Documents

hshgu, puihHuuâ€ - YIVO Institute for Jewish Research