The 'Yiddish Voice' Podcast Yiddish Voice ייִדיש קול

This week, for Yom HaShoah, which falls this year on May 6, we present past interviews with survivors of the Holocaust in Hungary as we mark the deportation of Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz in the spring of 1944, 80 years ago. After a brief intro and announcement of Boston's 2024 community Hazkure, we hear:



Mel Mermelstein ז״ל


We had a short but memorable interview with Mel in 2008. Mel lived in Munkacs until May 1944, when he was deported to Aushwitz. He passed away in January 2022 at age 95. See also: Mel Mermelstein Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mel_Mermelstein



Zoli Langer and Rokhl Zicherman: repeat of our 2020 Yom HaShoah broadcast: Zoli lived in Ungvar and Rokhl in Tybava until they were deported to Auschwitz in the spring of 1944. A long interview of Zoli is presented with a short interlude of Rokhl singing songs about the Holocaust. Both were interviewed in 2019 and currently (2024) reside in the Los Angeles area.

This week, Pesach greetings and words of wisdom from Rabbi Yitzchok-Boruch Teitelbaum, Rabbi Moshe Kesselman, and Holocaust survivor Naftali (Tuli) Deutsch, as well as greetings from many of our cohosts, friends, and sponsors, as follows:


Israel Book Shop (Eli Dovek ז״ל recorded Mar 28 2007)
American Association of Jewish Holocaust Survivors of Greater Boston (member and Holocaust survivor Tania Lefman, and member and Holocaust survivor Mary Erlich), co-sponsor of Boston's 2024 In-Person and Virtual Community Holocaust Commemoration of Yom HaShoah, Sunday, May 5, 2024, at 10:30 AM Eastern. (Registration required.)
League for Yiddish, New York, NY, (Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath, Chair of the Board)
Leah Shporer-Leavitt, Newton, MA, co-host of The Yiddish Voice / דאָס ייִדישע קול
Dovid Braun, Leonia, NJ, co-host of The Yiddish Voice / דאָס ייִדישע קול
Yankele Bodo, Tel Aviv, Israel, actor and singer (from 2016)
Eli Grodko, New Millford, NJ, friend of the show
Boston Workers Circle, Brookline, MA (Yiddish committee member Linda (Libe-Reyzl) Gritz)

We wish all our cohosts, sponsors, and friends a Happy and Kosher Pesach.

מיר ווינטשן אַלע אונדזערע אונטערשטיצער, פֿרײַנד און באַטייליקטע אַ פֿריילעכן און כּשרן פּסח

Links for this episode:


JCRC Boston's registration for Yom Hahoah 2024: jcrcboston.org/register-for-yom-hashoah-2024
Israel Book Shop: israelbookshop.com
Rabbie Moshe Kesselman's Neros Lehoir website: neroslehoir.org
League for Yiddish: leagueforyiddish.org
Boston Workers Circle: circleboston.org

Music:


Malavsky Family: Ho Lakhmo Anyo and Fir Kashes
Moyshe Oisher: Dayenu, Chad Gadyo, and Kiddush for Pesach
Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

Air date: April 17, 2024

This week, Cantor Herschel Fox, long-time chazzan at Valley Beth Shalom Synagogue in Los Angeles and veteran of the Cantorial world as well as the Yiddish stage, and even Yiddish radio. The interview is filled with stories and anecdotes covering many aspects of his life and his illustrious career, including close working relationships with such legends as Molly Picon, Cantor Dovid Koussevitzky, and many others. He also treats us to many insights into Yiddish song and khazones, with many demonstrations featuring his still-strong voice, with wonderful musical phrasing and beautiful Yiddish and Hebrew diction.

The interview was recorded at the home of Herschel and Judy Fox on Mar. 21, 2024. Special thanks to Judy Fox for audio technical assistance.

Links related to Cantor Fox:


Honorary Doctorate fitting cap to cantorial career of Herschel Fox", article in Canada's Jewish Post and News
Judy & Herschel Fox at FAU Sound Archive, digitized versions of commercial recordings of Herschel Fox, as well as his wife, fellow cantor, Judy Fox
Herschel Fox's Oral History, interview by Christa Whitney from 2018 for the Wexler Oral History Project of Yiddish Book Center

Music:


Moshe Koussevitzky: Sheyiboneh Beys Hamikdosh
Herschel Fox: Sheyiboneh Beys Hamikdosh
Herschel Fox: Dem Milners Trern
Herschel Fox: Abi Gezunt
Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

Air Date: April 10, 2024

Happy Purim !! אַ פֿריילעכן פּורים



Part 1: Jokes and humor for Purim told by Libby Pollak, Sholem Beinfeld, Sheila (Sheyndl) Lieberman-Reich, Sheldon (Shulem) Londner, and Hy Wolfe.



Part 2: Arele Schaechter Viswanath discusses his Google Doc "אַ בלעטל פּורים־מאַטעריאַלן", which the פֿאָרווערטס/Forverts/Yiddish Forward described as "Lively Yiddish Purim materials for teachers, students and parents".



All guests were recorded, by phone or Zoom, Mar. 19-20, 2024.

Links mentioned in this episode:


Arele's Google Doc: אַ בלעטל פּורים־מאַטעריאַלן פֿאַר עלטערן פֿון ייִדיש־רעדנדיקע קינדער און פֿאַר ייִדיש־לערערס און תּלמידים


Music:


Di Purim Shpiler [Spotify]: Mishpokhe Lustik, Tsu Feter Aron,Khelemer Rov
Megilla of Itzik Manger (The Bursteins/Israeli cast album) [Spotify]: Der Nigun Fun Der Megille
Mine-Lifshe Viswanath: Purim Iz A Shpil Aza [Youtube]
Bina Landau: Purim Lid
Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

Air date: March 20, 2024

This week, interview with Holocaust survivor Nathan Gipsman, originally from Będzin (Bendin), who recently celebrated his 99th birthday; Alona Bach and Sarah Biskowitz cover Farbindungen 2024, the third annual Farbindungen Yiddish Studies Conference, taking place online from February 18 – 19th, 2024; Kolya Borodulin announces the Yiddish classes offered by Workers Circle/Arbeter Ring, starting next week; and a little -ליבע (love-) related music in honor of Valentin-Tog (Valentine's Day).

Important links mentioned in this episode:


https://circle.org
https://farbindungen.com


Music:


Masha Roskies: Kum Leybke Tantsn (from CD accompanying book Yiddishlands by David Roskies)
Mayya Korsunskaya: Ikh Hob Dikh Tsu Fil Lib (piano acc. by Hankus Netsky)
Dudu Fisher: Sheyn Vi Di Lovone
Dudu Fisher: Bay Mir Bistu Sheyn
Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

Air date: February 14, 2024

Last week, we learned the sad news that David (Dovid) Lenga has died at the age of 96. He was buried in Los Angeles on Jan. 28, 2024. Los Angeles survivor and community leader Harry Davids said of him, "David was a survivor of Dachau and Auschwitz. He frequently spoke at the museums, synagogues and schools, and his presentations were known for their oratory and inspirational style."In his memory, we're airing his interview recorded and originally aired on Jan. 4, 2023. Link to original podcast. כּבֿוד זײַן אַנדענק!‬

Music:


Wolf Krakowsky: Yeder Ruft Mikh Ziamele
Leahke Post: Yidish Redt Zikh Azoy Sheyn
Yugntruf: Youth for Yiddish: Yiddish (Vaserl)
Tzimmes: Oyfn Pripetshik
Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

Air date: February 7, 2024