WHY THIS BLOG
Although I would describe myself as a secular Jew, as a Yiddish teacher, translator and scholar, I am very much aware of the strong connection Yiddish has with traditional Jewish life. For many years I have gone to shul almost every Shabes and, when there, like nothing better than to read the weekly parshe [parashah] (Torah portion) or as it is more commonly called in Yiddish di sedre fun der vokh. I have come to love a book called “The Torah: A Women’s Commentary” for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the “Voices” section at the end of each sedre which offers a number of poems based on its various characters, happenings or themes. It occurred to me that something like this could and should be done using Yiddish poetry, and so I decided to do it.
Even though Modern Yiddish poetry is generally thought of as created by heretics, atheists and agnostics, the Khumesh remains a powerful force in their writings. It was generally not hard to find Yiddish poems that were either inspired by the sedre or shed new light on it, in ways that should interest and entice both believers and non-believers. Sometimes it was the poet’s intent to create a medresh, an interpretation, on the Toyre portion, at other times, the sedre will illuminate the poem. Naturally, the task was easiest in Breyshes/Genesis which is full of stories and characters about whom many poets, among them Itsik Manger, H. Leyvick and Reyzl Zhikhlinski, wrote poetry. Later books provided more of a challenge demanding more imagination, both on my part and on the part of the reader in order to make connections between the text and the poems.
Poems will be offered in Yiddish, English translation and transliteration, for those who understand some Yiddish but can’t read it. Each poem will be accompanied by a recording of my reading it in Yiddish. The poems will be preceded by the biblical verses, both in English and in Yiddish, to which they seem most clearly tied.
Sources and translators will always be noted. Each poem will be preceded, wherever possible, by a brief English biography of the writer which you can click on, thanks to the wonderful work of Josh Fogel who translated the whole לעקסיקאָן פֿון דער נײַער יידישער ליטעראַטור (Lexicon of New Yiddish Literature) into English and the Congress of Yiddish Culture who have posted it on their website. Clicking on the Yiddish translation will generally lead you to my earlier blog “Candles of Song: Yiddish Poems about Mothers.”
Although certain poets such as Yankev Glatshteyn, Itsik Manger, Kadye Molodowsky and Rokhl Korn will appear quite frequently, the poems will offer a window into Yiddish poetry by a wide range of writers. My finding the selections is based on a mixture of prior knowledge, searching and just plain luck and I am well aware that had I decided on a certain day (mostly Shabes) to pick up another book from my shelves or open on another page my choices might have been different.
I welcome suggestions for other works from readers. Please don’t hesitate to send them to me at sczucker@aol.com. Generally, I have drawn upon existing translations. Where those were not available I have translated myself, sometimes, I think, successfully and at other times I have made an “attempt” which I realize is far from satisfying but have included it for the sake of the Yiddish poem. Most of the time the readings will be poems but I reserve the right to post whatever genres I feel address the themes in the sedre, so occasionally there will be prose selections as well.
WHEN
I will try to post each week’s readings by 10 PM on Sunday night of the week in which the sedre will be read in synagogue. Hopefully, that will give anybody who might want to use one for a dvar-toyre time to do so. You may peek earlier; the week might be already be posted.
NAME OF THE SEDRE
I have offered the name of the sedre in the modern Hebrew pronunciation used in the JPS/The Torah: A Women’s Commentary editions followed by the traditional Ashkenazic pronunciation as given in the Artscroll Stone edition of the Chumash.
Please feel free to share these poems with friends, colleagues, members of your congregations and with whomever else might be interested. I have collected more poems than I am posting and hope to continue posting into the following year.
Read, learn and enjoy. Sheva Zucker