News in December 2009
News in December 2009
“I Don’t Care
Whether She’s
Hawaiian Or Yiddish”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYauVip__q0
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Combining award-winning a cappella singing,
biting wit and over-the-top drag, The Kinsey Sicks
are one of the hottest musical comedy troupes in the US.
They are known for their originality and sweet voices,
but underneath the wigs and chiffon runs serious content,
much of which embodies a distinctly Jewish perspective.
And that perspective surfaces in a variety of ways,
from an absurdist sense of humor to progressive politics
to presentation of expressly Jewish material,
including music sung entirely in Yiddish.
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וועגן לערנער מאָגוילעווסקי דואָו: וועלט-סאָרט אַרגענטינעאַן דואָ סיזער לערנער און מאַרסעלאָ מאָגוילעווסקי, אויך באַוווסט ווי קלעזמער ען בוענאס איירעס, ברענגען די מעררימענט און פּייטאַס פון מזרח אייראָפּע ס ספּיריטיד מוזיק צו די סקירבאַלל. זייער יקסייטינג און ינאַווייטיוו נעמען אויף קלעזמער בלענדז בעקאַבאָלעדיק מעלאָדיעס מיט אַרגענטינעאַן פאָלק, דזשאַז, טאַנגאָ, און היינטצייטיק סאָונדס. זיין מעזמערייזד דורך די אָרקעסטראַל ווירקונג פון זייער סטאַנינג ווערטשואַסיטי אויף פלוץ, באַגפּייפּ, דודוק (ארמאניש ראָר קיילע), קלאַרינעץ, סאָפּראַנאָ סאַקסאָפאָן, האַרמאָניקאַ, אַקאָרדיאַן, פּיאַנע, און שלאָג.
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North Arlington On Feb. 21, at approximately 7:28 p.m., police responded to the superintendent of an apartment building on Beech Street after he reported that there was graffiti on multiple walls in the basement of the building, police said. The graffiti included swastikas, a portrait of Adolf Hitler, the phrases “Mein Kampf,” “No more spics” and “Burn in Hell,” according to police. All of the graffiti was done in black spray paint, and before the paint was discovered, the superintendent noticed juveniles who did not live in the building hanging out in the basement, police said. The investigation is still ongoing.
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IAYC conference, April 23-26, 2010
The 13th International Association of Yiddish Clubs (IAYC) conference will be held at the Westin Hotel in Millbrae, April 23-26, 2010, near the San Francisco Airport. The 100 member clubs from the U.S. Canada, Israel, South Africa and Spain, invite all Yiddish-lovers to share with world-class, teachers, speakers, entertainers and to visit the array of exhibitor/vendor booths. Among the key programs will be those by Motl Rosenbush and Yugntruf, Prof. Yoshiji Hirose, from Japan, the foremost Yiddish webmasters, Refoyl Finkel and Iosif Vaisman, Zachary Baker, Jack Berger, Hy Berman, Kolye Borodulin, Vivian Felsen, Frank and Troim Handler, Henry Hollander, Neil Jacobs, Miriam Koral, Hilda Rubin, Diana and Joel Schechter, Shelby Shapiro, Rukhl Zucker, and Barney Zumoff. We also shall host the International Association of Yiddish Teachers (IAYT) in-formation. Last year it was at the IAYC conference in La Jolla, California. Heading the list of Master Teacher demonstration classes will be Sheva Zucker, Chava Lapin, and Rukhl Schaechter Ejdelman. Each evening after the banquet there will be three acts of first class Yiddish entertainment with the best of local and national musicians, singers, dancers, and comedians featuring Adrienne Cooper with Cantors Herschel and Judy Fox. Updated conference information can be found at www.derbay.org/millbrae or call Fishl at Der Bay, 650-349-6946 Philip “Fishl” Kutner 1128 Tanglewood Way San Mateo, CA 94403 Phone: 650-349-6946 Website:http://www.derbay.org
יייַק זיצונג, 23-26 אפריל, 2010
די 13טה אינטערנאציאנאלע אַססאָסיאַטיאָן פון ייִדיש קלובס (יייַק) זיצונג וועט זיין העלד אין דער וועסטין האטעל אין מיללבראַע, 23-26 אפריל, 2010, ביי די סאַן פראַנסיסקאָ ערפּאָרט. די 100 מיטגליד קלאַבז פֿון די יו. עס. קאַנאַדע, ישראל, דרום אפריקע און ספּאַין, פאַרבעטן אַלע ייִדיש-לאָווערס צו טיילן מיט וועלט-קלאַס, טיטשערז, ספּיקערז, ענטערטיינערז און צו באַזוכן די Array פון יגזיבאַטער / פאַרקויפער בוטס. צווישן די קלאַוויש מגילה וועט זיין יענע דורך מאָטל ראָסענבוש און יוגנטרוף, פּראַפעסער יאָשידזשי היראָסע, פֿון דזשאַפּאַן, די פאָרמאָוסט ייִדיש וועבמאַסטערס, רעפויל פינקעל און יאָסיף וואַיסמאַן, זאַטשאַרי באַקער, זשעק בערגער, הי בערמאַן, קאָליע באָראָדולין, וויוויאַן פעלסען, פראַנק און טראָים האַנדלער, הענרי האָללאַנדער, ניל דזשאַקאָבס, מיריאַם קאָראַל, הילדאַ רובין, דיאַנאַ און יואל סטשעטשטער, שעלבי שאַפּיראָ, רוכל זוקער, און באַרני זומאָפף. מיר אויך וועל באַלעבאָס די אינטערנאציאנאלע אַססאָסיאַטיאָן פון ייִדיש טעאַטשערס (יייַט) אין-פאָרמירונג. לעצטע יאָר עס איז געווען ביי די יייַק זיצונג אין לאַ דזשאָללאַ, קאַליפאָרניאַ. העאַדינג דער רשימה פון מאַסטער לערער דעמאַנסטריישאַן קלאַסיז וועט זיין שעוואַ זוקער, טשאַוואַ לאַפּין, און רוכל סטשאַעטשטער עדזשדעלמאַן. יעדער אָוונט נאָך דעם באַנקעט עס וועט זיין דריי אַקס פון ערשטן קלאַס ייִדיש פאַרוויילונג מיט די בעסטער פון היגע און לאַנדיש מיוזישאַנז, זינגערס, דאַנסערז, און קאַמידיאַנז פיטשערינג אַדריעננע קופּער מיט קאַנטאָרס הערסטשעל און דזשודי פאָקס. דערהייַנטיקט זיצונג אינפֿאָרמאַציע קען ווערן געפֿונען ביי http://www.derbay.org / מיללבראַע אָדער רוף פישל ביי דער בייַ, 650-349-6946 פיליפּ “פישל” קוטנער 1128 טאַנגלעוואָאָד ווייַ סאַן מאַטעאָ, CA 94403 טעלעפאָן: 650-349-6946 וועבזייטל: http://www.derbay.org
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HEATHER KLEIN’S INEXTINGUISHABLE TRIO: Hungry for Yiddish A Classical Yiddish Trio Sunday, February 28
Heather Klein’s Inextinguishable Trio brings to life Yiddish art songs
still relevant today in their focus on compassion, hardship,
food, hunger, and humanity.
These new and old Yiddish pieces send a vibrant message —
whether it relates to a Jewish ghetto or the hardship befallen
on today’s hungry and homeless.
The Trio will donate 70% of proceeds to the San Francisco Food Bank.
Heather Lauren Klein: soprano
Emily Packard; Violinist
Alla Gladysheva: pianist
With guest Marisa Binder: soprano and Aaron Kierbel (drums) Su-yin Mah’s photographs of San Francisco’s homeless and
hungry will be on display throughout the evening.
The Inextinguishable Trio debut CD Mayn Yiddishe Velt is now available at cdbaby.com.
Su-yin Mah’s photographs of San Francisco’s homeless and
hungry will be on display throughout the evening.
The Inextinguishable Trio debut CD Mayn Yiddishe Velt is now available at cdbaby.com. http://www.HeatherLKlein.com
Su-yin Mah’s photographs of San Francisco’s homeless and
hungry will be on display throughout the evening.
The Inextinguishable Trio debut CD Mayn Yiddishe Velt is now available at cdbaby.com. http://www.HeatherLKlein.com
Su-yin Mah’s photographs of San Francisco’s homeless and
hungry will be on display throughout the evening.
The Inextinguishable Trio debut CD Mayn Yiddishe Velt is now available at cdbaby.com. http://www.HeatherLKlein.com
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Third Annual Program in Memory of the late Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter Z”L.
Sunday, May 2, 2010, 2:30 P.M
בלויז אַ פּאָר ווערטער אײַך צו לאָזן וויסן אַז איר זאָלט זיך פֿאַרצייכענען די דאַטע: זונטיק, דעם 2טן מײַ 2010, 2:30 נאָך מיטאָג. דעמאָלט וועט מען אָפּהאַלטן די דריטע יערלעכע פּראָגראַם לזכר ד”ר מרדכי שעכטער ז”ל. אין פּראָגראַם וועלן זיך באַטייליקן די פּראָפֿעסאָרן יודזשין אָרענשטיין פֿון מעגיל־אוניווערסיטעט און ד”ר שיקל פֿישמאַן פֿון ישיבֿה־אוניווערסיטעט ווי אויך דער זינגער יורי וועדעניאַפּין. די אונטערנעמונג וועט פֿאָרקומען אין צענטער פֿאַר ייִדישער געשיכטע, 15 וועסט 16טע גאַס, מאַנהעטן. נאָך פּרטים – אין גיכן. וואַרעמע גרוסן,
Participating in the program will be guest speakers
Professor Eugene Orenstein of McGill University, Dr. Joshua Fishman of Yeshiva University and
the folksinger Yuri Vedenyapin. The event will take place at the Center for Jewish History,
15 West 16th St., Manhattan. League for Yiddish
and
YIVO Institute for Jewish Research
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Kavehoyz: Miryem-Khaye Seigel & Zisl-Yeysef Slepovitch
An intimn yidishn kontsert/ An intimate Yiddish concert
Sponsored by the Congress for Jewish Culture – Alveltlekher Yidisher Kultur-Kongres
Donershtik/ Thursday, 2/26/10, 7 PM New Yiddish Rep Theatre Arbeter Ring/Workmen’s Circle Building 45 E. 33rd St. (btw. Park and Madison), NYC
Amanda “Miryem-Khaye” Seigel is
a Yiddishist and a Yiddish singer,
songwriter and performer known
for her humorous and heartfelt performances.
she taught Yiddish song at the
Seminarium języka i kultury jidysz
(Seminar of Yiddish Language and Culture)
in Sródborów, Poland in 2007.
She is an original member of the Folksbiene Troupe and
co-creator, with Motl Didner, of the Yiddish musical comedy
Purim in Khelm (Folksbiene Yiddish Theatre).
Dr. Dmitri ”Zisl-Yeysef” Slepovitch is an ethnomusicologist, clarinetist, pianist, composer, conductor, and Yiddish singer, a founding member of the Minsker Kapelye Ensemble, Minsk, and Tamevate Kapelye / Foolish Band, New York. He serves as an Assistant to the Artistic Director at the National Yiddish Theater – Folksbiene, New York.
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| BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL NEXT BAY AREA,
THE HUB OF THE JCCSF AND BAY AREA TRIBE PRESENT: Upside Down: A Purim Masquerade Party! We’re teaming up with Bay Area Tribe and The Hub at the JCCSF to throw you an amazing Purim Masquerade party! This event is free but capacity is limited, so break out your favorite get-up and get your tukas [toches] to the party early! Groove all night with: * Hip-hop/funk/soul from DJ Matt Haze (Slayers Club, Daly City Records) * Heavenly hamantashen * Free drinks to the first 100 party-goers in costume * Awesome give-aways Can’t Wait? Get your Purim started early with the Young Adult Community at Congregation Emanu-El’s annual Purim Follies at 7pm, just six blocks from the Rockit Room (2 Lake St, SF). If you can only make it out to one event this month this is it!!! For more information please contact Robby at |
Date: Saturday, February 27, 2010 Time: 9:00 PM – 2:00 AM
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YIDDISHKEIT – Los Angeles present
2/4/10 Beyond the Pale Concert
From Toronto, Beyond the Pale is well known for its explosive acoustic sound infused with diverse cross-cultural influences, from klezmer, Balkan, and Romanian music to bluegrass, jazz, reggae, and funk. Executed with high energy and infectious joy by consummate musicians, the band’s brilliant live performances have delighted audiences worldwide.
Thursday, February 4, at 8:00 p.m.
Beyond the Pale Klezmer Concert
http://www.skirball.org/index.php?option=com_ccevents&scope=prgm&task=detail&oid=704
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The Folksbiene Troupe In Mama’s Loshn Kugel and Makht A Tsimes!
Longest-Running Yiddish Theater In America Will Bring it’s Popular Musical Review To Dayton For One Performance Only.
The Traveling Troupe of the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, will bring its popular revue to Dayton,Ohio for one performance only on Sunday, March 21, 2010 at 2 p.m. at the Engineers Club of Dayton. This performance is sponsored by the Yiddish Club of the Dayton Jewish Community Center with generous support from the Dayton Jewish community. The revue, Mama’s Loshn Kugel and Makht A Tsimes performed in Yiddish
with English and Russian supertitles, includes classic songs and sketches
from such luminaries in the Yiddish Theatre as Sholom Aleichem, Abraham Goldfadden, Molly Picon and others.
The Troupe is made up of dedicated young actors, singers and musicians who are all in their 20s and 30s.
The title “Mama’s Loshn Kugel” is a funny play on words.
“Mama Loshn” (mother tongue) refers to the nickname for the Yiddish language.
A “Lokshn Kugel” is a noodle pudding, a very popular comfort food
which is traditionally often served as part of the Sabbath meal.
So “Mama’s Lokshn Kugel” is something of a Yiddish pudding:
a joyful mixture of humor and song, longing and celebration.
For more information contact
Lynda A Cohen Bubby9@woh.rr.com
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Yiddish shiur
Ir zent hartsik farbetn tsu kumen hern a shir af yidish, lekoved dem dritn yortsayt fun Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter, z”l, zuntik, dem 7tn februar 2010, 3:00 nokh mitog, af der teme: “Sheli shelkho ve-shelkho shelkho: Yoysher veshivyon kalkoli al-pi muser ukhsides” (Mayns iz dayns, un dayns iz dayns: Ekonomisher yoysher un glaykhayt in di sforim fun muser un khsides), gegebn fun Yoel Matveyev. Der shir vet forkumen in der shil Young Israel Ohab Zedek, 6015 Riverdale Avenue, in Bronx, NY. Kibed vet servirt vern. Yoel iz a populerer shrayber baym Forverts, velkher shraybt af farsheydene temes, besoykhem kabole, matematik un filosofye. Er iz oykh a yidisher poet un a mit-redaktor funem yidishn zhurnal “Der Nayer Fraynd”.
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On Sunday, February 7 at 3:00 pm, there will be a Yiddish shiur, commemorating the third yortsayt of Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter, z”l, on the topic: “What is Mine is Yours and What’s Yours is Yours: Social Justice and Economic Equality as found in the Mussar (Ethical) and Chasidic Schools of Thought”, given by Yoel Matveyev. The shiur will be held at Young Israel Ohab Zedek, 6015 Riverdale Avenue (near 261st Street), in the Bronx, NY. Refreshments will be served. Mr. Matveyev is a popular writer at the Yiddish Forward, who writes frequently about diverse topics, including Kabbalah, mathematics and philosophy. He is also a Yiddish poet, whose poetry has been published in a number of magazines, and a co-editor of the Yiddish magazine “Der Nayer Fraynd”.
(Rukhl Schaechter) schaechter@yiddish.forward.com
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Sunday, January 31, 2010 • 10:15 AM — Discovering the “Yiddish Empire” The thousand-year saga of Jewish life in Central and Eastern Europe and the culture created there. Theories about the origins of “the people of Ashkenaz.” Is there only one Jewish People? Culture…genetics…politics…and more. Plus—the roles of Yiddish and Hebrew in today’s Secular Jewish Movements.
On February 7, the LA Yiddish Culture Club and CIYCL present a talk by Professor Miriam Isaacs (University of Maryland).
| 2/7/10 Ghosts, Dybbuks, Gilguls and Golems in Yiddish Literature and Lore
Presented by Los Angeles Yiddish Culture Club (LAYCC) and the California Institute for Yiddish Culture and Language (CIYCL). Sunday, February 7 at 2:00pm LAYCC/CIYCL Members $5; Full-Time Students $3; General Admission $8 8339 W. 3rd Street, 2nd Floor, LA, 90048 (map) Special guest Dr. Miriam Isaacs, Professor at the University of Maryland, will be discussing these supernatural themes in Yiddish literature and lore. Program will be in English and Yiddish. More info: 310.745.1190 ormiriam@yiddishinstitute.org. |
די ייִדיש־ליגע איז פֿאַרלײגט געװאָרן אין 1979 פֿונעם חשובֿן לינגװיסט און ייִדיש־פּראָפֿעסאָר ד”ר מרדכי שעכטער, כּדי צוצושטעלן אַן אָרגאַניזאַציאָנעלן אונטערשפּאַר דער מאָדערניזירונג, נאָרמירונג און באַניץ פֿון דער ייִדישער שפּראַך אין אַלע אַספּעקטן פֿונעם טאָג־טעגלעכן לעבן. די ייִדיש־ליגע איז אײנע פֿון די זעלטענע אָרגאַניזאַציעס אין דער הײַנטיקער שפּראַכיקער און קולטורעלער ייִדיש־סבֿיבֿה װאָס פֿירט אַלע אירע אַקטיװיטעטן כּמעט אין גאַנצן אױף מאַמע־לשון. אונדזערע מיטגלידער געפֿינען זיך אױף זעקס קאָנטינענטן.
די צילן פֿון דער ייִדיש־ליגע זײַנען אָט די:
• צו אינספּירירן מענטשן זײ זאָלן רעדן ייִדיש אינעם טאָג־טעגלעכן לעבן;
• צו הײבן דעם פּרעסטיזש פֿון ייִדיש װי אַ לעבעדיקע שפּראַך, סײַ אין, סײַ מחוץ, דעם ייִדיש־שפּראַכיקן ציבור;
• צו אַגיטירן פֿאַר דער מאָדערניזירונג פֿון מאַמע־לשון.
The League for Yiddish, Inc., was founded in 1979 by prominent Yiddish linguist and professor Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter in order to provide organizational support for the modernization, standardization and use of the Yiddish language in all spheres of daily life. With devoted members on six continents, the League for Yiddish is one of the few organizations in today’s Yiddish cultural and linguistic world that conducts its activities almost entirely in mame-loshn.
The goals of the League for Yiddish are:
- to encourage people to speak Yiddish in their everyday life;
- to enhance the prestige of Yiddish as a living language, both within and outside the Yiddish-speaking community;
- to promote the modernization of Yiddish.
League for Yiddish, Inc., 64 Fulton St. Suite 1101, New York, NY 10038 USA
Tel. 212-889-0380 info@leagueforyiddish.org
יאנואר 1, 2010 נאַוועעד האַק האָט שוין קאָנוויקטעד אויף דינסטיק דעצעמבער, 15 פֿאַר די שיסעריי ביי די ייִדיש פעדעריישאַן פון גרייטער Seattle אויף יולי 28, 2006, וווּ ער ינדזשערד פינף ינדאַווידזשאַוואַלז און קילד איין, פּאַמעלאַ וואַעטשטער. נאָך פון נאַוועעד האַק ס טאַרגאַץ איז געווען 17 וואָכן שוואַנגער. נאַוועעד האַק ס ווערדיקט געקומען אין דער סאָף פון זיין רגע פּראָצעס נאָך דער ערשטער ענדעד אין אַ מיס-פּראָצעס.
The murder in Seatle of Pamela Wechter
by a muslim gun-man.
January 1, 2010.
Murder and terrorism against
civilians at a religious site.
Pamela Wechter
She was shot dead in 2006 by a Muslim gunman in the Jewish Federation Building in Seattle.
On July 28, 2006, Naveed Haq gained access to the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle building by holding a 13-year-old girl hostage with a gun to her back and ordering her to dial the intercom and request to be buzzed into the building. After entering, Naveed Haq began shooting. Pamela Waechter was killed. Layla Bush was critically wounded. Dayna Klein, Cheryl Stumbo, Carol Goldman, and Christina Rexroad were wounded. Naveed Haq have now been convicted on Tuesday December, 15 – for the shooting in the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle on July 28, 2006, where he injured five individuals and killed one, Pamela Waechter. Another of the murdere Naveed Haq’s targets was 17 weeks pregnant.
‘I felt the bullet go into my arm’, said Dayna Klein. All she could think about was saving her unborn baby. Klein says she was four months pregnant with her son when the murdere Naveed Haq pointed his gun at her during the shooting at the Jewish Federation Center.
Prior to the shooting incident, the culprit Naveed Haq had a series of brushes with the law, especially traffic violations. In March 2006, he was arrested for public exposure at the Columbia Center Mall in Kennewick, Washington, after allegedly standing on a fountain near a Macy’s store, and harassing women at the nearby store’s makeup counter. At one point, he exposed his penis to young women passing by the fountain. One of Haq’s friends told that the Naveed Haq was taking medication for bipolar disorder and that he was unhappy with his life and sometimes made anti-Semitic remarks. At the time of the shooting, it was reported by witnesses that Haq stated, “I am a Muslim American, angry at Israel.” During the incident, Haq also talked to 911 operators, saying, “These are Jews and I’m tired of getting pushed around and our people getting pushed around by the situation in the Middle East.” Two days after the shootings, Haq’s parents released a statement “expressing their shock and sorrow over the shootings. We could not have imagined for a moment that our son would do this senseless act. This is utterly contrary to our beliefs and Islamic values”. Naveed Haq’s verdict came at the conclusion of his second trial after the first ended in a mis-trial. Haq, who went on a deadly shooting spree inside the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle facility, was found guilty of murder and a hate crime. Naveed Haq was convicted Tuesday, December 15, 2009, of aggravated murder, malicious harassment — five counts of attempted first-degree murder and one count of unlawful imprisonment, The Seattle Times reported Wednesday, December 16, 2009. The jury didn’t accept the defense argument that Haq, of Pakistani descent, was criminally insane when the shootings occurred July 28, 2006. “.. a jury served justice for the families and victims of this tragic attack. … Although this decision does not erase the past, it does bring to close a sad chapter for the Jewish Federation movement.” said Jerry Silverman, president and CEO of The Jewish Federations of North America.
SOURCE: http://www.think-israel.org/jul06pix/cf.30jul06.usualsuspects.gif SOURCE:http://www.katu.com/home/related/17988939.html?video=YHI&t=a VIDEO SOURCE:http://www.katu.com/home/related/17988939.html?video=YHI&t=a
Der Kalifornyer Institut Far Yiddisher Kultur Un Shprakh un Der Los Andzsheles Yidisher Kultur Klub farbetn aykh oyf a reyde (oyf yidish) fun undzer bekovedikn gast funem Parizer Yidish Tsenter/Medem Bibliotek, profesor Yitskhok Niborski, “Dos Geboyrn Fun Yidishn Roman: Mendele Moykher Sforim”. Es kumt for zuntik, dem 10n Yanuar, 2010, 2:00 nokh mitog bay 8339 W. 3rd St., Los Angeles, 2n shtok. Mit kibed. Algemeyner arayntret: $8; Mitglider: $5; Studentn: $3. Miriam@yiddishinstitute.org oder 310-745-1190. Fun Miri Koral, CIYCL.
The California Institute for Yiddish Culture & Language and the Los Angeles Yiddish Culture Club invite you to a talk (in Yiddish) by our honored guest from the Paris Yiddish Center/Medem Bibliotheque, Prof. Yitzhok Niborski, “The Birth of the Yiddish Novel – Mendele Moykher Sforim”. The event takes place on Sunday, January 10, 2 PM, at 8339 W. 3rd Street, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles. General Admission: $8; Members: $5; Students: $3.Miriam@yiddishinstitute.org oder 310-745-1190. From Miri Koral, Director, CIYCL.
http://www.yiddishinstitute.org/
Celebrating the first fifteen years
of Yiddishkayt in L.A.
The founder Aaron Paley writes: As founder and chair of Yiddishkayt, I personally invite you to join us for our 15th season. Remember Yiddishkayt in your year-end giving and become a member. Lately I’ve found myself thinking about 1994. I remember, 15 years ago, lamenting the invisibility of Yiddish in Los Angeles with (future) board members Sabell Bender and the late Murray Brown. We decided to do something about it. We dreamed of a Yiddish festival, to capture the attention of an entire city and to inspire people to celebrate our priceless heritage. In September 1995, the first Yiddishkayt Family Festival was held in Sherman Oaks at the Valley Cities Jewish Community Center (VCJCC).We planned for 600 people to arrive but 6,000 attendees of all ages showed up, hungry for Yiddish. Due to this phenomenal success, what started as an ad hoc committee to plan the festival quickly grew into a Board. Soon a mission statement was formulated, a newsletter was launched, more events were planned, the not-for-profit organization came into being and Yiddishkayt was born. It’s hard to believe that 15 years have gone by. I am awed at how present, alive, and creative Yiddish and Yiddishkayt are today. Yiddish is now an important part in the cultural programming roster of many local organizations besides ours, like the Skirball Cultural Center, UCLA, and local synagogues, to name just a few. From 1995 to 2009, Yiddishkayt has delivered on our mission–ensuring the survival of the endangered thousand-year legacy of Yiddish language, culture and history. We are still the largest organization devoted to Yiddish culture west of the Hudson and the only organization in the country that can boast of six Yiddish festivals, an elementary and high school Yiddish language education program, a cultural fellowship for young adults, 30 LA premieres, 16 US premieres and five world premiere presentations devoted to Yiddish culture, 10 cross-cultural performances and partnerships with over 25 organizations. And we’re only 15 years in the making! This year Yiddishkayt has been named one of the 50 most groundbreaking Jewish nonprofits in America for the 2nd year in a row by Slingshot 09/10, the resource guide for Jewish innovation. Slingshot says Yiddishkayt is “breaking new ground in Los Angeles and forging new forms of intercultural encounter and engagement.” Our newest program to “break new ground” is Folks-Grupe: The Yiddishkayt Fellowship, which launched earlier this fall. The fellows have been immersed in Yiddish culture, meeting with scholars and mevinim(experts) to learn about language, theater, poetry, history, literature, film, music and food. The fellows represent a great cross-section of young adults, from religious to secular, from graduate students to artists and engineers, with passions in language and passions in culture, and coming from all across Los Angeles. And they are all united in their quest to discover Yiddish. We are on the brink of major growth and stability that once seemed impossible: offering an array of services including our Yiddish language education program with elementary and high school Yiddish language textbooks in development, walking tours of Boyle Heights in 2010, a diverse program season, large-scale events, online communications and strategic collaborations. SOURCES: http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102900812288&s=10783&e=001B6Ys6sweDGYtSFJ4rRVnU77LZyeW7j6xxMW78YEIb34SG8ltNO9JlcQSXMVFPG1faeqfWnaIcHgCssByaIXy64bWZLUisrv4ZLJ-F-d6WkffvlYYZ3gi8MyzADnbCfeO http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?et=1102900812288&s=10783&e=001B6Ys6sweDGYtSFJ4rRVnU77LZyeW7j6xxMW78YEIb34SG8ltNO9JlcQSXMVFPG1faeqfWnaIcHgCssByaIXy64bWZLUisrv4ZLJ-F-d6WkffvlYYZ3gi8MyzADnbCfeO
PROGRAMMING/COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Creative configurations are possible,
from full-time to part-time,
from programming to communications.
Mission
Yiddishkayt strives to ensure the survival of the endangered thousand-year legacy of Yiddish language, history and culture. Through a variety of programs, from cultural events, education projects, innovative communications and a fellowship for young adults, Yiddishkayt (meaning all things Yiddish) seeks to connect generations old and young with their priceless heritage. In 2010, Yiddishkayt celebrates its fifteenth year of building a Yiddish-conscious community in Los Angeles. Description Yiddishkayt, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting Yiddish culture and language, seeks a creative, efficient, and energetic Programming/Communications Director (or alternative configuration) to join a small and passionate team. The successful candidate will maintain our nationally recognized reputation and help shape the future of a dynamic-and growing-organization. Future programming will support our mission to promote Yiddish as a profound pathway to Jewish identity.
Within the next one to two years, the Programming/Communications Director will focus on producing cultural events, expanding the Yiddishkayt Fellowship to reach new groups, preparing walking tours of historic Jewish Los Angeles, communicating with members and helping to construct a new presence on the internet.
Responsibilities The full roster of responsibilities of the position may vary depending on skills and experience. We are looking for an individual who can fulfill most or all of the following responsibilities.
Programming:
- Research, conceive and maintain a calendar of new and existing cultural events targeting a variety of audiences.
- Work with staff and volunteers to produce small and large events.
- Promote our mission through strategic partnerships and collaborations.
- Recruit fellows and facilitate the written curriculum for the Yiddishkayt Folks-Grupe (Fellowship) in Yiddish culture for young adults and expand the program to reach other demographics.
- Compile existing research and work with existing partners to help launch regular walking tours of a historic Jewish neighborhood.
Communications:
- Publicize ongoing programs and one-time events in print and online.
- Publish monthly email newsletter, along with periodic event alerts.
- Maintain our website with up to date information and creatively maintain a web presence through content on YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and Twitter.
- Help write and distribute press releases for events and ongoing programs.
- Create flyers and graphics for use in print and on the web.
- Work with the Development Director to write and design development materials, such as information packets, brochures, fundraising letters and emails.
Qualifications Yiddishkayt seeks a candidate with a strong representation of most, or all, of the following qualifications. Core Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in a related field
- Minimum of two to three years of relevant work experience.
- Excellent written and interpersonal communications skills.
- Experience in conceiving, planning and producing events.
- Ability to focus on multiple projects simultaneously.
- Creativity in approaching potential challenges.
- Basic internet proficiency required, knowledge of HTML, CSS, is a plus.
- Experience with Constant Contact, YouTube, Flickr, Facebook and Twitter encouraged.
- Strong computer skills and experience with Microsoft Office applications, especially Word, and Excel. Experience in an Apple environment, with iLife and iWork is helpful and knowledge of Filemaker is a plus.
- Familiarity with non-profit organizations and/or the Los Angeles Jewish community is preferred but not required.
- Knowledge of Yiddish language, culture and/or history is encouraged. Interest or passion in Yiddish is essential.
Additional Qualifications:
- Experience in facilitating group learning programs.
- Graphic design skills and/or experience.
- Experience working with digital photos and video. Knowledge of programs such as Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, GoLive, Dreamweaver, or Final Cut a plus.
Salary + Benefits
- Salary commensurate with experience
- Medical benefits for full-time employees
- Generous vacation benefits
- Join a vibrant arts and culture community
How to Apply Please send us your resume, three references, a brief writing sample, and a cover letter by email to info@yiddishkayt.org(PDFs are preferred). Position opens mid-January to early February, applications accepted until position is filled. If you are interested in a part-time configuration of the position (i.e., principally programming or principally communications) please specify so in your cover letter.
Alison Buckholtz, author of the recently released Standing By: The Making of an American Military Family in a Time of War , shares her White House Chanukah experience.
Alison, Ethan, and Esther, Buckholtz with President Obama and Mrs. Obama
The scene was familiar, but not our place in it. Last night, our military family had the honor of lighting the Hanukkah menorah at the White House, reciting the blessings over the candles, and meeting President Obama, Mrs. Obama, and Vice President Biden. Because my husband is serving a 12-month deployment in Iraq he was not with us; our two children, six-year-old Ethan and four-year-old Esther, talked about their dad with the President and Vice President, who thanked them for their service to the country and sympathized with the difficulty of missing a loved one.
LIVE
from the Western Wall:
Kopjik International Daily Yiddish Edition 
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