[Cz-L] The Joys of Yiddish

Greetings,

I am pleased to see that the discussion of the Yiddish language and phrases
has brought forth such memories and spirit from some of its members.

Sadly, most of us don't hear Yiddish spoken much anymore. This must
especially difficult, to one degree of another, for those who used to hear
and speak it daily around the home and town when they were children.

Talk of foods that once were a part of our early lives also tends to trigger
memories of home. Even food aromas sometimes waft around in our brains and
trigger such memories. When I think of the times I used to visit my
grandparent's apartment in Brooklyn, I often picture her cooking in the
kitchen. I somehow sense the smell of chicken shmaltz, though of course
these sensations are just phantom pangs that remind me that those times will
never come again...

I myself wish I could speak, read and translate Yiddish fluently. Just
imagine being able to read and understand the Yiddish written on any old
postcard sent from Europe to America, or being able to translate any passage
in any Yizkor book and hear a new story as told in their beautiful
mamaloshn.

Can you imagine all the wonderful and meaningful Yiddish plays, novels and
poetry that have never been translated into English? This is probably not a
problem for Yiddish speakers (assuming they still care to read works in
Yiddish), but for others and for future generations. Just imagine how much
of our Yiddish cultural heritage will be lost because so few people will be
around to translate for all the rest of us.

I can only hope that an "army" of knowledgeable and qualified Yiddish
translators will be formed one day that will want very much to do what they
can to translate whatever they can, both freely and willingly.

Whether these Yiddish works I speak about were written by a novelist,
playwright, poet, or from a mother or father, written to their child who had
immigrated to another land, they were most likely written with their own
unique eloquence, each work a precious piece of the fabric we call our
Yiddish culture and heritage.



Best,
Steven Lasky
New York
www.museumoffamilyhistory.com
steve_at_museumoffamilyhistory.com



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
This moderated discussion group is for information exchange on the subject of
Czernowitz and Sadagora Jewish History and Genealogy. The Czernowitz-L list
 has an associated web site at http://czernowitz.ehpes.com that includes a
 searchable archive of all messages posted to this list. Please post in "Plain
 Text" if possible (help available at:
<http://www.jewishgen.org/InfoFiles/PlainText.html>).

To remove your address from this e-list follow the directions at
http://www.cit.cornell.edu/computer/elist/lyris/leave.html

To receive assistance for this e-list send an e-mail message to:
owner-Czernowitz-L_at_list.cornell.edu
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Received on 2008-06-27 15:12:51