The
Mendele Review: Yiddish Literature and Language
(A Companion to MENDELE)
Leonard
in 1992
Foreword by Noyekh Miller
We all became
so accustomed to reading every month's issue of The Mendele Review that
its absence since Leonard Prager's death is hard to accept. But TMR
was such a brilliant--and often--overwhelming essay in personal journalism in
the tradition of Karl Kraus and I.F. Stone that it must sadly end with this
issue. Leonard's energy and variety of projects (each promoted with such
urgency, such bren) would have been sufficient
to keep a mid-sized department going.
How he managed to achieve what he did remains a mystery.
---------------------------------------------------------
Contents of Vol. 12.022 [Sequential No. 213]
Date: 2 December 2009
1)
This issue of The Mendele Review
2) Leonard Prager – Biography
(Barbara Prager)
3) Leonard Prager – List of publications (David Mazower)
4) Leben iz kedayer
(Leonard Prager, 2007)
5) Leonard Prager z"l
(Noyekh Miller, 2008)
6) My friendship and collaboration with Leonard (Itsik Goldenberg)
7) My Acquaintance with Leonard (Tsvi Mann)
8) The honor to have known Leonard
(Dafna Sheinwald)
9) The University of Haifa Library’s Blog
Entry (Riki Greenberg)
10) Funeral and unveiling of the tombstone (Dafna Sheinwald)
11) The Jerusalem Conference: A Century of Yiddish
1908-2008 (Carrie
Friedman-Cohen)
1)
---------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Dafna
Sheinwald
Subject: This issue of TMR
On the 15th
of Kislev (Dec. 2, 2009) we observe one year without Leonard. Until his last
hours, Leonard was working on TMR 12.021 doing what he was dedicated
to: sharing his knowledge and collections of Yiddish literature and culture
with those devoted to Yiddish worldwide. The internet revolution only arrived
following Leonard’s retirement from
This issue is
devoted to the memory of Leonard, who died in the evening of December 11, 2008,
one day before his 83rd birthday. Leonard lived an interesting life
in historic times. He left contributions that impressed both the professional
researcher as well as us Yiddish aficionados worldwide. This issue tries to
shed light on his life, contributions, and the appreciation and memories left
in all those who knew him and shared his passion for the Yiddish tongue:
Barbara, Leonard’s wife, sketches his biography; David Mazower provides a
detailed bibliography of his writings; A speech delivered by Leonard in 2007
reveals the power that drives him: A belief in Yiddish and the role of the
internet in spreading and enhancing it; Noyekh Miller's announcement in Mendele
of Leonard's passing away is brought here as well; Itsik Goldenberg, who
helped Leonard with TMR, taking the role of its Editorial Associate,
expresses his thoughts and feelings; Dafna Sheinwald, Leonard’s assistant in
all matters technical speaks of her friendship and collaboration with Leoanard;
Zvi Mann who contributed to the last TMR, describes his special friendship
and collaboration with Leonard till the very end. An entry
in the blog of the
In this
special issue we kept the traditional format of TMR. We made sure that
the sequence numbering that served Leonard and us for so many years was used.
We call for volunteers to carry on the torch of TMR. We hope that this
important contribution to the World of Yiddish will continue to thrive as it
did under the leadership of Prof. Leonard Prager.
Readers often
wrote to Leonard in reference to TMR. Readers are invited to send
their words about Leonard in reference to this special issue as well. Any
words, thoughts or contributions will be appreciated and will be added to this
online issue.
2) ---------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Barbara Prager
Subject: Leonard Prager -- Biography
Leonard Prager – a Brief Biographical
Sketch by Barbara Prager
Leonard was born 12th December
At age 15 he joined the Zionist youth movement, Hashomer Hatsair.
He was called up to serve in the
He and his group were sent by the Hashomer Hatsair movement to
work at various kibbutzim in the newly-established state of
His first teaching post was at
In October 1963 he returned to
He continued to work full-time from home on his many Yiddish
projects and especially on The Mendele Review, which he started in 1997. Clara
married Shmuel Rispler in 1992 and Leonard enjoyed spending time with his three
grandsons, Zeev, Aviram and Daniel.
Leonard is buried in the cemetery on the hillside at Kibbutz Sasa, as he
requested.
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3) ---------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: David Mazower
Subject: Bibliography
of Writings by Leonard Prager
Bibliography of Writings by Leonard Prager
As well as writing and editing his own books and journals, Leonard
Prager contributed articles, book reviews and notes to a wide range of
publications: journals, anthologies, encyclopaedias and websites.
Among his papers the most comprehensive 'Curriculum Vitae and List
of Publications' dates from 1993. He kept another file on his computer with a
small selection of more recent publications.
But Leonard was not one to spend time reflecting on his scholarly
legacy; he was always more interested in looking ahead and planning future
projects, and there is no sign that he ever produced a comprehensive listing of
his own writings in his later years.
Our thanks to Barbara Prager for sifting through drawer after
drawer of her husband's papers to make this bibliography as complete as
possible. Of course, as Leonard knew
only too well, bibliographies are works in progress and there will, almost
certainly, be omissions in this listing too. Hopefully, they will be rectified
at a future date.
But it is, by any measure, a remarkable list – both in its
quantity and especially for the range of his interests across the fields of
English literature and Yiddish studies.
Perhaps an enterprising publisher will see fit to collect and republish
a selection of the papers in a volume under his name; certainly they deserve no
less.
Some notes are in order:
·
In keeping with Leonard Prager's own listing,
this bibliography is in chronological order. The first item on his list was his
PhD thesis. We have added the student publications from 1953 as a curiosity for
friends and subscribers to this list.
·
All publications are in English unless
otherwise listed.
·
This bibliography does not include Leonard
Prager's many articles, reviews, comments and editorial notes in Mendele, The Mendele Review, Di velt fun yidish (The
World of Yiddish) and other electronic journals which absorbed most of his
energies in his last decade. Neither does it include some of the day to
day output of the working academic, such
as peer review notes for academic journals, or his English translations of
abstracts for the Hebrew-language journal of Yiddish studies, Khulyot.
A. Student Publications
"Editorial: Stalinist Anti-Semitism – the Final Test," Anvil
and Student Partisan / A Student Anti-War Quarterly, 5:1 (9), Spring 1953,
"Editorial: Stalinism – Retrospect and Prospect," Anvil
and Student Partisan / A Student Anti-War Quarterly, 5:2 (10), Fall 1953,
B. PhD Dissertation
The Language of Shakespeare's Low Characters: An Introductory
Survey / A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the
C. Authored Books
Yiddish Literary and Linguistic Periodicals and Miscellanies: A
Selective Annotated Bibliography, with the help of A.A. Greenbaum,
Yiddish Culture in
D. Articles in Journals, Books and Conference Proceedings; Book Reviews; Articles and Entries in
Encyclopaedias and Scholarly Handbooks
"Getting and Spending: Katherine Anne Porter's
'Theft'," Perspective / A
Quarterly of Literature and the Arts, 11: 4 Winter
"The Clown in Othello", Shakespeare Quarterly,
11:1 (Winter 1960), The Shakespeare Association of
"The Glory and Gloom of the Anglo-Yiddish Press", Jewish
Quarterly (
"Love's Labours Lost" in Murray Roston, ed., The
Shakespearean World, Tel Aviv, Am
Hasefer, 1965, pp.164 - 170 [in Hebrew]
"Shakespeare in Yiddish" in
"Of Parents and
Children: Jacob Gordin's The Jewish King Lear," American Quarterly
18:3 (Fall 1966), pp 506 – 516.
"Shakespeare in Yiddish," Shakespeare Quarterly
19:2 (Spring 1968), The Shakespeare Association of America, pp149-163.
"Di fraye velt:
A Bibliography of Yiddish Periodicals in Great Britain:
1867–1967," Studies in
Bibliography and Booklore 9:1
(Spring 1969), The Library of the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of
Religion, Cincinnati, Ohio, pp. 3 – 32.
[19 encyclopaedia entries] "Isaac Bashevis" [= Isaac
Bashevis Singer], "Broder
Singers", "Benzion Alfes" [= Bentsien Alfes], "M.
Daniel" [M. Donyell], "Hayyim-Leib Fox (Fuchs)" [= Khayim Leyb
Fuks], "Jacob Glatstein", "Jacob Gordin", "Yekhezkl
Kotik", "Der Nister" [= Pinkhes Kahanovitsh], "Meir I.
Pines", "Jacob Preger" [= Yankev Preger], "Israel Rabon
(Rubin)" [= Yisroel Rubin], "Chaim Siemiatycki" [Khayim
Semyatitski], "Shakespeare in Yiddish", "Jacob Shatsky",
"Israel Joshua Singer", "Isaiah Spiegel" [= Shaye Shpigl],
"Berish Weinstein" [= Berish Vaynshteyn], "Rajzel
Zychlinska" [= Reyzl Zhikhlinski] in Encyclopaedia Judaica,
Jerusalem: Keter, 1971. [various volumes]
"Shakespeare's Use of Rhetoric", Bamah (Stage)
48-9 (Winter / Spring 1971),
"Kadya Molodovski", Encyclopaedia Hebraica,
Jerusalem: Encyclopaedia Publishing Co., 1970 / 1971 vol. 22, cols. 427-428 [in
Hebrew]
"Jews and Jewishness in Bernard Malamud's Fiction", Proceedings
of the Fifth World Congress of Jewish Studies vol 3,
"Yiddish in the University," Jewish Quarterly (
"The Beginnings of Yiddish Fiction in
"Plans and Prospects", Jewish Quarterly (
"The Treatment of Yiddish-Origin Lexemes in Hebrew
Lexicography," Jewish Language Review 1 (1981), 89-95 [LP: = an improved version of Davis et al. below]
"The Place of the Yiddish Element in Hebrew
Dictionaries" in Lawrence Davis et al., eds. Studies in Linguistics and
Semiotics / Collected Essays in Memory of Mordechai Ben-Asher,
"Yiddish in the University," in Joshua A. Fishman, ed., Never
Say Die / A Thousand Years of Yiddish in Jewish Life,
"Sholem-aleykhem's Kenig pik," Jewish Language
Review 2 (1982), pp.1-13
"Loshn un lebn (London), 1940-1981" in A.A.Greenbaum and
A.Ivry, eds. Thought and Action / Essays in Honor of Simon Ravidowicz on the
Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of his Death (Hagot umaase / seyfer zikaron leshimon
ravidovitsh bemeleyat esrim vechamesh shana lemoto), Haifa and Tel-Aviv:
University of Haifa / Tcherikover, 1983, pp. 135-150 [in Hebrew]
"The Two Worlds of Joshua A. Fishman (Review Essay)," Jewish
Language Review 3 (1983), pp. 61-69
"Walt Whitman in Yiddish," Walt Whitman Quarterly
Review, 1:3 (December 1983), pp.22-35.
"The Suppressed Ninth Letter of Sholem Aleykhem's The Intercepted Letters
(Text and Commentary)," Jewish Language Review 4 (1984),
pp.144-157.
"Charles Dickens in Yiddish: A Survey," Jewish
Language Review 4 (1984), pp.158-178.
"Four Anecdotes about Sir Moses Montefiore (Text and
Commentary)," and "Two Yiddish Tales about Sir Moses Montefiore (Text
and Commentary)," Jewish Language Review 5 (1985), pp.60-84 [cf. later version in The Jewish
Quarterly (
Review of David Neal Miller's Bibliography of Isaac Bashevis
Singer, 1924 -1949 (New York, 1984), Jewish Language Review 5
(1985), pp.292-296 [with David L. Gold]
Review of Drora Kass's Israeli- and American-Jews: Towards a
Meaningful Dialogue (New York, 1984), Jewish Language Review 5 (1985),
pp.255-258
Review of Yitskhok (Antek) Tsukerman's Kapitlen fun izovn,
Beit Lohamei hagetaot / Hakibbutz Hameuhad, 1982 (actual date of issue: 1983),
in Studies in Contemporary Jewry 2, (1985), pp.405-407 [published by
Indiana University Prerss, Bloomington, for the Institute of Contemporary
Jewry, the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem].
"Seyfer mekhkar, limud vekeriya" [Review of Chone
Shmeruk's Sifrut yidish bepolin], Gal-ed / On the History of the Jews
in
"Jewish Language Connections: A View from the Tower,"
(1), Jewish Language Review 6 (1986), pp. 211 – 224.
"Preliminary Checklist of English Names of Jewish
Lects," Jewish Language Review 6 (1986), pp. 225-236.
"Ironic Couplings: the Sacred and the Sexual in Isaac
Bashevis Singer" in David Neal Miller, ed. Recovering the Canon /
Essays on Isaac Bashevis Singer,
"Jewish Language Connections: A View from the Tower"
(2), Jewish Language Review 7A (1987), pp. 36 -71.
"Sir Moses Montefiore in Ashkenazic Folklore / Two Tales by
Sh. An-ski," The Jewish Quarterly (
"Sholem-Aleykhem's First Feuilleton Series," Jewish Book
Annual vol 44 (1986-1987),
"Hebrew-Yiddish Relations in
[3 encyclopaedia entries] "Abraham Cahan", "The
Yiddish Press", "Alexander Cederbaum" [Aleksander Tsederboym] in
The Blackwell Companion to Jewish Culture from the Eighteenth Century to the
Present ed. Glenda Abramson, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1989.
Review of Yaakov Kelman, ed., Reshima bibliografit shel
hapirsumim beivrit ubeyidish sheyatsu laor bepolin leman shenat 1944 ('A
Bibliography of Hebrew and Yiddish Publications in Poland Since 1944') [Polish Jewry: Bibliographical Series
3], Jerusalem: Center for Research on
the History and Culture of Polish Jews / Center for Research and Documentation
of East European Jewry / The Hebrew University,
"Der londoner farleger m. yozef," [The London Yiddish
Publisher M. Joseph] Oksforder yidish /
"On the Boundaries between Yiddish and Hebrew – Pedagogic and
Lexicographic Aspects," Miqqedem
Umiyyam V ( Hebrew Elements in Jewish Languages), eds. Yitzhak
Avishur and Shelomo Morag (Proceedings of the Conference held on March 23-24,
1988 at the University of Haifa), Haifa-Jerusalem: The Faculty of Humanities,
University of Haifa and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1992, pp. 115-130.
[in Hebrew]
"Looking Backward: The Jewish Labor Movement and Yiddish
Literature in the Days of the Yontef-bletlekh of Perets and Pinski"
(with Appendix describing the Yontef-bletlekh contents and contributors)
in Chayim Schatzker, ed., Proceedings of the Founding Conference / The
Sholem and Yisroel Gotteiner Institute for the Study of the History of the
Bund, the History of the Jewish Labor Movement in Eastern Europe, and Yiddish Culture; Haifa, University of Haifa, 1991 pp. 55 -104
[ in English] and pp. 33 – 55 [ in Hebrew]
"Yiddish Theater in
Book Review: Dovid Katz (ed.), Winter Studies in Yiddish, Vol. 2,
Papers from the Second Annual
"Paul Muni's Parents Sing at a London Yiddish Music
Hall," Language and Civilization / A Concerted Profusion of Essays and
Studies in Honour of Otto Hietsch, 2 vols. Edited with the assistance of
Teresa Kirschner, Donald Gutch and Judith Gilbert by Claudia Blank. Frankfurt /
[translation] Radzinski, Michel (Mikhl) (1909 – 1989), The
Scroll of My Life, as told to Shimen Kants (1914 – 1990), translated [from
Yiddish] and edited by Leonard Prager, 1992–1993, 144pp. Self published in
printed, bound format. [This translation
was commissioned by the Radzinski family (Peru/United States/Israel)]
"Farewell to
[Book Review] Yaakov Ariel,
On Behalf of
"Galician-Jewish History in the Light of Three Biographies –
of Mordecai Gebirtig, Ignacy Schipper and Dov Sadan" in Galicja i Jej
Dziedzictwo tom 2 Spoleczenstwo i Gospodarka [Galicia and its Legacy, vol 2,
Society and Economy] eds Jerzy Chlopecki and Helena Madurowicz-Urbanska,
Rzeszow (Poland), Wyzsej Szkoly Pedagogicznej, 1995, pp.137–156 [in
Polish]
[Book Review] Israel Bartal, Ezra Mendelsohn and Chava Turniansky
(eds.), Studies in Jewish Culture in Honour of Chone Shmeruk, Jerusalem:
The Zalman Shazar Center for Jewish History, 1993, 546pp, in Studies in
Contemporary Jewry 11, New York and Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1995,
pp.297-300
"Yiddish Manuscripts in the British Library," British
Library Journal 21:1 (Spring 1995),
"Yiddish Studies in Israel Face the Twenty-first
Century" in
[Book Review] Stories from the Ghetto – ed Yehiel Szeintuch and
Yeshayaho Spiegl, 16 Manuscript Stories that survived the ghetto with
introduction and interview with the writer.
"Bilom in Bashevis' Der knekht" in The Hidden
Bashevis Singer, ed. Seth Wolitz.
"Nature and the Language of Nature of Yitskhok
Bashevis-Zinger's Der Knekht" in Isaac Bashevis Singer: His Work and
his World ed. Hugh Denman,
"The Censorship of Sholem Asch's Got fun nekome,"
[encyclopaedia entries] "Abraham Cahan" and
"Yeshayohu Shpigl (Isaiah Spiegel)" in Jewish Writers of the Twentieth Century, ed.
Sorrel
[encyclopaedia entries] "Joseph Bovshover", "Rakhel
Feygenberg", "David Fram", "Mordecai Gebirtig",
"Di Goldene Keyt", "Abba Gordin", "Yehezkel (Ezekiel)
Kotik", "Morris Myer", "Moshe Oved", "Jacob Meir
Salkind", "George (Getzel) Selikovitch", "William
Shakespeare", "Isaiah Spiegel", "Abraham Nahum
Stencl", "Joseph Tunkel", "Yiddish Literature" in Encyclopaedia
Judaica, 2nd Edition, Thomson Gale and Keter, 2007. [various volumes] [revised from the first edition]
[encyclopaedia entry] "Leyb Rashkin," Encyclopaedia
Judaica, 2nd Edition, Thomson Gale and Keter, 2007 [new entry]
[encyclopaedia entries] "Gershn Levin," and
"Yiddish Literary Journals," Yivo Encyclopaedia of Jews in Eastern
Europe," 2 vols ed. Gershon David Hundert, New Haven/London: Yale
University Press, 2008, 1020-1021 [Levin] and 1064-1068 [Yiddish Literary
Journals].
E. Unpublished
"The Bitter Drop: Drink, Drinkers, Distillers and Innkeepers
in Eastern European Jewish Life, Language and Literature" [Paper delivered
(in Yiddish) at the Second Conference, Bund Institute of the
"The Deadly Affix: a Study of the English Suffix –cide,"
[accepted for publication by publishers Peter Lang in the series Forum
Anglicum but never actually published]
Literature and the Anglo-Yiddish Press, nd (9-page typescript)
"
"The Politics of Yiddish in
"Songs of the Ghettos and Concentration Camps" (Based on
texts compiled by Sh. Kaczerginski / Romanized and translated by Leonard
Prager) [ no date. 12-page typescript, containing complete versions of 9 songs
with brief notes]
4) ---------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
Subject: Leben iz Kedayer -- Leonard’s talk for Khulyot 10
Traditionally, in addition to writing an item, Leonard contributed
editing and translating to English of all the abstracts of Khulyot
issues. When Khulyot 10 came out, Leonard was invited to give an address
in the ceremony conducted for the event in
"לעבן
איז כּדאַיער ": אַ רעדע געהאַלטן פֿאַרן ייִדישן קולטורקלוב אין ירושלים
לכּבֿוד דעם דערשײַנען פֿון צענטן באַנד חוליות
פֿון
לעאָנאַרד פּראַגער (חיפֿהער אוניװערסיטעט)
חשובֿע פֿרײַנד!
אַבֿרהם
סוצקעװער אין זײַן פּאָעמע "אַחוץ דעם לעבן, װאָס איז נאָך פֿאַראַן?"
פֿרעגט די זעלבע אײביקע קשיא װאָס שעקספּירס האַמלעט האָט צו זיך געשטעלט:
"צו זײַן צי נישט צו זײַן?"
סוצקעװערס ענטפֿער איז קלאָר און תּמציתדיק: "לעבן איז כּדאַיער." מיר אַלע דאָ פֿאַרשטײען גאַנץ גוט אַז דער
מצבֿ פֿון ייִדיש אױף דער װעלט האַלט שמאָל. יעדער טאָג ערגעץ װוּ שטאַרבט אָפּ
נאָך אַ שפּראַך און נאָך אַ שפּראַך, און ייִדיש געפֿינט זיך אױך אױף דער רשימה
פֿון "לשונות אין געפֿאַר." אין אונדזער װעלט, דער גרױסער שלינגט אײַן
דעם קלײנעם. מען זאָגט אַז אין תּל-אָבֿיבֿ לערנט מען שױן כינעזיש. איז טאַקע שײן
װאָס אונדזערע קינדער װעלן קענען כינעזיש, אָבּער װאָס האָבן מיר צו זאָגן װעגן אונדזער אײגענעם אוצר, װעגן
ייִדיש?
מיר
קענען עפּעס לערנען פֿון די לעבן-באַיאָענדיקע װערטער פֿון אונדזער פּאָעט –
"לעבן איז כּדאַיער", װערטער װאָס האָבן זיך געדרוקט טאַקע אין נומער
141, דער סאַמע לעצטער נומער פֿון די גאָלדענע קײט (װינטער 1995) – דער
בעסטער ייִדישער ליטעראַרישער זשורנאַל אױף דער גאָרער װעלט, רעדאַקטירט פֿון דעם
אָנגעזעענסטן ייִדישן פּאָעט אױף דער װעלט. עס האָט זיך געפֿאָדערט פֿון דעם
רעדאַקטאָר פֿיל מי אָפּצושטעלן דעם זשורנאַל װען ער האָט געבליט און זיך קונה-שם
געװען איבער דער גאָרער װעלט. ליבהאָבער פֿון ייִדיש האָבן שטאַרק דערשפּירט דעם
קלאַפּ.
די
גאָלדענע קײט איז געװען נישט נאָר אַ גלענצנדיקע אַכסניא
פֿאַר שײנער ליטעראַטור. פֿון דעם 46-סטן נומער (אין יאָר 1963) האָבן זיך
אָנגעהױבן צו דרוקן אין זשורנאַל לאַנגע, ערנסטע פֿאָרשאַרבעטן, אַ המשך פֿון דער
טראַדיציע אָנגעהױבן פֿון ש. ניגער אין זײַן פּיאָנערישער זאַמלונג דער פּנקס
פֿון יאָר 1913 און װײַטערגעפֿירט אין די ביז דעם הײַנטיקן – טאָג סאָלידע עסײען
אין די פֿילאָלאָגישע שריפֿטן און ייִװאָ-בלעטער אַרױסגעגעבן פֿון
דעם ייִװ"אָ ערשט אין װילנע און שפּעטער אין ניו-יאָרק זינט 1931.
די
נײַע אָפּטײלונג אין די גאָלדענע קײט האָט געהײסן "פֿאָרשונגען און
מאַטעריאַלן צו דער געשיכטע פֿון דער ייִדישער שפּראַך און ליטעראַטור". די
רעדאַקציע פֿון זשורנאַל האָט מסביר געװען דעם חידוש בזה-הלשון:
די
רעדאַקציע פֿון די גאָלדענע קײט איז צופֿרידן אײַנצופֿירן פֿונעם איצטיקן
נומער אָן-אָט דעם נײַעם אָפּטײל. דאָס איז אַ בשותּפֿותדיקע איניציאַטיװ פֿון פּראָפֿעסאָר
דבֿ סדן און ד"ר חנא שמערוק – די לעקטאָרן פֿון דער ייִדיש קאַטעדרע אין
העברעיִשן אוניװערסיטעט, ירושלים – און די גאָלדענע קײט.
דער
מײן און ציל פֿון דעם אָפּטײל איז צו דערנענטערן דעם לײענער פֿון אונדזער זשורנאַל
צו דער פֿאָרשאַרבעט אױפֿן געביט פֿון דער ייִדישער שפּראַך און ליטעראַטור.
מיר
זענען זיכער, אַז אױך די פּובליקאַציעס װאָס ברענגען אַרױס דעם ייִחוס פֿון דער ייִדישער
שפּראַך און ליטעראַטור – װעלן געפֿינען דעם געהעריקן אָפּקלאַנג בײַ אונדזערע
לײענערס"
איצט,
אין יאָר 2007, אַז מען קוקט אַרײַן אין צענטן באַנד חוליות זעט מען אַז ער
איז געשטיצט מאַטעריעל פֿון פֿיר ישׂראלדיקע אוניװערסיטעטן אַקעגן דעם ערשטן באַנד
װאָס איז געװען אַ 100% חיפֿה לאָקאַלער פּראָדוקציע. אָבער, נאָך מער
אײַנדרוקספֿיל אַפֿילו פֿון דער סטאַטיסטיק איז דאָס װאָס די צװײ גרױסע געלערנטע
פֿונעם ייִדיש אָפּטײל אין העברעיִשן אוניװערסיטעט, די פּראָפֿעסאָרן סדן און
שמערוק האָבן גרינטלעך אײַנגעפֿלאַנצט זײער תּורה אין אַ גאַנצן דור תּלמידים װי
למשל פּראָפֿ' יחיאל שיינטוך, װאָס איז אַלײן נישט נאָר אײנער פֿון די סאַמע
פֿרוכפּערדיקסטע אָנטײלנעמערס אין חוליות, נאָר אַדברא – אין געבענטשטן
צענטן באַנד אַלײן פֿון חוליות געפֿינען מיר אַרבעטן פֿון אַ האַלבן טוץ
פֿון דער קאַטעדרעס פֿעיִקע דאָקטאָראַנטן.
קריטישע
און װיסנשאַפֿטלעכע מאמרים װאָס באַלײַכטן לידער, דערצײלונגען, ראָמאַנען און
פֿאַרשײדענע סאָרטן קינסטלערישע פּראָזע, דערגרײכן נישט בדרך-כּלל די מדרגה פֿון
עכטער קונסט – אָבער אָן זײ גײען אָפֿט פֿאַרלאָרן אָדער עס װערן נישט
פֿאַרשטאַנען פֿיל קינסטלערישע װערק. דאָס לײענען איז ניט קײן פּשוטע זאַך.
די
קריטיק – צי מען איז מיט איר מסכּים צי נײן – און היסטאָרישע, ביאָגראַפֿישע און
ביבליאָגראַפֿישע הינטערגרונט שטודיעס פֿאַרברײטערן אונדזערע עסטעטישע האָריזאָנטן
און װירקן אױף אונדז גײַסטיק און אינטעלעקטועל.
דאָס
אָפּשטעלן די גאָלדענע קײט אין אײנער פֿון אירע בליִענדיקע שעהען איז געװען
װײטיקדיק – אָבער קלוג. זי האָט זיך נישט געמאַטערט. די צײַט האָט געפֿאָדערט
ענדערונגען – אַ בעסערע אינטעגראַציע פֿון דער ייִדישער קולטור אין דעם
העברעיִש-רעדנדיקן ארץ-ישׂראל, דאָס געפֿינען
נײַע פּאָזיטיװע פּאָזיציעס אין אַ לאַנד װאָס איז נעכטן געװען אַ רודף-ייִדיש
אָבער װאָס אַ האַלב-הונדערט יאָר נאָכן חורבן זוכט די װעלט װאָס איז מער נישטאָ:
די ייִדיש-רײַכע מזרח-אײראָפּעיִשע װערטן, אַרײַנגערעכנט דעם קאָלאָסאַלן אוצר
װאָס די ייִדישע ליטעראַטור איז צוזאַמען מיט איר ריזיקן מעדיום – דאָס
ייִדיש-לשון.
שױן
אין װינטער 1993, האָט ד"ר שלום לוריא אַרױסגעגעבן דעם ערשטן נומער חוליות,
אַ נאָמען װאָס ער זעצט איבער אױף ייִדיש װי "רינגען". דער נאָמען
"רינגען" װערט נישט צו פֿיל גענוצט, אָבער ער פּאַסט זיך זײער
אָנצוּװײַזן אױף דעם ברײטערן באַטײַט פֿון
"מסורה" ס'הײסט טראַדיציע. ד"ר שלום לוריא, דער זון פֿון דעם
באַװוּסטן װילנער לינגװיסט זעליק קאַלמאַנאָװיטש (ע"ה), קיבוצניק און
אוניװערסיטעט-לעקטאָר, האָט שלום אַן אונטער-קעפּל געגעבן דעם זשורנאַל – זשורנאַל
פֿאַר ייִדיש-פֿאָרשונג. און די הדגשה אין חוליות איז טאַקע פֿאָרשונג
– אַרײַנגערעכנט אָרגינעלע צוגאַנגען און אַנטדעקונגען. לידער פֿון אײנצלנע דיכטער
זענען נישט אין גאַנצן פֿאַרזען און ס'איז פֿאַראַן כּמעט אין יעדן נומער אַ קלײנע
אַנטאָלאָגיע פֿון קלאַסישע לידער געקליבן מיט ראַפֿינירטן טעם פֿון דעם
רעדאַקטאָר.
שלום
לוריאס שטעמפּל אױפֿן כאַראַקטער און פֿאַרנעם פֿון חוליות איז בולט. אין
יעדן באַנד נאָכן ערשטן הערט מען די טיף געלערנטע שטימען פֿון פּראָפֿעסאָר שמואל
װערסעס און פּראָפֿעסאָר יחיאל שײנטוך. נעמט דעם צענטן באַנד אין האַנט אַרײַן און
זוכט אָפּ צום סוף דעם שליסל, דעם ביבליאָגראַפֿישן װעגװײַזער צו בענדער 1 – 10,
און איר װעט זען אַ רײַכן אָפּקלײַב פֿון נעמען. ערשטנס װעט איר זען אַזעלעכע
נעמען װי מענדעלע, פּרץ און שלום-עליכם – אונדזערע קלאַסיקער – און אױכעט נעמען
פֿון אַזעלעכע װיכטיקע פֿיגורן װי ביאליק, מאַרקיש, בערדיטשעװסקי – און װעגן די
אַלע שרײַבער עסײען פֿון געניטע פֿאָרשערס און פֿרישע דאָקטאָראַנטן.
װעגן
חוליות, אירע מעלות און חסרונות, װאָלט מען געקענט רעדן ביז שפּעט אין דער
נאַכט. איך װיל איצט אָנװײַזן אױף דרײַ פּונקטן װעלכע אָן זײ בלײַבט דער
העברעיִש-געשריבענער זשורנאַל פֿון ייִדיש פֿאָרשונג חוליות אַ רעטעניש.
אַ
סך מענטשן דאָ אין לאַנד און אין די תּפוצות רעדן װעגן אַ "רענעסאַנס"
פֿון ייִדיש. איך מײן אַז אַזאַ װאָרט װי "רענעסאַנס" איז אַן
איבערגעטריבענע באַשרײַבונג פֿון דעם הײַנט-צײַטיקן מצבֿ פֿון ייִדיש – און איך
האָב יאָ געהערט פֿון די טױזנטער סאַטמער-חסידים װאָס רעדן ייִדיש. איך בין יאָ
מסכּים אַז עפּעס האָט זיך געענדערט דאָ אין ישׂראל אין דער באַציִונג צו ייִדיש
און אָט די ענדערונג שפּירט זיך באַזונדערש אין די מאַסן-קאָמוניקאַציע-מיטלען און
אין די אוניװערסיטעטן. מע װײסט נישט גענױ װי אָפּצוראַטעװען די ייִדיש-ירושה אָבער
די נײטיקע סימפּאַטיע איז אָפֿט מאָל פֿאַראַן.
דעם
צװײטן פּונקט װאָס איך װיל דערמאָנען װעט אפֿשר ניט אַזױ אינטערעסירן דעם
װאָרעדיקן ייִדיש ליבהאָבער, ס'איז אָבער כּדאַי צו װיסן. די ייִדישע ליטעראַטור
און די ייִדישע שפּראַך זענען אָנערקענט אַלס אַ באַשטאַנדטײל פֿון דער
אײראָפּעיִשער קולטור און װערן שטודירט אין אַ סך אײראָפּעיִשע אוניװערסיטעטן.
ייִדישער ליטעראַטור קורסן אין ענגלישער איבערזעצונג װערן געגעבן אין צענדליקער
צפֿון-אַמעריקאַנער אוניװערסיטעטן. ייִדיש-לשון איז אױך שטודירט אױף בײדע זײַטן
אַטלאַנטיק. אין דײַטשלאַנד זענען פֿאַראַן נישט ייִדישע פֿאָרשערס פֿון ייִדיש,
באַזונדערש פֿון אַלט-ייִדיש און זײ זײַנען אַן אָנגעזעענע גרופּע. נישט-ייִדן –
אַ סך פֿון זײ גערמאַניסטן – גלײַך מיט ייִדן שיקן זײערע פֿאָרש-אַרבעטן צו חוליות
און װערן דאָרט אױך געדרוקט. אין שײַכות
מיט באַציִונגען פֿון ייִדיש-לשון מיט נישט ייִדישע קולטורן, דאַרף באַמערקט װערן
אַז ייִדישע װערטער, װערטלעך, זאָגענישן און טעמעס געפֿינען זיך אין הונדערטער און
הונדערטער ענגלישע ביכער – מײנסטנס אַמעריקאַנישע-געשריבן אין די לעצטע
זיבעציק-אַכציק יאָר. צי זײ זענען ייִדן
צי נײן מוזן ספּעציאַליסטן אין דער אַמעריקאַנישער ליטעראַטור זיך באַקענען װי ניט
איז מיט דער ייִדישער שפּראַך.
דער
דריטער פּונקט װאָס איך װיל אונטערשטרײַכן האָט צו טאָן מיט די גיגאַנטישע
טעכנאָלאָגישע איבערקערענישן װאָס פּאַסירן כּמעט טאָג-טעגלעך. מען רעדאַקטירט אַ
ייִדישע צײַטונג אין ניו-יאָרק, מען דרוקט עס אין תּל-אָבֿיבֿ, און אַן אַבאָנענט
באַקומט עס אין אַ פּאָר טעג אַרום אױף זײַן פּאָסט אַדרעס אין ישׂראל.
חוליות איז אײנער פֿון די ערשטע זשורנאַלן געדרוקט מיט ייִדישע אותיות,
װאָס מען קען לײענען אין יעדן שטוב אין דער װעלט װאָס פֿאַרמאָגט אַ מחשבֿ
(קאָמפּיוטער) מיט אַ פֿאַרבינדונג צום אינטערנעץ. אַ דאַנק דעם קאָמפּיוטער קענען
זיך הײַנט פֿורעמען "ווירטואַלע קהילות". פֿון דער װײַטנס קען מען
לײענען גאַנצע ביכער און צײַטונגען אין אַלע שפּראַכן – אַ גן-עדן פֿאַר פֿאָרשערס
און מער און מער צוטריטלעך פֿאַר יעדער אײנער.
װערטער
װי "קאָמפּיוטער" און "אינטערנעץ" זענען אײַך אפֿשר פֿרעמד
און קלינגען נישט ייִדיש, אָבער זײ זענען שױן גוטע אײַנגעשטוביקטע ייִדישע װערטער.
אַ לעבעדיקע שפּראַך אין אונדזער שטורמישער געזעלשאַפֿט מוז זיך ענדערן און
אַנטװיקלען.
בנימין
שעכטער, דער געראָטענער זון פֿון ד"ר מרדכי שעכטער פֿון דער ייִדיש-ליגע אין
ניו-יאָרק איז דער שמשׂ פֿון אַ קלײנער שפּראַך-קאָמיסיע װאָס אױף ענגליש רופֿט
מען VZMAY ראָשי-תּיבֿות פֿון די ייִדישע װערטער "װי זאָגט מען עס אױף
ייִדיש?" אַזאַ פּאַטענט צו פֿאַרפֿעסטיקן ייִדיש זעט אױס אפֿשר בטלניש און
דאָן-קיכאָטיש, אָבער נאָר מיט אַ גרײטקײט אָנצונעמען נײַע סטראַטעגיעס און נײַע
מיטלען װעט דאָס שפּילעװדיק װערטל "לעבן איז כּדאַיער" זײַן אַ
פֿאַרשפּרײטער דעװיז פֿאַר ליבהאָבער פֿון ייִדיש אױף דער גאָרער װעלט.
ירושלים, פברואר 5, 2007
The day Prof. Prager died, Volume 11 of Khulyot
appeared.
5)------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Noyekh Miller (2008)
Subject: Leonard Prager z"l
Noyekh Miller, founder of Mendele, of which TMR is
an offshoot, and a lifetime friend and colleague of Leonard, wrote the announcement
in Mendele of Leonard's passing away. With Noyekh's kind permission we
bring this touching announcement here.
Leonard Prager z"l by Noyekh Miller
Leonard Prager, editor of The Mendele Review, died on
December 11. According to his son,
he was working until the very end and
suffered no pain.
Though Lennie and I grew up a few blocks from one another in
Lennie was an original.
Though a Zionist, he rejected the denigration of Yiddish that was at one
time virtually part of the party line.
It certainly did not help his career at
And he accomplished all this despite being seriously ill for years. We have lost a treasured friend.
Noyekh Miller
6)------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Itsik (Robert) Goldenberg
Subject: My friendship and collaboration with Leonard
My friendship and collaboration with
Leonard by Itsik (Robert) Goldenberg
After hearing that Leonard Prager had so suddenly left us, I
decided to look through the TMR
archives, to refresh my recollection of the scope of his forum for
Yiddish literature. For almost 12 years he presented us with over 200 issues of
his eclectic panorama of Yiddish: poetry, prose, folklore, music, art,
bibliography, theatre and more.
My first contact with Leonard was in 1998, when I responded to his
invitation for volunteers willing to assist him with the grunt work (i.e.
typing, transcribing and proofreading Yiddish stories) in The Mendele Review,
The Onkeles Project and Di Velt fun Yiddish. My first assignment
was to transcribe Chaim Grade's "Musernikes." The most ambitious was Yehoyesh's Yiddish
Tanakh, of which Leonard was so proud. The payoff for me was the awakening
of my long dormant love for Yiddish. Leonard's curiosity, patience, warmth,
humour and drive made the tasks something to look forward to. It was most
gratifying to be able to contribute to his outstanding work. Leonard often
reminded me that though books might eventually crumble, this work in Yiddish
would live forever on the Internet. What began with me as a kind of technical
and mechanical involvement gradually developed into a warm friendship and
appreciation of mutual interests well beyond the work at hand. My world is
diminished by Leonard's absence from it.
Itsik (Robert)
7)------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Zvi Mann
Subject: My Acquaintance with Leonard
My acquaintance with Leonard Prager by Zvi Mann
I spoke with Leonard Wednesday night, just several hours before he
died. Leonard called me very excited to inform me of the arrival of the book I
was long looking for, Di Shtilkeyt Mont by my father, Mendel Mann, which
was printed in
We had a long conversation that Wednesday night. Talking about the
approaching Khanike (Chanuka), Leonard read Shtentsl’s song to me, which he
included in his last TMR, that was published after he passed away. Inspired by the song, we talked about
menoyres (Chanuka Menorot), and I sent
him pictures of ancient menoyres I had from my father’s Judaica collection,
which Leonard embedded into his TMR. We also discussed my father’s book Der
Shvartser Demb, agreeing that Demb means oak as well as tree trunk.
This book opens with a signed Chagall’s aquarelle, symbolically depicting my
father telling the story of the ruined Yiddishe Shtetlekh, which Leonard
included, too, in this last TMR.
We had been talking for a couple of hours, and were both very excited,
when Leonard told me he felt weak and had pains in his back. We agreed to
continue our conversation the next day, and now will never do.
I know Leonard for two years. Thanks to him I became closer to
Yiddish, and managed to acquire eighteen books by my father which I had not had
before. Whenever and whatever I asked
him, he willingly and skillfully found and achieved for me, including books,
pre-war periodicals, and all types of information.
Leonard was Yiddish’s most loyal supporter and promoter I have
ever met.
I wanted to express my deep gratitude and appreciation for him. I
miss him and will always cherish his efforts he made for me personally and for
the Yiddish language and culture in general.
Zvi Mann, Beer
8)------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Dafna Sheinwald
Subject: The honor to have known Leonard
The honor to have known Leonard by
Dafna Sheinwald
For several years, I used to visit Leonard's web site The World
of Yiddish, trying to catch Yiddish words by comparing Hebrew bible verses
against their Yehoyesh Yiddish translation that Leonard worked so hard to make
available on the web. In 2004, when my
family started a too late search for further resources about- and writings of
my great uncle, author Leyb Rashkin, I turned to Leonard for help. This is when
I first met this precious fountain of knowledge, who has been always willing to
help, warmly, skillfully, and full engines. Leonard enlightened us with many
new meaningful facts.
I then became aware of additional parts of his site that he
developed dedicatedly, and, of course, his TMR project.
I did not expect a person of Leonard's generation to be so much
aware of the internet power in spreading knowledge, education, and even
nostalgic enjoyment, reaching readers all over the world. Leonard realized that
many of his readers have the internet as their only resource for new
information and education.
Meeting with Leonard, I earned the honor of taking a humble part
in this significant project. I used to help with the technical stuff related to
the actual production of the webpage itself.
All the contents arrived from Leonard. He did not cease to amaze me by
the amounts of text he would process, by the width of his knowledge, by his
ability to reach old and rare publications, pictures, and recorded music and
voice. In addition to all this, he
invested much thought and labor in having his TMR issues educating, as
well as pleasing and inspiring. He cared about every detail, and bothered to
check and check again contents and formatting. He was always full of motivation, and could
work very long and late hours.
I miss communicating with Leonard, his witty comments about daily
events, about work and family. Through
Leonard, I acquired many new interesting friends, usually out of my high-tech
circles, I gained an inspiration from him for levels of dedication and
professionalism. I consider myself
fortunate to have known Leonard.
Dafna Sheinwald
9)------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Riki Greenberg
Subject: The Blog Entry of the
The
The library
main search page links the 'Yiddish Studies' discipline directly to
Leonard's The World of Yiddish.
דברים לזכרו של פרופסור ליאונרד
(לני) פראגר / ריקי גרינברג, ספרית אוניברסיטת חיפה
לפני מספר שנים התוודענו בספריה לפרופ' פראגר שביקש
להשתמש בשירותי הספריה הדיגיטליים כדי להמשיך במפעלו להנצחת תרבות שפת האידיש
בעולם.
פרופסור פראגר איש נעים הליכות, חייכן, צנוע ורב מרץ החל לעבוד מולנו בשיתוף פעולה
מלא, תוך שהוא רותם לעזרתו את כל מי שיכל היה כדי להביא את יוזמתו לידי מימוש.
כתב העת " חוליות" שהיה בין מפעליו הרבים הפך להיות כתב העת
הראשון שהספריה עשתה לו דיגיטציה והוא נבחר להיות פרויקט פיילוט בתחום סריקת כתבי העת.
כדי לסרוק את כל החוברות הישנות פנה פרופסור פראגר לכל כותבים
ובאי כוחם כדי לקבל אישורם להפוך את מאמריהם נגישים ברשת.
מדי פעם היה מגיע לספריה ומספר בהתלהבות רבה על
המתנדבים הרבים ברחבי העולם, איתם הוא בקשר. במסגרת פעלו לשימור השפה, הוא
גייס אנשים שיקלידו את הטקסטים באידיש, יתרגמו אותם לעברית, יקריינו אותם בהגייה
מדויקת ויעלו אותם לאתר האינטרנט The World of Yiddish שעסק
בין השאר בהקמתו, עריכתו תחזוקתו ושיפורו.
פרופסור פראגר היה איש אשכולות, איש ספר שהשכיל
להשתמש ברשת האינטרנט לצורך שימור מורשת ותרבות - הלכה למעשה.
אנו בספריית אוניברסיטת חיפה זכינו להכיר את האיש
ולעבוד איתו ובטוחים שמפעלו להנצחת האידיש ישמש מקור השראה לחוקרים ותלמידים רבים.
יהי זכרו ברוך.
In
memory of Prof. Leonard (Lenny) Prager by Riki Greenberg, the
Several years
ago we were introduced to Prof. Leonard Prager who requested to use the
library’s digital services for his lifelong work of the research and
preservation of the Yiddish culture.
Prof. Prager,
a pleasant, smiling, modest and energetic man started working with us
enthusiastically with full cooperation while succeeding in recruiting help
worldwide.
The Journal Khulyot, one of his
numerous projects, was the library’ first digitization of a Journal and was
chosen as the pilot in the field of scanning and digitizing periodicals. Before
the Journal became freely accessible to all on the internet, Prof. Prager made
sure he contacted all the authors involved in order to receive their consent.
Every so often
Prof. Prager would arrive at the library and tell us with great enthusiasm
about the many volunteers around the world working to preserve the Yiddish
language. With the help of these people Prof. Prager conducted the project of
typing the Yiddish texts, translating them into Hebrew, preparing audio files
with precise pronunciation and finally uploading all this material onto the
internet sight: The world of Yiddish
which he created, maintained and constantly improved.
Prof. Prager
was an erudite person, a true scholar who understood the importance of the
internet as a means of promoting and preserving the Yiddish culture.
We at the
Haifa University Library had the honor of knowing and working with Prof.
Prager. We are confident that his lifelong work of preserving the Yiddish
tongue, literature and culture will be a source of inspiration to both
researchers and students.
Blessed be his
memory.
10)------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Dafna Sheinwald
Subject: Funeral and unveiling of the
tombstone
Funeral
and unveiling of the tombstone
In very short notice, within a few hours, friends from all over
Leonard, or Lenny, as called by close friends and relatives, was a
member of the HaShomer HaTsair group, originated in
Toward 3 pm, we drove from the house dedicated to the pioneers, where
we met, to the Kibbutz cemetery, placed on a nearby hill, with a wide, open
view of the hills of upper Galilee, South Lebanon, and the
After the burial, Lenny's son, Adam, read from Emily Dickinson, who
stated that a person's way of leaving his life indicates the fulfillment he
feels he had achieved during his life. Lenny died peacefully, at home,
surrounded by family, working and doing the things he loved and was dedicated
to, until his last breath.
Shmuel delivered a loving eulogy. Then, friends told about their
Lenny. One friend told about her first meeting with him, when they studied in
college: she heard from her friend about a young man learning with her, who
always draws examples from Hebrew or Yiddish to anything the teacher teaches.
She was impressed and asked to meet with this young man. A professor from Lenny's department spoke
highly of Lenny's professionalism, his dedication to the subjects of his research,
and his uniqueness.
David Mazower, a generation younger than Lenny, and his good
friend, sent from
Son Adam and Son in law Shmuel led the Kadish and El-Male Rakhamim
prayer.
It was a very bright and quiet day. Hills all around were clearly
seen.
Thirty days later, we met for the tombstone’s unveiling. The day started rainy, but as the hour
approached, and exactly for the ceremony, the rain gracefully stopped.
Lenny’s enthusiasm for Yiddish, and his contributions to it are
engraved on the tombstone using a perfect Yivo Yiddish, which was so important
to Lenny, written by his friend Prof. Yechiel Szeintuch.
Daughter Clara read from letters received, people told more about
Lenny. A friend born in
Shmuel read the prayers, and the attendees seemed reluctant to
leave.
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11)------------------------------------------------
Date: 2 December 2009
From: Carrie Friedman-Cohen
Subject: The
TMR has gladly and proudly participated in announcing the
upcoming conference at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. This important conference will take place
next week, Dec. 7 – 10. TMR
readers may enjoy the Youtube
movie, visit the conference
website, and are cordially invited to attend.
The third session
of the first day, Yiddish in the Soviet Union, in
Excerpting from the announcement:
THE
THE
INSTITUTE FOR ADVANCED STUDIES
International
Academic Conference
A
CENTURY OF YIDDISH
1908-2008
December
7-10, 2009
All
lectures will take place at the Wise Auditorium on the Givat Ram Campus
Organizers: Eli
Lederhendler, Shaul Stampfer and Yechiel Szeintuch
(The
(click on image to get a full resolution poster)
-------------------------------------------------
End of The Mendele Review Issue
12.022
Editors of this issue: Adam
Prager and Dafna
Sheinwald
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You may subscribe to Mendele, or, kholile, unsubscribe, by
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**** Getting back issues ****
The Mendele Review issues can be
reached at: http://yiddish.haifa.ac.il/tmr/tmr.htm
Yiddish Theatre Forum archives can be
reached at: http://yiddish.haifa.ac.il/tmr/ytf/ytf.htm
Mendele on
the web: http://mendele.commons.yale.edu/
The World of Yiddish http://yiddish.haifa.ac.il
***