_The Mendele Review_: Yiddish Literature and Language (A Companion to _MENDELE_) ______________________________________________________ Contents of Vol. 02.031 1 December 1998 1) Yiddish Matters: From the Editor (Leonard Prager) 2) Birobidzhan Songs: Robert Goldenberg 3) Helene Khatskels: Ester Rozental-Shnayderman 4) Helene Khatskels Bibliography: Robert Goldenberg 5) Helene Khatskels, selections: Leah Krikun 1)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 1 December 1998 From: Leonard Prager Subject: Yiddish Matters 1. Variants of Birobidzhan Songs Robert Goldenberg provides variants for two of the Birobidzhan poems/songs given in the last issue of _The Mendele Review_. There are very likely many more variants to be found. 2. Helene Khatskels (1882-1973)* One area of Yiddish creativity which has been neglected in _The Mendele Review_ -- women's writing -- receives some redress in this issue devoted principally to a remarkable woman educator and writer, Helene Khatskels. In her day and place a viable secular Yiddish school system existed and she helped meet its needs for texts in geography and natural sciences. She was also a travel writer who gave her young audience a series of little booklets on foreign places which to this day may serve as examples of a pleasant informal Yiddish essay style. She edited and wrote for a number of lively children's journals, bringing to young readers in Vilna, Kovno and many other cities Yiddish versions of some of the best-loved children's stories in the West. Under the most difficult political conditions she worked to sustain Yiddish education in Lithuania a half-century ago. The biographical sketch below of Helene Khatskels is written by an another remarkable woman writer and educator. Ester Rozental-Shnayderman (born in 1902), lived in Poland and the Soviet Union before settling in Jerusalem in 1962; author of the three-volume _oyf vegn un umvegn_ ('On Roads and By-ways') (Tel-Aviv, 1974-82) and _birobidzhan fun der noent_ (Tel-Aviv, 1983), she is eminently qualified to write about her fellow Yiddish-educator Helene Khatskels. * H.K.'s name is spelled/transliterated in a variety of ways. One finds Helena Chatzkels, Helena Khatskeles, Helene Khatskels. We employ the last form. 2)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 1 December 1998 From: Robert Goldenberg Subject: Songs about Birobidzhan [Robert Goldenberg writes in response to _TMR_ 02.030: (1) In your notes, on Fefer's "a khasene in birobidzhan," you mention that "it was doubtless set to music." I can confirm this, with qualifications. Sidor Belarsky and Emil Gorovets recorded a song called "a yidishe khasene," words by Fefer, melody by L.Y. Yampolsky. Lines 1 and 2 constitute the chorus, and the rest of the song is similar but not identical. Could this be another poem by Fefer? The words and music can be found in _Sidor Belarsky Songbook_ published by Queens College, NY (n.d.). (2) "birobidzhaner freylekhs," according to Belarsky's book, was written by Izi Kharik, not Itsik Fefer(*). It was put to music by S. Polansky, also recorded by Belarsky and Gorovets. In Belarsky's book we find an additional verse as well. (My wife included both of these songs in a concert in 1996 at the Workmens Circle "Jewish Cultural Experience" program in New York, commemorating August, 1952.)] *) Authorship is not clearly shown in Sandler's _yidish lernbukh_: Fefer's name appears on page 168 as author of "a khasene in birobidzhan"; there is no name at all at the head of "birobidzhaner freylekhs." The reader normally assumes both poems to be attributed to Fefer. Other possibilities: a) the second poem is of anonymous authorship; b) Sandler did not know who the author was. Itsik Goldenberg has submitted the following two variants [L.P.]: "a freylekhs" (words: i[zi] kharik, music: s. polansky) shpilt a freylekhs, shpilt a freylekhs, in der rod arayn geshvind; ale poles un fatsheyles vi di zeglen oyfn vint. fidler, fleytn, kontrabasn, zoln tantsn in ale gasn. zoln dunern trumeytn; un di grinsn in di beytn zoln lustig zayn un gut. fidler, fleytn, nit gerut! vi geshmake hoykhe zangen, shpilt a freylekhs, meydlekh, yungen -- s'iz a lebn do faran, oyb gezungen iz gezungen, oyb getantst, zol zayn getantst! tantsn shniter, tantsn ale, tantst a meydl fun volin mit a bokher fun poltava -- ale felder zenen grin ale velder kutsherove; rogatshover un odeser zol di rod zikh heybn greser; ven es tantsn di tsherkaser heybt in taykhl zikh dos vaser. ven es tantsn di voliner vern ale sopkes griner. sopke < Russ. sopka 'mound, hill' shpilt a freylekhs, meydlekh, yungen, s'iz a lebn do faran, oyb gezungen iz gezungen, oyb getantst zol zayn getantst! ******* "a yidishe khasene" (words: i. fefer. music: l. yampolsky) iber shlyakhn freylekhe vos zenen do faran, iz men oyf a khasene a yidishe gegan; un fun yedn gesl un fun yeder tir zenen makhatonemlekh gegangen on a shir. oy, iz dos a khasene a yidishe geven; di velt hot aza khasene nokh keyn mol nit gezen. makhatonem trogn zikh fun noent un fun vayt, me tuplt un me tentslt un me tupet un me rayt. meydlekh in kosinkes, zeydenyus mit berd, zey trogn zikh oyf oytos, zey fliyen oyf di ferd. oy, iz dos.... zog undz, kale, kalenyu, ver iz der khosn, ver? se ken di gantse gegnt im un trefn iz nit shver. iz vos hostu gegebn far dem khosn nadn, zog? tsvey lefelekh, tsvey goldene un alts vos ikh farmog. oy, iz dos.... un vos hostu bakumen fun dem khosn meyer-ber? tsi oyringlekh, tsi fingerlekh, keyn eyntsikn brilyant; a fraynt -- un oykh dem shenstn yung, dem bestn in dem kant. oy, iz dos.... to, dremlt nit, klezmoremlekh, zol shpiln der bayan, dos paykl zol a paykl ton un freylekh zol do zayn! gedenken zol di khasene di klezmer un di por, un di makheteyneste biz hundert tsvantsik yor! oy, iz dos..... ***** 3)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 1 December 1998 From: Robert (Itsik) Goldenberg Subject: Helene Khatskels (Ester Rosental-Shnayderman [Esther Rosenthal (Schneiderman)]) CHATZKELS, HELENE (1882-1973), pedagogue, writer, and translator. Born in Kovno she attended the pedagogical institute at St. Petersburg. From 1905 to 1908, she was a member of the illegal Bund. In the period 1916-1918, she was one of the founders of the Yiddish school network in Lithuania, remaining one of its leaders throughout its existence. The author of numerous works on education, Yiddish textbooks, children's stories, and travelogues, she also compiled the first curriculum for the study of natural sciences and geography in Yiddish schools (1918). In 1925, when the Yiddish Kultur-Lige ("culture league") was disbanded by the Lithuanian authorities, Chatzkels, together with Samuel Levin, set up an illegal leadership for the educational institutions affiliated to the league, thereby saving them from extinction. Although she supported the Soviet Union, she was also on friendly terms with Siegfried Lehmann and acted as adviser to the educational institutions he directed at Kovno and Ben Shemen (Erez Israel), visiting the latter institution in 1929. In 1931 she published a pamphlet entitled _Araber_, in which she expressed great admiration for the Zionist pioneers and denounced the Arabs for the murderous riots against the yishuv. After World War II she struggled for the reestablishment of the Jewish school system in Soviet Lithuania, and headed the last Jewish children's home and elementary school in Kovno, until it was finally closed down by the Soviets in 1949/50. During the anti-Jewish "struggle against cosmopolitanism" she wrote letters to the press and to Stalin himself, protesting against Soviet anti-Semitism. She was given the honorary title of "meritorious teacher" in 1947, and awarded the Order of the Red Flag in 1955. Until 1966 she was a teacher of Russian literature at a Lithuanian secondary school in Kovno. [Esther Rosenthal (Schneiderman)] [from _Encyclopaedia Judaica_ (Jerusalem: Keter, 1971)]. 4)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 1 December 1998 From: Robert (Itsik) Goldenberg Subject: Helene Khatskels Bibliography Helene Khatskels Bibliography A. Works by Helene Khatskels "analiz fun leyen-materyal, ('Analysis of Reading Material'), _dertsiyungs entsiklopedye_, band 1, nyu-york, 1957, zz. 295-306. _araber_. vilne: farlag "naye yidishe folkshul," 1931, 47 zz. _a rayze keyn england_. vilne: farlag "naye yidishe folksshul," 1931 [biblyotek "grininke beymelekh," redaktirt fun Sh. batomski. serye n' 2]. [Polish t.p.: Printed in Poland / Bibljoteka "Grininke Boymelech" redagowano przez S. Bastomskiego / Helena Chackels / Podroz po Anglji / Drukarnia "Expres" Wilno, Wielka 33] 45 zz., 4"x5" [not listed in Fuks]. _a zumer in amerike_. vilne: farlag "naye yidishe folkshul," 1931, 78 zz. _di erd un di velt_ ('The Earth and the World') [a geography textbook for schools and self-study, with 24 figures in the text], teyl 1, berlin, 1924, 133 zz. _di natur arum undz_ ('Nature Around Us') [textbook for folk schools, with afterword for teachers], berlin, 1922, 117 zz. _di natur arum undz un mir aleyn_ ('Nature Around Us and We Ourselves') [a textbook for folk schools], Berlin, 1922, 160 zz., illustrated). _di program fun naturvisnshaft un geografye mit metodishe onvayzungen_ ('The Program of Natural Science and Geography, With Methodological Instructions'), vilne, 1918, 64 zz. [mit di baylages _A musterheft fun naturvisnshaft_ un Zalmen Reyzn's _Terminologye far geografye_ ('with the supplements _A Master Work of Natural Science_ and Zalmen Reyzen's _Terminology for Geography_ (iberdrukt in _kultur un bildung_ (moskve), 1918 (reprinted in the journal _Culture and Education_, Moscow, 1918)]. _finland_, vilne: farlag "naye yidishe folkshul," 1931, 40 zz. _fun oslo biz bergen_ ('From Oslo to Bergen') (a trip across Norway), vilne: farlag "naye yidishe folkshul," 1931, 59 zz.) _groyse dergreykhungen un derfindungen_ ('Great Discoveries and Inventions') [popular talks about physics] Part 1, moskve, 1927, 127 zz. [with a foreword from the author and complementary supplements by Y. Zhiv], Part 2, 1927, 110 pp.] _shmuesn far di ershte tsvey lernyorn folksshul_ ('Talks for the First Two Grades of Folk School'), kovne, 1924, 12 zz. B. Pedagogical and Children's Journals H.K. wrote for _di naye shul_ ('The New School') (vilne-varshe), 1920-1930; _shul bletl_ ('School Page') (kovne); the children's supplement of the _folksshtime_ (Varshe). She edited _kinderblat_, the children's supplement of _folksblat_ (kovne) 1931-1939. C. Translations (items marked [?] not yet identified) bernet, f. _der kleyner lord_ ('The Little Lord'), vilne, 1940, 151 zz. [ = F.H. Burnett, _Little Lord Fauntleroy_). _der nayer alef-beys_ ('The New Alef-Beys') (tsuzamen mit Meyer yelin), moskve, 1948, 64 zz. [?] _di zilberne glitshers_ ('The Silver Skates') [loyt stal], vilne, 1939, 48 zz. [? = Mary Mapes Dodge, _Hans Brinker or the Silver Skates_, Philadelphia: David McKay, 1918 -- L.P.] irvin, v. un v. stefenson, _kek -- der kleyner eskimos_ ('Kek -- The Little Eskimo') vilne, 1939, 131 zz. [?] malo, hektor. _on a heym_ ('Homeless'), vilne, 1940, 151 zz. [?] oyda, _vos mit a kleynem yingl hot pasirt_ ('What Befell a Small Boy'), vilne, 1939, 40 zz. [?] perkins, lyusi fitsh. _di kleyne holender_ ('The Little Dutchmen'), vilne, 1938, 37 zz. [= Lucy Fitch Perkins, "The Dutch Twins."] perkins, lyusi fitsh. _mini un moni, der eskimosisher tsviling_ ('Mini and Moni, The Eskimo Twins') vilne, 1938, 55 zz. [= Lucy Fitch Perkins, _The Eskimo Twins_] perkins, lyusi fitsh. _di gevagte_ ('The Daring Ones'), vilne, 1939, 51 zz. [= Lucy Fitch Perkins, _The Cave Twins_] zand, zhorzh. _di fliglen fun mut_ ('The Wings of Courage'), vilne, 1939, 52 zz. [ = George Sand, "The Wings of Courage."] D. Articles on Helene Khatskels anilovitsh, m. and m. yafe, _shriftn far psikhologye un pedagogik_ ('Writings in Psychology and Education'), vilne, 1933, z. 499. bloshteyn, h. _folksshtime_ (varshe), 1.12.1959. _eynikayt_ (moskve) 22.3.45, 20.9.45 and 2.11.48. f[uks], kh[ayem]-l[eyb]. "helene khatskeles [sic]," _leksikon fun der nayer yidisher literatur_, ferter band, nyu-york: alveltlekhn yidishn kultur-kongres, 1961, zz' 378-380. gar, y. _viderklangen_, tel-oviv, 1961, zz' 144-158. gotlib, n.-y. _lite_ ('Lithuania'), vol. 1, nyu-york, 1951, zz. 1110-1111. kagan, berl. "khatskeles, helena," _leksikon fun yidish-shraybers_. nyu-york: berl kagan, 1986, p. 314 (provides death date [1973] and correct spelling of name [khatskels]). _litvisher id_ ('Lithuanian Jew'), nyu-york, yanuar 1947. mark, yudl, _zamlbukh lekoved dem 250stn yoyvl fun der yidisher prese, 1686-1936_ ('Writings in Honor of the 250th Anniversary of the Yiddish Press, 1686-1936'), nyu-york, 1937, z. 258. poznanski, kh.-l. _zikhroynes fun a bundist_ ('Memoirs of a Bundist'), varshe, 1938, zz. 121-124. reyzen, zalmen. "helene khatskels," _leksikon fun der yidisher literatur prese un filologye_. vilne: kletskin, 1927, band 2, zz' 35-36 [with small and faded but fascinating photo-portrait]. Rosenthal (Schneiderman), Esther. "Helene Chatzkels," _Encyclopaedia Judaica_ (Jerusalem: Keter, 1971). shnayderman, sh.-l., _forverts_ (nyu-york) 2.12.1959. yelin, m. _eynikayt_ (moskve) 29.11.1947. 5)---------------------------------------------------- Date: 1 December 1998 From: Leah Krikun Subject: Helene Khatskels, selectons helena khatskeles, _a rayze keyn england_ (vilne: "naye yidishe folkshul" farlag, 1931). pages 5-9 in a shtiln zumerdikn farnakht hob ikh derzen, shteyendik oyfn dek fun shif, vayslekhe kalkhike felzn. dos iz geven der englisher breg, der shtiler hofn dover. oyfn breg, nit vayt fun shif, hot shoyn gevart a tsug, vos hot gedarft opfirn di pasazhirn keyn london. di vagones fun 3-tn klas zaynen bakveme, mit veykhe zopes, vi bay undz in 2-tn klas. ikh farnem a plats lebn fentster un gib a kuk oyf mayne shkheynem. ale ernste, ruike, shvaygedike. keyner fregt mikh nit, vuhin ikh for, fun vanen ikh kum. dem ershtn moment dukht zikh mir, az di englender zenen shtoltse un kalte mentshn. shpeter ober, az ikh hob opgelebt a gevise tsayt in england, hob ikh zikh ibertsaygt, az dos iz nit rikhtik. vifil mol iz mir shpeter oysgekumen tsu forn! dakht zikh, ale shvaygn, keyner interesirt zikh nit mit mir, ober vi nor zey flegn bamerkn, az ikh fil zikh do fremd, az ikh kuk zikh tsu shoyn tsu oyfmerkzam tsu di oyfshriftn, flegt men mikh shtil fregn, vuhin ikh darf forn. un me flegt shoyn zorgn, ikh zol aropgeyn oyf dem rikhtikn ort, mir helfn aropnemen di zakhn, mikh ibergebn oyf der stantsye tsu a zikhern mentshn, vos zol mir vayter gebn rikhtike onvayzungen. oder vifil mol flegt zikh trefn, az ikh fleg zikh opshteln in farlegnheyt in mitn veg, nit vagndik aribertsugeyn a gas, vu es trogn zikh on an oyfher otomobiln, otobusn, tramveyen. dan flegt tsugeyn a shutsman, eydl fregn, vuhin ikh darf, un mikh far der hant ariberfirn oyf der ander zayt. an englender fregt aykh nit oys, ver ir zayt un vu ir fort, fun eydlkayt. er vil nit zayn lestik mit zayne fragn, ober er iz greyt aykh tsu kumen tsu hilf. der ershter ayndruk fun london iz geven, az do hot epes pasirt, az mentshn ayln zikh, loyfn ergets. dos glaykhn -- di otomobiln, otobusn, tramveyen. a gepilder, a geroysh, a loyfenish; es hot zikh mir alts gedakht, az ikh darf zikh opshteln oyf a vayle un opvartn, biz vanen me vet farbayloyfn, farbayforn, biz vanen di mentshn veln zikh baruikn. ikh hob gevust, az ikh nar zikh, az in der emesn iz do dos lebn azoy, az di eylenish, der gelaf, der tuml vet zikh nit aynshtiln biz shpet in der nakht. ober s'iz geven azoy umgeveynlekh, az ikh hob zikh aleyn nit gegloybt, az do tumlt un roysht ale mol. shpeter hob ikh zikh ayngevoynt, hob shoyn nit gevart, biz vanen me vet farbayloyfn, farbayforn. ikh hob genumen aleyn zikh ayln, mithaltn mit di toyznter mentshn, vos bavegn zikh oyf di londoner gasn. ikh hob genumen bamerkn, az in der loyfenish iz do a merkvirdike ordenung. toyznter otomobiln forn in farsheydene rikhtungen. di vegn kraytsn zikh iber, ober me shtoyst zikh nit tsuzamen, me tsetumlt zikh nit, me shtert nit eyner dem andern. nit kukndik oyf der gikhkayt, der aylenish, zenen ale ruik, kaltblutik. ikh fleg bavundern di firer fun di otobusn, vi kuntsik zey flegn durkhforn in der grester engshaft, shtupenish. nokh mer ken men bavundern di shutslayt, vos shteyen oyf di groyse pletser oder oyf vinklen vu es kraytsn zikh a fule gasn un vu es forn durkh toyznter otomobiln un tramveyen in di farsheydnste rikhtungen. zey shteyen in rekhtn mitn un vayzn on alemen dem veg mit a ruiker bavegung fun der hant. oftmol, ven es forn zikh tsuzamen tsufil otomobiln un vagonen un es iz ummeglekh far di fusgeyer aribertsugeyn a gas, shteln zey op di gantse bavegung un lozn durkh di mentshn. london iz zeyer an alte shtot, un a fule ire gasn zaynen shmole, gedreyte. un fundestvegn trefn zikh do veyniker umglikn, vi in andere shtet. dos derklert zikh mit der ruikayt fun di shofern un di shutslayt. zey vaysn, az ven zey zoln zikh tsetumlen, zikh farlirn oyf a rege, kenen umkumen toyznter mentshn. zey filn di groyse farantvortlekhkayt un filn oys mit koved zeyer shvern un geferlekhn dinst. **** helena khatskeles fun _araber_ (vilne: farlag "naye yidishe folkshul," 1931) 1. [Jaffa port] (page 5, 1-4) mayn ershte bagegenish mit araber iz forgekumen oyf der italyenisher shif "adria," vos hot mikh gebrakht fun triest keyn ertsisroel. (page 6, 5-9) azoy vi in yafo is nokh dervayl keyn hofn nito, shtelt zikh di shif op vayt fun breg, un tsu ir forn tsu shiflekh, vos nemen ariber di rayznder un zeyere zakhn tsum breg. (pages 7 - 9) ir hot mit azoy fil umgeduld gevart oyfn breg, ir zayt geven in a gehoybener yontefdiker shtimung -- ir kumt dokh in asye, in an ander erdteyl, ir fort tsu tsum breg fun ertsisroel, ir vilt, es zol zayn ruik, shtil, keyn zakh zol aykh nit shtern tsu zen un tsu filn dos naye, nit bavuste, un do bagegnt men aykh mit a tuml, a geshrey, a shtupenish, a khapenish, un ir kukt oyfn araber, vi oyf a grobn, a vildn mentshn. ober ot baruikn zikh ale in shifl, di bloye khvalyes fun yam shpiln zikh mit undz, heybn undz oyf un lozn undz arop, bashpritzn undz mit gezaltsene tropns. di araber vern oykh ruiker. di pasazhirn zenen in shifl, keyner vat zey nit oyskhapn, der fardinst fun hayntikn tog iz gezikhert. der shifer zitst ruik in shifl un kirevet es kuntsik tsvishn di felzn, shnayt mit zayn ruder di khvalyes. di bavegungen fun zayne farhorevete hent zenen makhtik un sheyn; di shvartse oygn farlirn dem vildn oysdruk. mit a frayndlekhn shmeykhl baruikt er di pasazhirn, vos shrekn zikh, vos dos shifl heybt zikh on shtark tsu varfn; er beygt zikh ayn tsu a pasazhir, vos im iblt, un makht far im an ort in der engshaft, der kranker zol kenen dem kop avekleygn. di fremdkayt, vos hot zikh gefilt tsvishn di pasazhirn un araber, farshvindt. ale vern fareynt in dem likhtikn frimorgn oyfn bloyen yam, vos shpilt zikh mit undz, varfndik undzer shifl oyf zayne khvalyes. 2. [Arab woman] pages 14 - 18 oyf der arabisher froy ligt di shverste arbet. der man koyft zi bay ir foter, vi me koyft a gutn arbets-ferd. hot er genug gelt, koyft er zikh etlekhe froyen. demolt hot er shoyn veynik zorg mit zayn virtshaft. di froyen veln opton far im dos vikhtikste un shverste. oftmol kent ir oyf di vegn, vos firn fun di derfer tsu di groyse shtet, zen aza bild: an araber, a hoykher un a balaybter, rayt oyf a kleynem eyzl, un nokh im geyt zayn froy mit a shvern korb grins oder eyer oyfn kop un a kleyn kind oyfn hant. di arabisher dorfishe froy, di felakhin, trogt geveyntlekh a lange kleyd, velkhe zi neyt oys mit sheyne mustern. di farb fun kleyd vendt zikh fun der gegnt. itlekh ort hot zikh zayn balibte farb. oft iz dos oder bloy oder shvarts. oyfn haldz un oyfn kop hot zi lib tsu trogn a band, fun matbeyes; dem untershtn teyl fun ponem farbt zi mit kleyne shvartse pintelekh. zi hot yung khasene un vert fri fareltert fun der shverer arbet. in farglaykh mit der shtotisher arabisher froy iz shoyn di felakhin a frayerer mentsh. zi fardekt nit dos ponem, geyt arum frank un fray. andersh iz di shtotishe froy, iberhoypt di froy fun a raykhn araber. er halt zi farshpart in a bazundern teyl fun zayn hoyz, vu keyn fremd oyg tor nit araynkukn. oyb di fentster fun dem froyenhoyz kumen aroys oyf a gas, vet ir zey glaykh derkenen: zay zenen farmakht mit lodns, in velkhe es gefinen zikh a fule kleyne lekhelekh. azoy karg lozt men arayn tsu der froy di likhtike shayn. a raykher araber hot geveyntlekh a fule (?) froyen un zey farbrengen zeyere teg in umet un pustkayt. oyfn gas geyen zey aroys in shvartsn ongeton, mit a gedikhtn shvartsn shleyer oyfn ponem; di froy ken koym zen dem veg durkh dem shleyer, ober derfar ken shoyn keyn anderer ir ponem gornit zen. 3. Arab fellakh [peasant] pages 19 (1 - 2) - 23 der arabisher fellakh iz a guter erd-arbeter. er hot zikh gut tsugepast tsu der natur fun zayn land, veys, ven un vu tsu zeyen un tsu flantsn. er tsit oyf gute gortngrins, iberhoypt pomidorn, blumen-koyl (blumen-kroyt), kavenes; er iz oykh a guter seder -- er farshteyt zikh oyf vayntroybn, oranzhn (apelsinen). ober er halt zikh nokh far di alte oyfonem fun der arbet, vos er hot ibergenumen fun zayn foter, fun zayn zeydn. biz hayntikn tog akert er zayn feld mit a hiltsernem aker, un azoy vi der hiltserner aker ken nit nemen di harte erd, vart er op di ershte harbst-regns, vos hoybn zikh on sof oktober oder in november. in der tseveykter erd geyt gring der altfrenkisher aker. nokh poshet|er iz zayn dreshn. di tvue shnayt men op un men lozt es lign oyfn feld, kayn garbn bindt men nit vi bay undz. trikenen es darf men oykh nit, ayln zikh arayntsunemen in shayer oykh nit. zumer regnt keynmol nit. di kerner vern trukn nokh in di zangen, un oyb me aylt zikh tsu shnaydn, -- iz es nor tsulib eyn sibe -- ven zey veln vern tsu trukn, veln zey zikh aleyn aroysshitn fun di zangen. der shnit hoybt zikh on sof yuni, onhoyb yuli. oyf di opgeshnitene tvue traybt men aroys di beheymes, iberhoypt di ki un di kelber; zey tretn di tvue, un derbay vern opgeton tsvey arbetn -- der shtroy vert tseribn, un di kerner vern oysgetreyslt fun di zangen un zey klaybn zikh tsunoyf oyf der trukener erd. kedey keyn eyn kernl zol nit blaybn in di zangen, traybt men durkh di beheymes fil mol. geveyntlekh shpant men zey ayn in a dresher, vos bashteyt fun tsvey shvere shtiker holts; di beheymes traybt men arum un arum, un di tvue vert oysgedroshn. dernokh varft men unter di kerner in der hoykh oyf lopetes, der vint khapt unter di shtroyelekh, tseveyt zey, un di shvere kerner faln tsurik arop oyf der lopete shoyn opgereynikte. di arabishe froyen sortirn dan di kerner, klaybn op di klenere bazuner fun di gresere. oyb dos feld is vayt fun dorf, nemt der araber tsunoyf dem tsuribenem shtroy un di kerner in groyse zek un me lodt zey on oyfn hoyker fun a keml. oyf ale shtegn un vegn treft ir zey di ongelodene kemlen; zeyer gang iz ruik, yeder trit azoy vi opgemostn. zey shprayzn mit azoy fil virde. iberhoypt zenen sheyn di vayse kemlen, vos trefn zikh oft in ertsisroel. modne iz, ven oyfn veg tsit zikh a karavan kemlen, eyner nokh dem andern, azoy vi a langer shnur, un es forn on mitamol otomobiln. zey trogn zikh farbay vi a vint, un di kemlen shprayzn zikh ruik vayter mit zeyere oysgemostene langzame trit. nit vilndik dermonstu zikh on alte lang-fargangene tsaytn. in ertsisroel zenen faran ayznbanen, do zenen oykh faran a fule otomobiln; ober der keml trogt nokh alts zayn dinst. nit nor tvue firt er fun feld, oyf im firt men nokh biz aher ariber skhoyre fun eyn ek land in dem andern, iberhoypt durkhn midber. durkh ertsisroel geyen durkh karavanen, vos geyen fun mitsrayim keyn sirye. tsulib der hits geyen zey durkh a groysn teyl fun zeyer veg baynakht; un ikh fleg lib hobn zikh tsutsuhern in der shtilkayt fun der nakht, vi es klingen di gleklekh, vos hengen oyf di heldzer fun di kemlen; un oftmol flegt zikh derbay oykh hern a troyerik eyntonik lid fun di trayber. 4. [stars] pages 26 - 27 mir zenen forzikhtik gegangen tsvishn di tsign, nit velndik shtern zeyer ru. a por kleyne tsigelekh, shvartse, mit lange hengendike oyrn (azoy zenen do ale tsign) hobn zikh dershrokn un genumen shrayen "me". mir zenen besholem durkhgegangen dem hoyf un hobn zikh oyf a shteynernem trep oyfgehoybn oyfn breytn dakh. mikh hot fardrosn, vos s'iz gevorn fintster, vayl fun dakh muz zikh efenen a vunderlekher blik oyf der gantser gegnt arum un arum. derfar iz de baynakhtike luft geven kil un zi hot gekvikt di neshome un dem guf nokhn heysn tog, un iber undzere kep hot zikh gehoykht a vunderlekeher himl mit toyznter shtern. aza himl ken men zen baynakht nor in ertsisroel. di luft iz do bazunders trukn un reyn, derfar zet men do vayter ve bay undz, un di shtern zeen oys likhtiker un neenter. 5. [city Arabs and language] pages 37 - 38 in di shtet kent ir shoyn trefn araber eyropeish gekleydet. a fule fun zey farshteyen etlekhe eyropeishe shprakhn, firn groyse gesheftn un farnemen melukhe shteles. zey hobn zikh oysgebildet in an englisher oder frantsoyzisher shul do in ertsisroel. andere afile zenen geven in eyrope un hobn dortn gelernt. bikhlal zenen araber feyik tsu shprakhn; di fellahn, vos arbetn oyf yidishe felder oder vos farkoyfn yidn grins, frukht, eyer, lernen zikh oys reydn hebreyish un afile yidish, un dos nor fun hern. tsvishn di araber, afile di dorfishe, gefint men fil, vos kenen leynen un shraybn arabish. me lernt di kinder oyfn altn shteyger, onhoybndik fun di heylike sforem, vi bay undz in amolikn kheyder. in der letster tsayt hobn zikh geefnt a fule shuln far arabishe kinder, vu men lernt oyfn eyropeishn shteyger. me git aroys bikhlekh, tsugepaste far di kinder, bilder, geografishe kartes. 6. [Arab-Jewish relations] p. 41 zeyer frumkayt dergeyt oftmol tsu fanatizm, dos heyst, zey zenen ayngegloybt, az zeyer gloybn is der bester, az ale, vos gloybn andersh vi zey, zenen soynem. der fridlekher araber vert a vilde khaye, ven me reytst oyf zayne religieze gefiln; dos hobn bavizn di shreklekhe pogromen oyf yidn in ertsisroel, vos zenen do nit lang forgekumen. emes. es hobn zikh gefunen araber, vos hobn zikh nit ibergegebn di vilde fanatishe gefiln. zey zenen geblibn mentshn un hobn afile geshtelt in sakone zeyer eygn lebn un nit derlozn, me zol bafaln umshuldike yidn. ot di dozike araber zenen a bavayz, az mit der tsayt veln zikh di yidn un di araber kenen farshteyn un aynlebn tsuzamen. 7. Concluding Words page 46 - 47 di araber zenen umtsufridn. zey viln lebn zelbstshtendik. far di englender hobn zey moyre. di yidn ober zenen nit groys in tsol, gist men oys dem kaas un di umtsufridnhayt oyf di yidn. di englishe regirung veys, az di araber zenen nit tsufridn mit ir hershaft. zi vil ober, az de umtsufridnhayt zol zikh beser oysgisn in a sine tsu yidn, eyder tsu ir makht. derfar lozt zi, rikhtiker de forshteyer ire, vos hershn in land, lozn, az fanatiker zoln hetsn di fintstere araber, zoln farshpreytn tsvishn zey klangen, az yidn viln bafaln zeyere moshen, oyslakhn zeyer gloybn, fartraybn zey fun ertsisroel. di englishe baamte hobn gevust vegn der vilder hetse un hobn nit ongenumen keyn mitlen tsu shitsn di yidn. farkert, zey hobn nokh geshtert di yidn zikh tsu shitsn aleyn. vos vet zayn vayter? vu iz der oysveg? di araber veln mit der tsayt muzn farshteyn, az nit di yidn zenen zeyere soynem; ober di yidn kenen oykh nit leygn keyn groyse hofenung oyf dem land, vayl es iz tsu kleyn un tsu orem, vayl di beste erd iz shoyn farnumen fun di araber un zey veln dos keynem nit veln optretn. ______________________________________________________ End of _The Mendele Review_ 02.031 Leonard Prager, editor Subscribers to _Mendele_ (see below) automatically receive _The Mendele Review_. 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