The Machzor of Worms

  

 

Simhah ben Yehudah ha-Sofer, completed 28 Teveth 5033 (20 December 1272 Julian) - Mahzor Worms (Israel Ms. Heb. 4°781 

This stunning page of a festival prayerbook, found in the Machzor of Worms, is the oldest example of an identifiable yiddish sentence.   The rhyming couplet  is cleverly nestled inside the Hebrew title in red ink.   

גוּט טַק אִים בְּטַגְֿא שְ וַיר דִּיש מַחֲזֹור אִין בֵּיתֿ הַכְּנֶסֶתֿ טְרַגְֿא 

Gut taq im betage se vaer dis makhazor in beis-hakneses trage. 

Let a good day dawn for him who would carry this prayer book to the synagogue.

This little note is directed to someone who recited the books Hebrew benedictions but did not speak Hebrew day to day. The sentence reaches out to the next machzor owner or carrier. Positive, upbeat, practical, and deeply rooted in Jewish history. That's Yiddish. 

 

 Here is a link to the National Library of Israel's page devoted to the Worms Machzor.

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Gefilte Fish Divide

 Proverb: Beser gefilte fish eyder gefilte tsores (Better stuffed fish than stuffed troubles).

 

I would certainly rather have gefilte fish as opposed to stuffed troubles but the essential question is if that fish should be sweet or savory?

 

 The answer to this question depended historically on where you lived. This hotly contested divide created the very Jewish geographic feature known as "the gefilte fish line." 

 

 

The Polish marketplace was flooded with sugar in 1801 as the world's very  first sugar beet factory opened in Kunern, Silesia (now  Konary, Poland).  The fleshy tap root of the sugar beet is rich in sucrose. After the sweet stuff is sapped from the root, the pulp can be used to feed livestock. This wave of cheap and readily available sugar meant that many Polish dishes were liberally sprinkled with - including gefilte fish. 

 

 

Here is a link to the Foward's cooking show in Yiddish with English subtitles. They are making gefilte fish!

Here is a link to David Esheth's diddy Gefilte Fish.

Dialect Chart

  

Vowel (Hebrew script)	Northern Yiddish (Litvish)	Southern Yiddish (Poylish, Galitzish)	Comparison
אָ‎	o [ɔ]	u [u]	דאָס, זאָגן‎ = dos , zogn = dus, zugn (that, to say)
אֻ, וּ‎	u [ʊ]	i [i]	קוגל‎ = kugel = kigel (baked casserole - typically noodle or potato)
ײַ‎	ai [aj]	ah [aː]	זײַן‎ = zayn = zahn (tooth)
אֵ, ײ‎	ey [ɛɪ]	ay [aj]	קלײן, צװײ‎ = kleyn, tzvey = klayn, tzvay
ױ, וֹ‎	ey [ɛɪ]	oy [oj]	ברױט‎ = breyt = broyt (bread)
ע‎	e [ɛ]	ey [ej]	שטעטל‎ = shtetl = shteytl (Note: Unstressed /e/ [ə] does not change) (small town)

Gut vs Git

 Regional dialect differences can mostly be found in the way vowels are pronounced. 

Click here for the  uproariously funny song I'm a Litvak and She's a Galitz.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yiddish has three main dialects. These constitute Northeastern or Lithuanian Yiddish (traditionally spoken in what is now Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Belarus, Northern Ukraine, and Russia). Central or Polish Yiddish (spoken chiefly in what is now Poland), and Southeastern or Ukrainian Yiddish (spoken in Eastern Ukraine-and Romania).  

                       

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dialects of Eastern Yiddish and the North–South Divide.

In this course we will be focusing on Standard Yiddish. As in other linguistic communities, there is a fairly uniform type of language accepted and written wherever Yiddish is used. The Old and Middle Yiddish periods had literary standards of their own, based substantially on Western Yiddish. As now in use, the standard forms of Yiddish were essentially fixed by the classical writers of the 19th century. Essentially an academic project to create a common ground among a variety of dialects and not identical with any of them, Standard Yiddish provides a uniform basis from which to teach the language.

College Yiddish, the first textbook to teach Standard Yiddish, was written by Uriel Weinreich and published by YIVO in 1949.

 

Yiddish Word of the Day - Greetings and Counter Greetings

 

 Click here to view Rukhl Schaechter, of the newspaper Forverts, teach us all about the revival of Yiddish speech traditions.

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Dialogue 1

 Click here for the audio files provided by Lily Kahn

 

 

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Upping the Ante

 You can find the article here.

Links to an external site.

Schmuel Gelbart explains why Yiddish speakers wish each other a good year (gut yor) every day of the year!

Gut-Morgn and Other Greetings

  

Greetings can offer recognition, affection, respect, and sometimes—⁠a blessing. In Yiddish, if you’re greeted in the morning with גוט־מאָרגן (gut-morgn), you might respond by wishing that person גוט־יאָר! (gut-yor) —⁠a good year. Don’t just have a good morning, you’re saying, have a good year!

Greeting: גוט־מאָרגן!‏ Gut-morgn!

Response: גוט־יאָר!‏ Gut-yor!

There are greetings in Yiddish for various occasions. If you see someone that you haven’t seen in a while, you might say “שלום־עליכם!‏” (sholem-aleykhem). This phrase comes from Hebrew and literally means “peace be upon you”. It has its own reply, as well:

Greeting: שלום־עליכם!‏ Sholem-aleykhem!

Response: עליכם־שלום!‏ Aleykhem-sholem!

You may have even heard this phrase before. Solomon Rabinovitsh, a Yiddish writer in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, chose this classic Yiddish greeting as his pen name, and has been known the world over as “Sholem Aleichem” ever since.

Here are some other greetings. "Gut-yor" can be used as a response to them, too!

In the evening	גוטן־אָװנט! Gutn-ovnt!
On the Sabbath	גוט־שבת! Gut-shabes!
On a holiday	גוט־יום־טובֿ! Gut-yontev!

 

 

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#131 - The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper

Summary: First published in 1930, The Little Engine That Could has charmed countless children over the years with its story of kindness, determination, and ultimately, success.  

Readers respond to the mantra of the little engine as she chants, “I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.” The message is inspirational: Try as hard as you can; don't give up.

Suggested Activity: Pack it Up

Get out a suitcase and pack for a pretend trip. Help your child think of all the things he/she would need to pack for a trip.

Suggested Activity: A to Z

Make an Alphabet Train by lining up something that begins with each letter of the alphabet (apple, box, crayon, etc).

#130 - My Mommy Hung the Moon by Jamie Lee Curtis

Summary:  My Mommy Hung the Moon celebrates the unconditional love between mother and child. The little narrator declares,"My Mommy's good at everything!" When it comes to stealing bases, untangling kites, baking cookies, and carpooling she's the champ. 

Suggested Activity:  Caring Ropes

For this activity use a 20 inch rug-yarn length or leather strip for each student. Ask students to keep track of their caring deeds towards others. Each time they perform a deed, invite them to tie a knot in the rope. Keep the ropes in an accessible place, such as a cubby. You Mom's "caring rope" sure would have a lot of knots!

Curriculum Area:  Prosocial Behavior (plays well with other children, recognizes the feelings of others and responds appropriately)

Appropriate Age Group: 5 and up

#129 - Before You Were Mine by Maribeth Booth

Summary: A little boy wonders what life was like for his new dog before he adopted him from a shelter. Maybe he was kept on a chain, with a dusty bowl and lonely sounds all around. In the end, the boy realizes that it doesn't matter what happened because now his dog is home.

Suggested Activity:  Animal Shelter Visit

Your local animal shelter is a great field trip destination for children. There is usually no cost to visit these facilities, and the staff can help teach youngsters the importance of caring for animals properly as well as the right way to play with their pets so they won't be scared or harmed. 

Curriculum Area: Prosocial Behavior (recognizes the feelings of others and acts appropriately, shares and respects the rights of others)
 
Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#128 - The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster

Summary: The window in Nanna and Poppy's kitchen is no ordinary window–it is the place where love and magic happens. It's where the girl and her doting grandparents watch stars, play games, and, most importantly, say hello and goodbye.  

Suggested Activity: Many Languages

Ask children if they know any other ways of saying "hello," in English. Discuss phrases such as "howdy" and "what's up?" Explain that people in other parts of the world use other words that have the same meaning. Teach preschool students how to say hello in other languages such as "ciao," "bonjour," "buenos dias," "konichiwa" and "shalom."

 

Curriculum Area: Prosocial Behavior (shares and respects the rights of others)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#128 - Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal

Summary: Meet Spoon. He’s always been a happy little utensil.  But lately, he feels like life as a spoon just isn’t cutting it.  He thinks Fork, Knife, and The Chopsticks all have it so much better than him. As it turns out, the other culinary implements think Spoon is the one who has it made—who else gets to bang on pots, dive into a bowl of ice cream, or relax in hot cup of tea?
 
Suggested Activity:  Silverware Set

Provide a silverware set. The children can sort the pieces according to sizes, shapes, and/or use.

Curriculum Area: Logical Thinking (classifies objects)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#127 - A Blue's Clues Chanukah by Jessica Lissy

Summary: Blue and her friends have been invited to a Chanukah party at Orange Kitten's house! From lighting the menorah and eating special foods to playing dreidel and singing songs, you can join in the celebration too!

Suggested Activity:  Menorah Craft

Glue eight wooden or styrofoam spools of equal size to a piece of wood, leaving a space in the middle. Glue a larger spool in the middle, thus making four smaller spools on each side. The menorah can be lit during the eight days of Hanukkah during group time. Explain the meaning of a menorah to the group as well.

Curriculum Area: Prosocial Behavior (shares and respects the rights of others)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up

#126 - Wash Your Hands by Tony Ross

Summary: The Little Princess learns that if she doesn't wash her hands, the germs and nasties "can get into your food, and then into your tummy ... and then they make you ill." The little princess cheerfully accepts the reasoning behind hand-washing and does just that before eating a big slice of cake. 

Suggested Activity:  Hand-Washing Check

Have children wash their hands. Then take small pieces of cotton dipped in rubbing alcohol. Rub the back of each child's hand with the moistened cotton. Look at the dirt on the cotton and discuss what it means. 

Even when we think we've washed our hands thoroughly, there may still be dirt present. Remind children to sing "Happy Birthday" two times (10-15 seconds) to kill germs.

Curriculum Area: Sense of Self (takes responsibility for own well-being)

Appropriate Age Group: 4 and up