Massachusetts 21, or In Further Pursuit

When I was a sophomore in college, I decided I wanted to learn Yiddish. It seemed like a good idea at the time; my college was very close to the Yiddish Book Center, I had just come away from a summer of being a counselor at a Socialist/Yiddish summer camp, and after a year of study, I had become disenchanted with Hebrew. (This disenchantment was equally due to an awful Hebrew teacher and my growing friction with a Zionist upbringing. But that's another post.)

After months of planning, organizing, and coordinating schedules and priorities, the Yiddish Study Group collapsed. Nobody could agree on what exactly they wanted to learn - should we focus on history and culture, or grammar and syntax? Were we trying to become proficient Yiddish speakers, or good enough to read children's books? These disagreements, combined with the packed and varied schedules of the various members, led to the group's end.

But I've been listening to this song by the Wholesale Klezmer Band, called "Redt Yiddish" or "Speak Yiddish." It captures some of why I wanted to learn - and still want to learn - the disappearing mama loshen. Not to mention it's also hilarious.

Redt yidish
Words and music © 1993 Yosl Kurland
On "Yidn fun amol" by the Wholesale Klezmer Band
http://WholesaleKlezmer.com/records.html#yidn

In di amolike yorn, in elter zeydns tsayt,
Iz er geven a handler yung, tsvishn fremde layt.
Hobn gesheftlekhe soydes vos gehert tsu zayne skhoyres,
Hot im der balebos gegebn an eytse vos flegt yidn oyf dor-doyres:

Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish; di konkurentn hern.
Voltn zey geganvet undzere plener, veln mir ongezetst zikh vern.
Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish. Bahalt tif vos ir meynt.
Redt yidish, konkurentn zoln nisht farshteyn.

Un az me hot gehaltn pogromen, hobn gemuzt di yidn antloyfn,
Neyen rendlekh in di kleyder, a shifskartl tsu koyfn.
Ganvenen dem grenets in der shvartser nakht,
Bentshn goyml az zey zenen koym gevoren nitzl fun der shlakht.

Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish; kozakn hern tsu.
Voltn zey gevust az mir flien, zey lozn undz nisht keyn ru.
Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish. Bahalt tif vos ir meynt.
Redt yidish, kozakn zoln nisht farshteyn.

Un gekumen in Amerike, un Amerikaner vern,
Hobn zey gevolt dos loshn fun der alter heym oyskern.
Muz men lernen kinder redn english take fayn,
Bahalt fun zey dos loshn vos dermont di alte payn.

Nor redt yidish, oy, redt yidish; di kinder hern tsu.
Voltn zey gevust fun undzere tsores, hobn zey nisht keyn ru.
Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish. Bahalt tif ayer geveyn.
Redt yidish, di kinder zoln nisht farshteyn.

Nor az vaksn oyf di eyniklekh, Amerikanere yidn mit shtoltz un mut,
Un geyn in universitet, zikh tsu lernen zeyer gut,
To, vosere limudim viln zey forshn? Sara khidesh!
Vos iz amol geredt gevorn bay yidn, take yidish!

Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish; tate-mame hern tsu.
Voltn zey gevust fun undzere tsores, hobn zey nisht keyn ru.
Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish. Bahalt tif ayer geveyn.
Redt yidish, tate-mame zoln nisht farshteyn.

Un az me hot dervust fun di yidishe shraybers, hot men oyfgedekt a
hartzikn zikorn.
Zise oytsres fun der yidishkayt zenen umbahaltn gevorn.
To, lomir redn yidish, yidish zingen un yidish hern.
Lomir hitn azoy az yidish zol, kholile, nisht farshvunden vern.

Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish; tsi zayt ir voyle yidn?
Redt yidish, oy, redt yidish, oy- lomir zayn tsufridn.
Redt yidish, oy redt yidish, un nisht bay zikh aleyn;
Redt yidish, mir ale darfn farshteyn.

Speak Yiddish
Words and music © 1993 Yosl Kurland

Long ago, in great grandfather's time,
He worked for a merchant, among strangers.
When he had trade secrets to protect,
His boss gave him advice used by Jews for generations:

Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish; our competitors are listening.
If they were to steal our secrets, we would go bankrupt.
Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish; hide your thoughts.
Speak Yiddish so our competitors won't understand.

And when pogroms were held, the Jews needed to flee,
Sewing coins into their clothing to buy their steamship tickets.
They stole across the border in the darkest night,
Thanking G-d when they barely escaped from the slaughter.

Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish; Cossacks are listening.
If they knew that we were leaving, they would not let us escape.
Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish; hide your thoughts.
Speak Yiddish so the Cossacks won't understand.

And coming to America, becoming Americans,
They wanted to get rid of the language of their old home.
We must teach our children to speak very good English, and
Hide from them the language that reminds us of our suffering.

But speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish; the children can hear.
If they knew our troubles, they would have no peace.
Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish; hide your tears.
Speak Yiddish so the children won't understand.

But when the grandchildren grow up, proud American Jews,
And they go to university to get an education,
Well, what subjects do you suppose they study? What a surprise!
The language that Jews once spoke, well, of all things, Yiddish!

Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish; our parents are listening.
If they knew our troubles, they would have no peace.
Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish; hide your tears.
Speak Yiddish so father and mother won't understand.

And when we have learned about the Yiddish writers, we uncover a sweet memory.
Treasures of Yiddishkayt have been rediscovered.
So let's speak Yiddish, sing Yiddish, and listen to Yiddish.
Let us assure that Yiddish, G-d forbid, does not disappear.

Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish- are you happy to be Jews?
Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish. Let's take pleasure in it.
Speak Yiddish, oy, speak Yiddish, and not only among ourselves;
Speak Yiddish, everyone should understand.