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New Leyenkrayz (reading circle) Starting in June

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This June I will be leading my second leyenkrayz: six short stories from Found Treasures over six weeks.  (Six consecutive Wednesdays starting June 10 at 7pm)  This is really a hybrid- leyenkrayz . Each week we will read the story in English translation ahead of time. I send out the Yiddish text and in class, we read selections from the Yiddish out loud, along with a class discussion of the story in English.  This new leyenkrayz is coming after the success of my first leyenkrayz over April-May. We read the wonderful new translation of Rokhl Faygenberg's 1905 memoir, The Winding Road . Each week we read part of the Yiddish and for week 4, we had a visit from the translator, Tamara Helfer .  This hybrid format turned out to be perfect for Yiddish learners who aren't ready to read an entire Yiddish novel on their own. Reading the English ahead of the Yiddish aids comprehension tremendously. It also allows beginner and intermediate students the opportunity to think ...
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Two New Classes in April: Peretz Short Stories and Leyenkrayz

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  A Holy Man with a Psychic Nose and the First Yiddish Fan-Fic: Two New Classes in April Six Week Reading Circle/ Leyenkrayz with   The Winding Road by Rokhl Feygenberg .  This will be a hybrid, Yiddish-English  leyenkrayz .  We will read the entire book using the new English translation. When we meet, the discussion will be in English and we will read selected passages out loud in Yiddish. (You’ll read as much or as little as you feel comfortable with.) Participants  will be assigned Yiddish passages in advance so they can practice ahead of time.  All levels of Yiddish reading are welcome. Participants will get valuable experience reading an older Yiddish publication which uses pre-YIVO standardization spelling. (Don’t worry, we’ll go over it together.) Reading the English translation simultaneously will also make working on the Yiddish a lot easier, especially for hesitant readers. The Winding Road is Rokhl Feygenberg's memoir of her childho...
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Elijah in Jewish Folk Culture: New Class March 11 & 18

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New Mini-Class for Passover!  Elijah in Jewish Folk Culture The Prophet Elijah is one of the most intriguing figures in the Bible. Instead of dying, he was taken directly up to heaven in a flaming chariot. Not quite dead, not quite alive, his liminal status set him up to become a beloved, omnipresent character in Jewish folk cultures around the world.     In this new mini-course, we'll learn about this Elijah, a multi-faceted entity who might show up to reveal the hidden mysteries of the cosmos or... to save you from falling out a window. Long after the biblical period, Jews have called on him to exorcise the evil eye ( poo poo poo ) and thanked him for his aid in establishing new communities.    And then there's that mysterious fifth cup of wine at the Seder. We'll learn about the weird story behind that, as well. I hope you'll join us on this wild, flaming chariot ride through the many incarnations of Eliyahu hanovi - Elijah the Prophet.   Wednesday...
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New Class: These Are the People in Your Neighborhood: An Introduction to Everyday Ashkenazi Magic through Memoir, Literature, and Journalism

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Charms and Remedies for Young and Old   New Class Announcement!  These Are the People in Your Neighborhood: An Introduction to Everyday Ashkenazi Magic through Memoir, Literature, and Journalism   February 11, 18, and 25th at 2pm and 7pm (EST)    Did you ever wonder if a gilgul (a wandering soul trapped between worlds) could reincarnate in a house cat? I recently found a memoir from the 1950s whose author claims just that! (Don’t make up your mind until you’ve heard the evidence.)  Yes, my reading on weird Ashkenaz has continued apace. I have a bunch of new stories to share with you. These are all my translations of never-before translated Yiddish texts. If that sounds intriguing to you, I am offering a new class in February which will be an introduction to “Everyday Ashkenazi Magic” through these in-depth Yiddish texts. We will meet some of the lesser-known personalities of Jewish Eastern Europe:  Exorcist  Healer  Herbalist  Dream Int...
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Return of the Gothic: Three stories by Sarah Hamer-Jacklyn

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Return of the Gothic:  Three stories by Sarah Hamer-Jacklyn This November, I'm once again offering one of my favorite classes: YIDDISH GOTHIC: Three Stories by Sarah Hamer-Jacklyn . This time, I'm doing something a little different. We'll be meeting in the afternoon (EST) so that we can be more welcoming to folks in the UK and Europe. In this class we will do a close reading of three of the Yiddish short stories (in translation) of Sarah Hamer-Jacklyn. We will also use folk religion and folk magic material to unpack and illuminate these wonderfully enigmatic texts. SHJ incorporates a range of folk magic beliefs and practices into her stories, but in a way that is grounded and naturalistic.  In "Aunt Taybele," for example, we meet a classic SHJ protagonist: an embittered, marginalized auntie who moves to town. She starts hanging out at the cemetery, possibly(?) kills the gravedigger's wife, and then marries him herself. It's a glow-up fit for a cemetery go...
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Yiddish Drinking Songs with Rokhl and Rabbi Drew

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 Yiddish Drinking Songs with Rokhl and Rabbi Drew
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New leyenkrayz class - "The River Demands a Sacrifice"

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"The River Demands a Sacrifice"   -  a leyenkrayz (reading circle) with the stories of Sarah Hamer-Jacklyn  Six sessions: Oct 14, 21, 28, November 4, 11, 18 at 7pm EST This October I'm trying a new form: a six-session class where we go in-depth with two (possibly three) stories where all the reading is done in class. This will be leyenkrayz style, where we take turns reading in English, with a possibility of bringing in Yiddish, as well, if folks are interested.   Even if you don't read Yiddish, you will be able to follow along in the English.  This class is perfect for anyone who loves (or wants to learn more about!) the stories of Sarah Hamer-Jacklyn. That includes folks who don't always get the reading done before class, as well as those who like the idea of going in depth on a text and not having to rush through anything. As usual, I will be bringing historical and folkloric background to our discussions and highlighting the Yiddish text, so even...
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