CY
A Family Reunion On Belle. Isle
Each month in this space,
L'Chayim will present a Yiddish
lesson entitled, "Du Redst Yiddish?
(Do You Speak Yiddish?)," whose
aim is to encourage further study of
Yiddish. The lesson will include a
brief story utilizing the Yiddish
words to be studied and a
vocabulary list with English
translations.
The lessons were prepared by
Mary Koretz of Oak Park.
Following is this month's
lesson:
One day out of each zumer, my
father's extended family hobn zich
farzamlt at Belle Island, for a get-
together. Overlooked were all the
differences that had ongeklibn
during the year. My father's family
hobn gehat differences. They arose
over such inyen as "so and so"
was told of a forthcoming chasene
before "der un der." Nor were zay
persuaded that the post delivery
was responsible for this to'es.
At any rate, all slights, emes
and imagined, were opgelaygt this
one day of the year, in the spirit of
family love and ibergegebnkeit.
Invariably, it was a hays
summer zuntog when we arrived at
the island, or rather descended
upon it, complete with feters,
mumes, shvesterkinder and pots.
The pots were groys and contained
enormous amounts of esnvarg
prepared by the various women. I
don't know if it was the happy
noises of the group or the odor of
the kroyt in the borsht, the knobl
in the pot roast or the chicken
shmalts in the noodle pudding, but
little by bisl, picknickers who were
not mitglider of our family moved
away. Thus, we had a gants section
of the island as a private ort.
A shady spot was decided upon
and fish were dragged to it. The
tishtech were spread, the teler and
zilbervarg laid out and the pots
opened. Such heavenly odors arose
as to machen the mouth water, to
roytsn the appetite mercilessly. But
first the women had to exclaim their
admiration of each others'
maycholim. They could afford to be
braythartsik because each was
sure that her efforts had resulted in
the tastiest contribution.
Finally, we ate. That is, the
children habn opgegsn and the
adults overate. The teps were taken
avek, the silverware, dishes and
tablecloth removed. Ayder everyone
left, my father hoisted me onto the
table. He announced, "Mary will
recite a lid for us."
Then, with a flourish, he added,
"in Yiddish."
He informed zay that, in spite
of the fact that I was born in
America, I could do this. There
wasn't anyone there who didn't
know vuhin I was born but each
yor they were reminded. In a haze
of embarrassment, I deklarmirt in
Yiddish. I sensed the polite
pretense of interest in my captive
audience and shared their feelings.
Nor my father felt az this was the
highlight of everyone's day.
Following this tetikeit, the men
preceeded to go to the shlofen
under a shady boym. The women
talked, caught up on the past year's
pasirungen. Occasionally, their talk
was ibergeshlogn by one of them
crying, "Chaim, don't wander
avek." Once, I wandered away. I
experienced an exhilerating feeling
of freedom and discovery. I hob
gekomen upon a nearly-deserted
spot. It was shtil, almost hushed.
The grass was green and inviting.
Mid from my walks, I hob zich
avekgeztst on the ground. The
grass felt like zeid; the earth
smelled pungent and wonderful. It
was lovely. Years shpeter, when I
read "Oh earth, I cannot hold thee
close enough," it brought that
moment back to mind. It still does.
teler
zilbervarg
machen
roytsn
maycholim
braythartsik
hobn opgegesn
teps
avek
ayder
lid
zay
vuhin
yor
dishes
silverware
make
tease
delicious foods
generous
ate
pots
away
before
poem
them
where
year
deklarmirt
nor
az
tetikeit
shlofen
boym
pasirungen
ibergeshlogn
hob gekomen
shtil
mid
hob zich avekgezetst
zeid
shpeter
recited
only
that
activity
sleep
tree
events
interrupted
came
quiet
tired
sat down
silk
later
THE JEWISH NEWS
,...„..::,,_._.„.„...„
_.....,
Vocabulary
zumer
hobn zich farzamlt
ongeklibn
hobn gehat
inyen
chasene
der un der
zay
post
to'es
emes
opgelaygt
ibergegebnkeit
hays
zuntog
feters
mumes
shvesterkinder
groys
esnvarg
kroyt
borsht
knobl
shmalts
bisl
mitglider
gants
ort
tish
tishtech
summer
assembled
accumulated
had
matters
wedding
so and so
they
mail
mistake
true, real
put aside
devotion
hot
Sunday
uncles
aunts
cousins
large
food
cabbage
cabbage soup
garlic
chicken fat
little
members
whole
place
tables
tablecloths
The JEWISH NEWS is sponsoring a
contest for children to create
artwork which will be used as the
cover for our Chanukah issue. All
young people, up to age 15, are
invited to enter.
THE JEWISH NEWS
L*-
GRAND PRIZE: $100, and the piece
will be reproduced on the cover of
the December 22 issue.
FIRST PRIZE: $50, for each category.
HONORABLE MENTIONS: Finalists
in all categories will be featured
inside the issue.
Here is what's needed:
SIZE: 10 inches wide by 10 1/2
inches deep
AGE CATEGORIES: 6 and under; 7
to 9; 10 to 12; 13 to 15
MEDIUM: Anything that shows up
vividly, such as crayons, paint, cut
paper and similar materials. No
pencils or light blue crayons,
please. We suggest taping work on
cardboard to protect it. Please do
not fold! Any entry form
must be affixed to the back of
the entry.
DEADLINE:
FRIDAY, DEC. 8, 1989
TO ENTER: All work must be
received at The Jewish News
office, 27676 Franklin Road,
Southfield, Michigan 48034. All
work must have an entry form
attached to the back. A self-
addressed, stamped envelope must
be included if you want your work
returned.
— ENTRY FORM –
NAME
AGE
ADDRESS
CITY
STATE
ZIP
PHONE NUMBER
PARENTS' NAMES
SCHOOL
Yes, return my work
No, do not return my work
Do Not Fold Your Artwork!
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
L 5
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