Yiddish Book Center

Sam Liptzin was a radical humorist who, from the 1920s to the late 1960s, published 28 volumes of short stories and poetry. These works dealt with themes ranging from unions and labor protests, to the Civil Rights Movement, to vacations, to annoying neighbors, to a whole range of other topics speaking to the life of politically engaged, Yiddish-speaking Americans in the 20th century. In 1965, he compiled a songbook called Zingen mir far sholem (We Sing for Peace), which included Yiddish songs from Europe and America, as well as several English-language songs. The second edition, published in 1974, includes songs featured in the 1965 version as well as many Sam Liptzin originals.

Music writer and Yidstock producer Seth Rogovoy, in this 2011 issue of Pakn Treger, discusses klezmer in the 20th and 21st centuries, tracing the development of the word “klezmer” throughout the 20th century to explore what the term really means. (Spoiler) He suggests that, “The final irony is that it’s not much of a stretch, if something of a quibble, to say that there is no such thing as ‘klezmer music’ at all.”

Hankus Netsky, in addition to being a good friend of the Center, is a brilliant musician and ethnomusicologist, who has written and taught extensively on the subject of Yiddish music. Hankus has been on The Shmooze many times, including this interview from 2018.