Come explore the lost treasures of our rich Yiddish heritage and culture!
Beymer un Blumen -Trees and Flowers
In honour of Tu Bi’Shvat (Jewish Arbour Day) we will examine the treatment of nature in poems by Chaim Nachman Bialik, Zhame Telesin and others, in the landscape of Eastern Europe and Eretz Yisroel.
No previous knowledge of Yiddish is required as we rediscover the lives, songs and creativity of some of the greatest Yiddish personalities. This journey will bring to life the lost world of our beloved Bubbies and Zaydes.
Sunday, February 9, 1–2pm ET, ONLINE VIA ZOOM. Register HERE to receive Zoom access link.
This will be the first of ten sessions. Janie Respitz is a beloved teacher and we are so excited to be able to bring you this program. We hope you will join us!
Janie Respitz is a Montreal-based Yiddish scholar and entertainer. For the past thirty years she has performed in concerts throughout the world and taught courses relating to Yiddish language, folklore, literature and Eastern European Jewish history at Queen’s University, McGill University, Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors and a variety of other learning environments. Janie holds degrees in Yiddish language and culture from McGill University and Hebrew University in Jerusalem. She is fluent in English, Yiddish, Hebrew, French and some Russian and can explain the etymological sources of Yiddish words in those languages — a great key to understanding our history. Janie has delighted audiences with her vast repertoire of Yiddish songs and presentations in Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Windsor, Vancouver, Winnipeg, New York, Krakow, Montevideo, Israel and Klezkanada. She has lived in and travelled through the Middle East and Eastern Europe.