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Yizkor Book Translations

Drawing:  from Zablodu, 1961 Yizkor Book page 273,
"A Wedding at the Synagogue" by A Gudelman
http://yizkor.nypl.org/index.php?id=1158 , image 277


This page is my attempt to collect and translate chapters in yizkor books, that contain valuable information relating to Yiddish dance and music. Volunteers have assisted in this effort. The New York Public Library has scanned and put online many yizkor books, so that it is now possible to access the texts in their original languages, (usually Yiddish and Hebrew)

I have excerpted the relevant chapters, and have enlarged and enhance the text in some cases,, to make it easier to read when printed out. You can also read the texts online at  the New York Public Library web site.

The Jewish Genealogy web site has an ongoing yizkor book translation project.  In addition, Yale Strom, in the Book of Klezmer, has provided a synopsis of many of the texts noted below.  There is also a selection currently available yizkor book translations that deal with music and dance on Ari Davidow's  Klezmershack.


The An-Ski Expedition in Kremenets English PDF
Translated by Wolf Krakowski  and Paula Parsky
Yiddish Text images 375-383 (pp. 367-375)
Excerpted from:
Memorial Book of Krzemieniec
(Ukraine)
Edited by: Abraham Samuel Stein
Published in Tel Aviv, 1954
Available translation to date of other chapters: 
http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/kremenets/kremenets.html

A Wedding in Shtetl English PDF
Translated by Wolf Krakowski
Yiddish Text  image 80 (pg. 136)
Excerpted from:
Tuczyn: Sefer Zikaron Le-kehilat Tuczyn-Krippe (Tutchin-Krippe, Wolyn; In Memory of the Jewish Community).
Edited by: B. H. Ayalon. Tel Aviv, Tutchin and Krippe Relief Society of Israel, 1967

Pictures from Jewish Life, Klezmorim English PDF
Translated by Wolf Krakowski
Yiddish Text images 477-78 (pp. 373-374)
Excerpted from:
Memorial Book of the Community of Ostrow-Mazowiecka
(Poland)
Edited by: Arye (Laibl) Margolis (Margalit), Assoc. of former residents of Ostrow-Masowieck
Published in Tel Aviv, 1960
Available translation to date of other chapters
http://www.jewishgen.org/yizkor/ostrow/ostrow.html

Klezmorim Come To  the Shtetl and
The Orchestra in Modern Times   English PDF

Translated by Wolf Krakowski

View invitation to wedding mentioned in translation.
Yiddish Text images 141-147 (pp 137-143)
Excerpted from:
Memorial Book of the Community of Turka
on the Stryj and Vicinity
(Turka, Ukraine)
Edited by: J. Siegelman and former residents of Turka (Stryj) in Israel
Published in Haifa, 1966

Available translation to date of other chapters: 
http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/turka/Turka.html#TOC57

A Wedding in Town  English PDF
Translated by Wolf Krakowski
Yiddish Text image 270 (pp. 523-524)
Excerpted from:
Kamen Kashirskiy Book
(Ukraine)
Edited by: A. A. Stein, et al.
Published in Tel Aviv: Former Residents of Kamin Koshirsky
and surroundings in Israel, 1965 (H,Y)
Available translation to date of other chapters: 
http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/Kamen_Kashirskiy/Kamen_Kashirskiy.html

A Wedding in Sokolka  Summary in English PDF
Summarized by Dr. Dina Roginsky
Hebrew text PDF image 70 at NYPL web location
Excerpted from:
Memorial Book of Sokolka
(Poland)
Edited by: Encyclopedia of Jewish Diaspora
Published in Jerusalem, 1968
Available translation to date of other chapters:
http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/sokolka/sokolka.html  

The Rabbi's Melody English translation and Commentary
by Cantor Joseph Levine (PDF)
Used with permission.
Yiddish and Hebrew Text images 232 &268-270 (pp. 220 & 256-258)
Excerpted from:
The Book of Zambrov
(Poland)
Editor: Y. T. Lewinsky
Published in Tel Aviv 1963
Available translation to date of other chapters:
http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/Zambrow/Zambrow.html
 

Kalushiner Klezmorim, English PDF
Yiddish Text images 257-258 (pp. 253-254)
 Rabbi Naftali's Big Wedding, English PDF
Yiddish Text image 290 (pg.286)
Translated by Wolf Krakowski
PDF of Yiddish, both chapters
Excerpted from:
The Memorial Book of Kalushin
(Kaluszyn, Poland)
Editors: A. Shamir, Sh. Soroka
Published in Tel Aviv, 1961, Former Residents of Kalushin in Israel
Available translation to date of other chapters: 
http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/kaluszyn/kaluszyn.html

Two Weddings English PDF
Translated by Deborah Green
Yiddish Text image 217 (pg.425)
Suchowola Tales-not translated
Yiddish Text image  images 194-195  (pp.379-382)
Synopsis of these chapters from The Book of Klezmer by Yale Strom
Excerpted from:
Suchovola
(Memorial Library of Jewish Communities)
(Suchowola, Poland)
Editorial board: Kh. Shteynberg et al
Published in Jerusalem/Tel-Aviv, 1957
Available translation to date of other chapters:
http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/suchowola/suchowola.html
note: dances are mentioned in the Two Weddings chapter.

Czyzewo Klezmorim  English PDF
Translated by Wolf Krakowski
Yiddish text pp 579-585  PDF
Excerpted from:
Czyzewo Memorial Book (original text of entire book)
(Czyzew, Poland)
Edited by Szymon Kanc
Published in Tel Aviv,
former residents of Czyzewo in Israel and the USA, 1961
Available translation to date of other chapters: 
http://www.jewishgen.org/Yizkor/Czyzew/Czyzew.html
See also A Wedding In Shtetl

A Wedding in Shtetl Rough English Translation PDF
Yiddish text PDF  pp 447-448
Excerpted from:
Yad l'Yedinitz; Memorial Book
(Yedintsy, Moldova)
Edited by: Mordehkai Reicher and Yosel Magen-Shitz
Published by: Yedinitz Society in Tel Aviv, 1973
Alternate available translation of this chapter:
Alternate Chapter Translation on jewishgen.org