COMMUNITY FOCUS
February 2024
Federation Star
13A
GenShoah presents Inside information on upcoming programs By Shelley Lieb and Ida Margolis
T
he following is information you need for GenShoah SWFL’s upcoming programs:
you to various online resources to find out about you and your family’s past. Bitterman shares his knowledge from his own family findings both in the U.S. and abroad. Each session is limited in size and will provide a good starting point for further inquiries. Sunday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m.; location TBD — limited attendance. RSVP required to attend by emailing Shelley Lieb at liebro@gmail.com.
Special invitation to GenShoah members
Rolly Jacob
A special time to share
“They Were Children: Rescue as Resistance.” This exhibit is about a specific resistance group, the OSE, which was active in German-occupied France. It
"Our Stories" GenShoah member gettogether brings us together in a comfortable, inviting location to talk about our past and our present in the company of other 2Gs and 3Gs. The discussion is under the direction of Rene Geist, Ida Margolis and Shelley Lieb. We hope it will encourage the writing of more of our parents’ stories of survival for the “Portraits of Remembrance” Project. Sunday, Feb. 4, 1 p.m.; location TBD — limited attendance. RSVP required to attend by emailing Rene Geist at rene@geistgroup.com.
If not now, when?
Genealogy workshops (2 equivalent). Bring your device and follow the lead of Hank Bitterman, 2G, who takes
provided a network of escape to SwitzerInformation on land when children were being deported other future programs throughout France. A team of archivists If you talk to Sol Awend in Yiddish, his from the FGCU library traveled to France eyes light up and he will probably tell you and now share their information, discova story in Yiddish to make you smile. He is eries and artifacts-on-loan. the energy behind a monthly get-together This free exhibit is open to the pubfor Yiddish speakers at any lic through March level. Join him at Zoog Mir 31, Monday through in Yiddish the third Sunday Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., of each month Nov. 2023FGCU Archives, BradApril 2024, 3:30-5 p.m. at shaw Library. Genthe Holocaust Museum. Shoah members are Attendance is limited to 20 invited for a private people. RSVP required to tour (lunch included) attend for each session by on Sunday, March 3 at emailing hmcec.org. 10 a.m.; limited attendance. RSVP required Growing Up to attend by emailing Sephardic in an Shelley Lieb liebro@ Ashkenazi World gmail.com. by Sam Varsano Sam Varsano Wednesday, March 13 at Planning ahead 2 p.m.; Holocaust Museum. RSVP GenShoah SWFL is already planning required to attend by emailing hmcec.org for the Yom HaShoah program in (Special Events). Collier County on Sunday, May 5. Although it is still months away, Yom HaShoah there are two items that need attenCommemoration tion now: May 5 at 4 p.m.; Nina Iser Jewish Cul• We are encouraging you to invite your tural Center. RSVP requested by emailing children/grandchildren to be at your side jfgn.org. for this program. It is an opportunity to Pre-event reception for GenShoah share your history with your family in a SWFL and survivors at 3 p.m. at the Nina meaningful way. Iser Jewish Cultural Center. • We are asking everyone in the comPossible book discussions – locations/ munity to submit family names for dates/times TBD based on interest. Contact Holocaust remembrance at this program. Estelle Kafer at ekafer520@gmail.com. Send them to genshoahswfl@hmcec.org.
How do you spell laughter? D-Z-I-G-A-N! Zoog mir in Yiddish By Sol Awend, GenShoah SWFL
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n the Golden Age of JudaComrade Joe and wound up ism in Europe, Yiddish in a Siberian gulag. Set free in 1948, they made it back became a necessity to know to Poland and witnessed the and a joy to explore. aftermath of the Holocaust. One of the brilliant diamonds discovered during that Overcoming the trauma era was a pair of comedians of Hitler and Stalin, the pair emigrated to Israel in who left their audiences breaththe early 1950s. Unfortuless from laughter. They were nately, Yiddish was conShimon Dzigan (Jig-aan) and Israel Schumacher — Polish sidered unworthy of being Sol Awend spoken in “The New Land.” entertainers who met, collaboHebrew was considered the new voice of rated and created a comedic recipe for conversation and literature. humor in the early 1920s. Dzigan was born in Lodz, Poland in Dzigan and Schumacher fled Israel for 1905 and grew up with the knack of Argentina, returning to Israel after a truce. They could perform but would include making people laugh. His humor was Hebrew in their performances. pointed, constantly poking fun at the authorities. He and Schumacher became The pair had a falling out, but Dzigan the masters of Yiddish comedy. continued performing. He suffered a heart During World War II, the duo was attack on stage. Cracking jokes en route to the hospital, he passed away on April trapped in the Lodz Ghetto but escaped 18, 1980. to Russia. While there, they poked fun at
Love Yiddish? Google Shimon Dzigan. Just make sure you don’t have food or drink while listening.
Words and expressions Dzigan might say:
“Voss tet zec’h mit dir?” (“What’s wrong with you?” Almost literally, “What’s going on with you?”) “Bist dee meshigeh?” “Dee maac’hst mec’h meshigeh!” (“Are you crazy?” “You are making me crazy!”) “Ah! Gy sheh! Gy sheh!” (“Ah! Go on! Go on!” Said when you think someone is putting you on.) “Off voos kiks deh?!” (“What are you looking at?!” Imagine Robert Dinero in “Taxi” asking, “You talking to me?!”) “Ich frayg mec’h deec’h ein zaac’h…” (“I’m asking you one thing…” In preparation of the Jewish dilemma of answering a question with a question.) “Voos?,,,Heh?” (“What? ... Huh? When
saying “Heh” it’s important to add a nasal sound to make you sound authentically Jewish.) “Ich zoog deh daim Emmes!” (“I’m telling you the straight-up truth!” Usually a preamble of how business is this season.) “Ich hob mit dee nerven t’zeh teeyen!” (“I am troubled with a nervous condition!” Usually yelled when reaching one’s wits end dealing with a dim-witted dolt.) “Ich hob mitt’n moogen t’zeh teeyen!” (“I have troubles with my esophagus/ stomach” An answer given when asked how they are doing. Usually said after a (bad) meal.) “Ah Vaap?! Oy! Ob ich ah Vaap!” (“Ah Wife?! Oh Boy! Do I have a Wife!” Usually said forcefully amongst “The Guys” but never within hearing range of you know who…)
Visit the Federation’s website for a continuously updated community calendar www.jewishnaples.org
