Essential Reference Books in and on Yiddish.

    A list of particularly important works in Yiddish. With the exception of Stutchkoff's Yiddish Rhyming Lexicon these are all essential books for serious scholarly libraries. For the linguist there are many very important items. As the Gemara often says, "Learn from this."

Aronson (Chil Aron), Chil. Bilder un Geshtaltn fun Monparnas/ Scenes et Visages de Montparnasse. Paris, 1963. Folio, green cloth, xxiv, 672 pp., 314 b/w illustrations of paintings and sculptures.  Very Good. In Yiddish with a French language table of contents and list of plates at the rear. Includes sections on Montparnasse life, Parisian Cafes, the Jewish writers of Montparnasse but is predominently comprised of the plates and short essays on the artists who are Naoum Aronson, Jules Pascin, Amadeo Modigliani, Chaim Soutine, Marc Chagall, Maurice Utrillo, Pable Picasso, George Kars, Leopold Gottlieb, Otto Freundlich, J.B. Ryback, Moise Kagan, Lasar Segall, George Merkell, Louis Marcoussis, Moise Kisling, Eugene Zak, Abraham Mintchin, Henri Glicenstein, Zygmunt Menkes, Leon Weissberg, Maurice Mendjizki, Chana Orloff, Jacques Lipchitz, Efraim Mandelbaum, Adolphe Feder, Henri Epstein, Jacques Shapiro, Mane-Katz, Pinkhas Kremegne, Adolphe Milich, Michel Kkoine, Simon Segal, Joachim Weingart, Roman Kramsztyk, Yankel Adler, Ezechiel Kirschenbaum, Jacques Loutchansky, Alfred Aberdam, Adlen, Zarfin, Leon Indenbaum, Constant, Maurice Blond, Georges Goldkorn, Leopold Kretz, Isaac Doubrynski, Fiszel Zylberberg-Zber, Isaac Pailes, Joseph Hecht, Marc Sterling Abraham Rosenbaum, Maryan, Aron Haber-Beron, Jacob Macznik, Samuel Schvede, Simon Mondzian, M. Bagel, Erna Dem, Gabriel Zendel, Joseph Pressmane, Atlan, Benn, Jacob Markiel, Robert Pikelny, Lazare Volovick, Isaac Antcher, Aria Merzer, Yankel, Zygmunt Schreter, Gleb, Arthur Kolnik, Ossipe Zadkine, Felicia Pacanowska, Nathan Rapoport, Ester Carp, Marek Halter, David Garfinkiel, Moli Chwat, Marie Chabchay. Preface by Marc Chagall. There is no more important publication on the Jewish artists of Paris and the French Avant Garde.  (11105)      $300.00

Harkavy, Alexander. Yiddish-English-Hebrew Dictionary/ Yidish-English-Hebrayish Verterbukh. New York, Schocken/ YIVO, 1988. A Reprint of the Expanded Second Edition. ISBN: 0-8052-4027-6. Octavo, blue cloth with gold lettering, frontispiece photo, xlvi, 583 pp. Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish, Hebrew and English. With a New Introduction by Dovid Katz (32115)      $20.00 

Kagan, Berl. Sefer Ha-prenumerantn/ Hebrew Subscription Lists: With an Index to 8,767 Jewish Communities in Europe and North Africa. New York, The Library of the Jewish Theological Seminary in America and Ktav Publishing House, Inc., 1975. Quarto, blue cloth, xx, 384, xii pp., index of the books, index of the subscribers names. Hardbound. Very Good. Introduction in English at the rear. In Hebrew. "It was the custom among writers of the past few hundred years, especially among writers on rabbinic subjects, to obtain assistance in publishing work by soliciting advance funds from potential customers. ... The common procedure was for the author to approach the rabbi of the city in which he found himself, and where he expected to find subscribers for his work, and show him the manuscript. If the author had already received written letters of approval for his manuscript from other rabbis, or if the rabbi himself perceived that the work was in the spirit of Jewish tradition and worthy of appearing in print, he would appoint one or two upstanding Jews to accompany the author as he collected subscriptions for his as yet unpublished volume. An enlightened author, of course, went to a Haskalah Jew in town, who led him, in turn, to other Haskalah Jews." from the author's English language introduction. In other words, this is the map to Jewish intellectual associations in the 18th and 19th centuries.    (12013)      $95.00 

Kingman, Gordon and Rontch, Isaac E., edited by. Di Yidishe Landsmanshaften fun Nyu York/ The Jewish Landsmanschaften of New York. Tsugegreyt durkh der Yidisher Shreyber-Grupe oyf'n Federalen Shreyber Proyekt Works Progress Administration in the City of New York. New York, I.L. Perets Shreyber Fareyn,1938. Quarto, grey cloth with black lettering, inner hinges weakened, 400 pp., b/w photos, Roster of Landsmanschaft Organizations, index, English directory. Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish (21908)  The basic reference on Landsmanshaften.    $175.00

Korman, E. Yidishe Dikhterins: Antologye. Chicago, Farlag L.M. Stein, 1928. Royal Octavo, edgeworn blue cloth with gold lettering, soiled front pastedown endpaper, lxxxii, 390 pp., tipped-in b/w photos of books and manuscripts and small tipped-in portraits and drawings of the poets, b/w chapter head and tail devices by Todros Geller, notes, index. Hardbound. Good. In Yiddish. OCLC Number: 16074308. A fine collection of selected, poems by Yiddish women poets from Roizl Fishl in the 1500s on into the 1920s. Includes Anna Blokh, Roza Gutman, Ida Glazer-Andrus, Celia Dropkin, Leah K. Hofman, Pesi Hershfeld, Rashel Veprinski, Roza Yakubovitsh, Yudika, Malka Lee, Kadia Molodowsky, Bertha Kling, Zelde Knizshnik, Anna Rapport, Sore Reyzen, Miriam Ulinover. OCLC Number: 16074308. (60157)      $75.00 

Mark, Yudel & Joffe, Judah, edited by. Groyser Verterbukh fun der Yidisher Shprakh/ Great Dictionary of the Yiddish Language. In Four Volumes. Incomplete, but all published. New York, Yiddish Dictionary Committee, Inc., 1961, 66, 71, 80. Quartos, red cloth with gold lettering, light soiling, xxxii, 508 + xxxii, 509-1096 + xxiv, 1097-1708 + xxiix, 1709-2333, vii pp.  Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish. This massive work reached only the conclusion of Aleph, but because of the significance of that letter yielded 80,000 entries, one third of the entire Yiddish vocabulary. The work was planned to go thirteen volumes, but the deaths of Joffe and then Mark as well as many of their over 300 correspondent brought the work to a half. Perhaps someone will come along and work with whatever notes remain for the rest of the Yiddish vocabulary. Until then we will have to make do with this great achievement as is.  (13542)      $200.00

Niger, S., edited by. Der Pinkas: Yohrbukh far der Geshikhte fun der Yudisher Literatur un Shprakh far Folklor, Kritik un Bibliografye. Ershte Yorhgang. Filologishe Shriftn. Vilna, Vilner Farlag fun B. A. Kletskin, 1923. Quarto, black cloth with gold lettering, faded lettering on panels on the spine, 410 columns two to the page, 72 columns, index. Yellowed paper. Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish. Includes as a separate section at the rear "Di Biblioteyk funm Yidishn Filalog/ Firhundert Yor Yidishe Shprakhforshung," by Ber Borokhov. (33585)      $125.00

Rejzen, Zalman [Reisen, Zalman]. Leksikon fun der Yidisher literatur, prese un filologye: Ingantsn Ibergeorbete Farmerte un Farfulshtendikte Oysgabe.  In Four Volumes. Vilna, Vilner Farlag fun B. Kletskin, 1928, 1927, 1929, 1929. Volume One: Drite Farbeserte Oyflage. Others first printings. Quartos, half red cloth with gold lettering and blind-stamped designs over green cloth covered boards with lettering outlined in gold, x, 1288 columns (two to a page), small b/w photos + vi, 1044 columns, b/w photos + vi, 796 columns, b/w photos + viii, 912 columns, b/w photos. Yellowed paper, but as good as copy as I have seen over the years. Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish. A Basic reference work. (33583)  Can't tell the players without a program.    $650.00

Schaechter, Mordkhe. Plant Names in Yiddish: A Handbook of botanical terminology/ Di Geviksn=Velt in Yidish. New York, YIVO Institute for Social Research, 2005. First Edition. ISBN: 0-914512-49-8. Octavo, glossy paper covers, civ, 384 pp. Softbound. New. In Yiddish and English. In addition to being a very useful reference work it also answers to Isaac Babel's claim that Jews knew the names of only two flowers, the Rose and the Violet. (34609)      $30.00

Stutchkoff, N., compiled by. Yidisher Gramen-Leksikon (35,000 Verter)/ Jewish Rhyming Lexicon. New York, Farlag Leksik, 1931. Octavo, red cloth with raised lettering on a brown panel, 330 pp.  Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish. (35446)      $75.00 

Stutchkoff, Nahum. Der Oytser fun der Yidisher Sprakh/ Thesaurus of the Yiddish Language. New York, YIVO, 1950. 1991 Reprint edition. Royal octavo, green cloth with gold and black lettering, lvi, 932 pp., notes, index. Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish. "The Thesaurus of the Yiddish Language" comprises over one hundred and fifty thousand words, idioms, phrases and proverbs. It consists of three sections: introductory part (I-LVI); the material proper arranged, according to concepts, into groups from 1-620a (pp. 1-730); alphabetical index (731-932). (17441) The only item of it's kind as popularized by Henry Sapoznik.    $35.00 

Sunshone, Andrew, Weinreich, Uriel, Weinreich, Beatrice S. and Neumann, Robert. The Language and Culture Atlas of Ashkenazic Jewry: Prepared and published under the aegis of an Editorial Collegium Marvin Herzog (Editor-in-Chief), Vera Baviskar, Ulrike Kiefer, Robert Neumann, Wolfgang Putschke, Andrew Sunshine and Uriel Weinreich. Volume II: Research Tools/ Der yidisher shprakh- un Kultur-atlas. Tsveyter Band: Forsh-Getsayg. New York/ Tübingen, YIVO Institute for Jewish Research/ Max Niemeyer Verlag, 1995. First Edition. Oblong quarto, blue cloth with black lettering, 106, 88 pp., bibliography. Hardbound. Very Good. In English and Yiddish. THIS VOLUME ONLY. The Language and Culture of Ashkenazic Jewry is based on the investigation entitled Geographic Differentiation in Coterritotial Societies. The investigation was designed by Uriel Weinreich and directed by him until 1967. Since 1967 it has been directed by Marvin Herzog. The principle researchers were Vera Baviskar z"l, Marvin Herzog, Steven Lowenstein, Mordkhe Schaechter, Beatrice S. Weinreich and Uriel Weinreich z"l. (45127)    $125.00

Weinreich, M. and Raisen, Z., edited by. Filologishe Shriften: Tsveyter Band/ Studies in Philology: Second Volume. Vilna, Vilner Farlag fun B. Kletskin, 1928. Quarto, edgeworn black cloth with gold lettering, 518, xxviii pp., b/w plates, addenda and corrigenda, English language summaries of the articles at the rear. Yellowed paper. Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish. Articles are "Velevele of Zbarazh and His Letters," Bernhard Wachstein, "Israel Axenfeld, New Data on His Life and Work," Sh. Ginsburg, "New and Old Words in the Yiddish bible Translation by Yehoash," Khaim Spivak, "The Struggle for Yiddish in the Old Yiddish literature," Israel Zinberg, "Assimilation of Consonants in the Yiddish Sentence," Theodore Gutmann, "The Shire-gris," J. Willer, "The Three Yiddish Books of Michael Adam," N. Shtif, "A Lamentation of the 'Meshorers' of Frankfurt," A Freimann, "Proper Names and Their Importance in Yiddish," Tsvi Shpirn, "On the use of Cases in Yiddish," E. Kaganoff, "The Slav Element and Slav Influence in Yiddish," Alfred Landau, "The First History of Yiddish Theatre," Jacob Shatzky, "Notes on Yiddish in the Burgenland," R. Stalek, "Beliefs and Customs in Connection with Death," Kh. Khayes, "The Date of Birth of Ayzik Mayer Dik," P. Kon, "A Dutch-Yiddish Bride Song of the End of the 18th Century," I.M. Hillesom, "Yiddish Elements in the Early German Jargon," Rudolf Glanz, "Notes on the Polish-Yiddish Vocabulary," Moshe Lerer, "Rare Yiddish Books in the Library of the University of Harvard," A.A. Roback, "The Song of Mobilization," W. Anderson, "On the Terminology Used in Various Trades," S. Winter, "Notes on the Ahaseurus Drama," M. Weinreich, "Contributions to Word Formation in Yiddish," Z. Raisin, "Peretz and Frishman in Their Personal Relations," N. Mayzel. (53303)      $110.00

Weinreich, M and Raisen, Z., edited by. Shriftn fun Yidishn Visnshaftlekhn Institut Filologishe Shriftn. Driter Band/ Publications of the Yiddish Scientific Institute Studies in Philology. Third Volume. Vilna, Vilner Farlag B. Kletskin, 1929. Quarto, original wraps bound in quarter buchram with dull brown marbled paper covered boards, 622, xxviii pp., slightly yellowed paper. Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish with a short section at the rear in English. Articles are "The Historical Allegory of Rabbi Meir Schatz," Isaac Rivkind, "The Lamentation (Kloglid) on the Destruction of Worms," Jacob Shatzky, "Philip Krantz and His Literary Acquaintances," Moshe Starkman, "The Genealogy of Haikl Hurwitz," Menasheh Unger, "Death in the Popular Beliefs of the Jews. A Questionaire," compiled by Sh. Ansky, "The First Hebrew-Yiddish Text-Book of Polish and its Author the Bishop Jan Chryzostom Gintyllo," Pinkhas Kon, "Lilith," I. Zoller, "An Idioticon of Lojvitch (Kowicz)," Isaiah Taub, "Thirty Unpublished Letters of Sholem-Aleichem," "From the Old Yiddish Literature. Bibliographical Notes," I. Zinberg, "New Ideas on Grammar," A Zaratzky, "Etymological Notes," Daniel Leibl, "The Yiddish Medrash 'Vajosha,'" Leo Landau, "A Newly Discovered Manuscript on the Ritual Murder Accusation in Metz (1669)," Meir ben Abraham Halevy, "Street Advertisements," Mejlekh Gromb, "Yiddish Songs in Hungary and Slovakia," Israel Taglicht, "Yiddish Surnames in the Ukraine," Sh. Weissenberg, "'Hadrath Skenim' of Rabbi Azaria de Rossi in Yiddish Translation, An hitherto Unknown Manuscript of Moshe Eisenstadt-Katzenelenbogen," Bernard Wachstein, "A Supplement to Mr. Shpirn's Article on the Importance of Proper Names in Yiddish," A.A. Roback, "Letters from J.L. Peretz to Sholem-Aleichem," Nakhman Maizel, "The Polish Folk Song 'Wojna Zydowska' ('The Jewish War')," N. Veinig, "Some remarks on the Yiddish Syntax," Eugene Kagarov, "Jehuda Joseph Lerner, a Forgotton Nihilist," Sh. Borovoi, "Transcriptions of Yiddish," Salomo Birnbaum, "Jokes and Anecdotes of 'Maskilim' and of 'Lomdim,'" Sh. Beilin, "Paul Helicz's 'Elemental oder Lesebuchlen,'" Nahum Schif, "The Yiddish Press in Roumania from 1854 to 1926," Sh.S. Roman, "Two Yiddish Songs Ridiculing the Jews," Max Weinreich, "The First Yiddish Comedy," Max Erik, "Some Yiddish Place-Names in Poland," Sam Winter, "Adjective Formation in Yiddish," Zalman Raisen, Addenda et Corrigenda (36215)     $125.00

Weinreich, Max. Geshikhte fun der Yidisher Shprakh: Baginen, Faktn, Metodn/ History of the Yiddish Language. In four Volumes. New York, YIVO, 1973. Octavos, grey cloth, xiv, 355 + xii, 399 + xii, 383 + xii, 395 pp. Volume three and four consists of the notes for the previous volumes.  Hardbound. Very Good. In Yiddish. OCLC Number: 1344347. (68847)     $150.00

Weinreich, Max. History of the Yiddish Language. In Two Volumes. New Haven, Yale University Press, Published in cooperation with the YIVO Institue for Jewish Research, 2008. Second English language edition. ISBN: 978-0-300-10887-3. Octavos, blue cloth with gold lettering, xiv, 348, 357A pp., maps and tables, + vi, 349-733, 358A-988A pp., a few maps and figures, cumulative index. Hardbound. Very Good. Translated by Shlomo Noble, with the assistance of Joshua A. Fishman. With a new introduction to this edition by Paul Glasser who edited this second edition. His introduction explains the many differences between this edition and the previous one published by the University of Chicago in one volume in 1980. I had always wondered how the four volumes of the original Yiddish language edition had been squeezed into one volume. In fact only small pieces of the extensive notes (Volumes three and four) had appeared in the Chicago edition. Here there are presented in their entirety (The pagination ending in A indicated the notes), nearly one thousand pages. It is unclear whether the notes were translated by Joshua Fishman, Paul Glasser or some other hand. The notes are translated with a more contemporary eye to transliteration and are improved on where Weinreich's brevity in notation was excessive. The original index prepared by Bella Hass Weinberg has been revised and augmented by Nancy Zibman. Each volume includes an Appendix: Parallel Paragraph numbering of Max Weinreich (1973): 'Geshikhte fun der Yidisher Shprakh' and Max Weinreich (2008): 'History of the Yiddish Language,' and a Select Bibliography of Max Weinreich's Works. (69271)      $100.00