A Talk About the Father of Yiddish Theater (1968)

Today's episode was originally broadcast on March 24, 1968. Host Luba Condell is joined by Ezekiel Lifschutz for a talk about Abraham Goldfaden (considered the “father of Yiddish theater”). Condell and Lifschutz trace the origins of Yiddish theater in the purim-shpil (Purim play) and its development into full-scale theater productions. Goldfaden's religous schooling and Romanian influences are emphasized.

Goldfaden’s papers can be found in the YIVO Archives as RG 219.

From 1963-1976, YIVO had its own program on WEVD, the radio station established by the Socialist Party of America in 1927 (its call letters stand for the initials of American socialist leader Eugene V. Debs), which was purchased by the Jewish Daily Forward in 1932 and became a major venue from Yiddish programming. 

YIVO used its spot on WEVD for Yiddish-language interviews and discussions with leading New York Yiddish cultural figures, as well as for reporting on its own scholarly and cultural work.

A new podcast of this program in the order in which it was originally broadcast will be posted here every two weeks.

Series curated by Matt Temkin, YIVO Sound Archives.

Listen to the program

[This program is in Yiddish.]