YIVO Festival Events All summer long

YIVO is a society dedicated to the preservation of Yiddish language and culture.  It's based in NY, but it's also got a pretty strong base here in Chicago.  As a result, YIVO this summer has been producing all kinds of Yiddish oriented culture events.  I missed the first half of them, but the second half are going on over the next 6 weeks, and they are pretty great.  Lectures about Jewish humor, Jewish music, and literature, as well as klezmer and other kinds of Jewish music performances will happen.  And they are mostly free!  Check out the full scope of what they are doing on their website:

http://www.chicagoyivo.org/

TUESDAY, JULY 24 7:00 pm
Northbrook Public Library 1201 Cedar Ln, Northbrook, IL

Rabbi Barry Schechter, Congregation Kol Emeth, Skokie: “Yiddish and Laughter"

BARRY SCHECHTER, Rabbi of Congregation Kol Emeth in Skokie, is well-known for his Jewish humor presentations. His audiences have included synagogues and Jewish organizations in Chicago, Milwaukee and New York, Catholic groups in Chicago, universities in the U.S. and Britain, and Jewish organizations in Germany and Poland. Free and open to the public.

THURSDAY, JULY 26 2:00 pm
Northtown Library 6435 N. California Ave, Chicago
MUSIC Steve Gibons: “The Vanishing Worlds Project"

 More information to come. Free and open to the public.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 1 2:00 pm
Highland Park Public Library 494 Laurel Ave, Highland Park
LECTURE David Chack: “Jewish Americans and Their Music"

The American songbook is well represented by American Jewish songwriters, but rarely do we talk about the Jewish cultural influences they brought to the songs most Americans sing. From Harold Arlen's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," to Paul Simon's "Sounds of Silence," to Carole King's "You've Got a Friend" - these great American Jewish music-makers brought their Jewish identities to their art. David Chack, a professor in theatre at The Theatre School at DePaul University will explore these and more historically, contextually and artistically. Free and open to the public.

TUESDAY AUGUST 7 2:00 pm
Wilmette Public Library 1242 Wilmette Ave, Wilmette

 LECTURE Jeffry Mallow: Yosl Rakover Speaks to God: The Strange History of a Holocaust Narrative.

Jeffry V. Mallow is Professor of Physics Emeritus, Loyola University and Honorary Chair, Chicago YIVO Society. Professor Mallow has translated the Rakover book from Yiddish. He will discuss the conflict over the story's origin, its relevance to Christian-Jewish relations, and its possible connection to Holocaust denial. Free and open to the public.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 8 2:00 pm
Congregation Etz Chaim 1710 S. Highland Ave, Lombard, IL

MUSIC Bibi Marcell: “An Afternoon of Yiddish Nostalgia,” vocals with guitar. Gail Mangurten, piano More information to come. Free and open to the public.

TUESDAY AUGUST 14 2:00 pm
Northbrook Public Library 1201 Cedar Ln, Northbrook, IL
MUSIC Lustik Duo: “Klezmer and Yiddish Songs,”

Eleonore Weill, Jake Shulman-Ment International Yiddish music power couple Eleonore Weill and Jake Shulman-Ment share an exceptionally expressive and intimate understanding of klezmer and Yiddish folk song. In this program, they perform songs, dances, and spiritual melodies. Combining music they have played since childhood with material they have collected along their many roads through Europe and North America, as well as original compositions, they explore the boundaries of Yiddish music with creative repertoire, instrumentation, and interpretation. Free and open to the public.

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 22 7:00 pm
Morton Grove Public Library 6140 Lincoln Ave. Morton Grove, IL

MUSIC Duo Controverso: Kurt Bjorling, clarinet; Annette Bjorling, klezmer harp More information to come. Free and open to the public.