by Marilla | Mar 23, 2016 | Jewish Week, Rhapsody in Shmaltz
With Rhapsody in Schmaltz coming out in a couple of weeks the interviews are coming in thick and fast. Here’s one Wex did for Steve Lipman at The Jewish Week. Over the last decade, author-translator Michael Wex has become the public voice of Yiddish culture —...
by Marilla | Dec 30, 2015 | Articles, Jewish Week
“It may not be good for the American political system, but at least it’s good for Yiddish. A bissel, that is.” The Jewish Week got hold of Wex at Yiddish New York for his opinion on Trump’s recent use of the word “schlonged”. “If Donald trump is...
by Marilla | Sep 7, 2011 | Jewish Week
Last week Wex was asked to comment on New York Times journalist David Brooks’ piece on his African safari vacation, and specifically on his use of the Yiddish word haimish (sic). Although he has no problem with Brooks’ understanding of the word heymish (to...
by Wex | Sep 20, 2010 | Jewish Week, Yiddish
It must be this year’s yontoyvim, because it sure isn’t my fault. First I lose my position as gabbai for giving hagbeh to a trombenik on Rosh Hashana and now I’m stuck in England, watching rain filter through the roof of one of my in-law’s sukkes while being told,...
by Wex | Sep 13, 2010 | Jewish Week, Yiddish
I might be wrong, but I think that Rosh Hashana has made me a hero. I’m gabbai––a synagogue valet––at an orthodox shul in Toronto where I’m in charge of kibbudim, the distribution of such honors as opening the ark, being called to the Torah, and so on. On the second...
by Wex | Sep 6, 2010 | Jewish Week, Yiddish
Along with the shone toyves that I’ve been sending out to friends and family this year, I’ve been receiving New Year’s cards of another kind from politicians and Jewish communal figures whom I’ve been peppering with what are best described as instructional letters and...
