By Fay Kranz-Greene
I am at that stage of my life where, Baruch Hashem, I am called ‘Bubby’ by some of the most precocious, brilliant and charming grandchildren and great-grandchildren in the world.
But I have to admit that the younger ones do have one teeny tiny little flaw. They are what can best be described as “Yiddishly challenged.” They don’t speak Yiddish. Sure, they know a few words and understand a little, but speak – no.
It’s certainly not their fault. We obviously didn’t speak it enough at home. These kids were born on Shlichus and didn’t attend Chabad Mosdos until they were pre-teens. Their exposure to Yiddish was limited at best. Their parents speak it fluently, but the kids? Not so much.
So what’s a bubby to do?
A few years ago, about a week before Pesach, I said to Mendel, my then eight-year-old grandson, “are you learning the Ma Nishtana at school?” He said he was and proceeded to recite it to me in that kindergarten tune that somehow remains with them for years.
I remembered that my own children, at the age of 3 or 4, were able to recite it in Yiddish by heart. So I said “Mendel, would you like to learn the Ma Nishtana in Yiddish, like your father used to say, when he was even younger than you?”
“No.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice if you learned it and said it out loud at the public Seder and everyone will hear it?”
“NOOOO.”
“How about if you just read it from a paper?” This time, the ‘no’ was not as sincere, so I promised to get it for him in an easy-to-read format.
The first I thing I did was sit down and attempt to write it out in English transliteration. “Tatte, Ich Vil Bei Dir Fregen… ” But he couldn’t possibly remember how to pronounce it, since he didn’t know the Yiddish words.
So I called my niece who attends a Yiddish speaking school in New York and asked her if she had anything that Mendel would be able to read. She said no – not for someone who couldn’t read Yiddish. Duh!
I was getting nowhere fast, and meanwhile, Mendel was actually asking me for it. So in desperation, I wrote out the Ma Nishtana by hand, in a phonetic, vowelized, hybrid-blend of Yiddish and Loshon Kodesh, and after a few tries (drum roll please)… he was able to read it.
The night of the Seder, Mendel stood up and proudly recited the Ma Nishtana in Yiddish. His parents were kvelling, all the guests were beaming and his bubby wiped away a few tears.
I finally had done what it is that a real bubby is supposed to do. Sure, buying the newest toys, the coolest clothes or even the Judaic books and music are nice, but that’s not enough.
A bubby worthy of the name has to convey what she learned from her parents and grandparents; those intangible Jewish and Chassidishe customs, teachings and even nuances, that get diluted with each passing generation.
We are the living repositories of those beautiful traditions and we are mandated to pass them on. If we pass on that, especially at Passover, we are not Bubbies. We are only grandmothers.
–Fay Kranz Greene was a Shlucha of the Rebbe for more than 30 years in Oak Park, MI; S. Diego, CA; and Richmond, Virginia. She has recently returned to her roots and is living in Crown Heights.
LINKS:
+ Ma Nishtana by Rabbi Yitzy Hurwitz – Los Angeles, CA
+ Ma Nishtana by Rabbi Levi Goldstein – Postville, Iowa
+ Ma Nishtanah Trainer on Chabad.org
I get the nostalgic importance, and certainly the benefit the bubby gets from hearing what resonates with her, but I don’t get the unrealistic, and frankly inappropriate focus on the Yiddish language, if it isn’t being used. As the bubby in her post clarifies, yiddish is not used by the parents or children, so why deify it to the extent it MUST be kept alive? The battle was lost because it is not being used at home or in school. You either use it and teach it as a language or it ceases to be the language. Keep in mind… Read more »
I agree I grew up with your Pesach tape my kidz and grandkids we remember you this time of year you were part of our lives will never forget the rallies in 770?your Haneros Halloh washow the Rebbe looked at you while you were lighting the Menorah and running back to finish the appropiate songs with your band may your neshama have a Aliyah we will always remember you
Tatte, ich vil by deer freggen, di feer kashis. Ma nishtana halayla hazeh, mikol halelos? Vos is andersh dee nacht foon Pesach, foon alleh necht foon a gantz yor? 1. Dee err-shteh kasha is: (from Hagaddah) Alle necht foon a gantz yor, toonken meer nisht ayn afilu ayn mull, ubber dee nacht foon pesach, toonken meer ayn, tzvay mull. Ayn mull karpas in zaltz vasser, oon dee tzvayte mull, maror in charoses. 2. Di tzvayte kasha is: (from Hagaddah) Alle necht foon a gantz yor, essen meer chometz udder matzah, ubber di nacht foon pesach, essen meer nur matzah. 3.… Read more »
My children grandchildren. And all my students were raised on your Pesach tape later cd can you imaganine how many people’s lives you touched by this and all the other things you left an impact your were the first frum musician and choir leader and Lag bomber you were the first drum Corp out there thank you please bring Moshiach from above with your sweet tenor voice we all miss you
Are you able to post so we could all benefit
Loved it keep going.
Tzipporah
The first to educate kids to recite the entire Pesach Seder plus the ma nishta in correct Yiddish he educated thousands of Kidz to recite the entire Haggadah from kiddush until the very end we will forever be greatful to him and his love for his impression he left
So well-stated — thank you! I would love to hear more practical advice from you (and other experienced grandparents) about how to make this kind of transmission happen!
It’s sad that these parents aren’t speaking to their children in Yiddish. They’re doing them a real disservice. Shlichus is great but children shouldn’t be sacrificed for it. Many manage to do shlichus and still speak to their children in Yiddish!
Thank you Rebetzin Kranz for your inspiring message to all of us as parents and grandparents. My grandmother was just such a Bubby! Have a happy and healthy Passover
As a grandmother of 23, k”h I absolutely agree. And I’d like to add that it is necessary to change, or manipulate the tradition so that they can be passed on. Present it in a form they can understand.
Looooove it!
Beautiful!
Eli Lipsker A”H has a great pesach cd for kids with Mah nishtana in yiddish and other great pesach songs and simanei haseder in yiddish
so inspiring
why are there no yidish videos for kids?
that would be the easiest way to preserve the language of the rebbe.