Di Zogerin (The Women's Prayer Leader) - A Yiddish Tale with English subtitles

By Rokhl Brokhes, performed by Alona Bach.
At the beginning of the new year, when thoughts turn to penitence, fresh starts, and wishes for the year to come, we offer this gem from the treasure house of Yiddish literature, the tale of a zogerin, a women's prayer-leader, who not only guides women through Sabbath and holiday prayers, but also composes special prayers to help them achieve their heart's desires. But what happens when the zogerin feels under appreciated for the work she does?
When the 1994 anthology Found Treasures: Stories by Yiddish Women Writers came out, Brokhes among others began to receive some of the attention due her. Now, at the suggestion of poet Irena Klepfisz, we present actor and scholar Alona Bach's interpretation of this searing story.
We hope you'll share it with friends and family. If you'd like more Yiddish cultural content along these lines, please subscribe to our KZbin channel and click the button for alerts. And of course, it never hurts for you to "like" the video and post a comment.
Lastly, in addition to our standard English-language subtitles, we've had a number of educators and viewers who have asked us to include Yiddish subtitles as well... so, as an experiment, we're putting them in on this one. Be sure to let us know what you think!

[@pietronardella-dellova8883]

WONDERFUL! THANKS!

[@ProsteYiddish]

אױסערגעװענטלעך! און טאַקע אַן אוצר פֿאַר אונדז לערערס!

[@JoshuaFoxJoshuaFox]

מאָלאָדיעץ, אַלונה! שײן פֿאָרגעלײנעט!

[@KadimahYiddish]

א יישר כוח !!

[@vernonhouk]

Quite brilliant! A dank.

[@congressforjewishculture]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@exStokey]

part of this striking story (in English translation) is included in : "Shulgoing: 2500 Years of Impressions and Reflections on Visits to the Synagogue" by Charles Heller (Wipf and Stock, 2019)

[@ulachowaniec]

A sheynem dank!! Absolutely wonderful!!

[@congressforjewishculture]

אַ האַרציקן דאַנק!

[@irenaklepfisz8501]

Simply gorgeous--the reading and the animation...

[@congressforjewishculture]

Thank you, Irke. You got the ball rolling on this project!

[@ellenrifkin2393]

Just beautiful. Bach's reading along with the art work take us to a deep, multi-layered place. . I look forward to sharing this with others.

[@ronaldguttman9441]

Really excellent performance by Alona Bach, terrifying at times Thank you Shane! Ron

[@quarrendon]

Beautiful text, performance, and artwork. I will be sharing the link with many classes.

[@congressforjewishculture]

אַ שיינעם דאַנק, איוו־לעבן!

[@evarockman]

fascinating, engaging, beautiful

[@congressforjewishculture]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@dorisborg3348]

So very beautiful to hear this heartfelt story in Yiddisha beloved language. I was so engrossed in it's intention, that I was transported to my childhood and the conversations between my Momma and my Bubby that amazingly I felt i understood the entirety of its message beyond the actual words which for my translation were limited. TU so much!!,🔥❣

[@congressforjewishculture]

You're most welcome אַ האַרציקן דאַנק אײַך פֿאַר די שיינע ווערטער

[@delphinelisabeth]

More to stories in languages that they are lived in

[@user-yl1br1zw8z]

איך וויל זאָגן, „פערפעקט!“ --חיים דוואָרעצקי גאָָלדברג

[@susanblake7687]

I never had a bubbie😮‍💨