Recording Content:
The first part of the recording is the continuation of a formal interview with Anatolii Petrovich Shor. (Part 3 of 3. See MDV 372 and MDV 373) Shor answers a series of dialectology questions about the Yiddish language.
The second part of the recording includes footage of the Bershad synagogue with a tour, led by Efim Vygodner and Evgeniia Abramovna Kozak. The interview team together with Efim Vygodner then leaves Shor's apartment and travels to the Bershad’ synagogue. Vygodner points out Jewish sites of Bershad’ on the way. The team arrives at the synagogue of Bershad and the camera films the synagogue. The team chats with several other members of the Bershad’ Jewish community they meet in the synagogue. They talk about the history of the synagogue and recall how Jewish holidays used to be celebrated before and after the war. Evgeniia Kozak recalls how the Jewish community helped her when she returned to Bershad’ after her evacuation in Central Asia. Vygodner explains that the synagogue was the Tailors' Synagogue, and that it remained open throughout the Soviet period. Vygodner gives a tour of the synagogue and tells more about its history. The team moves outside the synagogue, and Vygodner and Kozak talk about the Jewish quarter of the city and the area that was the ghetto during the war.
00:00:00
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Shor speaks about religious life after the collapse of the Soviet Union. He then answers dialectological questions from the AHEYM Yiddish linguistic questionnaire. |
00:13:33
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They talk about the contemporary community in the region, before the team returns with Vygodner to the van and drives to the Bershad synagogue. The camera collects footage of the former Jewish neighborhood. |
00:16:35
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The camera collects outside footage of the synagogue, while the team meets Kozak. |
00:17:44
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The team, Vygodner and Kozak enter the synagogue and he gives a tour. The team also chats with community members. |
00:21:55
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Vygodner talks about prewar religious life and prayer books. The camera then continues to collect synagogue footage, before Vygodner addresses contemporary religious life. |
00:25:20
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An unidentified community member talks about prewar Jewish life in Tomashpil. He was born 1945 in Tomashpil. They also discuss Yiddish sayings. The camera then continues to collect synagogue footage and they discuss contemporary religious life. |
00:29:14
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Vygodner speaks about postwar religious life in Bershad, particularly Simchat Torah in 1958. Kozak then talks about prewar religious life, particularly Yom Kippur. |
00:30:31
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Kozak talks about her life after the war, after returning from evacuation in Central Asia. She recalls how the community wanted to support her family; but states that her mother refused. Kozak then addresses prewar and postwar religious life, particularly the High Holiday celebrations at the Bershad synagogue. |
00:33:10
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Vygodner talks about the history of the synagogue, particularly its restoration and use after the war. It was the tailor's synagogue. He also recalls his grandfather's attending of services. |
00:36:02
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The camera collects synagogue footage, while Vygodner gives a tour. They then move the conversation outside. Kozak and Vygodner speak about prewar Jewish life. |
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