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Slavuta
 (09-010.47-F) -  Shelf Number: MDV 670
 IUCAT




No streaming derivative is available.

Date: May 5, 2003

Participants: Liberzon, Maria Isaakovna. Interviewed by Dov-Ber Kerler, Jeffrey Veidlinger.

Location recorded: Slavuta, Khmel'nyts'ka Oblast', Ukraine

Language: Yiddish, Russian

Culture Group: Jews, Yiddish-speakers, Ukrainians

 Recording Content:   

The tape is a continuation of a formal interview with Maria Isaakovna Liberzon. (Part 3 of 4. See MDV 668, MDV 669, and MDV 671) She continues to discuss Sabbath celebrations at home and food customs after, and briefly before, the war. In particular, she talks about making Kiddush at her father’s house, since it was not allowed at his synagogue. The conversation turns to her family. Her aunt was smuggled across the border, dressed up as a peasant, and she eventually headed to Israel. They then talk about Hasidim and the Yiddish language today, before Liberzon talks about her family. She recalls humorous stories about religious events, told by her father. They then discuss observance of holidays, as well as religious tradition in general. She remembers a song her father sang during sukes (Succoth) and also talks about her father welcoming visitors in the suke (succah) and sharing meals.

They then discuss Purim celebrations. The conversation turns to the prohibition of alcohol at her father’s synagogue after the war. When Liberzon discusses Chanukah, she remembers how her father would travel to Moscow to buy bread during the Great Hunger. The teams inquires about interviewing Liberzon's sister Khayke, who lives in Chernivtsi. The conversation turns to family and Liberzon's religious teacher, who taught at their home for three years before the war. The conversation returns to religious life today. She also briefly talks about a bakery that sold challah after the war. She then remembers Passover celebrations before the war. They then discuss dialectology, as well as holiday food customs. She then talks about her father’s synagogue after the war and briefly recites a Chanukah prayer from a calendar.

The conversation returns to holiday food customs in prewar Slavuta; in particular, Liberzon mentions cooking kreplekh (dumplings). They then briefly discuss the public library before the war, as well as the Yiddish theater after the war in Chernivtsi. The conversation turns to cultural terminology and religious life today, before Liberzon talks about the Shapiro side of her family, and her grandfather’s charity. They then discuss religious customs, in particular Misnagdim versus Hasidim. Liberzon shows related genealogical documents. The tape concludes with her family's recipe of gefilte fish.

00:00:00 Sabbath celebration.
00:02:43 family.
00:04:23 Hasidim.
00:05:52 Yiddish language.
00:07:39 family and stories.
00:12:34 holidays and tradition.
00:17:16 alcohol.
00:19:08 holiday celebration during Great Hunger and religious life today.
00:20:56 her sister Khayke.
00:22:19 family and religious teacher.
00:24:33 religious life today and food customs.
00:27:34 Passover celebration.
00:30:01 America and dialectology.
00:32:23 holiday food customs.
00:33:55 post-religious life at father’s synagogue.
00:38:13 holiday food customs.
00:40:07 public library before war.
00:41:34 postwar Yiddish plays in Chernivtsi and family.
00:44:09 cultural terminology and religious life today.
00:47:53 family and religious life today.
00:49:55 religious customs /life today and documents.
00:57:24 food customs.
01:02:05 End of recording.