DER YIDDISH-VINKL December 31, 2004
Hanukkah is ever old and ever new — as the following poem by Alef Katz testifies when he reminds us of events 2,000 years ago and their meaning for Jews today.
It is in the light of this everlasting tradition that Der Vinkl now runs the third in a series of poems that appeared in the Forverts devoted to the theme of the Maccabees and their successful resistance to the attempt of the arrogant Antiochus Epiphanes (God’s spirit on earth) to impose his religion on the Jews. Here is a transliteration of the Jewish version into the Roman alphabet by Goldie Adler, followed by an English version by Gus Tyler.
Hekher Shoyn 2,000 Yor
Fun di likht, vos brenen freylekh
Zing ikh itster un dertseyl aykh
Mit a shtolts un varem kol
A geshikhte fun amol.
Di geshikhte, zi banayt zikh
Un ir shtoltser ruf tseshrayt zikh
Ruft tsu undz in yedn dor
Hekher shoyn tsvey toyznt yor.
Az mir zoln zikh nit bukn
Nor mit an oysgeglaykhtn rukn
Vi amol, azoy oykh haynt
Shteln zikh antkegn faynt.
Shtoltse yidn, shtoltse mentshn,
Lomir vayter tsindn, bentshn
Un tseflakern dem flam
Fun di likht fun undzer shtam.
Zol der flam fun zeydes brenen
Un di eyniklekh derkenen
Vi geshen in yed dor
Hekher shoyn tsvey toyznt yor.
* * *|
More Than 2,000 Years
By these candles burning brightly
I do bring a tale most sprightly
With a proud and hearty voice
A song to make us all rejoice.
The story always reappears
The song, it never disappears
It rolls right on from age to age
Two thousand years have been its stage.
It says thou shalt not bend thy head
You’d rather stand erect — or dead
As once you did so once again
Hold head up high as you did then.
Yes, you’re Jews who stand up proud
You’re not just bodies in a crowd
So, light the candles, let them flare
Display our courage everywhere.
Now let the light of grandpas shine
And to their families give a sign
As we have done in years gone by
We’ll live a life with head held high.
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