By Eileen Wingard
LA JOLLA, California — July Galper, a native of Peru and a champion of the poetry of the Peruvian-Jewish Poet, Inge Strusberg, opened the Jewish Poets of the Past program Tuesday evening, November 19, with a biographical sketch of Strusberg, written in the poet’s own words. Strusberg and her parents managed to escape Nazi Germany to Peru on the next to last ship departing. In her biography and in her poetry, she expresses her gratitude to the people of Peru for their welcoming hospitality.
Strusberg’s poetry, bold and forceful, on topics such as world peace, the Holocaust, Israel, and the human condition, were beautifully read in Spanish by Perla Myers, David Chait, Gary Hirschfeld, Sylvia Rosenthal and Galper,and in English translation by Jane Zeer, Eli Meltzer, Phyllis Schwartz and Lisa Schwartz. The readers brought out the profound messages of each selection. All of the English versions of the nine selections were translated by July Galper.
Some memorable lines from the English translations of Strusberg’s poetry:
I ACCUSE (Excerpt)
I accuse
The world and all of humanity
For such an inconceivable abuse
Against the chosen people
When over there in 1933
A far away day
A monster with malicious interest
Got converted into an abominable tyrant.
I was born there—it was my cradle
My infancy—my childhood
If I remember well
I never saw the sun—or the moon.
My food
Was fear and terror
I calmed my thirst
With tears of pain.
LOVE MESSAGE TO THE HUMAN RACE (Excerpt)
Truth, wide and long
In all its dimension
That is my life
That is my illusion.
For the truth I live
And for her I will die
Even though people will say
How did it serve her
And why?
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Guri Stark began the second half of the program with a detailed biography of Israel’s most prolific song writer, Ehud Manor.
Five of Manor’s songs were sung: “Ba Shana” (Next Year) by Myla Wingard, “Habaita” (Homeward) and “Ein Eretz Acheret” (I Have No Other Land) by Elisheva Edelson, the first, with the Ohr Shalom Choir; and “Achi Tzair, Yehuda” (My young brother, Yehuda) and “Chai “(Alive), by the Ohr Shalom Choir.
Four of Manor’s lyrics were read in Hebrew by Geula Hebron and Guri Stark and in English by Janice Alper and Michael Horvitz. Susie Meltzer read the English lyrics of “Habaita” and Morris Lazard, read the English lyrics of “Achi Tzair, Yehuda.”
Geula Hebron, who grew up in Binyamina, told about her personal connection to Ehud Manor. Her family lived near the Weiner Family (Manor’s original family name) and her older brother served in the War of Attrition on the Suez Canal alongside Yehuda Weiner, Ehud’s younger brother, who was killed in that conflict at age 19. When Geula was an 11 year old, going to summer camp, Yehuda was her “madrich” (counselor). She shared fond memories of her kind and handsome youth leader. Geula also recalled that although Ehud named his son, Yehuda, he could never bring himself to call his boy that name, but rather, referred to him as Yudi.
Two of Manor’s poems were about Yehuda, “Ben Yafe Nolad” (A Beautiful Boy Was Born), recited by Hebron and “Achi Tzair, Yehuda”(My younger brother, Yehuda), sung by the Ohr Shalom Choir. Two of the English translations, to the lyrics, “Dor”(Generation/name of Manor’s second son) and “The House Near the Train Tracks,” were written by Guri Stark.
Stark also co-chaired the event. Paul Parietti, Associate Director Of Cultural Arts at the Center for Jewish Culture, was the staff person in charge of the event. Joy Heizmann served as moderator.
Two samples of Manor’s poetry:
A BEAUTIFUL BOY WAS BORN (Excerpt)
A beautiful boy was born on the shoulder of Mt. Carmel
and people came from all around to bless him.
An almond tree flowered,
The months of Sivan, Tamuz and Av passed,
And the tender baby became a man
Sunday morning by the station,
She waited with him until the train came.
When she lay down to sleep,
Before she dozed off,
She would write him lines in blue ink.
Its autumn in the streets,
Tomorrow, she turns twenty,
But why did he not reach his twentieth birthday?
I HAVE NO OTHER COUNTRY (Excerpt)
I won’t be silent because my country
Has changed her face.
I will not give up reminding her
And sing in her ears
Until she will open her eyes.
I have no other country
Even if my land is aflame
Just a word in Hebrew
Pierces my veins and my soul—
With a painful body, with a hungry heart,
Here is my home.
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Lisa Schwartz, one of the English readers and a member of the Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices Committee, wrote, “It was a superb evening and I was reminded once again how much poetry can move us toward wisdom and healing.“
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Eileen Wingard is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts.