The author has spoken to many groups; here’s what group leaders have said. Contact him now, to speak to your group.
An extensive compendium of subjects of interest to Yiddishists everywhere — from news to schmooze. They publish a free online monthly newsletter with links to all things Yiddish, as well as a listing
of prominent Yiddish and English-language newspapers and magazines published in the United States, Israel and France.
A national weekly newspaper offering diverse coverage and opinions in Yiddish.
A national weekly English-language Jewish newspaper covering news, arts and letters;
offers insightful, thoughtful opinions.
An energetic, irregular blog providing articles and strong opinions on an eclectic mix of topics.
One of the largest online publications, featuring more than two thousand contributors
espousing a myriad of viewpoints on most every subject, with a bisl Yiddish here, here and here.
International Association of Yiddish Clubs
Provides a network for Yiddish groups to exchange educational and cultural materials;
lists Yiddish clubs around the United States and abroad.
An online publication from Israel providing extensive writings on a multitude of Jewish subjects.
Survivor stories include Chayale Ash, Adam Cintz and Edith Tarjan;
see also this Eastern European story and this reminiscence.
Information on all things Jewish, including the history and development of Yiddish.
Offers many Yiddish links.
A site dedicated to the promulgation of Klezmer music and Yiddish events in Northern California.
Lists cultural sources, including classes.
Offers an extensive one-month summer program in Yiddish language and literature,
for beginners to advanced, and credit courses at Vilnius University.
Encourages Jewish life, especially through Yiddish culture and education,
and the pursuit of social and economic justice.
Workmen’s Circle Jewish Book Center
Offers books, CDs and tapes in Yiddish, English and Hebrew about a cornucopia of Jewish subjects.
The Yiddish Book Center has worked to rescue more than a million Yiddish and other modern
Jewish books, and open up their content to the world. Free online access to 11,000 books.
A guide to the Roman spelling of Yiddish words; offers helpful Yiddish grammar tables,
and an easy-to-use online Yiddish dictionary.
A look at contemporary Yiddish language culture through the eyes of Chayale Ash,
a Yiddish actress and Holocaust survivor, and Philip “Fishl” Kutner, editor of Der Bay.
A collaboration between brother-and-sister team Shaul and Shulamit Seidler-Feller. As the name implies,
a new word is added every week, along with photos, comprehensive definitions and etymologies.
YIVO Institute for Jewish Research
A resource center for Eastern European Jewish Studies, Yiddish language, literature and folklore,
and the American Jewish immigrant experience.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
(On The Oy Way and Yiddish, unless otherwise indicated)
August 2013
Wednesday, August 7, 2013, from 1 to 2:00 pm. I will be speaking and signing books at the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California Street, San Francisco, California, in Room 206.
March 2013
March 5, spoke at Temple Beth Israel, Carmel.
February 2013
February 25, spoke at Senior Connections, Temple Beth El, Aptos.
December 2012
December 15, spoke and signed books at Inklings Books, Capitola.
December 2, Spoke and signed books at The Greek Restaurant, Santa Cruz.
November 2012
November 15, Spoke to the Beth El Senior Friendship Club, San Mateo.
November 13, Spoke at the Alef Bet Judaica Bookstore, Los Gatos.
November 11, Spoke to the Silicon Valley Holocaust Survivors Association, San Jose.
October 2012
October 30, Spoke at Congregation Beth David, Saratoga, California.
October 28, Spoke at BJE Jewish Community Library, San Francisco.
October 21, Spoke at Bird & Beckett Bookstore, San Francisco.
June 2012
June 22, Participated in an Authors Reception Fundraiser at the Capitola Book Café, 1475 41st Avenue, Capitola.
May 2012
May 17, Spoke at Jewish Family and Children Services, San Francisco.
May 9, Spoke to the Café by the Bay Holocaust Survivors, San Francisco.
April 2012
April 27, Spoke at Hillel of Silicon Valley, San Jose.
April 9, Spoke and signed books at the Capitola Book Café, Capitola.
March 2012
March 15, Participated in a Book Authors’ Reception in the Main Library, San Jose.
March 11, Spoke to the Silicon Valley Holocaust Survivors Association, San Jose.
March 8, Spoke at Congregation Shir Hadash, Los Gatos.
August 2011
August 28, Made a presentation on Yiddish-speaking Holocaust survivors and The Oy Way, at the International Association of Yiddish Clubs annual conference in Michigan.
From 1984 to 2011
Have made more than forty presentations at numerous venues throughout the United States, Israel, Great Britain and Australia on a variety of topics including:
“The Jewish Press in America,” based on the chapter I wrote for the Encyclopaedia Judaica.
“Gathering of Friends,” the relationship between Holocaust survivors and former Japanese American internees based on working with both groups.
“The Jews of Lithuania,” based on travels through Eastern Europe and articles written on the cities of Vilnius (Vilna) Kaunas (Kovno) and Klaipeda for Hadassah magazine.
“Holocaust denial advertising in college and university newspapers,” based on ten years of research and more than 200 interviews. Original research is archived in the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC.
“An Incredible Odyssey,” based on travels searching for family after both of my parents died seven weeks apart in 1981. In the process, met and learned about my family in cities and villages throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, Great Britain, Hungary, Romania, and Australia. I have published articles on the journey, and these stories are the basis of an upcoming book.
HISTORY OF THE OY WAY
January 2012
The Oy Way is published and ready for distribution.
November/December 2011
Design and layout are completed.
The Oy Way writing is completed and edited.
A Tai Ji group at Esalen in Big Sur, California successfully tests movements.
November 2011
Amy Gotliffe completes all photography at various locations.
Website is updated to include “What’s Nu?” “What’s Being Said?”, and “Who Is Who?”.
October 2011
All movements are written and approved by Yiddish advisor, Philip “Fishl” Kutner.
September 2011
Web site notification is sent to more than 1500 email addresses.
August 2011
Promotional brochure is printed.
International Association of Yiddish Clubs Annual Conference, Novi, Michigan.
Introduction of The Oy Way at our display booth for test marketing.
Presentation session made with audience doing movements.
The next day, approached by an 84-year-old man in the hall. He goes into an Oy Way movement stance, says “gey avek,” laughs, and walks away.
July 2011
Stephen Pollard creates the web site, and the promotional brochure is written.
January 1999
Original, 12-page, version of The Oy Way is produced in limited numbers and Copyrighted on January 1st.
“This delightful book is a tasty forshpeis (appetizer) to the uniquely expressive world of Yiddish. Packed with subtlety and nuance, Yiddish conveys words pictures unlike any other language.
The Oy Way is a great way for newcomers to Yiddish, as well as those who have spoken it for decades; to enjoy the pleasure of this mama loshen (mother tongue) in a most enjoyable and different way.”
Eugene Driker
Chair, Yiddish Book Center
“I thoroughly enjoyed your very funny and meditative book, The Oy Way.”
Aaron Lansky
President, Yiddish Book Center
“I have used The Oy Way this semester in two of my Yiddish beginners classes, as a segue or a warm-up to the lesson. The students love laughter and the expressions lend themselves to a smile. The "beygn" and "shteyn" stances plus your photos add to the fun of our learning. Thank you for sharing your book.”
Ruthie Solomon
Assistant to the Editor, The Yiddish Forward
“I thought it was very funny.”
Dan Friedman
Managing Editor, The Forward
“We’ve all had a good laugh reading through The Oy Way. It was delightful, and we certainly need to learn to relax.”
Matthew Fishbane
Senior Editor, Tablet magazine
“It works! After reading only a few pages of The Oy Way and following the easy-to-understand instructions, I laughed so hard that I could say “gey avek” to all my mental and physical pain. I love the photos too.”
Judith A. Sokoloff
Editor, Na’Amat USA Women magazine
“Should be more than a hoot and enlightening to many.”
Chungliang Al Huang
Founder-president, Living Tao Foundation; Author or co-author of a dozen books about Tai Ji and Eastern philosophy
“The Oy Way combines some form of physical relaxation therapy with Yiddish vocabulary and phrases. Partly in jest, partly seriously, the author describes movements and exercises that are meant to lead a person down the “path of most resistance.” So if you’re looking for something entertaining, therapeutic, and Yiddish-related, this might be the book for you.”
Shaul Seidler-Feller
Co-creator of Yiddish Word-of-the-Week
““Humor research has concluded that 20 seconds of hearty laughter is equivalent to 20 minutes on a rowing machine. With The Oy Way, you can enjoy both simultaneously.”
Paul Krassner
Author and Satirist
“Sure to be a hit with Judeo-yoginis and spiritual fitness buffs of all faiths and persuasions.”
Stephen Kessler
Author of Tell It to the Rabbis and The Tolstoy of the Zulus
“This is going to be an excellent book to give as a present.”
Jay Coleman
Writer, editor, founder of Coleman Communications
“Lessons from the Oy Way Master himself.”
Dave Mora
Novelist, editor, co-founder of Core Fitness Company
“I love it! Can’t get over the humor!”
Peter Garrone
Artist and writer, New Jersey
“If I never get through the actual gestures . . . I will exercise my stomach muscles through stress-relieving laughter.”
Tim Mitchell
Art director, graphic design lecturer, San Jose State University
“The Oy Way great idea. Lets you know how to put your Yiddish into action.”
Katherine Forrest, MD
Co-founder, The Commonweal Institute
“This is fantastic!”
Brian Halprin
Architect, Michigan
“What a “vunderlekh” book it is! I really had a good laugh.”
Marjorie Gottlieb Wolfe
Author and Yiddishist
On Library Shelves
The Oy Way is now found in more than thirty libraries around the country, and here’s what librarians have said about the book:
“A sheynen dank for the gift of The Oy Way. I’m impressed by the good work that went into it.”
Howard Freeman
Director, BJE Jewish Community Library, San Francisco
“Thanks for the smile – I enjoyed reading your book!”
Teresa Handleman
Collection Development Librarian, Las Vegas Library
“Thank you for very much for donating this delightful volume, I know it will be enjoyed. I couldn’t phrase it any better than p. 82 (of The Oy Way): Zolst leben un zayn gezunt!”
Jason Honig
Collection Development Office, San Francisco Public Library
On Your Book Shelf
The Oy Way is available on line at https://www.createspace.com/3782405, and amazon.com.
Harvey Gotliffe Author, Educator and Oy Way master; see here, here, here and here
Carmen Sarah Santos Ballesteros Gotliffe Movement testing and evaluation
Amy Gotliffe Photographer
Stephen Pollard Design and syntactical enhancement
Philip “Fishl” Kutner Yiddish usage advisor
Dr. Stanley Halprin Medical advisor — movement suitability; Marketing Manager, Eastern Region
The Oy Way offers a philosophy that combines meditation, exercise, and humor, set forth in easy-to-learn Yiddish. It will be a great pleasure to read and follow — even if it’s just a bit at a time.
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