Michael Wex's Yiddish translation has been called “the finest around”, and he’s got the résumé to prove it. From Mendele Moykher Sforim’s
The Wishing Ring
to Sholem Aleykhem
(Classic Yiddish Stories),
Itsik Manger, testimony for projected war crimes trials and countless family documents, letters, and unpublished autobiographies, there’s virtually no area of the language in which he isn’t experienced.
This is only half the story, though. Wex is also an accomplished translator into Yiddish. He has done the only such translation of The Threepenny Opera authorized by the authors’ estates, and has also translated songs by such artists as Holly Near, Gloria Gaynor, Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Bob Dylan and scores of others. His uncredited work lies at the heart of Mandy Patinkin’s
Mamaloshen
CD.
Click here to read the New York Times blog entry for the panel discussion Wex took part in about the future of Yiddish at the Museum of the City of New York.
Would you like something translated into Yiddish? Perhaps you have some letters from a relative that you'd like to read, but don't know the alef beys. Although Michael no longer does private translating work, we can pass your query to Paul Glasser at YIVO, the Institute for Jewish Research, where he has a list of translators he can put you in touch with. Simply fill in the form below and Paul will contact you with suggested translators.
Please do not use this form for single words or phrases. First look in Born to Kvetch or Just Say Nu and online before contacting us. If you still can't find it, go to our contact page where Michael will answer your query directly.