CHANA MLOTEK Obituary

MLOTEK--Chana Eleanor Gordon, peacefully at home, Monday November 4, at age 91. Esteemed Yiddish scholar, long time archivist at the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, columnist for the Jewish Daily Forward, leading anthologist of Yiddish poetry and song, author of multiple published anthologies which have played a key role in inspiring an international revival of Klezmer, Yiddish music and culture. Together with her late husband, the noted writer, teacher, and communal leader Joseph Mlotek, she published a column, "Pearls of Yiddish Poetry," in the Yiddish Forward which unearthed treasures of Yiddish culture contributed by readers from all over the world. Nobel laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer called her the "Sherlock Holmes of Yiddish song," and Theodore Bikel wrote that "Chana and Yosl Mlotek are to be counted among our national treasures." Born and raised in the Bronx, Chana was a graduate of Hunter College. Soon after graduating, she worked as a personal assistant to the founder of the YIVO Max Weinreich, and thereafter devoted her professional life to the preservation of Yiddish culture. She was a wellspring of knowledge that drew scholars, authors, musicians and educators from all over the world to make use of her unique, sometimes uncanny expertise and memory. Chana is survived by her sons Zalmen and Mark, their wives Debby and Audrey, grandchildren Lee, Marissa, Avram, Elisha, Sarah, great-granddaughter Revaya, granddaughter-in-law Yael, and a loving extended family. The funeral will take place at Riverside Memorial Chapel, Amsterdam Avenue at 76th Street, on Tuesday, November 5, 11:45am. Shiva plans will be announced at the funeral.

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Published by New York Times on Nov. 5, 2013.

Memories and Condolences
for CHANA MLOTEK

2 Entries

Vivian Fenster Ehrlich

November 5, 2013

October 4, 2013
Dear Zalmen,
My heart goes out to you and your family - Debby, Avram and Yael, Elisha and Sarah as well as to Mark, Audrey, Lee and Marissa, on the passing of your beloved mother. A wave of sadness permeated my soul as I learned the news this morning. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Chana in person, her presence has been with me for many decades. At twelve years of age, Josh, our son, made his way to the YIVO to try to find anything of his grandfather, Ben Fenster's librettos for the Yiddish theater, poems and articles. Chana spent hours with Josh, ferreting out what she could. Among gems she uncovered a Purim megillah, which I had not seen since my childhood. I wish you could have seen Josh's excitement when he came home bearing these treasures. How sweet and generous she was to him. As you know he used this research is his Bar Mitzvah presentation. It meant so much to our family. (We will never forget your directing and accompanying him in his performance, a al Bruce Adler, at that event.)
Whenever my memory fails in singing Yiddish songs with family and friends, I run to Chana's lexicon in Mir Trogn a Gezang, Yontefdike Teg and Pearls of Yiddish Song to fill in the missing words and songs and to stir the embers of my childhood melodies. Needless to say, singing with you some decades ago at sing-a-longs in our apartment I can still remember marveling at your amazing repertoire. In every finger, in every note there was the presence of Chana and what a gift it was then, and still is, as it lives on in my memory. (Indeed you take this yerusha and spin your own golden magic with persistence, imagination, and life-long commitment. You even brought this magic to DOROT with the establishment of the DOROT Chorus and Generations in Harmony.) Wherever you bring our music, Chana is there with you and all of us. Wherever a Yiddish melody can be heard we all owe our riches to her tireless harvesting.
My family, Jerry, Laurie, Josh, Bira, Joe, Alysa and Avi, join me in sending our heartfelt condolences. May you all find comfort in the melodies of our people, the archives of our communal history.
With deepest sympathy,
Vivian Fenster Ehrlich

Vivian Fenster Ehriich

November 5, 2013

Dear Zalmen
My heart goes out to you and your family - Debby, Avram and Yael, Elisha and Sarah as well as to Mark, Audrey, Lee and Marissa, on the passing of your beloved mother. A wave of sadness permeated my soul as I learned the news this morning. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Chana in person, her presence has been with me for many decades. At twelve years of age, Josh, our son, made his way to the YIVO to try to find anything of his grandfather, Ben Fenster's librettos for the Yiddish theater, poems and articles. Chana spent hours with Josh, ferreting out what she could. Among gems she uncovered a Purim megillah, which I had not seen since my childhood. I wish you could have seen Josh's excitement when he came home bearing these treasures. How sweet and generous she was to him. As you know he used this research is his Bar Mitzvah presentation. It meant so much to our family. (We will never forget your directing and accompanying him in his performance, a al Bruce Adler, at that event.)
Whenever my memory fails in singing Yiddish songs with family and friends, I run to Chana's lexicon in NAME OF YIDDISH SONG BOOK to fill in the missing words and songs and to stir the embers of my childhood melodies. Needless to say, singing with you some decades ago at sing-a-longs in our apartment I can still remember marveling at your amazing repertoire. In every finger, in every note there was the presence of Chana and what a gift it was then, and still is, as it lives on in my memory. (Indeed you take this yerusha and spin your own golden magic with persistence, imagination, and life-long commitment. You even brought this magic to DOROT with the establishment of the DOROT Chorus and Generations in Harmony.)
Wherever you bring our music, Chana is there with you and all of us. Wherever a Yiddish melody can be heard we all owe our riches to her tireless harvesting.
My family, Jerry, Laurie, Josh, Bira, Joe, Alysa and Avi, join me in sending our heartfelt condolences. May you all find comfort in the melodies of our people, the archives of our communal history.
With deepest sympathy,
Vivian Fenster Ehrlich

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