We present discussions on three timely topics, all in Yiddish:

(1) COVID-19: a roundtable discussion of the novel coronavirus, aka "Covid-19", with special guests Avremi Zaks, the host and producer of the Israeli Yiddish radio show Kan Yiddish (info on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/181106619326190/)

Joining in the discussion is regular co-host Sholem Beinfeld, Co-Chief Editor of the Comprehensive Yiddish-English Dictionary and Professor of History, Emeritus, at Washington University, and Mark (Meyer) David, host and producer of The Yiddish Voice.

We also get a special report on COVID-19 from Alex Dafner, Yiddish presenter for Australia's SBS Hebrew and Kadimah radio shows.

(2) (Continuation from last week:) LEGACY OF BLOOD: Elissa Bemporad, author of the new book Legacy of Blood: Jews, Pogroms, and Ritual Murder in the Lands of the Soviets (Oxford University Press, 2019), is interviewed by Sholem Beinfeld. This is the first half of a 2-part interview, and begins at approximately the midpoint of the show. Elissa Bemporad is the Jerry and William Ungar Chair in East European Jewish History and the Holocaust and an associate professor of history at Queens College and The Graduate Center - CUNY. Her previous book, Becoming Soviet Jews: The Bolshevik Experiment in Minsk (Indiana University Press, 2013), was the winner of the National Jewish Book Award and the Fraenkel Prize in Contemporary History. (Publisher info: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/legacy-of-blood-9780190466459)

(3) Eli Rosen, actor (in the role of the Rebbe) as well as Yiddish translator, coach, and cultural consultant for the new Netflix miniseries Unorthodox, which deals with life in a NY Chassidic community, and features dialog mostly in Yiddish by an international cast of actors, mostly non-Yiddish speaking -- it's coming out released this week on Netflix! Info: Eli Rosen: http://elirosen.net/ Unorthodox: https://www.netflix.com/title/81019069 (NOTE: this is a preview excerpt of a longer interview to be aired in a future program.)

Greetings for Pesach: thanks to Motl Murstein of Brookline, MA, who recorded his bagrisung for Pesach, with a wish for the end of this mageyfe; and, from our archive: the late Max Gelerman of our sponsor The Butcherie in Brookline. Wishing you a kosher Pesach - Good Yontev!

• Intro instrumental music: DEM HELFANDS TANTS, an instrumental track from the CD Jeff Warschauer: The Singing Waltz

Air Date: March 25, 2020