Yipas = Yiddish Products and Services

Fishl’s Pep Talk

If you wish to sell or offer Yipas, or if you wish to purchase or acquire Yipas, then Der Bay is a great resource and it’s FREE.

Do you have a conference, performance, club meeting, book, CD, or DVD, to announce? Do you wish to advertise your translation, tutoring or genealogical research services? If you do, then remember, Der Bay is a great resource—and it’s FREE.

You would not think of paying to go to the theater, buy popcorn and a coke, and only sit in the lobby and use the restroom. Go for the show!

Many leaders and “performing artists” are terrible at minor details—like publicity. They are creative geniuses and don’t want to bother with the minor details that are time-consuming.

On the other hand we may be in the position of wishing to attend, purchase/acquire events, items or services and looking for information.

If and when you are in any of the above situations, turn to Der Bay for information/publicity. It is always there, and the price is right.

Selling/Offering Ideas & Suggestions

If you are Aaron, Michael or Theo, then you don't need Der Bay. All the rest of us want as much exposure and publicity as we can get and our advertising portion of our budget is limited, or non-existent.

Most of the news media exist on paid ads and we want more than a 2”x2” ad. Try to get an article written by one of their writers or columnists. The best ones are human-interest stories. Everyone has unique and exciting events to share. Many of us are too modest and shy to “toot our own horn.”

Here are several practical suggestions. If you have recurring events like meetings/performances, then create a list of at least 5 people to whom, you will send announcements. It is better to send to a person rather than to just a mailbox. This should be updated and sent on a monthly basis. Most of these publicity sources are interested only in events open to the general public.

If you have a product, then the occasion of a performance, lecture or booth is the time to showcase your book, CD, DVD, etc. Personalize your signing. Don’t assume the purchaser is buying the item for her/himself.

ALWAYS carry business cards and have brochures. Flyers are usually just unfolded 8.5”x11” sheets of paper. Brochures come from the same size paper and thus cost the same to print, and are folded. Since they take up less space they tend to be kept longer. How to design an eye-appealing and informative brochure is for another article.

Even better than Der Bay for Klezmer publicity is Ari Davidow’s Klezmer Shack. Der Bay has 163 listed groups in the US and Ari has many more and an excellent description of each. Der Bay’s klezmer forte is in listing public gigs.

The best advice for authors is to have a favorable review in the Journal of the Association of Jewish Libraries. Fishl has found membership in this organization to be very helpful.

Buying/Acquiring Items, Events or Information

Just as important as it is for the seller to know about the client base, it is just as important for the payee to know about the item and its producer.

By far the most comprehensive listing of Yiddish events worldwide is Der Internatsyonaler Kalendar on Der Bay’s website. The world is divided into 14 regions, and the list is updated daily when Fishl is home. Each listing contains the date, time, name of event, location and a contact phone number. Access to these lists as well as having the listing inserted is FREE in addition to the monthly, online, abbreviated version of this hardcopy.

Der Bay has lists of translators, speakers, teachers, performers and you can ask for a list of pen pals to match your ability and wishes.

A very popular resource online is Der Bay’s lists of Yiddish and other Jewish organizations with a short description and link for contact information.

For those who are physically disabled and looking for information, this site is very comprehensive.

Remember that just as crucial as conservation of financial resources is the time you take to acquire the information. Most of us don't have that much quality time left. Let’s make the most of it. Der Bay’s resources can help you. Fishl loves to hear from you. His e-mail address is: fishl@derbay.org