Pepi’s upcoming project, a multilingual anthology gathering voices from both banks of the Dnipro River, aims to showcase the evolving Ukrainian diaspora. The collection will feature contributions from poets in Kyiv, Lviv, New York, Toronto, and Melbourne, highlighting how a single river can inspire a multitude of narratives.
The tragedy, of course, is what happened to Ternopil after she left. Emigrating to Canada and then the United States, Litman joined the millions of Eastern European Jews who watched from afar as their birthplace was systematically erased. The vibrant Jewish Ternopil of her childhood—with its 14,000 Jewish souls, its synagogues, its Yiddish schools—was annihilated by the Nazis and their collaborators. By 1943, the city’s ghetto had been liquidated, and the people who had once filled the streets with the rhythm of Yiddish were gone. This historical rupture is the silent note beneath every joyful song Litman would later perform. When she sang "Belz" or "My Yiddishe Momme," she was not just performing nostalgia; she was resurrecting a ghost. She was giving voice to a city that no longer existed on the map, but lived forever in the lilt of her voice. pepi litman born city ukraine
By [Your Name] – Culture & Society Correspondent Emigrating to Canada and then the United States,
Born to a poor Jewish family, Litman's early life in Ternopil was marked by financial struggle. As a teenager, she worked as a maid in a theatrical boarding house owned by the family of future actor Max Badin. It was here that she was first introduced to the world of performing arts. Rise to Fame and Performance Style This historical rupture is the silent note beneath
Pepi Litman , the pioneering Yiddish vaudeville star and "proto-drag king," was born in (modern-day Ternopil, Ukraine ) around 1874. At the time of her birth, the city was part of Galicia , a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Despite her bawdy and transgressive stage presence, Litman maintained a traditional Jewish lifestyle while touring, continuing to observe religious customs like lighting Shabbat candles and keeping kosher. Legacy and Modern Recognition