From Tzeitel to Bielke: The Five Daughters of Tevye
(From L-R) Rosalind Harris as Tzeitel, Neva Small as Chava and Michele Marsh as Hodel from Fiddler on the Roof When I very first saw Fiddler on the Roof , a 1971 film adaption of the musical based on a series of Yiddish stories written by Sholem Aleicham from 1894 to 1914, I fell in love. History has always been my passion, one my family kept stoked through books and movies. My mother always made sure my sister and I were exposed, especially to films, that would widen our cultural horizons. Ever since then, I've had a love and admiration for the Jewish culture, and of course that love connects to my other passion--names! Combining the two has led to this (very fun for me) post, featuring information about the names of Tevye's five strong-willed daughters. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it! Here they are, from oldest to youngest: Tzeitel - Origin: Yiddish Gender: Female Pronunciation: SZIGH-tull Meaning: A diminutive of Sarah; "Princess" Other F...