A Funny Yiddish Chad Gadya by the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus

The Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus is part of a modern Yiddish renaissance -- more than forty members strong, from students to retirees, a good number of whom speak or are learning Yiddish.

Their repertoire spans a century -- exciting oratorios and operettas, labor anthems, folksongs, and popular tunes -- all in Yiddish. Committed to strengthening Yiddish as a living language, they have commissioned and premiered new Yiddish choral works by half a dozen composers.

In recent years we've posted their versions of California Dreamin', Baby It's Cold Outside, Rumania Rumania, Auld Lang Syne, and The Star Spangled Banner.

They recently recorded a funny Yiddish version of Chad Gadya, just in time for Passover, which is only 10 days away. The musical arrangement is by Binyumen Schaechter, a member of a leading family in Yiddish language and cultural studies.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

"Baby, It's Cold Outside" May Be Politically Incorrect These Days, But It's Funny in Yiddish

Baby, It's Cold Outside, the Academy Award-winning popular song written by Frank Loesser in 1944, has faced some criticism lately from feminist circles for the supposed or presumed implications of its lyrics. Some have suggested that it gave a green light to sexual harassment or date rape.

Actually, the song was written by Loesser  to sing with his wife, Lynn Garland, at their housewarming party in New York City at the Navarro Hotel. They sang the song to indicate to guests that it was time to leave. It gained wide recognition in 1949 when it appeared in the film Neptune's Daughter.

While the lyrics make no mention of any holiday, it is popularly regarded as a Christmas song because of its winter theme.

It was covered by many singers over the years. Our favorite version is by Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme.

But who would expect that it would be performed in Yiddish? Well, it was, by the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus with Cantor Joshua Breitzer and Donna Breitzer in New York's Symphony Space in 2016. Binyumen Schaechter wrote the Yiddish lyrics and conducted the choral concert "To Life, To  Laugh, L'Chaim."

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Welcoming 2019 with Auld Lang Syne in Yiddish 4-Part Harmony

The start of a new year has long been associated with Auld Lang Syne. The Scottish song, based on a poem by Robert Burns in 1788, is sung to ring in the New Year as people cross arms to hold hands in a circle. 

The phrase “auld lang syne” literally translates to “old long since,” and basically means, “days gone by.” The original, five-verse version of the poem essentially gets people singing, “lets drink to days gone by”—an appropriate toast for the New Year. 

This year the song can be sung in Yiddish thanks to a YouTube post of the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus singing it in four part harmony.

The Yiddish lyrics and choral arrangement are by Binyumen Schaechter who also conducted the performance at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York on October 14. Seth Weinstein provided the piano accompaniment.

We are fortunate to be able to wish our friends and families a Happy New Year twice each year, on Rosh Hashanah and today, the secular New Year's Day.

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

The Great Yiddish Songs Revisited: A New and Fun Version of "Rumania Rumania"

The Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus is part of a modern Yiddish renaissance -- more than forty members strong, from students to retirees, a good number of whom speak or are learning Yiddish. 

Their repertoire spans a century -- exciting oratorios and operettas, labor anthems, folksongs, and popular tunes -- all in Yiddish. Committed to strengthening Yiddish as a living language, they have commissioned and premiered new Yiddish choral works by half a dozen composers.

In July we posted their Yiddish version of The Star Spangled Banner.  Today we're sharing their fun version of the Yiddish classic Rumania, Rumania, by Aaron Lebedeff. The musical arrangement is by Binyumen Schaechter, with his daughter Temma as soloist.

Schaechter is a member of a leading family in Yiddish language and cultural studies. His father, Dr. Mordkhe Schaechter, was an influential linguist of the Yiddish language, writing and editing many articles, magazines, journals, terminologies and textbooks in Yiddish and on Yiddish. His mother, Charlotte (Charne) Schaechter, spent much of her life as an accompanist to Yiddish singers. His aunt, Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman, was a Yiddish poet and songwriter and spiritual guide to many of the Klezmer musicians in the world today. 

Among his three sisters, Rukhl Schaechter is a journalist with the Yiddish Forward, and host of the on-line Yiddish cooking program, Est gezunterheyt! (we posted 24 episodes of this cooking program during the last 8 years); Gitl Schaechter-Viswanath is a Yiddish poet and editor, and she sings in the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus; and sister Eydl Reznik teaches Yiddish among the ultra-Orthodox community in Tsfat, Israel. Schaechter and his sisters all speak only in Yiddish with their children, giving their parents 16 Yiddish-speaking grandchildren. Binyumen's cousin, Itzik Gottesman, was an editor of The Yiddish Forward and the Tsukunft, and is continuing his work as a scholar of Yiddish folklore. 

Enjoy! 

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.

Have You Ever Heard "The Star Spangled Banner" in Yiddish?

Last week we posted a Canadian chorus singing O Canada, the Canadian national anthem, in Yiddish.

It's not a matter of competition, but we think it's only fair to point out that America's national anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, was performed in Yiddish three years ago by the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus 

The Chorus is part of a modern Yiddish renaissance -- more than forty members strong, from students to retirees, a good number of whom speak or are learning Yiddish. Their repertoire spans a century -- exciting oratorios and operettas, labor anthems, folksongs, and popular tunes -- all in Yiddish. Committed to strengthening Yiddish as a living language, they have commissioned and premiered new Yiddish choral works by half a dozen composers.

The JPPC shares the rich legacy of Yiddish song by performing year-round for old and young of all faiths at community centers, universities, K-12 schools, museums and places of worship throughout NYC's 4-state region. They have also performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, at Ground Zero and the West Point Military Academy, as well as at the North American Jewish Choral Festival. 

Enjoy!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.