A Mother's Day Musical Special: Cantor Azi Schwartz Sings "My Yiddishe Momme"

Today is Mother's Day and we celebrate by posting a tribute to all mothers in the form of a new rendition of My Yiddishe Momme by Cantor Azi Schwartz of the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York.

My Yiddishe Momme is a song written by Jack Yellen (words and music) and Lew Pollack (music), first recorded by Willie Howard, and was made famous in Vaudeville by Belle Baker and by Sophie Tucker, and later by the Barry Sisters.

Tucker began singing "My Yiddishe Momme" in 1925, after the death of her own mother. She later dedicated her autobiography Some of These Days to Yellen, "A grand song writer, and a grander friend". Sophie Tucker made 'Mama' a top 5 U.S. hit in 1928, English on one side and Yiddish on the B-side. Leo Fuld combined both in one track and made it a hit in the rest of the world."

Enjoy, and Happy Mother's Day!

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.

A Mother's Day Special: "A Yiddishe Momme" with Neil Sedaka, Itzhak Perlman, and Yitzchak Meir Helfgot

Today is Mother's Day and we're dedicating today's post to our mothers - past, present, and future - with a beautiful rendition of the classic A Yiddishe Momme.

The song  was written by Jack Yellen (words and music) and Lew Pollack (music) in 1925. It was first recorded by Willie Howard, and was made famous in Vaudeville by Belle Baker and by Sophie Tucker, and later by the Barry Sisters. 

Sophie Tucker began singing My Yiddishe Momme in 1925, after the death of her own mother. She later dedicated her autobiography Some Of These Days to Yellen, "A grand song writer, and a grander friend". Sophie Tucker made `Mama' a top 5 USA hit in 1928, English on one side and Yiddish on the B-side. Leo Fuld combined both in one track and made it a hit in the rest of the world."

The song, in English and Yiddish, sadder in the original Yiddish than in the English translation, the mother implicitly symbolizes a sense of nostalgia for the "old world", as well as guilt for having left it behind in assimilating into American society.

In this video, violinist Itzhak Perlman and Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot perform this popular Yiddish classic with vaudeville roots with a preface by singer and composer Neil Sedaka explaining the song's history. 

We wish a happy Mother's Day to all of our subscribers and casual viewers.

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.)

My Yiddishe Mamme - Cantor and Rock Star Join In Mother's Day Tribute From Australia

Today is Mother's Day in many countries, including the United States and Australia.

One of the best loved musical tributes to Jewish mothers is the song My Yiddishe Mamme, written by Jack Yellen and Lew Pollack in 1925. It was first recorded by Willie Howard, and was made famous in vaudeville by Belle Baker and by Sophie Tucker, and later by the Barry Sisters. 

The song has been sung and recorded in many languages since then. In 2009, Cantor Yitzhak Meir Helfgot, one of the greatest and most important cantorial voices of the 21st century, sang it in a concert at the Central Synagogue in Sydney, Australia. He was joined by Jimmy Barnes, Australia's most successful Rock & Roll singer, in an English/Yiddish duet.

Writing in J-Wire, Jewish Online News from Australia and New Zealand, Henry Benjamin reported:

Barnes later took to the stage by himself to sing a solo version of “What a Wonderful World”. But before he performed he told the audience that he had telephoned his mother yesterday to ask her why she had given him a Star of David when he was about 18.

He told the crowd that his mother had said: “My mother gave it to me and her mother had given to her so I thought I would give it to you.” He then said that he had asked his mother if her grandmother was Jewish and she replied that she was and that her name was Esther.

Barnes continued: “If I get this right, my great grandmother was Jewish, my grandmother was Jewish, my mother is Jewish so I must be Jewish.”  If he was expecting a welcome home, he got it in spades as the crowd applauded the story rapturously.

We hope you enjoy the Helfgot/Barnes rendition of My Yiddishe Mamme and we wish all of our readers a happy Mother's Day.

(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.)

A Mother's Day Spoof: Neglected Jewish Mothers Paired With Surrogate Sons

Just in time for Mother's Day (this Sunday) Adopt a Jewish Mother, a charitable organization, has been created to match Jewish mothers whose sons have left the nest with surrogate sons that they can continue mothering.

The video begins "Every year thousands of Jewish mothers are neglected by sons they've driven away with their constant and neurotic nagging. 

Fortunately, there's a lifeline. Adopt a Jewish Mother pairs up nagging moms with volunteers who serve as surrogate sons for them to needle to no end."

Of course it's a gag video, produced by Landline TV, an internet startup that produces funny skits.

Enjoy, Shabbat shalom, and Happy Mother's Day!

(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.)

Happy Mother's Day - Advice From Mothers at the L.A. Jewish Home

In a special salute to mothers, grandmothers, and great-grandmothers on Mother's Day, the Los Angeles Jewish Home has produced a video with words of advice from residents of the home.This is the same Jewish Home that gave us thoughts about love on Valentine's Day and Chanukah songs last December. 

The advice touches on the keys to success and happiness, how to find the right spouse, what makes for a good marriage, the best Jewish food, how to raise children, and computers and technology. 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.)