LA JOLLA, California — Treasures from the Music Collection of the Astor Judaica Library: Israeli Songs, will be held in the Lawrence Family JCC Library on Thursday, March 9, 2 p.m. The final event in the three-part series, which included Yiddish songs (January 5), and Ladino songs (February 9), is certain to evoke nostalgic memories. Register here.
This program is sponsored by the JCC Senior Department and the Astor Judaica Library and co-sponsored by the Israeli-American Council (IAC).
The playlist includes songs from the pre-state Yishuv and the early days of the State of Israel, soon to be celebrating its 75th year.
The recorded voices of some of Israel’s most famous singers will be heard, such as Yaffa Yarkoni, Chava Alberstein and Hillel and Aviva. Also, we will hear our San Diego Men’s Choir, in “Artza Alinu” (We Went Up to the Land) and Song Leader for the Ken Community, Zehi Ozera’s rendition of “Finjan” (Coffee Pot).
As moderator of the program, I have invited Geula Hebron and my daughter, Myla Wingard to assist in introducing the songs.
Both her daughter, Shir, and son, Sagi, have served in the Israeli Army. Geula is an award-winning Hebrew educator and teaches Hebrew at Torah High.
Myla worked at the Brandeis-Bardin Institute in song leading and administrative capacities for some three decades. She served as a song leader for the JCC summer camp for seven years. She and her husband, Lou Rosen, just returned from a trip to Israel to visit their daughter, Adira (my granddaughter), who is completing a year of study at the Pardes Yeshiva in Jerusalem.
We will hear songs reflecting the love of country: “Ma Yafim Halaylot” (How Beautiful Are the Nights), “V’ulai”(Perhaps), “Ein Li Eretz Acheret “(I Have No Other Land); songs of romantic love: “Yesh Li Gan” (I Have a Garden), “El Ginat Egoz” (To the Nut Grove); a military song: “Shir Hapalmach” (Song of the Palmach); songs of hope: “Machar” (Tomorrow), “Bashana Habaya”” (In the Coming Year), “Eli, Eli” (My God, My God); and one of the many songs about Jerusalem: “Sisu Et Yerushalayim” (Rejoice in Jerusalem).
These presentations are informal and you are invited to hum or sing along with the songs you know. You might even want to get up and dance.
The next three-part series of Treasures from the Music Collection will feature music from the Holocaust. It will be co-sponsored by We Are The Tree of Life, Jacqueline Simha Gmach, founder and director. The dates will be: Songs of The Ghettos, April 27; Music from Terezin, May 11; Music Composed by Refugees, June 1.