December 28, 2005
Happy Chanukah 4!
Sorry, too tired tonight to find a song for your listening pleasure. Look at the pretty lights instead!
December 27, 2005
Happy Chanukah 3!
Tonight's musical menorah link will take you to a website where you can listen to a 3-hour Jewish music special hosted by Nachum Segal.
December 26, 2005
Happy Chanukah 2!
Befitting the second night of Chanukah, the Plum clan (hat tip Rick DeMent for the nickname) has two reasons to celebrate tonight! First is that it's Chanukah. The second is that someone got engaged today! Congratulations to Jon and Judy on their engagement! In honor of this joyous event, tonight's musical selection will be a Yiddish folk song about a wedding. Click on the menorah to get the song.
December 25, 2005
Happy Chanukah!
Click on the menorah to hear Oy Chanukah, Oy Chanukah. Lyrics below.
Oy Chanuka, Oy Chanuka a yomtov a shener,
A lustiker; a freylicher; nito noch azoyner.
Alle nacht in dredlech,
Shpiln mir, zudik hese latkes, est on a shir.
Geshvinder, tsindt kinder,
Dee deninke lichtelech ohn.
Zingt "Al Hanisim",
Loibt Gott far di nisim,
Un kumt giher tantzn in kohn.
Zingt "Al Hanisim",
Loibt Gott for di nisim.
Un kumt giher tantzn in kohn.
December 10, 2004
Recycling Chanukah 4
I feel so environmentally correct.
Tonight I offer you two related, but ultimately quite different songs about marrying off daughters. The first song, Di Mezinke (the youngest daughter) is a happy song. The father is celebrating the fact that his youngest daughter is getting married.
The second song, Drei Techterlech (three daughters) starts off as a happy song, but becomes quite sad by the end. In this song, the father is initially celebrating the fact that his eldest and middle daughters have gotten married. One line says that "such a joy only G_d knows and those that have daughters." But by the time his youngest daughter gets married, the father is very sad, because now all his children have left home. In one particularly heartbreaking line he says that there are now three empty beds.
December 09, 2004
Recycling Chanukah 3
Another post from last year.
Tonight's musical selection will consist of two songs, mirror images of each other. The first song, sung by Theodore Bikel, is entitled Di Mame Iz Gegangen (Mother is going). It's about a man whose mother went to bring him a maidele fun Polyn (young woman from Poland) for him to marry. He talks about how she is fine and beautiful with black eyes, white teeth, and black hair, and how he loved her for his whole life. This is a song my father used to sing to my mother when they were courting.
The second song, A Yingele Fun Polyn (A young man from Poland), is the flip side of the first. It is about a woman whose mother sends her to buy a basket, to the butcher, to the rabbi, and to market. In the first three places she meets young men who all fall in love with her. At the market, she meets a young man from Poland with burning eyes with whom she falls in love, and she will never love another as long as she lives.
You know what to do.
December 08, 2004
Recycling Chanukah 2
Yes, in the spirit of environmentalism, another recyled post!
Tonight is the second night of Chanukah. Continuing with yesterday's musical selections, I have created another playlist. This one is in honor of my grandmother. 3 of the songs are Yiddish, but 2 are not. They are all, however, songs I used to sing with or to my grandmother, whom I miss very much. You can click either on the menorah or the picture of my grandmother as a young woman to bring up the playlist.
December 07, 2004
Happy Chanukah
Or Chanukkah, Hanukkah, Hanukah, Hannukah, or however you spell it. What with everything that is going on these days, I'm going to do something I've never done before - Recycle blog posts. For the eight days of Chanukah 2004, I will recycle the posts I did for Chanukah 2003. After all, cool animated menorah plus Yiddish songs. Could I improve?
Tonight is the first night of Chanukah. As is usual for me at this time of year, I started singing Jewish folk songs in my head. This reminded me of a time a few years ago when I was in shul on Rosh Hashanah. I was davening away, when suddenly I saw over to my left my favorite singer of folk songs - Theodore Bikel. I could not believe I was davening with Theodore Bikel. And of course the rabbi, knowing who he was, called him up to lead the congregation in a song. Not only was I davening with Theodore Bikel, but I got to hear him sing a song live. This was like a shul dream come true. Suddenly the long hours of stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down melted away. So in honor of that, I am going to share with you a few Jewish folk songs. The first two are actually performed by the Klezmer Conservatory Band (a fine klezmer band and my personal favorite). The last three are sung by Theodore Bikel. Click on the menorah to bring up the page with the songs, and then choose the song you wish to listen to.
Happy Chanukah to all! And a special thanks to BT for introducing me to this fabby program, Soundnails, which allows you to convert MP3s to flash files. No copyright concerns.
UPDATE: It occurs to me I should probably translate the Yiddish for those who have no idea what the song titles mean. Oy Chanukah, Oy Chanukah is pretty obvious. A Freiliche Nacht in Gan Eden means A Joyous Night in the Garden of Eden. Lomir Zich Iberbeten means Let's Make Peace. A balalayka is a Russian musical instrument. Lomir Alle Zingen means Let's All Sing.
December 26, 2003
Oy Chanukah 8
Tonight is the last night of Chanukah. So tonight we shall have two songs to remind us that there are things more valuable than the pure material. The first song, Kum Aher Du Filozof (Come here, you philosopher), is of someone reminding a young man of just that. The young man is a great inventor who is very proud of himself. But, the young man is reminded, there is wisdom to be learned beyond just your inventions.
The second song is one that is probably familiar to even non-Jews, Dona Dona. I'm sure most of us learned the English words (On a wagon, bound for market, lies a calf with a mournful eye. High above him, there's a swallow, winging swiftly through the sky. How the winds are laughing; they laugh with all their might. Laugh and laugh the whole day through and half the summer's night. Dona, dona...) in school. Symbolically, this song represents the plight of the Russian Jews during the pogroms. But also, to me, this song represents freedom of the mind. Calves are easily bound and slaughtered, but those who treasure freedom, like the swallow have learned to fly.
One last happy Chanukah to all!
December 25, 2003
Oy Chanukah 7
For tonight's selections, I went with two dances. No songs to these melodies. The first dance is Der Bosfor, which I believe derives from the Bosphorus. The second is entitled Khasidm Tants (Chasidic Dances). Very Klezmeresque.
December 24, 2003
Oy Chanukah 6
The sixth night of Chanukah. Christmas Eve. Together again. Therefore, for your listening pleasure tonight, a selection of 3 songs about other holidays.
The first song, Mu Asapru (What shall I say), is a song from Passover. Consider it a kind of Jewish version of the 12 days of Christmas, although instead it is only counting up to 7. The question is asked "Who can say, who can tell me what is 1" up to "... what is 7". 1 is G_d, and G_d is 1, and there is no other. 2 are the tablets of the Ten Commandments, 3 are the patriarchs, 4 are the matriarchs, 5 are the Books of Moses, 6 are the books of the Mishnah, and 7 are the days of the week.
The second song, Homentashn (the traditional Purim cookie), is a song about Purim. Homentashn are triangular cookies with fruit filling. The word literally translates into Haman's hat, so a non-Jewish coworker has dubbed them "little hats", and always asks me when it's little hat time again (I bake them every year for Purim). Haman was the villain of the Purim tale (the Book of Esther), and he wore a tri-cornered hat. To celebrate the Purim version of "they tried to kill us; they failed; let's eat", we eat cookies shaped like his hat. We also make a lot of noise whenever his name is said during the annual reading of the Book of Esther.
The last song is a Christmas song. My favorite Christmas song. I love Alvin & The Chipmunks. Be quiet.
December 23, 2003
Oy Chanukah 5
Tonight I took my team out for a nice holiday dinner. We're a small department, only the four of us including myself. We went to a really nice restaurant in Hoboken (shut up) called The Brass Rail and ate and drank heartily. In honor of eating and drinking heartily, tonight's music will feature two songs about that very subject.
The first song, A Sudenyu (A feast), is about what the Jews will do after the Messiah comes. We're going to have a big feast and eat Leviathan. Moses will read the Torah, King Solomon will speak words of wisdom, King David will play music, and Miriam the prophetess (Moses' sister) will dance. The second song, Der Bekher (The goblet), is about drinking wine. L'chaim!
December 22, 2003
Oy Chanukah 4
Tonight I offer you two related, but ultimately quite different songs about marrying off daughters. The first song, Di Mezinke (the youngest daughter) is a happy song. The father is celebrating the fact that his youngest daughter is getting married.
The second song, Drei Techterlech (three daughters) starts off as a happy song, but becomes quite sad by the end. In this song, the father is initially celebrating the fact that his eldest and middle daughters have gotten married. One line says that "such a joy only G_d knows and those that have daughters." But by the time his youngest daughter gets married, the father is very sad, because now all his children have left home. In one particularly heartbreaking line he says that there are now three empty beds.
The latkes I made last night were a big hit at work today. Hopefully the packages I overnighted off to my parents and brother will arrive intact, so they can enjoy them too. Thankfully I have none left, as I would have eaten them all.
I got a huge tin of cookies from a vendor today, which I was having trouble resisting this morning, until I put it out in the pantry for everyone. The box of Godiva chocolates I got from another vendor, though, will not be shared with everyone. I gave away a couple of pieces, but we're talking chocolate now. Ah well, so much for my diet until the New Year. Fortunately I already lost 10 lbs. I hope I don't put too much back on.
December 21, 2003
Oy Chanukah 3
Tonight's musical selection will consist of two songs, mirror images of each other. The first song, sung by Theodore Bikel, is entitled Di Mame Iz Gegangen (Mother is going). It's about a man whose mother went to bring him a maidele fun Polyn (young woman from Poland) for him to marry. He talks about how she is fine and beautiful with black eyes, white teeth, and black hair, and how he loved her for his whole life. This is a song my father used to sing to my mother when they were courting.
The second song, A Yingele Fun Polyn (A young man from Poland), is the flip side of the first. It is about a woman whose mother sends her to buy a basket, to the butcher, to the rabbi, and to market. In the first three places she meets young men who all fall in love with her. At the market, she meets a young man from Poland with burning eyes with whom she falls in love, and she will never love another as long as she lives.
You know what to do.
I'm off to make latkes. A couple of other people have also posted their latkes recipes: Elayne Riggs and Melanie. Enjoy!
December 20, 2003
Oy Chanukah 2
Tonight is the second night of Chanukah. Continuing with yesterday's musical selections, I have created another playlist. This one is in honor of my grandmother. 3 of the songs are Yiddish, but 2 are not. They are all, however, songs I used to sing with or to my grandmother, whom I miss very much. You can click either on the menorah or the picture of my grandmother as a young woman to bring up the playlist.
December 19, 2003
Zudik Hayse Latkes Essen Mir
Meryl has posted her latkes recipe. But, without offense to anyone, I fear that a latkes recipe that uses matzoh meal instead of wheat germ is just not quite as good. Still quite tasty, but lacking that little bit more oomph. I realize this sounds weird, but wheat germ is the way to go (I also have a Lubavitch latkes recipe that backs me up on this). So, without further adieu, my grandmother's latkes recipe (which I now make). This recipe serves four.
Ingredients
Six large potatoes
Two large eggs
Three handfuls of wheat germ
Salt, pepper, and grated onion to taste
Olive oil for frying (this is actually my own twist; my grandmother used canola oil)
Grate potatoes into a large bowl. You can use a food processor, but I prefer to do it by hand. I alternate between the fine and medium textures. I find using some medium texture grating gives the latkes a nice substance. Add wheat germ. Beat eggs in a separate bowl and pour into potato/wheat germ mixture. Add salt, pepper, and grated onion to taste (I must use a food processor to grate the onion; otherwise I can't see).
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Drop one tablespoon of latkes mixture into the oil and flatten. Cook until golden brown on one side, then flip and cook until golden brown on the other. Make sure the edges are nice and crisp too.
Remove cooked latkes from pan and place on paper towel to blot the oil.
Serve with sour cream. Sure, you can use apple sauce, but apple sauce on latkes is, IMO, an offense against G_d and man. Your mileage may vary.
I started using olive oil to fry the latkes after a friend of mine, who happens to be Mexican, introduced me to the fine Mexican dish of potatoes sauteed in olive oil. The olive oil lends a very nice flavor to the latkes without being too overpowering.
Oy Chanukah
Tonight is the first night of Chanukah. As is usual for me at this time of year, I started singing Jewish folk songs in my head. This reminded me of a time a few years ago when I was in shul on Rosh Hashanah. I was davening away, when suddenly I saw over to my left my favorite singer of folk songs - Theodore Bikel. I could not believe I was davening with Theodore Bikel. And of course the rabbi, knowing who he was, called him up to lead the congregation in a song. Not only was I davening with Theodore Bikel, but I got to hear him sing a song live. This was like a shul dream come true. Suddenly the long hours of stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down melted away. So in honor of that, I am going to share with you a few Jewish folk songs. The first two are actually performed by the Klezmer Conservatory Band (a fine klezmer band and my personal favorite). The last three are sung by Theodore Bikel. Click on the menorah to bring up the page with the songs, and then choose the song you wish to listen to.
Happy Chanukah to all! And a special thanks to BT for introducing me to this fabby program, Soundnails, which allows you to convert MP3s to flash files. No copyright concerns.
UPDATE: It occurs to me I should probably translate the Yiddish for those who have no idea what the song titles mean. Oy Chanukah, Oy Chanukah is pretty obvious. A Freiliche Nacht in Gan Eden means A Joyous Night in the Garden of Eden. Lomir Zich Iberbeten means Let's Make Peace. A balalayka is a Russian musical instrument. Lomir Alle Zingen means Let's All Sing.
