Song of the Month Archive
Sharing with you the captivating and at times surprising stories behind highly celebrated and less renowned Jewish songs.
March 2015
Hag Purim – The story behind its melody
As Purim, “the Jewish carnival,” arrives, we dedicate the Song of the Month to a very popular Eastern European Ashk
February 2015
La Gallarda matadora
Our Song of the Month is dedicated to Sephardic music and flamenco, two traditions that crystallized in t
November 2014
Likhvod Hatanna Haelokai (In Honor of the Holy Tanna)
History of the Hillula of Rabbi Shim’on Bar Yohai in Mount Meron
September 2014
Shofet Kol Ha'aretz
The piyyut Shofet kol ha’aretz (‘Judge of all earth’) is a center piece of the morning service for Rosh Hashanah in
July 2014
Shir hama’alot - The umbilical cord between liturgical and domestic soundspheres in Ashkenazi culture
German-speaking Jews often used melodies from synagogue services for settings of
June 2014
In Zaltsikn Yam - A Yiddish Workers' Song
In honor of May Day and the tradition of Jewish political radicalism in late nineteenth-century Eastern Europe, our
April 2014
Had Gadya in Israeli Culture
On the eve of Passover, our Song of the Month for April 2014 is dedicated to Had Gadya (Aramaic: One only ki
March 2014
Atah Ehad
The classification of traditional Ashkenazi melodies into clearly defined genres is a difficul
January 2014
Dort wo die Zeder: A Forgotten Zionist Anthem in German
Although the song Hatikvah became the emblematic lyrical signifier of Zionism, other
December 2013
Hanukkah Blessings
Singing the Hanukkah Blessings while lighting the candles is a well-established Jewish family