By Eileen Wingard
LA JOLLA, California — Abraham Goldfaden’s beautiful melody, Rozhinkes Mit Mandlen, opened the Jewish Poets of the Past program, in an arrangement for violin and viola, in which my daughter Myla Wingard played violin, and I played the viola. This presentation, March 5, at the Astor Judaica Library of the Lawrence Family JCC, featured the works of Abraham Goldfaden and Emma Lazarus.
Elisheva Edelson gave a brief summary of the life of Goldfaden, founder of the Yiddish Theater. She also spoke about her 1991 trip to Rumania, where she participated in a gathering in Bucharest, celebrating the Yiddish Theater. As a participant, she sang in the building where Goldfaden first directed a performance of one of his satirical pieces. Becca Myers, who recently graduated from Brandeis University and grew up singing leading roles in JCompany musicals, sang Di Yiddishe Hofnung, a work Goldfaden wrote in honor of the first Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland in 1897. The young actress-singer projected the Yiddish words with passion and authentic diction. David Gmach and Lana Schaffer followed with two challenging laments, Faryomert, Farkglogt , about the Jew being rejected where ever he turned, and Shabes, Yom Tiv Un Rosh Khodesh, from the operetta, Shulamit, which compares Shulamit’s eternal love of Absolem to her religious devotion.
The audience next joined in for a rousing chorus of the joyous, Haynt Iz Purim, Brider, in honor of the forthcoming holiday. Monique Kunewalder was the sympathetic piano collaborator for the opening four songs.
Elisheva Edelson soloed with the Ohr Shalom Choir, under her direction, in Dos Pasukh’l from Goldfaden’s last operetta, Bar Kochba. This is an allegory about the people of Israel.
Yiddish, the next selection sung by Edelson, was inspired by Goldfaden’s Rhozinkes Mit Mandlen, with words by Aliza Greenblat and music by Elisheva Edelson. The lyrics speak about the foreign streets where Yidele may wander, yet hope that he will always preserve his Momeloshen (mother tongue), Yiddish.
The first section of the program, concluded with the Ohr Shalom Choir’s impressive rendition of Goldfaden’s most famous song, Rozhinkes Mit Mandeln. All the songs sung by Elisheva Edelson and the Ohr Shalom Choir were accompanied by Edelson on guitar.
The second half of the program began with Myla Wingard’s singing the Max Helfman setting of the Emma
Lazarus poem inscribed on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. She accompanied herself on guitar in Helfman’s dramatic arrangement. Michael Horvitz then presented a summary of Emma Lazarus’ life. Her classical education was evident in the first two poems “Venus of the Louvre,” read by Leean Knetzer, a docent for the San Diego Art Museum, and “Gifts” read by Daniel Warren. This young actor/musician rendered Lazarus’ words with the dramatic fervor of a seasoned Shakespearean performer.
Liba Sherman read “The Jewish Synagogue At Newport,” a poem written by the precocious poet at the age of 18, indicating her longstanding strong Jewish ties. “Echos,” read by Susie Meltzer, revealed the poet’s perception of the limitations of being a woman. “The Feast of Lights,” read by Eli Meltzer, revealed Lazarus’ hopes for a resurrected Jewish people in their homeland, as did “The New Ezekiel,” read by Myla Wingard. “The New Colossus,” from which Lazarus’ most famous lines emanate, was eloquently read by Michael Horvitz. The Ohr Shalom Choir concluded the program with the Irving Berlin setting of the famous excerpt and an additional repetition had the entire audience joining in with the powerful words, as relevant today as when Lazarus wrote them in 1883:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.”
Master of Ceremonies, Joy Heitzmann, thanked Melanie Rubin, Director of Senior and Adult Services and the JCC for all their support. She invited the audience to partake of the reception refreshments, supplied by the members of the Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices Committee.
The Astor Judaica Library was filled to capacity. Among those present was Jana Mzurkiewicz, founder of YAAANA (Yiddish Arts and Academics Association of North America), co-sponsors of the evening. Simon Patlis, a Russian poet who was featured in a past Jewish Poets—Jewish Voices program, was so impressed by Lazarus’ work, that he intends to translate some of her poems into Russian. Daniel Warren wants to familiarize himself with Goldfaden’s music to incorporate into his compositions.
There was an enthusiastic response from all present to the music and words of Abraham Goldfaden and
Emma Lazarus, two important creative figures from the Jewish past.
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Wingard, a retired violinist with the San Diego Symphony, is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. She may be contacted via eileen.wingard@sdjewishworld.com