LA JOLLA, California — One of the most joyous holidays in the Jewish calendar, Purim, the Feast of Lots, is celebrated by reading the Megilla of Esther, eating Hamantashen, imbibing, and singing songs about the holiday.
Three familiar songs “Chag Purim (Purim Holiday),” “Shoshanas Yaakov (The Rose of Jacob),” and Abraham Goldfaden’s “Heint Iz Purim Brider (Today is Purim, Brothers),” will be part of the dozen selections for this coming Thursday’s Treasures from the Music Collection of the Astor Judaica Library.
This is the first in a three-part series of Jewish Holiday Music presentations. The April 3 presentation will feature Pesach music and the June 5 program will be Shavuot music.
The February 20, 2 p.m. recorded concert, hosted and curated by me, will have as guest, Rabbi Yael Ridberg, spiritual leader of the Reconstructionist Congregation, Dor Hadash. Rabbi Ridberg has not only been active in her congregation for the past 14 years, but has contributed greatly to the community at large, serving on the boards of the San Diego Jewish Academy, several times as the chairperson; Jewish Family Service and the Jewish Federation. She is a member and has served as chair of the San Diego Rabbinical Council. She is a sought-after teacher and lecturer for the Melton Program, the JCC Lecture Series and Federation’s Women’s Philanthropy.
Her inspiring commentary and beautiful singing has contributed to several Yom Hashoah
programs at the JCC. Her articles have appeared in Times of Israel, Huffington Post and Kveller as well as in The Guide to Jewish Reconstructionist Practice. She will be retiring from her rabbinical post this year.
Other songs on the playlist for the Purim Music program will include Zeji Ozeri singing the Hebrew ditty, “Leitzan Katan (Little Clown).” Ozeri was recently seen starring in his Emmy-award film, El Centro, at the International San Diego Jewish Film Festival. The great Ladino singer, Flory Jagoda, will be heard in a Ladino Purim song, “El Dija de Purim (The Day of Purim).” Debbie Friedman will be singing “Once There Was A Wicked Man.” There will be a reggae rendition of Cantor Steve Richard’s song, “Haman,” and the four young Haas sisters will sing “Ani Purim (I Am Purim),” and “Hayom Purim Lanu (Today is Our Purim).”
One recording by Ray Middleton, relates, in music and lyrics by Gerald Marks, the story of Purim. The program will conclude with the beautiful voice of Herb Strauss intoning “Chag Purim,” and “Utzu Etza (They Have Devised Schemes).”
Over a period of 17 years, volunteer Ted Parker and I have been sorting and cataloguing Jewish sheet music, books and recordings which now constitute the Music Collection of the Astor Judaica Library. The past three years, we have been presenting these Treasures programs, recorded concerts with commentary, using this wonderful collection as our main resource.
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Eileen Wingard is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts.
1 thought on “Presentation of Purim Recorded Music at the JCC on Thursday, Feb. 20”
MONIQUE KUNEWALDER
i am very much looking forward to attending your always inspiring event, dearest EILEEN!!
i am very much looking forward to attending your always inspiring event, dearest EILEEN!!