Jewish Life: The Old Country

When Eastern European Jews immigrated en masse to the United States in the 1880s and ’90s fleeing Czarist oppression and poverty, they brought with them a body of secular folk songs. Sung in Yiddish by men and women who came here from five villages (with English translations and explanations), this recording archives a lost way of life.

RELATED LESSON PLAN
"Israeli Song and Dance for Middle or High School Ensembles"

Track Listing

101	Am Kodoysh Berish Katz	00:28
102	A-a lyu lyu Dora Wasserman	00:44
103	In a Shtetele Pityepoy F. Feingold	00:38
104	Cheder-Boys’ Taunts from Galicia Unidentified man from Galicia	00:38
105	Vi azoy s'iz nisht git tsu geyn Freda Lobell	01:53
106	Henich's vayb / Of azoy neyt a shnayder (This Is How a Tailor Sews) Rachel Grover-Spivack	00:44
107	Hob ich mir a shpan (I Have a Coach) Feygl Sultan	02:02
108	A redele iz si gore velt (The Whole World Is but a Wheel) Israel Freed	01:46
109	A shadchen darf men kenen zayn (A Matchmaker's Trade Is a Special Skill) Esther Drucker	01:30
110	Vos vilsti Mutter hobn? (What Do You Want from Me Mother?) Ruth Rubin	01:22
111	Indroysn iz fintster (It Is Dark Outdoors) Harry Ary	01:50
112	Fun groys dasad (In Great Pain) Anna Berkowitz	01:34
113	Ich lig unter grattes (I Lie Behind Bars) Harry Ary	02:05
114	Kadril (Quadrille) Fanye Halpern	01:28
115	Betler lid (Beggar Song) Yankl Zipper	01:15
201	Chassidic Tune Avrom Yudin	02:20
202	Husiatiner Melody Yankl Zipper	00:42
203	Chassidic Hopke Avrom Yudin	01:12
204	Az Moshi-ach vet kumen (When the Messiah Comes) Ruth Rubin	03:14
205	Zog mir mayn, shvester (Tell Me My Sister) Rachel Grover-Spivack	01:06
206	Vos shloft ir, ir shlefer? (Why Do You Slumber, You Sleepers?) Feygl Sultan	01:11
207	Di mashines klapn (The Machines Are Clattering) Ruth Rubin	00:47
208	Ver es hot in blat gelezn (Oh Have You Read in the Newspapers?) Mr. Persky	02:35
209	Fraytik inderfri (Friday Morning) Freda Lobell	00:43
210	Zayt mir mezint, chovertes ole (Farewell, All My Friends - The Bride’s Farewell) Rachel Grover-Spivack	01:56
211	Forn forstu fun mir avek (You Are Leaving Me) Ruth Rubin	01:39
212	Five Wedding Tunes on a Fiddle Berish Katz	02:25
213	Shlof mayn kind mayn treyst mayn sheyner (Sleep My Child My Lovely Comfort) Feygl Yudin	03:02