Author: Omer Learning

Omer Learning: Day 41

Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 41 days, which is 5 weeks and 6 days of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

Contributed by: Eva Kleederman. A Story of Jews Finding Each Other After the War Performed by Riki Rose, Song by Yomtov Ehrlich.

This piece really moves me. It never ceases to amaze me the lengths people took after the war to find family members, literally walking to places around Europe where they’d “heard” a relative “might” be.

Rikki Rose left the Satmar community into which she was born to pursue her love of music (and to be free of the strictures of Hasidism), and she has become hugely popular. She sings in Yiddish, Hebrew, and English, and her repertoire ranges from showgirl -style fare to unvarnished balladry. Recently, she has been pairing up with her sister Mimi, who remains pretty frum. In addition to singing together, they do some charming cooking spots, joking around in Yiddish/ English, breaking into Yiddish song and dance while waiting for butter to melt (or whatever), and shedding light on their growing-up in a Satmar household.

Rabbi Yom-Tov Ehrlich (יום-טוב עהרליך) (1914–1990) was a Hasidic musician, composer, lyricist, and recording artist known for his popular Yiddish musicalbums. He was born in Kozhan Gorodok and raised in the nearby Davyd-Haradok, both then part of the Russian Empire. He survived the Holocaust in Samarkand, Soviet Union. In 1946 he left,[1]eventually settling in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York, United States.

Ehrlich was born to a family of Karlin-Stoliner Hasidim.

Some of Ehrlich’s favorite songs were later recorded by other popular Hasidic entertainers, such as Mordechai Ben David, Lipa Schmeltzer, Levy Falkowitz,[2] & Avraham Fried, although Ehrlich himself used Russian classical and folk melodies to accompany his own Yiddish lyrics.

His most popular songs include: “Yakkob”, the tale of a Jew in Uzbekistan during the Holocaust;[3] “Shloof mein kind” (“Sleep, my child”), the song of a Jewish woman who finds a child alone in the woods during the Holocaust; and “Williamsburg”, a song about Hasidic Williamsburg during the 1950s.

Omer Learning: Day 40

Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 40 days, which is 5 weeks and 5 days of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

Contributed by: Anonymous. Overture to MIdsummer’s nights dream. The most amazing classical concert I ever attended was the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra playing Mendelsohnn’s overture to Midsummer NIght’s Dream. by Felix Mendelsohnn.

Felix’s grandfather was a rabbi. Although his parents converted to christianity and he was baptized as a child, according to wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Mendelssohn, he still seems to have identified as Jewish in some way.

A child prodigy, Mendelsohnn played his first concert at age 9 and wrote his first symphony at age 15.

The most amazing classical concert I ever attended was the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra playing the overture to Midsummer NIght’s Dream. Learn More.

Omer Learning: Day 39

Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 39 days, which is 5 weeks and 4 days of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

Contributed by: Howard Shatz. Michtav L’Achi (Letter to My Brother) by Kobi Aflalo and Ely Botner.

A few years ago I stumbled on the Israeli radio station Lev Hamedina, 91 FM (https://www.91fm.co.il/). It plays a wide range of Israeli rock and pop with a good selection of mizrahi music (although I haven’t heard A-WA, at least that I know of). Early on I was floored by a song by Kobi Aflalo and Ely Botner, michtav l’achi, or Letter to My Brother. It’s one of the happiest songs around and the perfect way to head into Shavuot.

The final two lines say it all:
יש חלום שלא נגמר
בסוף הדרך עוד תהיה מאושר

Or:
There is a dream that never ends
At the end of the road you will be happy

Omer Learning: Day 37

Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 37 days, which is 5 weeks and 2 days of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

Contributed by: Paula Levin-Alcorn. Summer Girl by Haim.

This song contains lyrics that allude to the famous lyrics from the song “Lo yisa goy,” popular at Jewish summer camps and Jewish prayer-spaces that sing English songs. That song, which borrows Hebrew from Isaiah (it translates to “Nation shall not lift up sword against nation. They shall study war no more.”) The English verse goes, “Don’t walk in front of me I may not follow/Don’t walk behind me I may not lead/Just walk beside me and be my friend/And together we will walk in the path of Hashem.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haim_(band)'>Learn More.

Omer Learning: Day 35

Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 35 days, which is 5 weeks of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

Contributed by: Martha Shmokler. Always Tomorrow by Gloria Estefan.

I found this song to be so inspirational; it’s one I can always turn to to give me a boost of hope.

Editor’s Note: Estefan got her start playing, among other events, Jewish weddings and B’ Mitzvahs, and remains connected to the Jewish community to this day. Learn More.

Omer Learning: Day 34

Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 34 days, which is 4 weeks and 6 days of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

Contributed by: Eva Kleederman. Venislakh Must by Salomon Sulzer.

This is one of hundreds of YouTubes of the Zamir Chorale of Boston, performing Jewish choral music composed over many centuries. You can learn about the chorale at: https://zamir.org/about/. Check out the podcasts (an entire course!) on the history of Jewish choral music, from King David to the present. Learn More.

Omer Learning: Day 33

Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 33 days, which is 4 weeks and 5 days of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

Contributed by: Jay Cherlow. Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh by Allan Sherman.

This song from 1963 resonates with the Jewish community, at least the part centered around New York, because of the importance of summer camp. And, of course, Allan Sherman was Jewish Learn More.

Omer Learning: Day 32

Tonight, after sundown, we count the following day of the Omer:

Today is 32 days, which is 4 weeks and 4 days of the Omer

How to: the blessings and procedure for counting the Omer.

From Our Community:

Contributed by: Omer Bot. Superman (For Alon, the Hostages, and their families) by John Ondrasik (Five for Fighting).

I just read about this today in an ADL newsletter and found the song and accompanying video very moving, especially since John Ondrasik is not Jewish: Grammy-nominated singer John Ondrasik, aka Five For Fighting, has rerecorded his hit song “Superman” to bring attention to the Israeli hostages in Gaza, focusing on Alon Ohel. Inspired by a photo of Alon in a Superman costume, Ondrasik worked with Alon’s family to create a powerful new version of the song. He’s also written another song for the hostages and performed in Hostages Square. The updated “Superman” offers a message of hope, with a video featuring footage from Hostages Square and Alon’s family. Both Ondrasik and Alon’s mom are emphasizing the importance of unity and remembering the hostages. Learn More.

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