CONTEMPORARY YIDDISH AND NORTH AMERICAN SONGS FOR

OH HANUKKAH hKwnj ,ywa OY, KHANIKE27 Oh Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah ,hKwnj ,ywa ,hKwnj ,ywa Oy, khanike, oy, khanike, Come light the menorah. ,r[nyyç aæ bwfAµwy aæ A yontef a sheyner, Let’s have a party, ,r[k[lyyrp aæ ,r[qyfswl aæ A lustiker, a freylekher, We’ll all dance the . !r[nywzaæ ˚a;n a;fyn Nito nokh azoyner!

Gather round the table, ldyyrd ˜ya fkaæn [laæ Ale nakht in dreydl We’ll give you a treat — ,rym ˜lyPç Shpiln mir, S’vivon to play with, s[qfaæl [syyh [çyrp Frishe heyse Latkes to eat. ≥rym ˜s[ Esn mir.

And while we ,rdywwç[g Geshvinder, Are playing ,r[dnyq ,fdnyx Tsindt, kinder, The candles are burning low. ≥˜a; ˚[l[fkylAhKwnj yd Di khanike-likhtelekh on. One for each night, r[dnwzaæb r[d[y la;z Zol yeder bazunder They shed a sweet light, r[dnWww µ[d ˜[gnyzaæb Bazingen dem vunder To remind us of days long ago. ≥˜a;q ˜ya ˚[lyyrp ˜znaæf ˜wa Un tantsn freylekh in kon.

27. Yiddish from Yontefdike Teg, Song Book for the Jewish Holidays, Workmen’s Circle, 1985. The English version is not a literal translation.

I HAVE A LITTLE

I have a little dreidel, It has a lovely body, I made it out of clay. With leg so short and thin. And when it’s dry and ready, And when it gets all tired, Then dreidel I shall play. It drops and then I win.

Chorus: (Chorus again) Oh dreidel, dreidel, dreidel, My dreidel’s always playful, I made it out of clay; It loves to dance and spin, And when it’s dry and ready, A happy game of dreidel, Then dreidel I shall play. Come play, now let’s begin.

(Chorus again)

10 LIGHT ONE CANDLE28 by Peter Yarrow for the Maccabee children, for thanks that their light didn’t die. Light one candle for the pain they endured, when their right to exist was denied. Light one candle for the terrible sacrifice, justice and freedom demand. But light one candle for the wisdom to know when the peacemakers’ time is at hand. THE HANUKKAH Chorus: Don’t let the light go out. CEREMONY It’s lasted for so many years. Don’t let the light go out. Brachot Let it shine through our love and our tears. Songs Light one candle for the strength that we need to never become our own foe. Light one candle for those who are suffering the pain we learned so long ago. Light one candle for all we believe in, that anger not tear us apart. Light one candle to bind us together, with peace as a song in our heart. What is the memory that’s valued so highly, that we keep it alive in this flame? What’s the commitment to those who have died, when we cry out “they’ve not died in vain”? We have come this far always believing that justice will somehow prevail. This is the burden, this is the promise and this is what we will not fail.

28. “Light One Candle” (© 1983, Silver Dawn Music) was written for Peter Yarrow’s singing group, Peter, Paul and Mary, for a Christmas concert in Carnegie Hall that fell on the third night of Hanukkah. Peter’s reflections on folk music, social activism and his Jewish heritage appeared in an interview by Rahel Musleah that appeared in Hadassah magazine, Nov. 1994, p. 44. Permission requested.

THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE The light that shines is the light of love — Lights the darkness from above. It shines on me and it shines on you, Shows what the power of love can do. Folk Music I’m gonna shine my light both far and near. and Freedom BY PETER YARROW28 I’m gonna shine my light both bright and clear. If there’s a dark corner in this land, believe as a Jew and as a human being that I I’m gonna let my little light shine! I have an ethical imperative to look at any circumstance that deprives people of their liberty. Some say “It’s dark, we cannot see” That’s what fuels me. That’s why I write the But love lights up the world for me. songs, why I sing the songs. Some say “Turn around and just go hide” Folk music is a people-to-people expression. It But we have the power to change the tide. doesn’t say, “Look how brilliant a performer that person is.” It says, “You can do this too.” Its Some call life a sad old story power is that it allows inclusiveness. It lets people But we see a world that’s bound for glory. realize we are together, that we care about each The real power is yours and mine, other. In acknowledging that, we say we all matter So let your little light shine! and that we can change the way things are. The Chorus: This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine! whole idea of empowerment, the importance of Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine! that moment of finding a sense of togetherness, is for me a very Jewish concept. — American folksong

BLESSINGS AND SONGS 11 CONTEMPORARY ISRAELI SONGS FOR HANUKKAH29

30 MEE Y’MALEIL lLemæy] ymi WHO CAN RETELL Mee y’maleil g’vurot Yisrael ,laer:c]yI t/rWbG] lLemæy] ymi Who can retell the heroic deeds of Israel?31 Otan mee yimneh? ?hn

29. Songs reprinted by permission of ACUM. 30. Words and music by Menashe Ravina, 20th C. MY CANDLE yli rnE NER LI Israel. 31. The verse from Psalms read originally “Who can (NURSERY SCHOOL SONG) ,yli rnE ,yli rnE Ner li, ner li, retell the heroic deeds of God” but it has been On Hanukkah I will light my rewritten to reflect the secular nationalist views of ≥qyQIdæ yli rnE Ner li dakik. the Zionist pioneers. little candle and sing my hK;nUj}Bæ Ba-Hanukkah songs. ≥qylid]aæ yrInE Neri adlik. hK;nUj}Bæ Ba-Hanukkah ≥ryaiy: yrInE Neri Ya-ir, hK;nUj}Bæ Ba-Hanukkah ≥ryvia; µyrIyvi Shirim ashir. hK;nUj}Bæ Ba-Hanukkah ≥ryaiy: yrInE Neri ya-ir hK;nUj}Bæ Ba-Hanukkah ≥ryvia; µyrIyvii Shirim ashir

vyE yli hY:KinUj} MY HANUKKAH MENORAH32 I have a “hanukkiya” ,vyE yli hY:KinUj} that laughs with fire ≥vaeh; HB; tq

32. Music by Sh. Gluzman and words by N. Melamed. yliv, hY:KinUj} !yli[ }hæ – yli JrE/a

12 THE 33bsø bsø bsø ˜/bybis] HANUKKAH MY DREIDEL S’VIVON, SOV, SOV, SOV! CEREMONY Dreidel, spin, spin, spin! bsø bsø bsø ˜/bybis] S’vivon, sov, sov, sov! Brachot Hanukkah is a happy holiday for the people. b/f gjæ aWh hK;nUj} Hanukkah, hu chag tov; A great miracle happened there. b/f gjæ aWh hK;nUj} Hanukkah, hu chag tov; Songs ≥bsø bsø bsø ˜/bybis] 33. Words by Levin Kipnis. Music by N. Varsano S’vivon, sov, sov, sov. µ[ ;l; aWh hj:m]ci gjæ Chag simcha hu la-am µv; hy:h; l/dg: snE Nes gadol haya sham; µv; hy:h; l/dg: snE Nes gadol haya sham; ≥µ[ ;l; aWh hj:m]ci gjæ Chag simcha hu la-am.

THESE DAYS OF HANUKKAH hK;nUj}hæ ymey] Y’MEI HA-HANUKKAH

We celebrate Wnved;q]mi tKænUj} hK;nUj}hæ ymey] Y’mei Ha-Hanukkah hannukat mikdasheynu the dedication WnBeli ta, µyaiL]mæm] hj;m]cib]W lygIB] B’geel u’vesimcha m’mal-im et libeynu. of our Temple bSøyI WnnE/bybis] µ/yw ; hl;y]læ Lai’la vayom, svivoneiynu yisov day and night. ≥brøl; µB; lkæano t/YnIg:p]Ws Sufganiyot nochal bam larov. We spin the dreidel, Wqylid]hæ Wryaih; Ha-iru, hadliku we eat donuts (sufganiyot) µyBiræ hK;nUj} t/rnE Neirot Hanukkah rabim and light so many candles. t/al;p]NIhæ l[æw ] µySiNIhæ l[æ Al Hanissim v’al hanifla-ot ≥µyBiKæMæhæ Wll]/j rv,a} Asher chollelu Ha-Maccabim!

˜f;q: dKæ ONE LITTLE CRUSE KAD KATAN One little cruse (jug) of oil ,˜f;q: dKæ ,˜f;q: dKæ Kad Katan (2x) Gave its light for eight whole days. ˜tæn: /nm]væ µymiy: hn:/mv] Shmona yamim, shamno natan The whole people were amazed aLePæt]hi µ[:h; lK; Kol ha-am, hit-palei It replenished itself. aLemæt]mi aWh wyl;aEme Mei-eilav hu hit-malei. Then everyone declared: sNEKæt]hi za; µ[:h; lK; Kol ha-am az hit-kaneis That is a miracle! !snE Whz< ,Jaæ .zyrIk]hiw ] V’hichriz: ach, zehu neis! If it hadn’t been for that one cruse of oil, raæv]nI hz< dKæ aleWLai Ee-lu-lei kad ze nishar Our Temple would not have been filled with light. ≥raæWh alø Wnved;q]mi Mikdasheinu lo hu-ar.

BLESSINGS AND SONGS 13 ANU NOSIM LAPIDIM35 µydiyPilæ µyaic]/n Wna; WE ARE CARRYING TORCHES

Anu nosim lapidim µydiyPilæ µyaic]/n Wna; We are carrying torches b’lei-lot afei-lim µylipea} t/lyleB] through dark nights dorchim ha-shvi-lim µyliybiV]hæ µyjir ]/z We tread along paths mi-tachat rag-leinu Wnyleg]ræ tjæTæmi Beneath our feet. u-mi asher lev lo /l ble rv,a} ymiW Whoever has heart, ha-tzamei la-or r/al; ameX;hæ Whoever is thirsty for the light yi-sa et einav wyn:y[E ta, aC;yI Let them raise their eyes v’li-bo ei-leinu la-or r/al; Wnyleae /Bliw ] And their hearts to the light v’ya-vo! !a/by:w ] Let them come! Neis lo kara lanu ≥Wnl; hr:q: alø snE A miracle never happened to us. pach shemen lo matzanu ≥Wnax;m; alø ˜m,v, jPæ No vessel of oil did we find. la-emek halachnu ≥Wnk]læh; qm,[

35. By Aharon Zeev (lyrics) and Mordechai Zeira (music) 36. Genesis 1:3 vrEg:l] Jv,j WnaB; Anu Nosim Lapidim — ≥vrEg:l] Jv,j WnaB; No Miracles Happened Here vaew: r/a WnydEy:B] his militant secularist song was sung by the Zionist pioneers ˜f;q: r/a aWh dj;a, lK; Twho believed that the belief in supernatural miracles (like ≥˜t;yae r/a – WnL;kuw ] the legend of the cruse of oil and the messiah who will come on a !Jv,j hr:Ws white donkey) prevented Jews from trying to redeem themselves. !r/jv] ha;l]h; Thus the song argues that only when Divine miracles were r/ah; ynEP]mi hr:Ws denied, would human beings find the light that is within and ! – create their own world saying, in God’s stead, “Let there be light.” Not prayer but pioneering sweat and blood in the valleys and 34 EXPELLING THE DARKNESS mountains of Eretz Yisrael in the early 20th Century reveal the With fire in our hands we have inner cruse of oil that can illuminate the Jewish future. come to chase away the darkness. This song was central to the Zionist public celebration of Each of us has a small light Hanukkah in the pre-state period. The Independence Day but together we are a powerful light. celebrations after 1948 have absorbed and displaced the public Away with darkness — here processions of pre-state Hanukkah. Independence Day evening begins on Mount Herzl with the lighting of 12 torches by 12 comes the light. citizens representing the history of Zionism. At that time this 34. Sara Levi-Tana wrote this Secular Zionist nursery song “We are carrying torches” is still sung, though religious school song that celebrates the power of human Zionists have objected to its polemical wording. beings to dispel darkness.

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