Ashkenazi Rap

This week, the students spent time writing lyrics for a rap song about the Ashkenazi Jews. I have compiled them, revising a few of the stanzas for rhyme and rhythm, and the completed song is below.  This Sunday, we will be recording the song during one session, between 9:00 and 11:30 a.m.  Here are the lyrics so you can practice!

Lyrics to the Ashkenazi Rap:

I'm an Ashkenazi Jew

From France and Germany

But I didn't always live there

I'm from Jerusalem, you see!

First we were the Hebrews

Then the Israelites became

Who then were the Jews

We're one and the same!

When the Romans came to rule

We traveled far and wide

As traders, sailors, slaves

For the work we could provide

But those darned Romans!

Once they came along

They destroyed the Temple

Which is why we sing this song.

For thousands of years

All Jews were the same

Now we had to move out,

Travelers we became!

Peddlers, bankers, artisans,

We travelled all around.

Our sukkot were everywhere

Till Rhineland we found.

So we moved into Germany

 And Northern France,

After traveling far and wide,

Thought we’d give the place a chance.

As we settled in,

We spoke Ashkenaz

It's the most awesome language

That there ever was. 

We know it now as Yiddish 

And we speak it all around

 It's German and it’s Hebrew

And it has a funny sound!

Unlike our brothers

the Sephardim,

We lived in shtetles

Ruled by Parnasim

The Parnasim, 

They created the Kahals

Who collected taxes

and ate matzah balls!

We built our synagogues

in our own communities

We were happy on our own,

With love and unity.

But in 1096,

There came along a man

A Pope called Urban

Who wanted the Holy Land.

He called upon the Christians

To take up arms and fight

These were the Crusades,

and for Jews they were a fright!

In the early eleven hundreds

The Crusaders came through town

They wanted all the Muslims

And were tracking them down.

They called them infidels

For their Muslim beliefs

But the Jews were also different,

Which was no relief.

In old town Speyer,

Some folks did attack the Jews

But our savior was the Bishop

Who gave us refuge.

But we practiced our religion 

 So it wouldn't disappear,

Despite the persecution

 That came year after year.

The times, they were troubled

And the Jews had it rough

But the Ashkenazi Jews

Have learned to be tough.

England and France

Wouldn’t let us remain

So we took down our mezuzahs

And went to the Ukraine

But our Ashkenazi roots, 

They continued to grow,

So today the Ashkenazi Jews 

Are all around the world. Yo!

Chag Sameach!


I am excited to start this new year with your child! Hopefully I have met most of you, my name is Alissa and I will be teaching alternate Sundays this year. Please come and say hello, I look forward to getting to know your family throughout the year. I am also a parent, my daughter, Eden, is in our class.

Last week we learned about the Ashamnu, and the kids came up with their own lists of "sins" to atone for. The goal was to write one sin for each letter of the alphabet. While it was a fun assignment, the discussion was very thoughtful and honest. The kids came up with a range of answers, everything from "annoying" to "xenophobia." Ideas like "underestimating myself and others" and "judging people" led to interesting insights.

The rain on Sunday prevented us from spending time in the Sukkah, but the class learned (and performed) the "Sukkot Shake." I've added the videos below, they didn't have much time to practice, but they did a great job! I apologize for the quality, we were trying to find a way to rotate the cue cards as they sang, I'll need to find a new method!

I also added video of their music lesson with Revital. They worked on a canon (a round), and the end result was beautiful!


Info/Reminders-

• Next Sunday (October 23rd) JQuest will be at 4:30 p.m. to celebrate Simchat Torah. Classes are from 4:30-5:30, dinner for families at 5:30, and celebration at 6:15. It will be a lot of fun!
• Gold Rush trip on November 6th. This is a unique opportunity to learn about Jewish immigration to the West Coast. Look for information in an email.
• The Maccabeats will be at Acalanes on November 13th. Both the day and evening show are sold out, but they will release more tickets closer to the event.

Ivrit (Hebrew)

Music with Revi

Sukkot Shake Session 1 (part 1 and 2)
https://youtu.be/IZTjG0FuNyk

https://youtu.be/TN28c8mWE8A

Sukkot Shake Session 2

Music Session 1

Music Session 2

L'Shana Tova!

Shalom Shiraniks!

L'Shana Tova Tikatevu!  We have been preparing for the New Year in many ways, learning new tunes for the High Holy Days, cooking holiday treats (honey cake - YUM!),  and learning about ways we can do t'shuvah, or turn our bad habits into good deeds!  Here are a few of the highlights from cooking class.  (And scroll to the bottom for some cool musical links for the High Holidays!)  See you in Temple!

Some of our favorite Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur songs and parodies: 

Enjoy!

Looks like Aish must have seen our JQuest video, and followed our lead!

Mayim Bialik and a couple of her friends from the Maccabeats explain the symbols of the New Year.  (Go to 5:00 in to hear Mayim blow the shofar - she's great!)

A classic.  Barbra sings Avinu Malkeinu.

Israeli cellist Inbal Segev plays Kol Nidre.  (I would have preferred to post a wonderful rendition by our own soloist, Dawn Foster Dodson, but none was to be found on YouTube.)

Six13's offering, "Starting Over" for the New Year

...and the Maccabeats "Book of Good Life"

Enjoy!

Hebrew Happenings and Tefillah Time

L'Shana Tova, Shiraniks!

     We have had a busy couple of weeks getting to know each other, and coming up with our own ideas about what Jewish music actually is.  In the process, we brainstormed Jewish life words, musical words and phrases, and compared and contrasted them.  We discussed "liturgical" (synagogue) vs. secular (non-religious) Jewish music, and touched upon how the various edot (Jewish communities around the world) express their Jewishness musically. 

 We have also been getting back into the swing of our Hebrew Through Movement lessons and weekday and Sunday Tefillah.  Here are a few of the highlights:

The students created lists of musical words and Jewish words, and we compared and contrasted the two.

Smile!

Brainstorming!

IVRIT (HEBREW)

Mora (teacher) Tammy was very impressed with how many Hebrew words and phrases the students remembered from last year.  In her Hebrew Through Movement classes, she teaches new words and phrases in a language immersion lesson, in which the students follow verbal directions. 

In this lesson, Tammy reviews some of the words that the students learned last year - running, walking, window, table, whiteboard, and a few more

The students show their dexterity as they jump, dance AND spin all at once!

Hands on your ears!...or is it eyes?  

Tammy reviews how to write alef

TEFILLAH (PRAYER)

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are right around the corner!  The students are learning the High Holy Days nusach, or special tunes which are sung at this time of year.  We did our own version of tashlich, or the "casting away" of our transgressions, in which the students wrote one or two things that they would like to "turn around" (t'shuvah means to turn, or change direction) or improve upon in the coming year.  We also had a special treat, when Rabbi Levine blew the shofar for us to signal the coming New Year!

We had a special visit from musical guest (Gan Ilan preschool director and amazing songleader) Rachel Mylan!

Why is this music different from all other music?  Nusach is the term we use for the different liturgical "tunes" that we use for prayers during the various holidays,  and even times of day.

Asher Yatzar:  The prayer for thanking God for our wonderful bodies

Our Welcome Back Sunday Tefillah featured all of our wonderful clergy leading us in joyous prayer.

Shalom Shiraniks! Welcome to Shira 2016-17!

Shalom Shiraniks!
Welcome to the brand new 2016-17 school year!  Woot woot! Today, we had a lot of fun getting to know each other, and learning our names. The students and their parents all gathered in the Social Hall for a beginning of the year pancake breakfast (and to collect their cool new JQuest t-shirts!) Erin and Alyssa, who will be co-teaching on Sundays, introduced themselves, and Erin gave a quick overview of what Shira will be doing over the next couple of weeks.  Then, the students shared their own interests and personalities by creating personal name plates and participating in a name game.  Our TA's for each session, Nathan and Daniel, participated in the fun, helping the students come up with fun ways to remember everyone's names.  In Tefillah, Cantor Korn and Rabbis Greninger, Miller, Shanks and Levine (how lucky are we to have so many awesome clergy members!) led us all in prayer, which was topped off with a singalong featuring a JQuest-i-cized version of Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling."  Fun was had by all!  I can't wait to see everyone on Tuesday and Wednesday! Until then, think about this question:  "What makes Jewish Music Jewish?"
- Erin

Oh yeah!  It's gonna be a good year!

"Light Song" is Here!!

Shalom Shiraniks!

Well, it looks like another year has come and gone! We had a very musical, merry journey in 2015-16, and everyone gained some insight into our Jewish history and culture through the lens of Jewish music.  Of course, the crowning jewel of the year is the Shira Music video!  So, without further ado, I present "Light Song" (a parody of Rachel Platten's "Fight Song") for your enjoyment.  (Sorry, there may be ads, which I seem to have no control over.  YouTube is the only format that would accept such a large file).   Just a note:  The blooper reel is soon to follow - look for it, and additional photos and videos of the Shiraniks performing with Billy Jonas at the Spring Fling end of year celebration.  Enjoy!

Production Notes

It's mid-April, and the production of the music video for the kids' parody song, "Light Song" is coming along nicely!  Here are a few shots of the cast and crew in production.