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!