The weather here in the Bay Area has been soggy, to say the least. However, that hasn't dampened the ruach of our Shira class! On the contrary, most of the students have been showing up regularly, despite whatever precipitation Mother Nature has been throwing at us! (The only downside is that the Ga Ga pit is now Lake GaGa, and is currently out of commission.) We have been enjoying indoor hafsakah, with a variety of games and activities that have enabled the students to get to know each other a bit better and express their creative side.
This winter, we have been covering the history, culture and music of the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe. Our unit included lessons in Yiddish, daily life in the shtetl, and of course, klezmer music. The unit culminated in a special presentation on February 3rd, in which Josh Horowitz, an expert on Klezmer music, came to teach the students about the role of klezmer in the traditional Ashkenazi Jewish wedding ceremony. It was a lively, entertaining presentation, and the students enjoyed it quite a bit!
, we began learning about American Jewish history and culture. (Yes, we have a homegrown vibrant Jewish culture of our own!) Among other sources of information, we have been watching a wonderful documentary called The Jewish Americans. The students are very engaged in the video, asking questions about the various waves of Jewish immigration to the U.S.A. and commenting on the hardships and opportunities that the new immigrants found here. We have been learning some Yiddish, and have even written a song parody about one of the Jewish immigrants, Ann Solomon. Using the notes they have taken from the film, each class wrote two stanzas of lyrics for a song that parodies the old "Beverly Hillbillies" theme song. Here is what they came up with (feel free to sing along with the new lyrics to the attached video of the original!)
The Ballad of Ann Solomon
by the Shira Class of 2019
(A Parody of “The Ballad of Jed Clampett”)
TUESDAY’S LYRICS:
Come and listen to my story about a girl named Ann,
A poor Prussian Jew who moved to Pennsylvania-land.
Then one day she hopped on a train
She took her Jewish values and began her reign.
(spoken): In Pueblo Viejo, that is…now that’s Solomonville
Well, the first thing you know she built a trading post.
Then came a hotel where she was a great host.
She said, “Arizona is the place you ought to be!”
Then, Ann founded a bank where you put your money.
(spoken): Investments, that is…Checkbooks and savings and such.
WEDNESDAY’S LYRICS
At the beginning, she was really, really sad
She hired a Chinese cook because it was really rad.
She bought some land where she raised a lot of sheep
And throughout her life, her traditions she did keep!
Jewish, that is…shabbat, the mitzvot…the whole megillah!
A woman of valor, five children she raised.
Ann kept her Jewish values and God she praised.
Her kids kept the faith and they all married Jews,
So she moved to L.A., for some culture she could use!
(spoken): Los Angeles, that is…swimming pools, movie stars!
Ann Solomon! A Woman of Valor in America!
For those of you not familiar with the tune, here it is:
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