Behind the Jewish music

Every song has a story, and given the prevalence of Jewish musicians, it’s often a Jewish story. True for ” Hatikvah ” and ” By Mir Bistdu Shoen ,” but also for “White Christmas”—or even “Ave Maria.”

Just ask Steve Singer–or wait until Chanukah, when his new podcast “The Jewish Song Show” starts to trace the history of such songs from their origins on their journey to landmark status. Singer’s goal is to “let the song take us on a wild ride through stories of people, places, language, [and] history,” he said.

“I want to tickle the curiosity of the audience,” Singer continued. He will interview historians and musicologists on his podcast, but, he said, “I want to be educational in a way that doesn’t feel educational. I want to use the best practices of narrative storytelling and amazing music, have well-researched scholarship informing the story being dramatized.”

” By Mir Bistu Shoen ” will be the podcast’s inaugural subject; Singer will recount the song’s journey, from Shalom Secunda’s Yiddish composition to the hit for Sammy Cahn, Benny Goodman, and the Andrews Sisters.

The podcast will likewise explore: why ” Adon Olam ” can be sung to so many melodies; the Japanese popularity of the Israeli song ” U’vshavtem Mayim ,”; the Babylonian origins of ” Hatikvah ,”; the link between ” Hava Nagila ” and the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair; and the Jewish origins of “G-d Bless America.” Listeners will also learn about Jewish composers who collaborated with everyone from Schubert and Liszt to Lionel Hampton and Tito Puente.

Even more insights will be revealed in the podcast’s blog. Both are part of a larger effort of Singer’s called The Jewish Song Project, which will also support educational resources, research opportunities, and live events.

Singer is the founder and musical director of the Listen Up! a cappella ensemble and the conductor of the Chicago chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir, and he leads services at Skokie’s Congregation Or Torah. He discovered his passion for Jewish music when he was a camper at OSRUI and Habonim Camp Tavor.

“Singing Jewish music over 30 years has been a haphazard encounter with my own illiteracy, in terms of where this music comes from,” he explained. “You can plot my own journey towards Jewish connection and education, as a ba’al t’shuvah… moving from ‘I like latkes’ to a more fluent and literate experience.”

His family is musical, too. His wife Rebecca Klein Singer is a member of Listen Up!, and their kids join them for musical YouTube videos titled-what else–The Singers Sing.

One inspiration for the podcast was Jewish-music producer Velvel Pasternak. When Singer sent him a recording of Listen Up!, he listed several songs as “traditional.” Pasternak corrected him–these were songs by known composers, some still living. Singer also credits Jewish music-history lessons from the late Stuart Rosenberg, a Listen Up! producer and early project board member.

“Chasing the story behind a particular song became fascinating,” Singer said. “The people who wrote the song, and the time that the song was written, give you an education about Jewish life in a particular time and place. You have these disparate puzzle pieces; you fit in one piece, and it answers another question. After you lay [more] pieces down, you see connections. Over time, we can develop a deep and enduring understanding of Jewish literacy…through this patchwork approach.”

He added, “Chicago is at the center of a vibrant renewal of Jewish song, from historic voices like Max Janowski and Debbie Friedman to today’s cantors, choirs, and professional ensembles,” Singer noted. “Jewish music is one of the ubiquitous and universal things that has been with us in all the different expressions of Jewish life for millennia. This…isn’t just about music; it’s about using song to build Jewish community, literacy, and pride.”

The Jewish Song Show is an initiative of The Jewish Song Project, Inc. a 501(c)(3) educational not-for-profit corporation dedicated to promoting Jewish literacy through Jewish song. Singer is its Founder and CEO. To learn more, visit jewishsongshow.org or read the blog at jewishsongshow.substack.com. Contact Singer at [email protected] .

Paul Wieder, the former Associate Editor of Jewish Chicago, is a freelance writer and editor based in Chicago.