A concert for TIKKUN OLOM
with the
Wholesale Klezmer Band

On two evenings during the winter and spring of 1995, The Wholesale Klezmer Band performed a special concert of Yiddish music. Funds raised by the "Concert for Bosnia" were sent to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee for non-sectarian relief work in Bosnia and Rwanda. Some of the material in this program was written specifically for the concert. Other songs and stories which were already part of our repertoire fit right in with what we wanted our music to say for this occasion.

In June, 1996 we will be performing essentially the same material in a "Concert for Peace and Reconciliation" at the Conference on Judaism in Rural New England. The theme of the conference is to be peace and reconciliation among Jews, a response to the conflicts that led to and emerged from the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzkhak Rabin. (We were scheduled to perform one of the songs in this program, "Avrom Tate" at a reception that was to follow Rabin's speech at the General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations last November, and which was cancelled following the assassination.) [Prayer for a Broken World CD cover]

The Wholesale Klezmer Band has now completed a recording of this concert, which was released under the title, "Tfile far a tsebrokhene velt," "Prayer for a Broken World" late this spring. We would like to present this material to as many audiences as possible, and welcome inquiries. We would like our music to support continued relief efforts by Jewish organizaitons in Bosnia and Rwanda, and work towards peace, reconciliation and justice by the organizations of your choice. The Wholesale Klezmer Band can offer helpful advice for any group that would like to plan and organize such concerts.

The text of the program booklet from the original "Concert for Bosnia" appears below. Included are the complete texts of some of the songs. A pdf copy of the CD booklet can be downloaded at www.ganeydn.com/pdf/OYF-004-Tfile-booklet.pdf

TFILE FAR A TSEBROKHENE VELT
Thou shalt not stand idly by
THE CONCERT FOR BOSNIA

Prayer for a Broken World

"In my opinion, Bosnia-Herzegovina was a country where people belonged to different ethnic groups and adhered to different religions. They were living together and set an example of a created civil coexistence, cooperation, and mutual enrichment. To my mind, what was an issue in Bosnia-Herzegovina was not so much a comflict among the individual groups, but rather a conflict between the principle of civil coexistence and the principle of ethnic superiority, ethnic purity, and pure nationalism.

"Three groups are fighting each other there, and the world has been negotiating with them. However, there is a fourth group. This is the one consisting of people who do not want any war; they just want to live together as citizens. Nobody has been negotiating with them. Nobody has been talking with them, because they don't have guns.

"It is depressing to see the behavior of the democratic world; there is a tendency to agree to the division of Bosnia-Herzegovina. This amounts to a denial of the very values underlying the democratic world. This is particularly true of Europe, where it means a denial of the very principle on which European integration is based. Precise and perfect ethnic group border lines in that country would have to go across every village, every family, and every person."

Vaclav Havel
poet, playwright,
President of the Czech Republic
September 30, 1994


The Bosnia/Rwanda Benefit Concert Committee of
Temple Israel
and
The Jewish Weekly News of Western Massachusetts
Present
The WHOLESALE KLEZMER BAND
Saturday, January 14th, 1995
Temple Israel, Greenfield, MA


Program


Remarks..........Tom Bales
Kolo dance from Bosnia..........instrumental
Avrom Tate..........words & music by Yosl Kurland
Milkhome Medley..........instrumental
Dremlen Feyglekh..........a lullabye from the Holocaust
Der Yidisher Soldat in di Trentshes..........instrumental
Tsurik fun der milkhome aheym..........instrumental
The Spear and the Needle..........Poem by Alexander Shteynbarg,
..........translated from Yiddish by Yosl Kurland

Rumanian Khosidl..........instrumental
The Magic Ring/Bosnian tune..........story/instrumental
Kadsheynu..........Sabbath morning prayer
A Tfile far Bosnia..........words & music by Yosl Kurland
Hineni..........instrumental, music by Sherry Mayrent
The Chassidic Kaddish (from the conclusion of Ne'ilah)..........
..........traditional prayer, music by Yossele Rosenblatt


· Intermission ·


The second half of the program will begin with Havdala, the traditional prayer that separates sacred time from normal time, and proceed to Wholesale's usual blend of lively freylekh dance tunes and Yiddish folk and vaudeville songs.

Program Notes

Prayer for Bosnia (the title has since been changed to Tfile far a tsebrokhene velt, (Prayer for a Broken World) because its meaning applies to more than one place where the world needs to be repaired) was written in response to the question of how G-d can permit atrocities to happen, such as the Holocaust during the Nazi era, and genocide in Bosnia and Rwanda today.

I once read an interview with Isaac Bashevis Singer in which he said that perhaps G-d is a little G-d, not as powerful as we imagine, not powerful enough to stop evil. This thought actually dovetails with a traditional kabbalistic Jewish concept of " tikkun olam"-the idea that we are partners with G-d in the creation and perfection of the world, that by fulfilling G-d's commandments, we participate in the repair of the imperfect and uncompleted world that G-d created. So how does G-d permit atrocities? In my way of thinking, G-d doesn't. But denying permission to commit atrocities doesn't prevent people from committing atrocities. The only way G-d can stop evil is by commanding us to stop evil, and evil will be stopped only if we listen and do something about it.

This prayer, in Yiddish mixed with loshn koydesh, (the sacred tongue, or Hebrew), can have several meanings read into it. First, it is a mocking picture of G-d (something that can perhaps be lovingly done only in Yiddish) as "Father", who is ironically, too busy making things, or too powerless, to look after his children's real needs. Second, it is a deep appreciation of the beauty of creation, even while the enjoyment of that beauty is marred for us by the existence of atrocities (a reminder that the former Yugoslavia is an extraordinarily beautiful land.) And finally, the acceptance of the way G-d's goodness really works, through people listening and following G-d's commandments to participate in healing a flawed world.

The Prayer for Bosnia is placed in this program between " Kadsheynu" a traditional prayer in which we express joy in the opportunity to fulfill G-d's commandments, and an instrumental prayer called " Hineni," or "Here I am."

[Hineni album cover] "Hineni" is a phrase that resonates very strongly in Jewish life. In the Torah, it is what people answer when G-d calls to them. It is also the first word of the prayer chanted by the person leading the important prayers during Rosh Hashono and Yom Kippur , the designated representative of the congregation who stands on their behalf before G-d. "Hineni" is also what G-d answers when we ask to be heard. This medley, the title track of a new recording of WKB clarinettist Sherry Mayrent's original music, is her attempt to describe in musical terms how as musicians we stand before our audiences and attempt to draw both them and ourselves nearer to G-d, and how as human beings we need to stand and take responsibility for " tikkun olam," the repair of the world.

The final prayer in part one of tonight's performance is the Kaddish, perhaps the most repeated prayer in Jewish liturgy. An expression of praise for G-d and of hopes for peace, it is used to mark transitions between parts of a service. The melody we are using here is the one sung at the end of Yom Kippur, and its traditional purpose is to raise people's spirits at the end of the most solemn day of the Jewish calendar.

We begin the second half of our program with Havdala, the ceremony that separates sacred time from ordinary time. It marks both the end of the Sabbath, and the end of the serious part of our program. Following Havdala, the Wholesale Klezmer Band performs songs in a lighter vein, as well as traditional Jewish dance music. You are welcome to dance in the aisles if there is room.

Yosl Kurland & Sherry Mayrent

The American-Jewish Joint Distribution Committee

The Joint Distribution Committee, founded in 1914, has carried out many projects aiding Jewish refugees and Jewish communities in lands where Jewish life is difficult. When the war in the former Yugoslavia erupted, the JDC organized convoys to evacuate the Jews of Sarajevo, along with Christians and Moslems who did not want to be part of the fighting. According to a JDC report, "Sarajevo's remaining Jews indicated, in addition to their wish to perpetuate their 500 year old community, they felt an obligation to continue their important role of providing aid to both their Muslim and Christian neighbors. For, as an acknowledged neutral party, the Jews of former Yugoslavia have been able to secure the trust of all the warring factions, and they have been able to get relief and rescue convoys through the lines when no one else could."

The Sarajevo Jewish community, aided by the JDC, operates, on a non-sectarian basis, three pharmacies, distributing medical supplies at no charge, first aid stations, a system of "home hospitalization," and soup kitchens.

In addition to the effort in Bosnia, tonight's concert is also supporting a project of the JDC to aid refugees from the war in Rwanda.


The Wholesale Klezmer Band

The Wholesale Klezmer Band has, since 1982, performed both in the traditional context of providing music and dance leadership for Jewish weddings and other simkhes, on the concert stage, and at school and college educational programs. Credits include performances and workshops at the Conference on Judaism in Rural New England, Conference for the Advancement of Jewish Education, the New England Festival of Folk Arts (NEFFA), a Celebration of Folk Music for the 100th anniversary of Carnegie Hall hosted by Pete Seeger, and at the Inauguration of President Clinton. Their repertoire includes music for dance, traditional Yiddish folk songs, and Yiddish theater and vaudeville songs, including original compositions.

The Wholesale Klezmer Band consists of Joe (Yosl) Kurland, (vocals and fiddle), Sherry Mayrent (clarinet), Owen Davidson (accordion, banjo, guitar), Lynn Lovell (bass viol), Brian Bender (trombone), Richie Davis (percussion), and Peggy Davis (flute & vocals)

The Wholesale Klezmer Band can be reached in Colrain, Massachusetts, at 413-624-3204.


THE SONGS:

Avrom Tate

words and music copyright © 1991 by Yosl Kurland

Avrom Tate is a midrash on the story of Isaac and Ishmael, the two sons of Abraham. (Midrash is the Jewish tradition of teaching by imaginatively developing a Torah story.) According to Torah, Ishmael “made sport” of Isaac, whose mother asks Abraham to send the older boy away. “How can I send the boy away?” asks Abraham. “He is my own son.” But G-d tells Abraham not to worry, that although Isaac is to be his heir, Ishmael, too, will be the father of a great nation. Tradition tells us that Ishmael became the ancestor of the Arab people.

In this midrash, Isaac, though relieved that he is no longer being beaten, laments that his absent brother must hate him. He tries to imagine what has become of Ishmael, and what would happen if they should meet again. As he becomes older he tells his own son, Srilik (the Yiddish nickname for Israel), and Ishmael’s children to end the conflict that has continued through generations.


Avrom, Avrom, Avrom, tate, vos hostu gemakht?
Host avekgeshikt mayn bruder, vos hot fun mir gelakht.
Host avekgeshikt dem bruder, mayn eyntsikn baglayter,
Gelozt mikh elent, eynzam, in der umetiker nakht.

Emes, makht er khoyzik fun mir, un shlogt mir oykh in kop,
Blutik ver ikh teglikh, tate, shtupt er mir arop.
Ikh hob gehoft er zol mir vern, sof-kol-sof mayn fraynt.
Lehabe vet er hobn mir nor faynt.


Oy Yishmoyel, oy mayn, bruder, vu bistu gelofn?
Iz vu-zhe vest zikh valgeren, un vu-zhe vestu shlofn?
Vu-zhe vest zikh valgeren, mit velkhe fremde layt?
Un vos-zhe voltstu mir gezogt, volst zikh mit mir getrofn?
Gedenkst, flegst makhn khoyzik un flegst shlogn mir in kop?
Gedenkst di alte teyg ven flegst shtupen mir arop?
S'vet vern fun dir a mekhtike ume, Kakosuv batoyre,
Un ikh vel, tomid, hobn far dir moyre.

Srulik, Srulik, Srulik, zindl, vos-zhe vestu ton?
Dem feters kinder shteyen akegn mit a griner fon.
Dem feters kinder shteyen akegn, gekumen iz di tsayt,
Ven keyner iz mishtadl zikh nit, di milkhome firt zikh on.
Kinder, di yerushe fun ayer zeydn kumt mit shrek.
Dos mishugos, oy Gotenyu, s'zol nemen shoyn an ek.
Vos far a modne fargenign hot ir fun ayer faynt?
Vert-zhe kinder tsvishn zikh shoyn fraynt.
Kinderlekh, Vert tsvishn zikh shoyn fraynt.


Avrom, Avrom, Avrom, papa, what have you done?
Sent away my brother, because he laughed at me,
Sent away my brother, my only companion,
Left me alone and lonesome in the empty, cheerless night.

True, he ridiculed me and hit me in the head,
Everyday I became bloody, he pushed me down too.
I hoped that one day he might become my friend,
But from now on, he'll only hate me.

Oh, Ishmael, oh my brother, where have you run to?
Where will you wander, and where will you sleep?
Where will you wander, among which foreign people?
And what ever would you say to me, should we cross each other's paths?
Remember when you used to ridicule me and hit me in the head?
Remember the old days when you used to push me down?
"Out of you will come a great nation," so it is written in the Torah,
And I will forever live in fear of you.

'Srulik, 'Srulik, 'Srulik, my son, what will you do?
Your uncle's children stand against you, beneath a green flag.
Your uncle's children stand against you, and now the time has come,
If no one intercedes, the war will go on.
Children, the inheritance from your grandfather comes with terror.
This craziness, oy dear G-d, must come to an end already.
What kind of weird pleasure do you get from your hatred?
Children, make friends with each other already!
Come, children, make friends with each other already!

Dremlen Feyglekh af di Tsvaygn

Words by Leah Rudnicki 1916- 1943 Music by Leyb Yampolski


Es dremlen feyglekh oyf di tsvaygn,
Shlof mayn tayer kind.
Bay dayn vigl, oyf dayn nare
Zitst a fremder un zingt:
Lyu-lyu, lyu-lyu, lyu.

S'iz dayn vigl vu geshtanen
Oysgeflokhtn fun glik.
Un dayn mame, oy dayn mame,
Kumt shoyn keyn mol nit tsurik.
Lyu-lyu, lyu-lyu, lyu.

Kh'hob gezen dayn tatn loyfn
Unter hogl fun shteyn,
Iber felder iz gefloygn
Zayn faryosemter geveyn.
Lyu-lyu, lyu-lyu, lyu.


Birds go to sleep on branches,
So sleep my dear child.
At your cradle, at your little nest,
Sits a stranger and sings,

Lyu-lyu, lyu-lyu, lyu.


It was here your cradle stood,
Surrounded with happiness,
And your mama, oy, your mama,
Will never return again.

Lyu-lyu, lyu-lyu, lyu.


I saw your father running,
Under a hail of stones,
Over the fields his
Orphaned tears flew.

Lyu-lyu, lyu-lyu, lyu.

Kadsheynu

Traditional Sabbath morning prayer from the Musaf Amidah

Kadsheynu b'mitzvosekho v'seyn khelkeynu b'sorosekho.
Sabeynu mituvekho, v'samkheynu b'yeshuosekho.
V'taher libeynu l'ovdekho b'emes.

Sanctify us with your commandments and grant our portion in your law.
Give us abundantly of your goodness and let us rejoice in your salvation.
Purify our hearts to serve you in truth.

Prayer for Bosnia (Prayer for a Broken World)
Tfile far a tsebrokhene velt

Words and music © copyright 1995 by Yosl Kurland

Bashomayim, tsvishn volkns, vern shtern geboyrn,
Nenter in a shkheynish land, vern kinder farloyrn.
Tif in shvartstn ek fun kholel, vern zunen farbunden,
Un in troyerike shtet, s'kindhayt vert farshvunden.

Dayne kinder kemfn, krign, koyln zeyer brider,
Dervayl zingt men oyf bloye teyg, retsikhedike lider.
Tsvishn ongemolte berger, shtarbn farveynte shtetlekh,
Unter harbst-farroytlt beymer, faln layt vi bletlekh.


Ziser tate, bist farnumen, du makhst undz sheyne likht,
V'kid'shonu b'mitzvosov, mir zoln dayne velt farrikhtn.

Borekh ate, ziser tate, du makhst undz sheyne likht,
V'kid'shonu b'mitzvosov, mir zoln dayne velt farrikhtn.


In the heavens among clouds, stars are being born,
Nearby in a neighboring land, children are being lost.
Deep in the darkest corners of space, suns become bound together.
And in sad cities, childhood itself becomes lost.

Your children argue, fight, and kill each other,
While people sing on sunny days songs of hatred.
Between painted mountains, tearful cities die.
Under autumn-reddened trees, people fall like leaves.


Dear G-d, you are so busy, making pretty lights for us,
And you have sanctified us with your commandments,
That we should fix the world you created.

Blessed art thou Dear G-d, you make pretty lights for us,
And you have sanctified us with your commandments,
That we should fix the world you created.

Words and music © copyright 1995 by Yosl Kurland

Bring the Tfile concert to your community

Please email us and tell us what you think of this program or if you would like your community to host a "Prayer for a Broken World" concert. We can help you with organizing ideas.

To find more information on the recording based on this concert, see Recordings.

To find out more about the Wholesale Klezmer Band go back to the Gan Eydn home page.

The Wholesale Klezmer Band is available for public and private performances. For information and bookings, call:

Joe Kurland 413-624-3204
Or write to: The Wholesale Klezmer Band at
Gan Eydn, Adamsville Road, Colrain, MA 01340
email: wkb@ganeydn.com

About this Website

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