“I’m still young, I want to live”; even in their darkest hour, the prisoners of the Nazi camps wrote songs of hope
The Chad Gadya Melody That Survived the Holocaust
Shmuel Blasz was murdered at Auschwitz, but the original melody he wrote for the beloved Passover song lives on
The Composer Who Angered the President of Israel
Andre Hajdu, one of the greatest and most groundbreaking composers in Israeli history, a recipient of the Israel Prize, was not popular with everyone…
The Story of the Chanukah Classic “I Have a Little Dreidel”
The classic song about the traditional four-sided top has become a staple in early childhood Jewish education.
The Majesty and Mystery of Kol Nidre
Learn how a traditional Jewish prayer melody inspired everyone – from classical composers to filmmakers to psychedelic rock bands.
Is the Shofar Really the Voice of God?
What is the Freudian complex behind the origins of this mysterious instrument? What is the shofar’s connection to the High Holy Days? And does it have anything to do with music?
The Incarnations of the “Avinu Malkeinu” Piyut from the Talmud to Barbara Streisand
Take a musical voyage through three melodies written to different verses from the “Avinu Malkeinu” prayer, embarking from the widespread Ashkenazi tune, passing through a familiar Chassidic niggun and ending with Max Janowski’s melody.
The Book of Niggunim
On the secret behind the Chabad Book of Niggunim and about the Chassid Shmuel Zalmanov who was selected for the mission of rescuing the niggunim from oblivion.
Hanukkah Songs and Sounds From Across the Globe
From Turkey to France, in Hebrew, Yiddish and Ladino: Have a listen!
Bringing Darkness to Light: Singing Hanukkah Songs Through the Holocaust
Rare recordings kept in the National Library’s collection reveal the Hanukkah songs that gave hope to Jewish children during WWII.
