The Yiddish Book Center's

Wexler Oral History Project

A growing collection of in-depth interviews with people of all ages and backgrounds, whose stories about the legacy and changing nature of Yiddish language and culture offer a rich and complex chronicle of Jewish identity.

What is Jewish Music?: Music and its Role in Identity Negotiation

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Joshua Jacobson, professor of music at Northeastern University and founder / artistic director of Zamir Chorale of Boston, offers a definition for what is meant by "Jewish music," shares a story about the non-Jewish origins of the melody for Hatikvah, and speaks about the role that music plays in identity formation and negotiation.

This is an excerpt from an oral history with Joshua Jacobson.

This excerpt is in English.

Joshua Jacobson was born in Boston, Massachusetts in 1948.

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This interview is part of the Yiddish and the Arts: musicians, actors, and artists series.

Other video highlights from this oral history

"Betwixt and Between" Worlds: Reflections On Never Fitting In

2 min 37 sec

Jewish Music Beyond the Imaginary Ghetto Walls: Spreading the Word about Jewish Choral Repertoire

2 min 30 sec

Resuscitating a Tradition: Bringing a Zamir Chorus Back to its Roots in Lodz, Poland

6 min 13 sec

Converting to "Carlebachism": A Moment of Revelation with Jewish Spirituality

3 min 33 sec

More information about this oral history excerpt

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