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.

"Di Arbuzn (The Watermelons)": A Soviet Yiddish Folk Song

Watch now:

Gerry and Leslie Tenney, musicians and activists, sing the Soviet Yiddish folk song "Di Arbuzn (The Watermelons)."

This is an excerpt from an oral history with Gerry (Gershn Yankl) Tenney.

This excerpt is in Yiddish and English.

Jump to map

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

Other video highlights from this oral history

Gerry and Leslie Tenney Sing "Mayer Khazer," A Soviet Yiddish Folk Song

2 min 33 sec

Why I Attended Hebrew School

2 min 59 sec

"Lomir Zikh Iberbetn (Let's Reconcile)": Uniting a Family Through Yiddish Song

1 min 52 sec

Gerry and Leslie Tenney Sing "Shtil di Nakht iz Oysgeshternt (Quiet, the Night is Full of Stars)"

2 min 3 sec

"Mir Zaynen Do (We Are Here)": Every Yiddish Word is Like a Blow to Nazis and Fascism

1 min 3 sec

Finding a Young Jewish Political Community in the 1950s

4 min 31 sec

More information about this oral history excerpt

Themes: