December 2019: Handpicked

Zeke Levine is a doctoral student in musicology at New York University, with a research focus on Yiddish music in mid-20th century America. Zeke is an alum of the Yiddish Book Center's Steiner Summer Yiddish Program and was a 2017–2018 Yiddish Book Center fellow. He is currently a Yiddish Book Center Translation Fellow, for which he is translating a collection of short stories, poems, and plays from the radical humorist Sam Liptzin. 

After delving into his selections, scroll down to read a short interview with Zeke about his choices.

Music Practice—Yiddish Homework

The Yiddish Book Center website offers language exercises for those beginning to learn the Yiddish language. This exercise prepares Yiddish language learners to talk about Yiddish music in mame-loshn.

"But is it Klezmer? Rock, Jazz, Punk, Hip-hop, and Techno Bring New Sounds to the Jewish Mix"

Music writer and Yidstock producer Seth Rogovoy, in this 2011 issue of Pakn Treger, discusses klezmer in the 20th and 21st centuries, tracing the development of the word “klezmer” throughout the 20th century to explore what the term really means. (Spoiler) He suggests that, “The final irony is that it’s not much of a stretch, if something of a quibble, to say that there is no such thing as ‘klezmer music’ at all.” 

Zingen mir far sholem by Sam Liptzin

Sam Liptzin was a radical humorist who, from the 1920s to the late 1960s, published twenty-eight volumes of short stories and poetry. These works dealt with themes ranging from unions and labor protests, to the Civil Rights Movement, to vacations, to annoying neighbors, and a whole range of other topics speaking to the lives of politically engaged, Yiddish-speaking Americans in the 20th century. In 1965, he compiled a songbook called Zingen mir far sholem (We Sing for Peace), which included Yiddish songs from Europe and America, as well as several English-language songs. The second edition, published in 1974, includes songs featured in the 1965 version as well as many Sam Liptzin originals. 

A Literary-Musical Evening with Ruth Rubin

Ruth Rubin was a legendary musician and ethnomusicologist who conducted extensive field work in Canada and the United States to record and transmit many strains of Yiddish song. This event took place in 1978 at the Jewish Public Library in Montreal and features Rubin discussing Yiddish song in Yiddish and sharing many wonderful melodies. In 1986 she gave a similar lecture-recital in English.

From Hip Hop to Klezmer: Socalled Demonstrates His Sampling Process

Josh Dolgin, A.K.A. Socalled, has made a name for himself in hip-hop and Yiddish music circles with an approach to sampling that creatively re-purposes Yiddish music recordings from the early 20th century. In this video clip, Socalled demonstrates—for an audience gathered at the Yiddish Book Center’s Applebaum-Driker Theater—his method of selecting recordings, chopping samples, and putting them together to make a song. 

Hankus Netsky on The Shmooze

Hankus Netsky, in addition to being a good friend of the Center, is a brilliant musician and ethnomusicologist who has written and taught extensively on the subject of Yiddish music. Hankus has been on The Shmooze many times, including this interview from 2018. 

Q&A

Zeke Levine speaks with Lisa Newman, the Yiddish Book Center's director of communications, about his Handpicked selections.

Lisa Newman: The Yiddish homework is an interesting selection for someone who’s an alum of our Steiner Summer Yiddish Program . . .  I'm curious to know if you’re still taking advantage of these interactive exercises? And I have to ask—how’d you do?

Zeke Levine: I haven’t done these exercises in a long time, and when I revisited them it took a couple of tries to get 100 percent. Time to re-apply to Steiner . . .

LN: Seth Rogovoy begins his Pakn Treger article by asking the question, 'But is it klezmer?'. You’re in the midst of your PhD in musicology. So Zeke, 'is it klezmer'?  

ZL: I think what Seth does in this article, investigating the word “klezmer” and its uses, is an important analysis. Language evolves, and “klezmer” as a short-hand for the various styles and genres informed by the musical cultures of Yiddish-speaking communities not only facilitates easier conversation but opens up possibilities for what can fall under the rubric of “klezmer,” which will certainly expand the scene and community.

LN: We worked together during your fellowship year, during which you introduced me to the work of Sam Liptzin. Share some of what you found here in the collection and how Liptzin informs your work in translation—and, I believe, your graduate work? 

ZL: I'm translating a collection of Sam Liptzin’s stories that he published between 1946 and 1969. He is a fascinating figure who captured the local personalities and current events of his time—all in hilarious and easily digestible three to four page stories. I became interested in him after finding the two editions of Zingen mir far sholem at the Center, as well as sheet music for a comical, topical song he published in 1960, Der sputnik. I study Yiddish-language music of mid-20th century America, so Sam’s songbooks are a valuable resource for thinking about the musical culture of that time and place, and his snapshots of the lives of Yiddish speakers in the era bring the world of the musicians and audiences to life.

LN: I always ask this question when people select one of the archival recordings from our Frances Brandt Online Yiddish Audio Library, but here I go again: what was it like to hear Ruth Rubin on this recording?

ZL: These particular recordings of Ruth Rubin are wonderful because they represent a sort of homecoming. Rubin grew up in Montreal and began her fieldwork there, so the recordings at Montreal’s Jewish Public Library, surrounded by family and friends, capture a warmth and familiarity that is incredibly engaging as a listener. This on top of the fact that Ruth Rubin was such a talented and insightful researcher and performer makes these recordings especially fun to listen to. 

LN: I imagine that Josh Dolgin, A.K.A. Socalled, resonates with you given his deep connection to Yiddish music and his ability to find new ways to reimagine the work. What did you think about his string quartet performance at Yidstock two years ago?

ZL: Josh is really an amazing figure because he’s involved in a staggering breadth of media: he’s a rapper, producer, songwriter, a filmmaker, and the list goes on. His arrangements for string quartet demonstrate yet another talent. I didn’t catch the set at Yidstock but was fortunate enough to see the group at Yiddish New York a couple of years ago. It was great, but I think I still prefer Baleboste and Tweet Tweet—that’s just personal preference.

LN: Hankus. One can’t interview him enough. As a fellow musicologist, what questions would you most want to ask him—although I know you two did an interview. And if you could persuade him to share one of his LPs, which would it be?

ZL: I have a million questions for Hankus, but more than anything, I would like to listen through some of these Yiddish and Jewish records with him and have him talk through what he’s hearing. He’s such a passionate creator and scholar of this music—I’d like to have him point out moments that really stand out: aspects of the music that reveal the creativity and musicianship of the artists. I seem to remember that Hankus has a Freydele Oysher LP. I’ve only heard one song of hers, a beautiful and haunting version of "Dem milners trern"—and I really want to hear more!