אײביק װעלן מיר פֿאַרבינדן אונדזער נעכט מינט הײַנט

[sovay]

So I spent my afternoon with the community chorus of the Boston Workmen's Circle and it now appears I belong to a Yiddish chorus. They're called A Besere Velt—A Better World. I have not sung with a chorus in at least fourteen years and I have not performed professionally in two or three. I had a wonderful time. People said nice things about my voice and my musicianship, which was good for shutting up Tiny Wittgenstein. Songs almost everyone around me knew better than I did included "Hulyet, hulyet, beyze vintn," "Bella ciao," "Tsindt on a likhtl" (a modern Yiddish translation of "Light One Candle"), "Vilne," and Shmerke Kaczerginski's "Yugnt himn." There is a strong partizaner anti-fascist vibe to the current season's repertoire and I am fine with it. We will be performing in December as part of Yiddish New York. There's also some kind of smaller ensemble I have been invited, and plan, to audition into. More details as I gather them. There go my Saturdays. As you may be able to discern from the hours-lingering adrenaline, I am really happy.