The world of music has been enriched beyond measure by the efforts of Jewish performers, conductors and composers. Today we highlight the talents of one of the great violinists of the 20th century, Mischa Elman.
Famed for his passionate style and beautiful tone, this world-famous virtuoso was the grandson of a violin-playing klezmer performer. By the age of six he was already understood to be a prodigy and when he was 11 he was admitted to the St. Petersburg Conservatory for further training.Read More About This…
Mort Malavsky, one of the last surviving members of the Malavsky Family Choir, passed away Nov. 24, 2010. He is survived by his wife Rhoda of 50 years, children Andy, Jeffrey and Jodi, daughter-in-laws Ellen and Kelli, son-in-law Lonnie, his sisters Ruthie and Minnie, and his six grandchildren Samuel, Matthew, Jake, Max, Melanie and Eric.
Chanukah celebrations are joyous occasions, with lots of holiday gifts, decorations and parties.
The eight-day festival of Chanukah retells a story that teaches about hope, the importance of maintaining Jewish traditions, and the symbolic power of light.Read More About This…
The question that everyone has been asking me since Nathan Tinanoff retired from his position as Director of the JSA on September 30th is,”What will happen to the Judaica Sound Archives?
“The Jazz Singer,” released in 1927, was the first commercially successful “talking motion picture.” One of the most iconic moments in movie history occurs in this film when Al Jolson on stage, turns to his enthusiastic audience and says, “Wait a minute! You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!” This promise of even more exciting entertainment to come is fulfilled as he sings “Toot-toot-tootsie” using moves that could have made Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson jealous. The effect is electrifying.
Known as “The World’s Greatest Entertainer” during his lifetime, Al Jolson’s life story (on which the movie was based) tells of a young Jewish boy who is driven to become a Pop singer despite the fact that his Orthodox father wants him to be a Cantor.Read More About This…