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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.
You can enjoy the music of Cantor Samuel Malavsky and his Malavasky Family Choir by visiting the JSA website.
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.
Of course, at the Judaica Sound Archives we celebrate Chanukah with music!
This year we have put together a wonderful collection of songs that will entertain and delight the entire family. From the Children’s Village Choir singing Hanukkah is Here to Moshe Oysher singing Maoz Tzur with his sister Fraydele and his niece Marilyn Michaels, the songs in this collection express the essence of the holiday. Joyous songs, children’s songs that teach about the holiday, traditional songs, and a new twist on an old favorite have been included.
Please accept this gift of music for you and your family from the Judaica Sound Archives along with our best wishes for a Happy Chanukah!
This special collection is for your listening pleasure only.
Due to US Copyright laws these songs may not be copied, reproduced or sold.
Click to hear all 18 songs or listen to your your favorites.
Selections from the following albums were used to create JSA Chanukah Music Mix 2010. Choose any title to hear the entire album.
(3) Happy Chanukah! by Fran Avni
(4) The Chanukah Collection by Safam
(5) The Oysher Heritage by Moshe Oysher, Fraydele Oysher, Marilyn Michaels
(6) Gerer Holiday Songs by Cantor David Werdyger
(7) Isaac Goodfriend Sings Hanukka Songs by Cantor Isaac Goodfriend
(8) Chanukah Songs for Children by Shimon & Ilana Gewirtz
(9) Make a Chanukah Miracle by Cantor Benjamin Maissner
(10) Songs for Hanukkah by Jewish Education Commission of NY
(11) Holidays in the Sephardic Heritage by Chaim Parchi
(12) Just in time for Chanukah by Rosenthal & Safyan
(13) Latkes & Hamentashen by Fran Avni
(14) Celebrate with Cindy by Cindy Paley
(15) The Three Jewish Tenors Live! by Mizrachi, Finkelstein, Propis
(16) Chanukah is Freylekh by Lori Cahan-Simon Ensemble
The question that everyone has been asking me since Nathan Tinanoff resigned his position as Director of the JSA on September 30th is,”What will happen to the Judaica Sound Archives?
The JSA will continue to thrive…but, there will be changes.
What will stay the same?
1. The JSA will continue to have the largest online collection of Judaic music and voice in the world.
2. The JSA website (rsa.fau.edu/judaic) will continue to delight you with collections featuring performers of the past, cantorial greats and new artists.
3. The JSA Research Station will continue to bring Judaic music to scholars and students at institutions of Judaic studies around the world.
4. The JSA blog will continue to bring you information about new music collections and the goings on at the JSA at Florida Atlantic University.
5. The JSA will continue to be found on the 5th floor of the Wimberly Library on FAU’s Boca Raton campus.
What will change?
The JSA will no longer stand alone. It is now part of a family of sound archives at FAU Libraries. The newly formed Recorded Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University Libraries is larger and more diverse. The JSA will join a preservation effort that includes not only Jewish culture but also classical music, opera, jazz and American folk and pop.
I am pleased to accept the position as Director of FAU Library’s Recorded Sound Archives. I have worked closely with Nat Tinanoff since the inception of the JSA. As the JSA’s Assistant Director I have seen it grow from a few thousand recordings into a major Judaic music resource.
I look forward to building upon our success as we develop FAU’s Recorded 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.
Who would think that a Jewish child born in anti-Semitic Tsarist Russia could become an American entertainment icon whose fame would continue to flourish more than 50 years after his death?
When Asa Yoelson was only four years old his father became a rabbi and left his family and the old country to find a better life. After four years the Rabbi found a position in Washington D.C. and his family joined him. Tragically Asa’s mother died in 1895 only a short time after her arrival in the USA.
Embracing their “American” identities, young Asa soon became known as Al and his older brother Hirsh became Harry. The boys were obsessed with show business and by 1901 they were getting bookings in burlesque and vaudeville.
In 1904 Al, now known as Al Jolson, was called upon to fill-in for a performer in a blackface vaudeville comedy show. Blackface, an important performance tradition in the American theater beginning around 1830 can now be seen as racist and offensive. But to young Al Jolson it was a blessing. Hidden behind the make-up, he found that he could give a freer, more energetic performance. When this chance opportunity was well-received by the audience and critics, he soon decided to continue using blackface. The spontaneity and freedom he felt when in blackface elevated his performance and his fame.
In 1911 Jolson had his Broadway debut. His rendition of George M. Cohan’s Haunting Melody in the show “Vera Violetta “made him a Broadway star.
This was followed by other Broadway musicals and other hits for Jolson including You Made Me Love You in 1913 where he sang the final chorus pleading on one knee, a pose he would assume many times over in his career; Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody (1918); and George Gershwins’s Swanee (1918).
To hear all 55 songs in the JSA’s collection, click here. This collection of songs originally recorded by Al Jolson on 78 rpm discs between 1911 and 1919 was digitized and compiled by The Judaica Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University Libraries. These albums are not available for sale or reproduction.
Events & General Interest, Judaic Collection, On-line music collections, Online Access, Performer Biographies, Performers, Popular entertainment, Recordings Pre-1950
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Al Jolson, Haunting Melody, Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With a Dixie Melody, Swanee, The Jazz Singer, vintage phonograph recordings, You Made Me Love You
The JSA is saddened by the sudden loss of one of our most beloved volunteers, Rene Yucht. She was a dedicated worker who felt deeply about her work at the Judaica Sound Archives. She succumbed on September 27, 2010 after a brief battle with pneumonia. She will be missed by all of us at the JSA. Our heartfelt condolences to her family.
During the High Holy Days Jews around the world congregate to experience a sense of spiritual community. It is a time of family gatherings and happy times juxtaposed with introspection and solemn prayer.
In choosing the music for this year’s JSA High Holy Days Music Mix we wanted to highlight the voices of cantors who have devoted themselves to perfecting their art. The High Holy Days has inspired some of the most beautiful and compelling Jewish sacred music ever recorded. On this album we feature such legendary cantors as Leib Glantz, Leibele Waldman, Gershon Sirota and Moishe Oysher. We also highlight the interpretations of some of today’s finest cantors.
In addition, we also wanted to share the more upbeat, happy tunes that appeal to children learning about Jewish traditions and the meaning of the holidays. Some of my fondest memories are of helping my mother prepare for the big holiday dinner and learning about the special foods that meant a “happy new year!’
This special mix of songs has been excerpted from albums which can be heard any time on our website. The mix includes light-hearted, yet meaningful, songs for children. It also includes some of the most beautiful cantorial music ever written. Enjoy!
These songs are for your listening pleasure only. They may not be copied, reproduced or sold.
Excerpts of selections from these albums were used to create the JSA High Holidays Music Mix 5771.
Click on any title to hear the entire album.
(1) Ye Shall Rejoice On Your Festivals by Shimon & Ilana Gewirtz
(2) Simeni Ka Hotam by Cantor Ehud Spielman
(3) Misha Alexandrovich by Cantor Misha Alexandrovich
(4) Concerts & Recitals #3 by Cantor Zvee Aroni
(5) Our Prayers in Song by Cantor Henry Butensky
(6) Prayers of My People by Cantor Louis Danto
(7) Chants Folkloriques Israeliens by Cantor Michel Heymann
(8) Hallel & Three Festivals by Cantor Leib Glantz
(9) High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue by Cantor Moshe Schwimmer
(10) Holidays around the Year by Chaim Parchi
(11) Kinder Songs – Holiday Songs for the Entire Family by Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray
(12) S’iz Yontev Kinder! Lomir Zingen by Cindy Paley
(13) Teshuva: Liturgical Explorations for the Days of Awe by Ramon Tasat
(14) Chassidic Melodies by Cantor Leibele Waldman
(15) Cantorial Chants & Jewish Songs by Cantor Seymour Schwartzman
(16) European Recordings (1906-1907) Vol. 2 by Cantor Gershon Sirota
(17) The Power, The Glory, The Soul of Moishe Oysher by Moishe Oysher
Listen for yourself. Click to hear Rocky Zweig singing “Boris” from his Legacy album (Aderet Music Corp.)
Hear it. The first five seconds. A keyboard…drums…it sounds like rock. These are the familiar sounds of a song that is going to tell a story. It sounds like the introduction to the Bon Jovi song, “Livin on a Prayer.” Then Rocky Zweig begins to sing.
His story is about a boy named Boris. Boris is upset because he is persecuted for being Jewish. The story ends with Boris dying. In “Livin on a Prayer,” the pseudo couple, Tommy and Gina, live on little money and try to make their relationship work.
In the lyrics of “Boris,” it says “…you must strive now, to keep your religion alive within your heart…” This part is not just about religion. It goes deeper. It also means fighting for respect and staying true to oneself is vital. Just because other people don’t like you, you should not let them break you. In life, there will always be people who try to bring you down. Instead of allowing it, become empowered to rise above it.
As the story of “Boris” progresses, it becomes clear that he is viewed as an outcast. The persecution was so much that he planned on killing himself and others on a plane. Instead, Boris was killed and his life became a mere memory.
In “Livin on a Prayer,” the words work so well together. Tommy has been laid off and Gina gives all of her earnings to him. Of the little money they do have, they must have faith that times will get better.
In the lyrics of “Livin on a Prayer,” it says “…we’ve got to hold on to what we’ve got. Cause it doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not…” What I get from this is no matter what hardship we face, it is possible to break the cycle. As long as someone believes in you, anything can happen. In this song, Tommy and Gina have each other and they push through the odds.
Although these are two different stories, they have similar musicality and both songs use rock instrumentation. Both songs are stories of hardship. I think the reason I find stories of hardship so fascinating is because people are fascinating. Every person is different and unique. Songs like these that explore hardship are real.
While “Boris” is technically Jewish music, I think it would appeal to anyone. It sounds current and isn’t just for Jewish people to enjoy. On the album, “Legacy,” Rocky Zweig sings 10 songs, all of which sound like popular rock music and ballads of today. His voice has a tone that works well for rock. This album makes singing about religion cool and it makes Jewish music more relevant for today’s world.
It might seem unusual that there is such similarity between the songs “Boris” and “Livin on a Prayer.” Hardship, however, is a theme found at the heart of many songs and is fuel for creativity. A hard life lived with passion is more valuable than an easy life lived with indifference.
Submitted by Jackie Rosansky
RSA Guest Blogger, Jackie Rosansky is a summer volunteer intern at the Judaica Sound Archives. This blog contains her original thoughts and opinions about the musicians and music she is researching. She is 24 years old, and is majoring in journalism with a minor in photography at FAU.
Historic sound snapshot from our past.
Visually stunning picture records, historic radio transcriptions such as President Roosevelt’s speech to the U.S. Congress following Pearl Harbor, and hundreds of original recordings by Italian tenor Enrico Caruso are among the treasures being inventoried at the new Recorded Sound Archives at Florida Atlantic University Libraries.
These relics of the recording industry are among an estimated 50,000 vintage records that were recently donated to FAU Libraries and used to create its “Vintage 78s Collection.” The records, along with extensive holdings of Jazz recordings and Judaic music, inspired FAU libraries to recently establish the Recorded Sound Archives with more than 150,000 phonograph records and other sound recordings.
“This makes us one of the top 20 libraries in the nation for sound recordings,” said Dr. William Miller, dean of Libraries at FAU. “People know….that we are a library interested in rare and historic recordings.”
Unpacking the recent donation of tens of thousands of recordings from the estate of Cleveland collector Jack Saul has been daunting, but with the help of staff and volunteers, the materials are being digitized and eventually will be available on FAU Libraries’ website.
The Recorded Sound Archives has three major collections:
(1) Vintage 78s Collection: Early disc recordings were dubbed 78s, referring to their playing speed of 78 revolutions per minute, and were produced between 1901 and the mid-1950s. Music, speeches, radio transcriptions and even movie soundtracks were produced on 78 rpm records.
(2) Jazz Collection: The Recorded Sound Archives is creating an inventory of the more than 20,000 jazz recordings donated by Dr. Henry Ivey in 2006 and later transferred to the library from FAU’s Department of Music. Volunteers are currently entering information about the recordings into a database so that musicians and others will be able to easily search for what they want.
(3) Judaica Sound Archives: The Judaica Sound Archives (JSA), created in 2005, established FAU Libraries as an international leader in the collection and digitization of early phonograph recordings. It now boasts a collection of more than 15,000 non-duplicated recordings. Its website offers listeners over 11,000 songs in English, Hebrew and Yiddish.
Between March 6 and 11, 2010 the Boca Raton campus of FAU became a celebration of Jewish music and culture. It was the FAU Library’s second Kultur Festival. Events ran the gamut from klezmer concerts to cultural diversity forums. Two of these events highlighted the work of the Judaica Sound Archives.
The voice of the legendary Cantor Leib Glantz was one of the first to be heard on the JSA website. 
The importance of his compositions, the beauty of his voice and his unique ability to create an other-worldly spiritual experience for his listeners propelled him to prominence during the first half of the 20th century, also known as “The Golden Age of Hazzanut.” We are exceptionally grateful to Dr. Jerry Glantz for allowing the JSA to showcase his fathers bountiful talents.
Dr. Glantz discussed his book, The Man Who Spoke to God, a biographical loving tribute to his father, explained his father’s innovations in the field, and shared his father’s voice with the audience through recorded pieces. Especially dramatic was Cantor Glatntz’s rendition of Shema Yisrael. Dr. Glantz told the audience that because his father believed in improvisation the Shema was a new creation each time he sang it.
All of the recordings by this great cantor are available on the JSA website.
There’s just something about Yiddishkeit that can fill you with a mixture of longing for days gone by, nostalgia, and concern about the future of Yiddish culture. When Jews immigrated to the USA from Eastern Europe, Yiddish was the language that they shared with each other. It was the language they spoke, read, wrote and sung. It was the language that expressed their struggles and their triumphs.
The JSA is committed to collecting recordings that express the Yiddish culture through music and humor. It is only through phonograph recordings that future generations will be able to hear for themselves what Yiddish sounded like in the early 1900s.
JSA Participating Performer, Phyllis Berk did an amazing job of bringing back the “old days” in this performance. Singing songs from her CD (Coming of Age) like Shpilzhe Mir a Lidele, Unter Beymer, Grine Kuzine and Mein Shtetele Belz, she not only entertained her large audience, she led them down memory lane and roused them to sing along as well.
There are currently 167 Yiddish song albums on the JSA website that you can listen to at any time.
In the early half of the 20th century, Yiddish speaking audiences often connected with their roots and culture by listening to Yiddish radio programs produced in the USA. In 2004 the Judaica Sound Archives received a gift of 70 recordings of radio broadcasts produced in 1949 from the Jewish Museum of Maryland.
These broadcasts were recorded on 16-inch discs. Special equipment is needed to play such large recordings. Unfortunately, the JSA did not have the right equipment. So the recordings sat in storage.
Over time, the JSA was given about 30 more 16-inch recordings, including 14 produced by Vistas of Israel.
As our collection of 16-inch records grew so did the pressure to find a turntable that could handle them. “I suddenly remembered that my employer had given me a large turntable in the 1970’s” said JSA Sound Archivist, Ben Roth-Aroni. Digging through items that had been in storage for over 30 years, Ben was able to eventually unearth the turntable.
But, when he put the first 16-inch disc on the turntable he realized that the tone arm bumped into the record. The tone arm needed to be raised so that the needle was above the record. Working with spare parts, he was able to solve the problem by raising the tone arm base.
Tone arm base before elevation
Tone arm base after Ben elevated it.
Some of these 16-inch recordings are quite unique. For example, “some of them have grooves which spiral from the inside toward the outside instead of the conventional outside toward the inside. Also some have a “vertical cut.” That means that the needle rides up and down over the grooves instead of the usual “lateral cut” where the needle moves from left to right.” Ben said.
I asked Ben if a special needle was required to play these recordings. “Sometimes we need a special needle but often a 78-rpm stylus will work fine as long as we have a specially wired cartridge that works for the lateral cut discs.”
The JSA currently has over 400 Vistas of Israel radio broadcasts. These programs were produced by the state of Israel from the 1950s through the 1970s. Fourteen of the broadcasts in the JSA collection were produced on 16-inch discs. We are currently involved in an extensive digitization project so that all of these Vistas of Israel broadcasts can be heard on the JSA website. With the addition of our newly revamped turntable these broadcasts can be included in this exciting digitization project.
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