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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 3, 2021 2:31 pm

This High Holy days we wanted to highlight the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer.

Moshe Schwimmer was born with the gift of a beautiful singing voice. As a child his singing delighted all who heard him. But, being a serious and studious young man, he desired to develop his talents through study and hard work. And so, at the age of 18, he set out to study music and liturgy at the Brunn Music Conservatory in Czechoslovakia (now Austria).

Inside the conservatory he was welcomed into the cantor’s choir. His knowledge of liturgical music grew and his rich baritone voice became polished and more defined. Outside the conservatory Hitler was on a rampage. Sadly, the synagogue in Brunn was torched and burned by the Nazis. Moshe was determined to increase his skills. He fled to Budapest where he continued to study, created the OMIKE performance group, and gave concerts, until the Hungarians sent him to a forced labor camp and then to a concentration camp.

After his liberation in 1944, he appeared throughout Eastern Europe, but it was not until his travels took him to Germany that his talents were truly recognized.  He was invited to sing for the state-run radio station in Munich.  Soon he had his own hour-long weekly radio program which was broadcast all over Europe.

This wonderful recording was created by the JSA from the private recordings of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer and can only be heard on this website. Moshe Schwimmer was a cantor whose beautiful voice and soulful singing touched audiences for decades. Yet, his voice might have been lost forever were it not for one man’s strong desire to cherish his brother’s memory and protect his legacy.

Zalman Schwimmer (a.k.a. Sydney), personally hand-carried his brother’s private tape recordings (along with some memorabilia and biographical information) to the Wimberly Library on Florida Atlantic University’s Boca Raton campus. He told us about his brother, “He never made any commercial recordings.  That wasn’t for him. He didn’t want to be famous. He didn’t try to please others.  He was just always striving for perfection.”

Listen to the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer

Discover the voice of Cantor Moshe Schwimmer this High Holy Days by visiting the Recorded Sound Archives website and listening to his album High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue (https://rsa.fau.edu/album/36556).

Looking for more music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 18, 2020 2:05 pm

Looking for music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

Here are a few favorite albums, which can be listened to in full on the Recorded Sound Archives website.

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Schwartzman

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Gross

Complete Selichot Service by Cantor Zvee Aroni

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Samuel Taube

High Holiday Moods by Cantor Leib Glantz

High Holiday Prayers (Volume 1) by Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky

High Holiday Selections by Malavsky Family

High Holy Day Prayers Live for the First Time by Cantor Leibele Waldman

High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue by Moishe Schwimmer

Rosh Hashana – Day 1 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashana – Day 2 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner

Rosh Hashanah New Years Service Abraham Birnbaum – Rosh Hashanah New Year Service by Cantor Israel Goldstein

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Yosef Rosenblatt

Yom Kippur Chants, Volume 3 by Cantor Zawel Kwartin

Yom Kippur  Day (Parts 1 & 2) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur Day (Part 3 – Conclusion) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur; Excerpts From the Traditional Liturgy by Cantor Moshe Ganchoff

Midnight Selichot Service by Cantor Leib Glantz

Experience the High Holidays Online

If you’re looking to attend High Holiday Services, Cantor Azi Schwartz and the Park Avenue Synagogue will be broadcasting their services through their website.

And will be accompanied by the Metropolitan Opera Brass and chamber orchestra.

A Schedule of their services is available on their website – https://highholidaysstreaming.pasyn.org/

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By Benjamin Roth-Aroni, March 10, 2020 12:07 pm

During my early childhood (early 50’s) in N.E. Philadelphia, I listened to Gladys Gewirtz singing all the songs from the Jewish holidays and holy days on our big RCA-Victor S-1000.

My grandma Nessie’s hamantashen were so yummy I couldn’t stop eating them.  Sadly, she passed away when I was 7 [Z”L].  Many years went by. Now I’m 73 and I work with thousands of recordings (Jewish, Jazz & Classical) at the RSA, but Gladys Gewirtz will always have a special place I my memory.  I still miss my Grandma!

Ben Roth

P.S. Prune Hamantashen are my favorites.

Purim – The Story of Esther

Esther (née Hadassah), an orphan raised by her uncle Mordechai, was taken against her will to Persian King Ahasuerus’s harem. There, she was forced to prepare herself for her first night with the King by spending six months doused in oil of myrrh and another six in sweet odors ointments. The night of their union, Ahasuerus loved Esther “above all women” and made her the Persian Empire’s Queen. Esther replaced Queen Vashti, who had been sentenced to death because she had refused to display her beauty to the attendants of the King’s feast.

When events took a turn for the worst and Esther learned that Prime Minister Haman planned to kill all Jews in the Persian empire she decided to act immediately to prevent the genocide. She told her uncle: “Go, gather all the Jews together and fast for me.  Neither eat nor drink for three whole days. ” Mordecai argued that these three days fast happened to include the Passover night, which should not be a night of fasting. Esther retorted, “Without Jews, who needs Passover?”

She invited both Ahasuerus and Haman to a private banquet. At that banquet Esther told the king of Haman’s plan to massacre all Jews in his kingdom, then acknowledged her own Jewish ethnicity. The information about Haman enraged King Ahasuerus and he gave an order that Haman be hanged.   He also elevated Mordecai to prime minister and gave Jews the right to defend themselves against any enemy.

Looking for music to celebrate Purim, discover over 20 vintage albums to choose from here at the Recorded Sound Archives!

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By Recorded Sound Archives, March 29, 2018 1:25 pm

Looking for music to enjoy with family and friends this Passover? Here at the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, we would like to highlight the voices of Cantor Michael Kyrr, Cantor David Unterman and Joan Mey a few artists out of several available in the Passover Collection off the album, Songs for Passover.

This album was produced by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, in 1965 and was compiled by Harry Coopersmith to help engage youngsters in the customs and traditions of the Jewish religion. These recordings reflect a time in American history when Conservative Jewish educators sought to spirtually bind Jews together through song.

To listen to this album, click here.

To view other recordings by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, click here.

Discover over 40 other recordings for you to enjoy with family and friends in the Passover Collection.

Enjoy!

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By Recorded Sound Archives, March 1, 2018 6:19 pm

Looking for music to enjoy with family and friends this Purim? Here at the Recorded Sound Archives at FAU Libraries, we would like to highlight the voices of William Wolff and Joan Mey one of several artists available in the Purim Collection off the album, Songs for Tu Bishvat and Purim.

This album was produced by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, in 1965 and was compiled by Harry Coopersmith to help engage youngsters in the customs and traditions of the Jewish religion. These recordings reflect a time in American history when Conservative Jewish educators sought to spirtually bind Jews together through song.

To listen to this album, click here.

To view other recordings by the Jewish Education Committee of New York, click here.

Discover over 20 other recordings for you to enjoy with family and friends in the Purim Collection.

Enjoy!

Interested in past posts related to Purim, click here.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, December 7, 2017 1:49 pm

Have you recently typed “Chanukah” into Google? No….please go and try now and discover the beautiful animated image Google’s put together to celebrate Chanukah.

Here at the Recorded Sound Archives we celebrate with music, sharing over 50 Chanukah albums for you to enjoy with family and friends. The Songs of Chanukah Collection consists of what is considered traditional, children’s songs that teach about the holiday and a few old favorites with a new twist.

There is a little bit of something for everyone in this collection, so please share it with friends and family. In years prior we’ve highlighted the voice of Gladys Gewirtz and Kenny Ellis.

This year on the Recorded Sound Archives website we are highlighting the voice of Margie Rosenthal and Ilene Safyan, who were brought together by a mutual love of Jewish music in 1979 and are both featured performers on the Recorded Sound Archives website. The music on their album Just In Time for Chanukah is a blend of old and new melodies and words, and we think you’ll enjoy them this holiday season.

Click here to view this collection.

Click here to learn more about Margie Rosenthal and Ilene Safyan and their music.

Please note, due to copyright some of these recordings may only play for 45 second snippet to give the user a taste of what this music sounded like back in the day, if you are interested in full access considering applying for Research Station Access. Access to Research Station is limited to educators, students and serious researchers.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 19, 2017 1:57 pm

Looking for music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

Here are a few favorite albums, which can be listened to in full on the Recorded Sound Archives website.

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Schwartzman

Selichot Service by Cantor Joseph Gross

Complete Selichot Service by Cantor Zvee Aroni

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Salomon Pinkasovitch

High Holiday Chants by Cantor Samuel Taube

High Holiday Moods by Cantor Leib Glantz

High Holiday Prayers (Volume 1) by Cantor Moshe Koussevitzky

High Holiday Selections by Malavsky Family

High Holy Day Prayers Live for the First Time by Cantor Leibele Waldman

High Holy Days in a Conservative Synagogue by Moishe Schwimmer

Rosh Hashana – Day 1 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashana – Day 2 by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Benjamin Z. Maissner

Rosh Hashanah New Years Service Abraham Birnbaum – Rosh Hashanah New Year Service by Cantor Israel Goldstein

Rosh Hashanah by Cantor Yosef Rosenblatt

Yom Kippur Chants, Volume 3 by Cantor Zawel Kwartin

Yom Kippur  Day (Parts 1 & 2) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur Day (Part 3 – Conclusion) by Cantor Zvee Aroni

Yom Kippur; Excerpts From the Traditional Liturgy by Cantor Moshe Ganchoff

Midnight Selichot Service by Cantor Leib Glantz

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By Recorded Sound Archives, September 30, 2016 3:24 pm

Looking for music to celebrate the High Holy Days this year? Look no further, the Recorded Sound Archives has a collection of over 40 recordings for you to choose from and share and enjoy with your family.

Included in this collection is a mixture of cantors, and other musicians such as Leibele Waldman, Gershon Sirota , Moishe Oysher, Shimon and Ilana Gewirtz, Ramon Tasat and Cindy Paley.

Click here to view this collection.

Click here to view past blog posts on the High Holy Days.

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By Recorded Sound Archives, April 13, 2016 4:36 pm

Passover marks the liberation of the Israelites from 400 years of slavery in ancient Egypt. Moses tried to convince Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free with words and demonstrations of God’s AWESOME power.

When Pharaoh wouldn’t concede, Moses proceeded to bring about the 10 plagues.

You can read more about the plagues, here.

The 10^th plague, the death of every Egyptian first born including Pharaoh’s young son, was too much for Pharaoh and he finally let them go. God instructed the Israelites to mark their doorposts with the blood of a slaughtered lamb so that he would know to pass over those homes. This is where the name Passover comes from (Exodus 12:11-13). There are actually three other names for this holiday: Holiday of Matzot, Holiday of Freedom, and Holiday of Spring.  But on this holiday, we celebrate the gift of freedom, remember Jewish history through special Seder foods and teach the lessons of the Haggadah (The Telling) to the next generation.

And this year, the Recorded Sound Archives invites you to add music and song to your family’s Passover traditions and has put together a collection of over 40 recordings for you to enjoy with family and friends this Passover.

Enjoy!