Batya Fonda - "Jewish Folksongs"
"Jewish Folksongs" is a series of lectures given in either English or Hebrew about the ways folk songs reflect different themes of Jewish heritage. The songs mainly cover Yiddish and Ladino-speaking cultures, and I also look at a few piyutim, hasidic and Israeli folksongs. In the lectures I speak about the songs, sing them with guitar accompaniment and invite the audience to sing along with me.
I'm a singer of Jewish folk songs and a former teacher educator. Besides giving the lectures described on this site, I sing regularly with the Nehama Lifshitz Workshop for Yiddish Song in Tel Aviv, and participate in "Kehilot Sharot" ("Singing Communities" - people who get together to sing and learn about piyutim). I've lectured on Jewish Folksong at "Talpiot" Teachers' College, Tel Aviv, and for various organizations in Israel and Australia (see Recommendations and listen to sample clips).
I find Jewish folk songs fascinating - they've opened up for me an engrossing world of customs and folklore, history and texts. I've learnt more about my own traditions, I've become aware of the impact that the surrounding world has had on Jewish culture, and heard how different languages and musical elements have been incorporated into the songs. One door leads into another, and I've been able to catch a glimpse of Jewish folk living in the different parts of the Diaspora and singing about the many different aspects of their lives. I've been learning for many years now, and would like to share my enjoyment and knowledge with other people.
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If you'd like to be added to the mailing list, make inquiries about lecture-recitals, or find out more about the site content, please contact me at: batya@jewishfolksongs.com.
