Jewish American Heritage Month

Posted By admin on November 30, 2021

National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) is dishing up some exciting new Chanukah programming as part of its 107th season, with an online celebration of Jewish food through song and cooking demonstrations. The special Chanukah edition of ESN: Songs from the Kitchen is a feel-good event that is intended to remind you of the value of family and the deliciousness of food, in the belief that good family doesnt come without good food, and vice versa.

Yiddish diva Adrienne Cooper (1946-2011) helped conceive the original performance of ESN two decades ago. This latest installment is created and performed by Frank London and Lorin Sklamberg of the internationally renowned Grammy Award-winning Yiddish music group The Klezmatics, along with fourth-generation Yiddish singer/songwriter Sarah Mina Gordon (Coopers daughter).

London is a New York-based trumpeter, composer, and co-founder of The Klezmatics in 1986. Throughout his prolific career, he has performed and recorded with a wide array of such popular artists as Pink Floyd, Itzhak Perlman, Celia Cruz, Lester Bowie, and LL Cool J. He has composed numerous scores for dance, theater and film, and is featured on more than 500 recordings.

A co-founding member of The Klezmatics, Sklamberg also teaches Yiddish song from So Paulo to St. Petersburg. Since 2000, he has served as the Sound Archivist of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research, for whom he co-curates the Ruth Rubin Legacy website featuring field recordings of the renowned folklorists collection of some 3,000 Yiddish folk songs.

Gordon grew up immersed in innovative Yiddish culture and has collaborated with London, The Klezmatics, and other artists to pen original Yiddish songs sung around the world. She is one of the founding organizers of Yiddish New York and teaches Yiddish song at KlezKanada, in addition to having fronted the rock band Yiddish Princess.

All three are not only accomplished musical artists and experts in Yiddish language and culture, but they can also cook! ESN is directed by Stephanie Lynne Mason and edited by Adam B. Shapiro, with videography by Merete Muenter.

Running Time: Approximately 45 minutes, without intermission.

ESN: Songs from the Kitchen streams through Monday, December 6, 2021 (the last night of Chanukah), on the NYTF website. Viewing is free, but donations are welcome.

Read more:

A Chanukah celebration of Jewish food and song with 'ESN' from NYC's National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene - DC Metro Theater Arts

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