Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Learning to Teach Hebrew Songs

This semester I am learning to teach music to students of all ages in a Jewish setting: Hebrew and Judaic programs, camps, etc. I am being exposed to endless songs and ways to teach and incorporate music into education. The class is wonderful! It has made me think about a recent assignment that I would like to share.

Dr. Lisa L. Vendeland -Fall 2104, Liturgy- Gratz College
Zemirot Assignment- Songs/ Hymns that are sung around the Sabbath dinner table

The Zemer I chose for this assignment is by Chana Senesh ( 1921-1944) called, “ Eli Eli.” It is also known as , “Towards Caesarea,” and was published as,” Halikha Lekesaria”, in 1942, while she was still in Palestine living on a Kibbutz.1 Although it is her most famous Poem and is a popular Zemer in Israel, I chose it because it is my favorite, “song” from  growing up. Chana was a young Hungarian paratrooper who was trained to rescue Jews during the Holocaust. She was killed by a firing squad in 1944 at age 23. She was known for her immense bravery.[1] Her Poem (Piyut) was set to a melody created by David Zahavi (1910-1975) an Israeli composer. Several Artists have sung it including Ofra Haza, Regina Spektor and Sophie Milman2
Although this Piyut has elements of Found poetry, Lyric poetry and Romanticism, it best fits the style of Hazaj, which is found in Epic poetry of the Middle East and musical rhythms. It is most common in Arabic poetry and usually presents in an aaba scheme. The Hazaj meter is also well represented in Hebrew poetry. Its meter is most commonly found in folk poetry such as do-bait (two tent hemi sticks ,when brought together bind the prose) and lullabies (la, la, i) 3. It uses a couplet structure and in this case the second and sixth lines form the couplet and express the poignant point that leaves a lasting impression. This is the purpose of the couplet structure4. So in this case, “ May these last forever…the prayers of mankind.”)


This poem is in the Author's own handwriting on the left.


The Song Index lists the lyrics5 with transliteration and translation as (numbering of lines inserted for discussion purposes here):


1.Elli, Elli
2.Shelo yigamer le’olam
3.Ha chol v’hayam
4.Rish roush shel hamayim
5.Berak ha sha mayim
6.Tefilat ha’adam

My G-d, My G-d (Introductory line)
May these last forever (my translation *: there will be, his world)
The sand and the sea (*Sand and sea)
The Babble of the water (*Rush of the water)
The lightening in the sky (*Crash/lightening, the sky)
The prayers of mankind. (*Prayers of men)

In further evaluation of the elements of the Piyut there are two other ways to interpret this:  Going from top to bottom, and in a cycle of Infinity. The Top  (the sky with G-d) and the bottom , the filler between the couplet ( the elements of g-d’s world). The elements of sound (the rushing waters and crashes of lightening from heaven),  water, and earth(sand). All inferences to the majesty of G-d’s wonderful creation being witnessed by those made in his image (mankind.) These elements in all directions as far as mankind can see. They are never ending and form a circle that is life giving and affirming: Infinity. This lends back to the elements of Lyric poetry6 when Chana has addressed the reader directly, portraying her own feeling and state of mind or perception of her world during a time of impending turmoil. This represents her hope for the immortality of all mankind.
According to my research ,another Zemer that uses Hazaj meter is Adon Olam.
The biographical information available to me about the writer and the timing of its writing shed an incredible amount of light onto the content of the Zemer. During such a seemingly hopeless time for Jews, one young woman held in her heart a sense of optimism for the continuation of man, for the hope expressed in prayers that could reach the heavens and the beauty of the world and of all creation.









[1] Zemirot. Poems by Hannah Senesh. www.thejewishweek.com from New York Jewish Week magazine 22Dec2010, pulled from the Internet 10-3-14.
2 Halikha Lekesaria by Hannah Senesh. www.digital.library.upenn.edu. Pulled from the Internet 10-5-14.
3Hazaj Meter. www.dbpedia.org. Pulled from the Internet 10-6-14
4The Purpose of the Couplet in Poetry. www.examples.yourdictionary.com . Pulled from the Internet 10-5-14
5Eli, Eli: Song Index, www.zemirotdatabase.org. Pulled from the Internet 10-5-14
6Lyric Poetry. www.poeticterminology.net. Pulled from internet 10-5-14.


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