Track Listing

1. High Holidays - L'Shana Tova, Avinu Malkenu
2. Sukkot - Lama Sokkah Zu, Sisu V'simhu
3. Chanuka - Mi Y'malel, Chanuka, S'vivan, Little Dreydl, Chanuka Oh Chanuka, Maoz Tzur
4. Tu Bishvat - Hashkediya
5. Purim - Chag Purim, A Wicked Man
6. Passover - Ma Nishtana, Dayenu, Eliyahu Hanavi, Chad Gadya, Pharaanu
7. Shavuot - Baruch Elokeinu
8. Shabbat - L'Cha Dodi, Shalom Alechem, Shavua Tov
9. Unity - Hine MaTov

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #22826 in Music
• Released on: 2000-09-13
• Number of discs: 1

Album Description
Celebrate the Jewish holidays and Shabbat with theodore Bikel, star of theatre, television, film and concerts, as he takes you on a musical tour of the festival calendar. This rare, recorded solo performance is as delightfully entertaining as it is instructive. Bikel, accompanying himself on guitar, sings 23 classic Jewish holiday and Shabbat tunes in English, Hebrew and Yiddish. Theodore Bikel fans around the world will welcome this album from one of the premiere Jewish recording artists. Young and old will be delighted with this collection of Jewish holiday and Shabbat classics, all on one album. Classic Jewish Holiday & Shabbat Songs, presented with Theodore Bikel's characteristic verve and insight, will illuminate the holiday and Shabbat spirit and are in themselves a cause for celebration. Music directed by Michael Isaacson. Full lyrics included.

About the Artist
Mr. Bikel made his concert debut at the Carnegie Recital Hall in 1956 in a folk song program; each year subsequently he has appeared in concerts throughout the U.S.A., Canada, and Europe. He has also appeared in concert in Israel, New Zealand, and Australia. Besides frequent appearances with symphony appearances with symphony orchestras in varied programs, he has also performed in the more intimate surroundings of some of the nation’s well-known clubs. Mr. Bikel has recorded 20 record albums mostly for the Elektra label in addition to a few releases on Columbia, Peter Pan, and Reprise. He is also an accomplished translator of song lyrics.

Customer Reviews

Nice instructive CD with songs in both Hebrew and English
This CD is a learning tool, not a concert. It's an excellent way for both children and adults to learn the basic traditional songs that every Jew should know, as well as a few new ones, such as Hashkediya, "The Almond Tree," for Tu B'Shevat. Most of the tunes will be familiar, although the version of "Hiney MaTov" on this CD is a more peppy, Israel-sounding tune, rather than the one we sang in summer camp years ago. Frankly, I like this one better.

Bikel introduces each section with a short narrative, then sings the songs clearly, with simple guitar accompanyment. Most of the songs have both Hebrew and English lyrics. For people who don't speak Hebrew, this is a great help for getting the "feel" or "spirit" of a song. There's even a Purim ballad entirely in English. (I know, I know -- all Jews SHOULD know Hebrew. But a lot don't. Then there are people who just aren't good at languages. Our ancestors in Eastern Europe sang in Yiddish, which was their everyday language. So nu? Why can't American Jews sing in English?)

One minor annoyance is that the songs are not numbered on the cover of the CD. This makes it hard to go directly to a specific holiday if you are doing a class. On the plus side, the CD comes with a very nice booklet (where the songs ARE numbered) that has all the Hebrew lyrics transliterated into English spelling, as well as the English lyrics.

Rabbi Yonassan Gershom - Thank you!
I read your review and decided to take a chance.

After buying so many different CD's this is the first one my grandmother fell in love with.

You're right -- it's instructional -- but for my grandmother who is suffering from senile dimensia, it's a g*d send. It helps her to remember and she sings along even when she doesn't know the words.

I also like it just for me since it's the music I grew up with and I get much enjoyment from it.

Beautiful music
Beautiful music... great inspiring songs sung with deep feeling, fell in love with Theodore Bikel and bought three more cd's from him !!! Toda Theodore !!!