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Playlist: Passover 2019

Compiled By: PRX Editors

What makes this night different from all the rest? Credit: <a href "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Matzot_Ren%C3%A9_Neymann_Wasselonne_avril_2014.jpg">Wikimedia </a>
Image by: Wikimedia  
What makes this night different from all the rest?
Curated Playlist

What makes this night different from all the rest?

Explore the traditions and history of Pesach (Passover) with a few of these selections.

These are PRX Editors' Picks. Curious about how stuff gets on this list?

We'll Be Here All Night

From Tablet Magazine | 59:00

Stories for Passover about family, slavery, food, and... well, lice.

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“We’ll Be Here All Night: Stories for Passover” is a one-hour Passover-themed special from Tablet Magazine’s National Magazine Award-winning podcast, Vox Tablet, and PRX.

The special features funny, poignant, and thought-provoking stories and conversations that touch on the plagues, on slavery, on food, on the act of story-telling and more, and are meant to appeal to people of all religious (and non-religious) backgrounds. Hosted by Sara Ivry (Vox Tablet) and Jonathan Goldstein (WireTap, This American Life), the show’s contributors include Israeli writer Etgar Keret, DC food historian Michael Twitty (Afroculinaria), and radio producers Sally Herships (Marketplace), Debbie Nathan (This American Life), and Jonathan Groubert (The State We’re In). The show was produced by Julie Subrin (Vox Tablet, The Next Big Thing) and mixed by Pejk Malinovski (Studio 360, The Next Big Thing).

In the first (A) segment of the show, hosts Sara and Jonathan briefly lay out the basics of the holiday of Passover, and then Jonathan speaks with writer and filmmaker Etgar Keret about the narrative strengths and weaknesses of the Passover story, from a Hollywood producer’s point of view, ending with an animated discussion of the ten plagues.

Next, Sally Herships takes us into the home of Abigail Rosenfeld, one of Brooklyn’s "lice ladies,” the women (usually Orthodox Jews) who make a living helping desperate parents rid their schoolchildren of this pest. Rosenfeld is therefore an expert on this plague which was visited upon the ancient Egyptians, though she’s quick to note that today’s lice bears little resemblance to the ones we read about in the Passover story.

In our B segment, Debbie Nathan shares a moving, probing, and funny story on learning that her Southern Jewish great-great-grandparents owned slaves in Mississippi, on the history of Jewish slave owners in the American South (with historian Stuart Rockoff, Mississippi Humanities Council), and on her elderly aunts and cousins' responses to this revelation.

In the final segment of the show, we hear from Michael Twitty, a Washington, DC based food historian and Jewish educator on how he's adapted one of Passover’s symbolic rituals to reflect his ancestors' slave history.

We also hear from Jonathan Groubert, a Brooklyn-raised radio journalist and host based in Amsterdam, as he recounts the joke his Sheepshead Bay dad used to tell at the seder every year.

 

The Witches of Lublin

From Sue Zizza | 58:30

(this 58:30 program is the final version) Lublin, Poland, 1797: While they prepare for Passover, a family of Jewish women klezmer musicians struggles for survival, but when music and love prove not enough, only the unthinkable can save them. Starring Tovah Feldshuh (and hosted by Sound & Spirit's Ellen Kushner).
For information on scheduling Passover programming visit http://www.thewitchesoflublin.com/stations.html

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Set in the Passover season, "The Witches of Lublin," is directed by internationally acclaimed and award-winning Sue Zizza, with script by Ellen Kushner, Elizabeth Schwartz and Yale Strom.

Featuring haunting vocals and an original high energy klezmer score by Yale Strom, "The Witches of Lublin," offers a glimpse into the lost Jewish women's lives of Eastern Europe.

With a story as ancient as myth, and as modern as every family that struggles to hold its center in a world of strife and conflicting loyalties, it's the perfect Spring holiday programming.

The Passover Story

From William Zukof | Part of the The Western Wind Judaica Series series | 58:27

The Passover Story Sung by The Western Wind, Narrated by Theodore Bikel

Pass_small Renowned actor Theodore Bikel and The Western Wind, America's pre-eminent vocal ensemble, present 25 eclectic selections that, along with an inspring narration, serve as musical documentary of Passover. Music includes Hebrew folk melodies, classical European liturgical music, ancient Sephardic chants, Klezmer-style improvisations, and traditional songs from the Seder. This program is designed for listeners of any religious background and provides a good introduction to a holiday whose lessons of redemption and faith are universal. "The music is an eclectic compilation of songs and compositions from many sources reflecting the tremendous diversity of Jewish cultures. Selections include Hebrew folk melodies, classical European liturgical music, ancient Sephardic chants, Klezmer-style improvisations, and traditional songs from the Seder, including the 'adopted' song of slavery, the Negro spiritual "Go Down Moses"--all sung with the superb musicianship and zest that are hallmarks of Western Wind performances." Miami Jewish Journal.

"Why This Night?" A Passover Special

From RadioArt(r) | 58:13

Larry Josephson, a secular Jew who now wants to know more about the religion of his grandparents, asks Rabbi Ismar Schorsch, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, to explain the meaning of Passover. *Note: this updated 2006 Passover program no longer includes references to 9/11. Please air this version in lieu of a version you may have on file.

Default-piece-image-1 *Note: this updated 2006 Passover program no longer includes references to 9/11. Please air this version in lieu of a version you may have on file. A new production of a conversation about Passover, one of the most important and most beloved holidays on the Jewish calendar. Larry Josephson, a secular Jew who now wants to know more about the religion of his grandparents, asks Rabbi Ismar Schorsch, Chancellor of the Jewish Theological Seminary, to explain the meaning of Passover in a post-9/11 world. Dr. Schorsch tells Larry the story of Passover -- its history, rituals and foods, and the origins and structure of the Seder. The music of Passover, sung by some of the best cantors and choirs in the world, is artfully woven in and out of the conversation. The music was chosen by Cantor Marcia Tilchin, the Associate Producer. The program was developed and produced by Larry Josephson, and edited and mixed by Peter Zanger.

The Four Cups: A Celebration of Passover

From James Jacobs | 58:00

Violinist Itzhak Perlman and Klezmer Conservatory Band founder Hankus Netsky join WETA's James David Jacobs to share music and memories of Passover from diverse traditions. The program is roughly divided into four sections or "cups" and features cantorial music, Klezmer, selections from Handel's Israel in Egypt, an exploration of "Go Down Moses," the Four Questions, a discussion of Passover food, and an appearance by President Obama.

Passover_cup_small Violinist Itzhak Perlman and Klezmer Conservatory Band founder Hankus Netsky join WETA's James David Jacobs to share music and memories of Passover from diverse traditions.  The gathering together of Jews every springtime to retell the story of their flight from Egypt might be the longest-running yearly cultural event in the history of humankind, and one that has inspired many different musical traditions. The Four Cups: A Celebration of Passover explores the great variety of music that emerged from these traditions, and like the four cups of wine drunk during the Seder, the program is roughly divided into four sections.  In the first segment violinist Itzhak Perlman, Klezmer Conservatory Band founder Hankus Netsky and Cantor Yitzhak Meir Helfgot of Manhattan’s Park Avenue Synagogue, the three visionary artists of the hit Sony album Eternal Echoes, discuss and perform the prayer for dew, “T’filas Tal”, which addresses the roots of Passover as an agrarian ritual, excerpts of which we’ll also hear sung in a sampling of some of the historic recordings of legendary cantors of the early 20th century. In the second segment, host James David Jacobs takes us through the ten plagues as they are musically illustrated by George Frideric Handel in his oratorio “Israel in Egypt.” In the third segment, after we hear Itzhak Perlman and the youngest member of the WCRB staff sing the four questions, we hear an excerpt of a speech President Barack Obama gave to a group of students in Israel in which he explains why he is the first president to hold a yearly Seder in the White House and talks about how the Exodus story was a source of inspiration for African-American slaves yearning for freedom; this is followed by a collage of five versions of the spiritual “Go Down, Moses,” as sung by Roland Hayes, Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, Doris Akers and Louis Armstrong. The final segment celebrates the fun, festive aspects of the holiday, as Itzhak Perlman waxes rhapsodic about his love of leftover Seder food, Hankus Netsky discusses how how matzoh balls can be used to unite the traditions of two families and Moishe Oysher sings his rollicking version of “Chad Gadya.” At the end the Eternal Echoes artists share their thoughts on how Passover transcends cultural boundaries.

A Musical Feast for Passover with Itzhak Perlman

From WQXR | 58:35

The springtime Jewish holiday of Passover is about liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. In this one-hour special, superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman shares Passover music from many traditions, plus songs and memories from his childhood in Israel.

Wqxr_logo_nofreq_small The springtime Jewish holiday of Passover is about liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. In this one-hour special, superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman shares Passover music from many traditions, plus songs and memories from his childhood in Israel. The program draws its shape from the Passover seder and, like that ancient family ritual, the music gets progressively giddier as the show moves along.

Selections include music from familiar classical works (Handel’s Israel in Egypt ), and from lesser-known classical pieces (Halévy’s opera La Juive , with Jan Peerce; Dessau’s 1934 German setting of the Haggadah; Korngold’s glorious Passover Psalm). Perlman’s playing is represented by a duet with Cantor Yitzchak Meir Helfgot, as well as the beloved theme from Schindler’s List . Other recordings include unusual takes on traditional tunes, like a swing “Dayenu,” “Who Knows One?” in Ladino, the zany Moishe Oysher treatment of “Chad Gadya,” and “Go Down, Moses” sung by Paul Robeson.

Passover: People of the Cookbook: Jewish Cooking with Claudia Roden

From Nahanni Rous | Part of the Can We Talk? series | 14:46

A visit, a cooking lesson and lunch with the celebrated chef Claudia Roden. Claudia discussed lost Jewish communities through their cuisines. Including special recipes for Passover.

Canwetalk_small "Every cuisine tells a story," writes Claudia Roden in the Book of Jewish Food.  "Jewish food tells the story of an uprooted, migrating people and their vanished worlds." Claudia's childhood world vanished when the Jewish community was forced out of Egypt in the 1950s.  Her quest to collect her family recipes led to a lifelong career as a cookbook author.  But Claudia writes more than recipes-- she traces the DNA of Jewish cuisine.  In this episode, Claudia talks about cooking for Passover, her childhood in Egypt, and lost Jewish communities throughout the world... particularly the legacy of the Jewish communities of the Arab world. Plus, Claudia's nephew shares his favorite Claudia Roden Passover recipes.

For Passover - The Family Matzo Business

From Alex Goldmark | 07:20

Visit a matzo factory and meet the family that's made Passover tasty for 80 years.

Streitsmatzo15_small If you celebrate passover you might recognize the matzo in a pink box. Streits Matzo company has been baking the unleavened bread in the same Manhattan factory with the same methods for over 80 years. The family stewards of today show us how it's made while on an exciting factory tour and they explain why they haven't sold out or moved to modern facilities.

Passover candy - an audio tour of a Lower East Side candy store

From Julie Subrin | 06:30

Jerry Cohen, owner of Economy Candy on New York City's Lower East Side, takes Blake Eskin on a tour of the shop's Passover selection (with a few chocolate bunny and marshmellow peep digressions along the way).

Podcasteconomycandy_small Jerry Cohen, owner of Economy Candy, a sweet tooth wonderland on New York City's Lower East Side, has worked there ever since he was a kid. He knows the store's vast inventory as well as anyone - everything from the Banana French Taffy Chews to rainbow-colored Gummy Sour Worms. In anticipation of the holiday, Nextbook's Blake Eskin takes a guided tour of Jerry's Passover candy selection, which includes fresh fruit slices and chocolate dipped macaroons. This piece runs at 7:30, but could easily be cut to accomodate other formats. It is playful, deadpan at times, and slightly irreverent - a nice departure for those looking for some light Passover content for their station. The piece was produced for the Nextbook.org podcast. Nextbook.org is an online Jewish culture magazine.

Dayenu

From Judith Sloan | 05:03

Actress/Radio Producer Judith Sloan produces Dayenu, a story/commentary with music by Frank London and Judith Sloan. Sloan looks at the complexity of Passover, questioning the meaning of Dayenu (Enough), asking when the world will have had enough of war, torture, and hatred, and asks what it will take to share the planet. Winner Missouri Review National Audio Competition, 2009.

Playing
Dayenu
From
Judith Sloan

Hagadah_cover_small The word "Dayenu" means approximately, "it would have been enough for us" or "it would have sufficed." At Passover, Jewish families the world over gather together to recount the epic story of how the Jewish exodus from Egypt. The Passover seder is a special event steeped in symbolism ... The assembled group reads from a "haggadah" (ha-GAH-dah) retelling the story of Exodus. Certain symbolic foods are eaten. These traditions go back thousands of years. Judith Sloan looked through the haggadah her father left her. When Judith sings the song "dayenu" (die-EH-new) ... she considers that word…she's thinking about hardship, war and torture and whether we've had "enough." She's thinking about food and water and natural resources and wondering if we'll ever have "enough." She’s thinking about terror and revenge and wondering when we’ll have enough. She’s thinking about what it takes to ‘talk to your enemy’, in the hopes that we will, as a species, have had enough terror and war.

Our Passover Seder

From Stories from Deep in the Heart, a project of Texas Folklife | 04:02

An introduction to the Seder table. Produced by students at Kealing Middle School for Stories From Deep in the Heart, a project of Texas Folklife.

Ppl_sitting_at_table-_passover_2_small An introduction to the Seder table. Produced by students at Kealing Middle School for Stories From Deep in the Heart, a project of Texas Folklife.

For Passover: Searching a Family Tree for Raisins

From Robin Washington | 01:57

Robin Washington is African American and Jewish and has family members all over the world. Some are Jewish, some are other religions but many celebrate Passover. He’s been obsessed with finding the origin of a family Passover recipe.

Robinoldhood_small Robin Washington is African American and Jewish and has family members all over the world. Some are Jewish, some are other religions but many celebrate Passover. He’s been obsessed with finding the origin of a family Passover recipe.