Pincus and the Pig on your radio!

Tonight, at 7pm on CFRC 101.9fm/www.cfrc.ca, radio613 is broadcasting “Pincus and the Pig: A Klezmer Tale” – a wonderful  reworking of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf”, adapted by Maurice Sendak and musical performance by Shirim Klezmer Orchestra. From Shirim’s site:

“Did you hear of Boychick Pincus, how he opened wide the gate and hippity-hopped over the sweet warm meadow?”So begins Maurice Sendak’s inimitable recasting of Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” in which Peter has become Pincus and the wolf is Chozzer Pig. Like Prokofiev’s ever-popular piece, this version is a narrated story with musical accompaniment in which each character is represented by a theme in the music. Sendak and Shirim have collaborated to create a delightful multi-layered Jewish version of the story and music which, in live performance, features large-screen projections of Sendak’s fantastical artwork. Shirim’s remarkable klezmer reworking of the score captures the excitement and humor of Sendak’s script, from the scuffles between the kvetchy bird and the cranky duck, through the daring capture of the beastly Chozzer Pig, to the triumphant march as Pincus, his grandfather (Zeyde) and the Cossacks carry the pig off.

Tune-in!

!זאל זיין מיט מזל אפרג / Good Luck OPIRG!

As listeners may know, radio613 is a proud working group of OPIRG-Kingston – a non-profit environmental and social justice organization based at Queen’s University. OPIRG provides our radio collective with invaluable support – like webspace for our podcasts, recording equipment to take the show on the road, funds to organize local events (like the recent presentation by Yiddish sound artist Reena Katz and concert from Whiskey Rabbi Geoff Berner), and general social and emotional support that we very much need to continue making local, independent, progressive Jewish radio.

Next week, on January 31st and February 1st, OPIRG-Kingston is facing a referendum in which all undergraduate students at Queen’s will decide whether or not to continue providing funding for the organization through a $4 Opt-Outable Student fee. We strongly encourage students to vote ‘YES!’ in the upcoming referendum.

Many thanks,

radio613 collective

More info: http://voteopirg.tumblr.com

http://opirgkingston.org 

Episode 58: Mish-mash

Tune in to a radio613 mish-mash! In this episode, Avi & Malcah share thoughts and information about a variety of current events in our Jewish worlds.

To begin,we discuss the Project Hayei Sarah and hear a D’var Torah about the parsha from Alana Alpert.

Next, we discuss the new documentary Never Come Back, which we recently got to sneak preview. The film is about the Canadian Roma community, the increasing difficulties being faced by Roma refugee claimants in getting status in Canada, and the realities of systemic and violent anti-Roma discrimination in Hungary and the Czech Republic.

We also share information about Hampshire College’s recent Queer Jews and Allies Conference.

The show features lots of great music: ‘Trili Trilili’ by Lenka Lichtenberg, and ‘Play, Gypsy, Play’ and ‘Victory Party’ by the recently titled Canadian Folk Music Award-Winner in the Pushing the Bundaries category, Geoff Berner.

We end the show with the ceaselessly amazing original recording of Allen Ginsberg’s America, set to “Hassidish” by Socalled and Sophie Solomon.

Click here to listen!

Narrow Bridge Candles

You’ve only got 3 days left to order your handmade, BDS-supporting beeswax Hannukah candles from Narrow Bridge Candles! These candles are more beautiful and smell nicer than almost any other Hannukah candles we’ve used. More importantly, the candles are made outside of Israel and 10% of the proceeds go to the Stop the JNF Campaign. Decolonize your Hannukah ritual this year! Support BDS!

Also…stay tuned to radio613 in the coming weeks for an interview with Narrow Bridge Candles creator jonah aline daniel.

Click here to watch a video about Narrow Bridge Candles.

Click here to order your candles now. Shabbat and Havdalah candles available as well.

Episode 57: “Songs of Wonder” & “Khumesh Lider”

radio613 presents an hour with musicians Basya Schechter and Avi Fox-Rosen. This week marks the official release of Basya Schechter’s album “Songs of Wonder” (Tzadik Records). The project sets the Yiddish poetry of activist and Jewish theologian Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel to music. A CD release party for Songs of Wonder is happening on Wednesday, November 30 at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City.

radio613 caught up with Basya and Avi at the Workmen’s Circle/Arbeter Ring’s “Vokh in Yiddishland,” a week of celebrating, learning and teaching Yiddish, where the duo performed selections from Pharaoh’s Daughter as well as their inventive and moving musical interpretations of Yiddish poetry by Heschel and Itzik Manger.

Episode 57 features brand new tracks from the (highly recommended!) Songs of Wonder album, an interview with Basya and Avi, plus sounds from their Arbeter Ring concert.

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

To follow along with a translation of Heschel’s yiddish poetry, click here.

Buy “Songs of Wonder” online here.

Episode 56: X-Men

Your fave supercrips face their harshest saga yet…a radio613 movie review! Yup, we take the hour to discuss and analyze themes of disability and Jewish identity that arise in the X-men trilogy (+ prequel): Is Professor X a liberal assimilationist? What does Mystique have to say about privilege/oppression and “passing”? Is Magneto a Zionist? Has Beast sold out to eugenics???? Tune-in to find out!

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

Did we miss a key plot line? Upset that we didn’t discuss Storm’s rad-ness or Wolverine’s reformed nihlism? Feel free, as always, to comment or write us at radio613@riseup.net.

Music this week from Gogol Bordello “To Rise Above” and The Selecter “They Make Me Mad”

Episode 51: Shtetl On the Shortwave

Our 2011 CFRC funding drive show!!! As a way to honour radio613′s strong relationship with community radio, on this show we interview Tamara Kramer, host of Shtetl On the Shortwave: a bi-weekly Jewish arts & culture radio show on CKUT 90.3fm in Montreal. Malcah, Avi and Tamara discuss the relationship between community radio and jewish community building. We are big fans of Shtetl and it was such a pleasure to connect with Tamara. Thanks to all who support community radio and thanks to community radio for supporting us!

Featuring fun shout outs and great tunes from Mirah, Socalled and The Shondes.

Click here to listen to the podcast (right-click to download).

In the last year, Tamara launched Shtetl Montreal – an online Alternative Jewish Magazine that includes event listings for Montreal, creative writing and Shtetl on the Shortwave podcasts. Check out a recent podcast featuring an interview with Rabbi Ronnie Cahana and Karen Knie-Cahana.

Semitic Soul “Breaks-outta-Babel mix”

playlist…

Watcha Clan – La Camel
Palov & Mishkin – Et de Clarinete (cast-a-blast)
Ghettoplotz – Babyschlep
Balkan Hotsteppers – Basement Freaks vs. Public Enemy
Socalled – Work With What You Got
Parov Stelar – The Mojo Radio Gang
Balkan Beat Box – Move It (radioclit remix)
Daniel Greenx – Balkanish
Max Pashm – Rembeteli
Schyzodrome – Tzifest
Skazka Orchestra – Tatarstan
Frank London’s Klezmer Brass All-Stars – Borracho #1 The Cobbles In the Street moan For You
New Orleans Klezmer All-Stars – Too Eggy
Klezmatics – Bulgar-a-la-Klezmatics

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

Episode 55: Sukkos fly on the temporary wall

This year, the radio613 collective survived the rain and cold in our beautiful little sukkah WITH a recorder! Tune in to hear our rituals, thoughts, readings and discussions. With beautiful music from Steven Bernstein, the Afro-Semitic Experience, the Klezmatics, and the Shondes. If you are sad the simcha is over and want to spend a little more time relishing in the wonders of sukkos, you can also give a listen to our previous sukkot shows from 2009 and 2008.

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

Episode 54: Free Voice of Labour

Between the 1880s and the beginning on the 1st world war, poor and working class Jews in north america were highly involved with class struggles as anarchists and socialists. In this episode of radio613, we share with you the sounds from the short documentary Free Voice of Labour: The Jewish Anarchists. Free Voice of Labour is a translation of the name of a Yiddish-language anarchist newspaper, the Freie Arbiter Stimme, (roughly transliterated), which published well into the 1970s. The film was made in 1980 and features interviews with over a dozen Jewish anarchists.

Listen to our broadcast here.

You can also watch the video here.

Semitic Soul, new for 5772

DJ Grenadier presents music and voices of participants from the Yom Kippur Services that took place at #OccupyWallStreet and #OccupyPhilly. Interviews w/ Jesse Bacon and Raye and poetry by Allen Ginsberg.

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

Episode 53: Beyond the Conventional Prayerbook

As a special Rosh Hashanah feature, radio613 interviews Joseph G. Rosenstein, author of Machzor Eit Ratzon – an independent, complete prayer book for the High Holy Day period. Rosenstein is also the author of Siddur Eit Ratzon. In our conversation, Joe talks about why he believed a new Machzor was necessary and what he tried to achieve with his translations, format and additional content.

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

Those interested in accessible and meaningful prayers and translations will definitely be interested in finding out more about the Siddur & Machzor Eit Ratzon: www.newsiddur.org

Also, a big thanks to Jack Zaientz from Teruah Jewish Music for helping us get our hands on the Machzor!

Shana Tova!

Basya Schechter/Avi Fox-Rosen Concert

Tune-in to radio613 tonight at our new timeslot – 7pm on CFRC 101.9fm in Kingston or online at www.cfrc.ca.

Basya Schechter and Avi Fox-Rosen perform their musical interpretations of yiddish poetry by Abraham Joshua Heschel and Itzhik Manger. The concert, recorded this summer at the Arbeter Ring’s “Vokh in Yiddishland”, also includes songs from Schechter’s group Pharaoh’s Daughter.

Tonight’s show is a rare opportunity to hear the fruits of some very creative and moving musical projects. Stay tuned to radio613 for interviews with Basya Schechter and Avi Fox-Rosen and information about the upcoming CD release of “Songs of Wonder: Yiddish Poetry by AJ Heschel”. If listeners are in New York, the duo will be performing Manger’s “Khumesh Lider” (“Bible Songs”) weekly at the Sixth Street Synagogue.

http://pharaohsdaughter.com
http://www.avifoxrosen.com

Episode 52: Highlights

Malcah & Avi return to the airwaves after a 6 month hiatus and share highlights from the first 50 episodes of radio613. If you are introducing your friend to the show, this episode is definitely a good place to start. We’ve got it all: Yiddishkeit, kabbalistic interpretations, book reviews, conversations with Jewish media-makers, musicians, artists and diasporists, poetry, Jewish political commentary… it’s good to be back.

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

radio613 returns to air!

Sholem aleykhem listeners…

radio613 returns from our hiatus today, September 12, 2011/13 Elul, 5771!!!!! We have a brand new time slot on CFRC 101.9 fm – Monday evenings from 7-8pm. That’s right, us yids have prime airtime in the Loyalist/WASP bastion of Kingston. Tune-in live at www.cfrc.ca or check back to our site soon for the podcast.

We’ve also done some small renos to the website: TAGS! We hope they can help you navigate our contributions to the Jewish airwaves. Please feel free to write the radio613 collective for any helpful input: radio613@riseup.net.

Happy listening.

DJ Grenadier’s “Semites-do-it-right-mix”

Expansive sounds from the Semitic world blast out your speaker’s on this edition of Semitic Soul.

The Nigun Project – The Magid of Koznitz’s Nigun
Steven Bernstein – Dan
Oren Bloedow & Jennifer Charles – Ayyu-Ha S-Saqi
Natascha Atlas – Random Check
The Narcicyst – Second Class Citizen (Hubris)
DeLeon  – La Ner V’Livsamin/To the Candle and the Spices
Electric Morocco – Joe’s Pill
Tomer  Yosef – When the Wind Pushes Me
Rachid Taha – Lil’ Fat Mat
DAM – Kalimat/Words
Excentrik – Mukhabarat Chasing My Oud
Abby Rabinowitz – Flute Doina
Abby Rabinowitz – Dance of the Devil’s Bride
Geoff Berner – Daloy Politzey/Down with the Police (preview)

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

A Teach-In on the Egyptian Revolution

On February 17, 2011, hundreds gathered on the campus of Queen’s University in Kingston for a teach-in on the Egyptian Revolution. The teach-in provided historical, social, and political context and perspective to better understand the January 25th movement in Egypt as well as revolutionary happenings in Tunisia, the Middle East, and beyond.

Many thanks to Dr. Dana Olwan & Karl Hardy for organizing this very informative and engaging teach-in.

Speakers (in order) include:
Dr. Mohamed Bayoumi, Khaled Shaheen, Dr. Adnan Husain, Dr. Ariel Salzman,  Nasser Saleh, Mohamed Abdou, Dr. Dana Olwan

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

Episode 50: Trees of Life

We are blessed to be able to, once again, present a Tu Bishvat/New Year of the Trees episode. We are late posting this show as it is now a few weeks from the originally broadcast date on the 15th of Shvat, but at any moment this holiday can serve to remind us, daily, of the possibilities for meaningful connections with Trees, fruits, the Seasons, and the world that surrounds us.

There is a lot of work to be done reclaiming this meaningful holiday from those who have used it to justify colonialism, displacement, and erasure of Palestinian and Bedouin histories. Happily, we are able to feature many voices and texts that help us with reclamation by drawing from deep within the roots of Jewish life. Tune-in to hear a reading from Kingston author Leanne Lieberman’s new young adult novel Book of Trees; an update on displacement and resistance in the Negev; preparations and readings from our Kabbalistic Tu Bishvat Seder; plus, other radio waves turned to branches turned to more beautiful metaphors.

radio613′s Tu Bishvat show for 5771 ends with a review of the recently published 70 Faces: Torah Poems by Rabbi Rachel Barenblat. 70 Faces eloquently blends feminism and classic traditions of textual interpretation. Listen for readings from parshas B’shalach and Yitro.

Music from Eekwol ft. Mass and Flipdabird (“The Tree”) and Testament (“Generation Z”).

Click here to listen.

Episode 49: Anti-racist action in Toronto + Sarah Palin pathologies

radio613 speaks with correspondent Yakov in Toronto following the protest against the English Defense League’s talk at the Toronto Zionist Centre on Tuesday, January 11th. The English Defense League is a racist, Islamophobic grassroots nationalist group in England that has been hosting rallies to incite hate for immigrants and people of colour. They were invited to speak in Toronto by the JDL, and facing no troubles at the Canadian border in their quest to spread the hate to Toronto, a robust group of anti-racist activists from many walks of life showed up to protest their talk.

Following the interview, Malcah and Avi discuss the latest in American right-wing anti-semitic lingo. Fear not, the Sarah Palin clip is oh-so-short and our indictments loom large.

Featuring anti-fascist tracks by Kingston’s own Dirty Lickens and Daniel Kahn and the Painted Bird.

Click here to listen (right-click to download)!

Episode 48: “Soviet-Jewish Alienation within the “Bagel & Lox Culture”

radio613 interviews Vlada Bilyak – creator of a new documentary entitled ‘Soviet-Jewish Alienation within the “Bagel & Lox Culture.”‘ As Vlada writes, “[T]his is a short documentary I created exploring my feelings of alienation and authenticity doubts within dominant Jewish culture in North America as a Soviet Jew who emigrated from the former USSR as a child. The documentary contextualizes my experiences within interviews (mostly done on Skype) with other 20-something Soviet Jews and my mother.”

Be sure to watch the documentary on YouTube: part 1 & part 2.

Our interview follows up on the poignant questions and stories  in the documentary about anti-semitism and xenophobia, immigration to North America and the normative culture that exists here.

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

*Vlada is hoping to continue to work on and expand this project and anyone interested in sharing their own Soviet-Jewish story with her is welcome to contact her at vlada.bilyak@gmail.com

Od yeshama, new Semitic Soul

Lots of dance-y balkan beats, klezmer, and Romani music on this week’s Semitic Soul. Enjoy!

playlist…

Beats Antique – Nesasatavo
Max Pashm – Anarchy
Klezmer Rebs – Yishama-O-Rama (Cut Loose Remix)
Socalled & Solomon – Headphones
Omfo – Mr. Mamaglia
Balkan Beat Box – Pachima (Ubk Remix)
[dunkelbunt] & Cloud Tissa – Kebab Connection (Shazalakazoo Sharwarma Remix)
Ostblocket ft. Raf MC – Raul Cocek
Shantel – Sota
J.U.F. – Bassar (Spanish Car Service)
Balkan Beat Box – Look Them Act
Frank London & David Yengibarjan – Golem Khosidl
Esma Redzepova – Cherenije
Daniel Kahn – Dumai
Dazoque – Serb Bird

Click here to listen (right-click to download)

The Power of Light

Last year’s podcast featuring readings of Isaac Bashevis Singer’s short Chanukah stories was quite popular. As such, we decided to present another set from Singer’s “The Power of Light: 8 Stories for Hanukkah”. Yes, we’re now in the nearly year long period of non-Chanukah, but we promise that the stories were read and recorded during this year’s chag ha’urim.

Here they are in segments with accompanying music by The Klezmer Conservatory Band, Andy Statman, Ot Azoj, and Shirim Klezmer Orchestra:

“A Parakeet Named Dreidel” (right-click to download)
“The Extinguished Lights” (right-click to download)
“Menashe & Rachel” (right-click to download)

Anarchists Against the Wall in Kingston – November 21

If you are in Kingston on Sunday at 7pm, please come check out this presentation co-hosted by radio613 and SPHR, featuring Israeli anarchist Noam Lekach. The talk is part of the cross-Turtle Island fundraising tour to cover legal costs of Israeli State repression of the popular struggle against the Occupation in general and the Apartheid wall in particular.

More info:

awalls.org

Episode 47: Book review: “Outwitting the Gestapo”

This week on radio613, thoughtful reflection and conversation about Outwitting the Gestapo, Lucie Aubrac’s memoir of her life and activities in the French Resistance from May 1943 to February 1944, the nine months during her pregnancy.

Music of resistance from Mark Gunnery (“Ballad of the Uprising of the Rootless Cosmopolitan”) and Mirah (“Monument”).

Also on the show, the Jewish Canadian Open Letter Against Bill C49 and the Haymarket Affair Memorial.

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

Episode 46: Abrahamic Unity/Disregard

Part one of this week’s radio613 takes a critical look at a recent radio interview with Muslim Canadian Congress founder Tarek Fatah. The interview, featured on CBC’s The Current, explores the thesis in Fatah’s new book ”The Jew Is Not My Enemy”. The author claims that his book’s purpose is to challenge anti-Semitism in Muslim communities. Our analysis, however, suggests that Fatah’s unwillingness to acknowledge the realities of Islamophobia strongly discredits Fatah’s work and hinders the work of confronting anti-Semitism and building unity between Jews and Muslims.

Part two of the show features Malcah’s reading of “Goslin Day” by Avram Davidson from Wandering Stars: An Anthology of Jewish Fantasy & Science Fiction.

Music this week from Brother Ali (“Good Lord”) and The Narcicyst (“PHATWA”).

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

dovbear.blogspot.com/2010/10/campells-soup-sucks-but-ive-got-their.html

Episode 45: Jew on This

This week: a real shidduch of anti-colonial Jewish collectives! As part of her visit to Turtle Island, Rachel (aka Anzya) from the Jew on This blog came through Kingston to dwell in our Succah, break bread, dip honey, exchange stories, and build bridges. Since discovering one another on the web over the last year, we’ve been more than happy to find affinity with this wonderful blog coming out of Melbourne. From their ‘About’ page:

We want to embrace the idea that living in diaspora is the most significant way in which Jewishness can exist. When we’re in diaspora we’re without state power: this need not be disabling, but can be a source of empowerment and richness. As Daniel Boyarin has stated, “there is power to living on the margins”. Power here is not to be understood as ‘power over’—after Foucault we know that it is too simplistic to think of power in those terms. We’re thinking instead of power as productive of identities, languages and knowledges.
…We also deeply respect Indigenous peoples claims to sovereignty. The two systems can coexist. And so we acknowledge that this blog and our lives take place on stolen Indigenous land, primarily the land of the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation. We take this seriously: not just the stealing of land which enabled our lives in Australia, but also the continuing colonial rule which exists in so many ways in Australia today.

During Rachel’s visit to Kingston, we ventured into the CFRC studios to record some of the conversations that took place over Shabbes/Succot. Click here to listen and/or read about her “radical Jewish adventures” here.

jewonthis.wordpress.com
colonialinscriptions.wordpress.com

Episode 44: Velveteen Rabbi Interview

Just in time for the close of the Yamim Noraim between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, we speak with the Velveteen Rabbi, aka Rachel Barenblat. radio613 collective members have appreciated the mindful Jewish thought emanating from Rachel’s blog for years. Malcah and Avi got the chance to hear Rachel’s poetry and speak with her about rabbinical school, High Holy day preparation, new translations, and the transformation of ritual to social justice. In the last week, the New York Times and the Forward have covered Rachel’s online work to support a New York mosque affected by the recent wave of inhumane Islamophobia in America. Rachel comments on these events as well.

Music from Beyond the Pale and Kol Nidre incantation by Cantor Moishe Oysher.

Tune-in here!

More info:

velveteenrabbi.blogs.com
ALEPH Alliance for Jewish Renewal
Jewish Fast for Gaza

Vos Vet Zayn 5771?

New Semitic Soul podcast. Music for entering a new year. Vos vet zayn 5771?/What will be for 5771? Reflecting on the previous and hoping for and working towards a year filled with love , trust, shalom v’tzedek. L’Shana Tova and Eid Mubarak to our listeners. Thanks for tuning in.

Playlist…

Mikveh – Vos Vet Zayn
Austin Klezmorim – Birobidzian
Golem – Oessa
Gogol Bordello – Passport
Di Nigunin – Haveinu Shalom
Banda Olifante – Los Peces
Rotfront – Red Mercedes
Russkaja – Dobrij Abend
Slovonoski Bal – Moscow Fever
Klezmorim – Baym Rebns Sude
Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band – Drei Neytorins
Dazoque! – Romanian Raspberry
Itzhak Perlman – Flatbush Waltz
w/ reading of Marge Piercy’s “The Low Road”

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

Episode 43: Anti-Roma Racism in Europe & Canada

In the same week that Romani communities commemorated the Roma Holocaust (August 2), countries across Europe pushed through legislation to expel Romanies and destroy their settlements. Systemic racism and day-to-day violence against Roma persist in Europe – and with impunity. Episode 43 features our interview with Robert Kushen, director of the European Roma Rights Centre, who outlines the current and historical climate in Europe for Romanies. Special guest Laura joins the show to situate anti-Roma racism in a Canadian context. Finally, we speak with Rabbi Jonathan Freirich about shared experiences of exile as radio613 discusses the need for developing stronger Jewish-Roma solidarity.

Music from Boban Markovic (“Balkan Fest”) and Gogol Bordello (“Immigrant Punk”).

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

More info:
www.errc.org
www.romarights.net
Jewish and…

Episode 42: Open Source Judaism

Episode 42 features an interview with Aharon Varady, founder of the Open Siddur Project. Aharon lays out how copyright creates barriers to meaningful prayer and access to the diversity of Jewish traditions. In response, Aharon created OpenSiddur.org – “a Jewish free culture and open source project that bridges bookcraft, scholarship, and spirituality” - a Jewish DIY challenge to for-profit publishing companies. Yasher koach! If capitalism hurts your kavanah, you should tune-in to this podcast!

Music from Alain Chekroun (“Psalm 121″), Andy Statman Quartet (“You Were Revealed”), David Krakauer’s Klezmer Madness! (“Electric Sher”).

Click here to listen (right-click to download).

varady.net
zinelibrary.info