Hi listeners. we had some server switching recently and some of our earlier links weren’t working. That has been fixed although some Semitic Soul files are still wandering about…
Community radio in the 613-area needs you!!!
February 13, 2012 - Leave a Response
Tonight is the radio613 funding drive special! We are soliciting your call-in donations to the vibrant, nourishing community radio station here in the 613-area code – CFRC 101.9fm. Tune-in online (www.cfrc.ca) at 7pm: We have a feature interview with the director of the recently released DVD, The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground - Erik Greenberg Anjou. Making a pledge to CFRC during the show tonight not only makes you eligible for some amazing prizes from the station, but you also be entered into a draw for a copy of The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground (with DVD bonus feature klezmer!!!!). Of course, you can also get a tax receipt (no taxes for the Queen!!!) or just feel great about supporting community-run media and our radio collective.
Our pledge line is 613-533-CFRC (2372). If you don’t have the chance to call-in tonight, you can pledge online here.
Thanks listeners!
Episode 59: Justice, Justice You Shall Pursue
February 1, 2012 - 2 Responses
Tzedek, tzedek tirdof! Tune in to radio613′s 59th episode featuring a great conversation with Ezra Berkley Nepon about the 1980s progressive Jewish group/movement, New Jewish Agenda. New Jewish Agenda was an American, national, multi-issue, grassroots progressive Jewish organization that operated as a “a Jewish voice among progressives and a progressive voice among Jews.” It was so much fun to talk to Ezra and hear about what led her to do this research, how the NJA functioned, how they struggled, what kinds of issues they tackled. Be inspired and grounded in progressive Jewish history and learn NJA’s story of feminist solidarity, economic justice, feminist, solidarity, nuclear disarmament, AIDS activism and more.
Even more exciting than our conversation, is the fact that Ezra’s research is going to be published as a book and you can help make it happen! With a modest goal of $4000, Ezra Nepon is raising funds to publish her research in a book. Pre-buy your copy for only $20, or consider making a larger donation and receiving a beautiful new Celebrate People’s History poster about NJA. Click here to make your donation today!
Featuring music by Jewish Princess and Fortuna.
Listen to our conversation here (right-click to download).
And, follow Ezra’s research about New Jewish Agenda here.
Pincus and the Pig on your radio!
January 30, 2012 - Leave a Response
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!
January 24, 2012 - Leave a Response
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
December 8, 2011 - Leave a Response
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
November 28, 2011 - One Response
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”
November 28, 2011 - One Response
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
November 18, 2011 - Leave a Response
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
November 9, 2011 - Leave a Response
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”
November 1, 2011 - Leave a Response
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
October 30, 2011 - Leave a Response
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
October 23, 2011 - Leave a Response
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
October 9, 2011 - One Response
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
September 28, 2011 - Leave a Response
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
September 19, 2011 - Leave a Response
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.
radio613 returns to air!
September 12, 2011 - One Response
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”
February 22, 2011 - One Response
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
February 18, 2011 - Leave a Response
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 49: Anti-racist action in Toronto + Sarah Palin pathologies
January 25, 2011 - One Response
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”
January 3, 2011 - One Response
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
December 14, 2010 - 2 Responses
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)
Anarchists Against the Wall in Kingston – November 21
November 19, 2010 - Leave a Response
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:
Episode 46: Abrahamic Unity/Disregard
October 25, 2010 - 2 Responses
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
October 6, 2010 - Leave a Response
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.
