A new Yiddish theatrical concert 

by JOSH WALETZKY  

AMERICAN PREMIERE PERFORMANCE:

SUNDAY,
MARCH 26, 2023

1 pm & 6 pm showtimes

Presented by the National Yiddish Theater Folksbiene at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Park, NYC

New York-born composer Josh Waletzky’s new Yiddish song cycle—“pleytem tsuzamen / פּליטים צוזאַמען/ Refugees Together”— is a call for solidarity with those who are most threatened. Confronting our current reality, the songs present a dynamic fusion of traditional forms with the social, political, and personal challenges posed by the world today — and they embody the power of music to foster the courage we need to “link arms and take to the streets together against bloodshed and hatred.”

These songs are stunning and political—addressing immigration and refugeeism, climate collapse, racism, foster care, mass shootings, antisemitism, and “Make Our Race Great Again” ideologies. Waletzky’s voice has rarely been more powerful or timely.

Ukrainian sand art image of a song bird breaking free from its cage.

Creative Team

  • Josh Waletzky

    Music and Lyrics

  • Michael Barakiva

    Director

  • Angela Baughman

    Sound designer

  • Miriam Crowe

    Lighting Designer

  • Asia Fruman

    Ukrainian Supertitle Translations

  • Jeyn Levison

    Theatrical Book, Creative Producer

  • Zhenya Lopatnik

    Sand Art

  • Mackenzie Towbridge

    Stage Manager

Waletzky wrote these songs for a chosen group of master Yiddish singers, the foremost contemporary
performers, teachers, and transmitters of Yiddish song—Daniel Kahn (US, Germany), Sveta Kundish
(Ukraine, Israel, Germany), Sasha Lurje (Latvia, Germany), and Polina Shepherd (Russia, Tatarstan,
England)—as well as for his own voice. Accompanying the singing is, likewise, an ensemble of master
Yiddish instrumentalists, also among the foremost contemporary performers, teachers, and transmitters
of Yiddish instrumental music—Deborah Strauss (US/violin), Jake Shulman-Ment (US/violin), Ilya
Shneyveys (Latvia, Germany, US/accordion), Polina Shepherd (piano), and Beth Silver
(Canada/cello). pleytem tsuzamen also incorporates Ukrainian sand/shadow artwork by Zhenya Lopatnik.

Meet the Performers

  • Daniel Kahn

    Voice, guitar

    Photo: Oleg Farynyuk

  • Sveta Kundish

    Voice

    Photo: Michael Bezman

  • Sasha Lurje

    Voice

    Photo: Shendl Kopitman

  • Merlin Shepherd

    Clarinet

  • Polina Shepherd

    Voice, Piano

    Photo: Kirill Nikitin

  • Ilya Shneyveys

    Accordion

    Photo: Anton Tal

  • Jake Shulman-Ment

    Violin

    Photo: Lloyd Wolf

  • Beth Silver

    Cello

    Photo: Shendl Copitman

  • Deborah Strauss

    Violin

    Photo: Avia Moore

  • Josh Waletzky

    Voice

    Photo: Jeyn Levison

Ticket info coming soon