"In Kheyder" at June 3 Event Honoring Rabbi Kleinbaum
We are still in awe as we look back on the June 3 celebration of Rabbi Kleinbaum’s remarkable 32 years at CBST! It was a spectacular and memorable night featuring a once-in-a-lifetime lineup of musicians and guest speakers that encapsulated Rabbi Kleinbaum’s love of Broadway, opera, Yiddish, and more.
One highlight was Moses Milner’s In Kheyder (In the Classroom), a song in Yiddish describing the special relationship between a teacher and student, as inspired by the song Oyfn Pripetchik. The teacher teaches each of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet by combining the consonants and vowels with a simple repetitive melody.
We then hear the student beginning to repeat the letters in earnest: “aw, baw, gaw, daw!” The teacher reminds the student that these little letters are the pathway to a meaningful life and a guide to understanding our sacred texts: Torah, Torah, Torah…
Music: “In Kheyder” (“In the Classroom”) of Moses Milner (1886-1953)
Voice: CBST Cantor Sam Rosen
Piano: CBST Music Director Joyce Rosenzweig