RE: Shir al etz (fwd)/ofynveg

[Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky <reyzl...>]

Correction Trudi,

My husband, Josh Waletzky, did _not_ make the wonderful, 8 minute 
claymation film "The Bent Tree".  His old girlfriend Sally Heckle did.   He 
always used to love to sing the song, including around NYU Film school 
where they both studied, and she decided to make a film about it years 
later.  We can definitely say that he inspired it, certainly consulted on 
how to make it, sang for it (though I have heard him do better renditions 
than the one sings on there), but Sally directed the film and is the one 
who personally took 26,000 still photos to make it (or was it 27,000 
photos??).  She deserves all the credit and it is a film "by" Sally Heckle. 
 "The Bent Tree" was, for many, many years, a regular filler on Cable TV 
when they needed 8 minutes between programs.   You can order it from Ergo 
Films (call 1-877-JEWISHVIDEO or http://www.jewishvideo.com/) and, I think 
that it is also part of the Jewish Heritage Video Collection at any large 
local JCC (= can be rented out).   Everyone loves the video and there is an 
internal translation of the Yiddish.   I have found that people play it at 
family gatherings and even at brises (= Jewish circumcision ceremonies.)

Another BTW, I have been meaning to write about this, but haven't gotten to 
it yet.  (still struggling to get back to E-mail.)   There is a TV ad 
playing right now that is a non-musical depiction of the song "Afn Veg 
Shteyt a Boym".   You see a mother wrapping a child up in many layers of 
sweaters, jackets, mittens, hats and scarves for the kid's outdoor playing. 
  The scene then switches to the outdoors and you see another kid sitting 
on a tree branch calling the bundled one to join him in his play on the 
tree.  When the bundled one tries to walk over to the tree, he falls flat 
on his back.  All those sweaters and coats were too heavy for him.   I 
think that this is some kind of (health) insurance ad, but I don't really 
remember whose ad it is.  I watch very little TV, but usually try to catch 
some of Martha Stewart's program in the mornings.   So that's when I must 
have seen it.  The interesting twist to this ad is that the kid is black 
and the story is definitely Jewish.  This is obviously a Jewish ad director 
who knows and loves the Manger's song.  But since/because s/he won't get 
into the overprotective Jewish mother routine (thank God), s/he went for 
the joke in the story and made the kid black.   If you know the song, there 
is no doubt this is a de-Judaized "universal" TV version of it.


Manger's is a beautiful, beautiful song.


Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky








----------
From:  Trudi Goodman [SMTP:goobietheg (at) hotmail(dot)com]
Sent:  Monday, November 29, 1999 6:02 PM
To:  World music from a Jewish slant
Subject:  Re: Shir al etz (fwd)/ofynveg


There is also a very good short animated film of Ofyn Veg by Josh
Waletzsky(spelling may be wrong)
Trudi The G
>From: iganz <IGanz (at) compuserve(dot)com>
>Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
>To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
>Subject: Re: Shir al etz (fwd)
>Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 20:36:13 -0500
>
>The song "Oyfn veg shteyt a boym" is a philosophical poem by the famous
>Itsik Manger (1911-1969).  The melody
>is a folk tune that earlier was set to another text.  The translation of
>Manger's poem, as found
>in "Mir Trogn a Gezang" compiled by Eleanor Mlotek and published by
>Workmen's Circle is:
>
>By the wayside stands a tree, bent against the storm.  All the birds have
>deserted it, leaving
>it alone and unprotected.  "I will become a bird and sit in the tree to
>comfort it with my song
>during the winter."  "No, my child," mother weeps, "you will freeze to
>death, sitting in the tree.
>But if you must, put on your scarf and galoshes; wear your fur hat and 
your
>warm underwear."  I
>life up my wings but I cannot fly.  The clothes mother puts on her weak
>nestling are too heavy.
>Sadly I gaze into my mother's eyes, knowing that it was her love that kept 
>me from soaring like
>a bird.
>
>Isabelle Ganz
>
>-------------Forwarded Message-----------------
>
>From:  INTERNET:jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org, INTERNET:jewish-music (at) 
>shamash(dot)org
>To:    World music from a Jewish slant, INTERNET:jewish-music (at) 
>shamash(dot)org
>
>CC:    [unknown], INTERNET:GCC(dot)Lauer (at) walcheren(dot)ziekenhuis(dot)nl
>
>Date:  11/26/99  2:36 PM
>
>RE:    Re: Shir al etz (fwd)
>
>
>Can anyone provide the lyrics and other information on the inquiry
>below for this song which is in Yiddish and Hebrew, as I explained below?
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Fri, 26 Nov 1999 14:31:21 -0500 (EST)
>From: "H. Kaufman" <hkaufman (at) duke(dot)poly(dot)edu>
>To: GCC(dot)Lauer (at) walcheren(dot)ziekenhuis(dot)nl
>Cc: eefc (at) eefc(dot)org
>Subject: Re: Shir al etz
>
>Dear Derda,
>
>Shir Al Etz is a lovely song originally in Yiddish from Eastern Europe
>whose name is Af in Veg Shtayt a Boym (loosely translated -- On the Road
>Stands a Tree).  THere is actually an Israeli circle dance to the song
>which I am sure the Israeli folk dance leaders in Holland would be able to
>show you.  One leader I know in Amsterdam is Nico Mol (phone number
>020-644-7883), There are also others in Almere, The Hague and Rotterdam,
>if you need someone closer to you.  But Nico should be able to help.  I
>will also send this message to the Jewish Music list for further
>information about the original song, including the lyrics. You did not say
>whether you also wanted the lyrics in Hebrew, which is a loose translation
>from the Yiddish.  If you need further help, you can also contact me off
>line.
>
>Hope this helps.
>
>Haim Kaufman
>Rikuday Dor Rishon
>New York City
>
>On Fri, 26 Nov 1999 GCC(dot)Lauer (at) walcheren(dot)ziekenhuis(dot)nl wrote:
>
> > dear members,
> > Our folkdance-group like to do the dance "Shir al Etz". It is a
>beautiful
> > Israelean waltz.
> > The song that comes with the dance sounds yiddish. And as we are all
>Dutch,
> > we can make up somethinges like a tree with a bird, a mother who 
worries
> > about her child, that is going to fly.....
> > Does anybody know the song-text and is he/she willing to share this 
with
>us?
> > Thank you so much
> > with love,
> > Gerda Lauer
> > Statenhove II 16
> > 4336 CB Middelburg
> > Netherlands
> > tel: 0118-425612
> > email: gcc(dot)lauer (at) walcheren(dot)ziekenhuis(dot)nl
> >
> >
> >
>
>


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