RE: Camp Boibek

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

I have not had time to respond to this message.   I put it away to respond 
to another time.  Gotta clean out my computer....

Chana Mlotek and Josh Waletzky (my husband) are the people to talk about 
this.  They consecutively were the music counselors on the camp side (Chana 
I think 4 years, Josh 10 years) after, of course, attending themselves. 
  They each wrote the famous Felker yontov songs, but Josh also wrote a 
great deal of original music and several musicals (music and/or lyrics and 
usually the dramatic text,) for the kids to perform (usually 4 shows and 
dramatic presentations a summer).  Then there are many stories of 
performances on the adult side, which is a whole other story.  There is 
just too much to describe on e-mail and I still do not enough time for 
this.  I am also not the best person to tell it, since I was never a 
Boiberikaner (I just married Mr. Boiberik, as he was called.)  Chana Mlotek 
works at YIVO (she is the music archivist) and you can probably get her   
there most of the time.   Josh does little e-mail and has too many letters 
to read, no less respond to.   Calling him on the phone is best.  (Write me 
privately.)

There was a tremendous amount of Yiddish and Jewish music, both performed 
and created for and in Boiberik.  In fact, music was one of the camp's 
highlights.   Just about all the of the great American Yiddish composers, 
musicians, stars taught and/or performed there.  Many people are still good 
sources for both stories and demonstrations, Abe Bromberg, Bob & Mollie 
Freedman, Malka Gotlieb, Judy Gotlieb, all the living Yiddish actors, etc., 
etc.  There are many Boiberikaner who remember an awful lot of the music. 
 Most of the Boiberik archive went to YIVO, but since Josh taught, wrote, 
and presented (from rare collections) the camp's music for 10 years, we 
have a lot of it in our house.   After spending 24 summers in Boiberik, 
being a published Jewish composer since age 12 (true though hard to 
believe) from a very musical family, there is a lot of 
multi-generationational Boiberik music in his head, but that doesn't mean 
that he remembers everything he himself wrote.   Amazingly, many of the 
kids do, even 30 years later.

Lori, I just realized you live in Cleveland, right?   Talk to my brother in 
law, Niel Waletzky, who lives in Shaker Heights.  He remembers an awful lot 
of songs and will have many, many stories to tell you.  Since the Waletzky 
kids were third generations Boiberikaner; were sent to camp every summer 
starting age 4 or 5; their father was president; their mother was forever 
on the board (and usually the art instructor on the adult side); their 
grandparents were on guest side every summer from the early 1920's through 
1970's, etc.,; their whole lives were/are very tightly intertwined with the 
camp, its spirit, history, and community.   Niel will be a very good source 
for you.  He is also not as busy as Josh.


Reyzl


----------
From:  Lori Cahan-Simon [SMTP:lsimon (at) SoftHome(dot)net]
Sent:  Saturday, October 30, 1999 7:42 AM
To:  World music from a Jewish slant
Subject:  Camp Boibek

Tayere khaveyrim,

What can you tell me about Camp Boibek and the music sung there?  Does
anyone have, either on paper, or in their heads, songs you can share with 
me?

A sheynem dank,
Lori
Lori Cahan-Simon



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