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Music
Living a Deeply Creative Life with Peter Himmelman and Nadine Epstein
Peter Himmelman and Nadine Epstein discuss music, art and writing; how creativity is at the core of everything we do; creativity as a path to faith and the influence Judaism has had on that path.
Mister Kelly’s Nightclub with David Marienthal, Alison Hinderliter and Joe Alterman
How the Marienthal brothers’ Mister Kelly’s club changed show business.
Nightingale of Iran with Danielle and Galeet Dardashti and Jennifer Bardi
Danielle and Galeet Dardashti, born and raised in the United States, knew very little about the lives of their father Farid and grandfather Younes in Iran when both were singing sensations and beloved by Iran’s Muslim community in the 1950s and 1960s.
The Many Sounds of MATISYAHU with Matisyahu and Joe Alterman
Matisyahu talks about his religious and musical journeys.
It’s not a Conspiracy: The Jewish and Black Origins of the Skinhead Movement with Jacob Kornbluth, Eric K. Ward, Pan Nesbitt and Nadine Epstein
Jewish and Black origins of the Skinhead movement, how punk activists like Ward and Nesbitt successfully pushed back against white nationalists and neo-Nazis to save the subculture.
From Jewish Rapper to Israel Activist with Kosha Dillz and Joe Alterman
Kosha Dillz, aka Rami Even-Esh, talks about embracing his Jewish identity and how he uses his music to bring together people from different cultures and backgrounds.
Telling Jewish Stories Through Music with Hershey Felder and Joe Alterman
Join Hershey Felder for a wide-open conversation about why he is compelled to tell these stories through music, how being Jewish has influenced his work and what Jewish music means to him.
The Musical Legacy of Leonard Cohen with David Broza and Amy E. Schwartz
Join David Broza and Moment Book & Opinion editor Amy E. Schwartz, for a conversation about Leonard Cohen, his legacy, why he was so beloved and what it was like to reimagine his songs.
A Musical Journey in Search of Iraqi-Jewish Roots with Yoni Avi Battat and Joe Alterman
Yoni Avi Battat discusses his journey into Jewish Arabic poetry, researching translations and tracking down rare editions of Arabic books so he could weave his Arab-Jewish ancestry into his music
A Nadine Epstein Interview with Max Weinberg
E Street Band drummer Max Weinberg sits down for an in-depth interview with Moment Editor-in-Chief Nadine Epstein. Weinberg is the 2022 recipient of the “Moment Creativity Award.”
The Intersection of Music and Prayer with David Broza and Amy E. Schwartz
To internationally renowned Israeli singer-songwriter David Broza, music is a platform for dialogue and tolerance. Themes of social justice and peace are embedded in his music and are integral to his humanitarian work. Now Broza, known for his dynamic guitar performances, has put his prodigious talents to work creating new music for the Shabbat service. He is in conversation with Moment books and opinion editor Amy E. Schwartz about his new album, Tefila—prayer in Hebrew—which reimagines the service with genres such as pop, jazz, gospel, folk and classical for a fresh and engaging Shabbat experience.
The Story of Art Rupe and Specialty Records with Nadine Epstein and Billy Vera
Art Rupe, who died in April at the age of 104, was an independent record producer known for launching the musical careers of Lloyd Price, Little Richard, Sam Cooke and others, paving the way for Black music to crossover to White audiences and the new genre of rock n’ roll. Moment editor-in-chief and Billy Vera, a singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, Grammy Award winning music historian and author of Rip It Up: The Specialty Records Story is in conversation about Rupe’s impoverished childhood in a Pennsylvania town, his early affinity for gospel music, and how he turned down a scholarship to become a rabbi and instead headed to Hollywood, his legendary career, life philosophy and more.
This program is in celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month.
Blacks, Jews, Jazz & Blues with Loren Schoenberg, Eric K. Ward and Nadine Epstein
In the 19th century Black spirituals were inspired by biblical stories in the Old Testament, especially those we remember during Passover. In the early decades of the 20th century, Black and Jewish musicians, often living side by side in the same impoverished neighborhoods, connected through legacies of oppression. With the music industry one of the few fields open to them both, it’s no surprise that blues and jazz became rich, crossover genres. Join Loren Schoenberg, senior scholar at The National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Eric K. Ward, executive director of Western States Center and Nadine Epstein, Moment editor-in-chief, for a conversation about these musical connections, the bonds and tensions, and a taste of the music itself including Joshua Fought the Battle of Jericho and Go Down Moses to Bei Mir Bist Du Shein.
God, Sex and Politics in the Lyrics of Leonard Cohen with writers Erica Jong, Marcia Pally and Letty Cottin Pogrebin
Five years after singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen’s death, his lyrics and legacy still speak to us with special urgency. Marcia Pally, author of From This Broken Hill I Sing to You: God, Sex, and Politics in the Work of Leonard Cohen, and Erica Jong, author of Fear of Flying, is in conversation with Moment columnist Letty Cottin Pogrebin, a founding editor of Ms. magazine, about Cohen’s probing of Jewish theology and his doctrine of relationship and personal responsibility and its relevance for the present moment. They also explore his legacy through a Jewish, feminist lens.
Music Between Cultures: The Sounds of Jewish America with musician Joe Alterman
Throughout the 20th century, Jews have always contributed to American popular music, from Irving Berlin to Carole King and beyond. But according to musician Joe Alterman, executive director of Neranenah Concert & Culture Series, the Jewishness of the music is defined by its story and not necessarily its melody. Part performance, part storytelling, Alterman, shares great American music with its fascinating Jewish stories woven in.
The Fifth (Jewish) Beatle with Walter J. Podrazik and Harry Castleman
Walter J. Podrazik and Harry Castleman, authors of All Together Now – the first complete Beatles discography 1961-1975, discuss Brian Epstein, the Jewish record store owner who discovered and managed the Beatles.
Jews, Music and the American Dream with Musicians Ben Sidran and Joe Alterman
Jews have always been at the forefront of American popular music. Musician and music producer Ben Sidran, author of There Was A Fire: Jews, Music and the American Dream talks about: Who is a Jew in America? What is Jewish about popular music in America? What’s the prognosis for the future? Ben is in conversation with pianist Joe Alterman, executive director of Neranenah Concert & Culture Series, which celebrates Jewish contributions to music and the arts.
A Tale of a Niggun by Elie Wiesel with Elisha Wiesel and Mark Podwal
After Elie Wiesel died, a little-known narrative poem that he wrote in the 1970s, A Tale of a Niggun, was rediscovered. Based on an actual event during the Holocaust, the poem was so moving that it was turned into a book. Join Elie’s son Elisha—who pays tribute to his father with the book’s introduction— and Elie’s dear friend—award-winning artist Mark Podwal—who illustrated the book, as they discuss how the poem was discovered, why it is so important and the power of wordless Jewish melodies. With Moment Editor-in-Chief Nadine Epstein, editor of Elie Wiesel: An Extraordinary Life.
Held in observance of Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Musical Memories of Elie Wiesel
Some of Elie’s friends and former students join in conversation and song to mark what would have been his 92nd birthday.
Featuring: Rabbi Ariel Burger, author, Witness: Lessons from Elie Wiesel’s Classroom; Nadine Epstein, editor-in-chief, Moment Magazine; Cantor Deborah Katchko-Gray, Congregation Shir Shalom, Connecticut; Matthew Lazar, founder & director, Zamir Choral Foundation; Cantor Joseph Malovany, Fifth Avenue Synagogue, New York
Theodore Bikel’s The City of Light with Aimee Ginsburg Bikel
Love, Laughter and Tears: Theodore Bikel’s The City of Light with Aimee Ginsburg Bikel. This zoominar is part of the Martha’s Vineyard Jewish Book Festival, in partnership with Moment Magazine, the Chilmark Library and the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center.
Celebrating Bob Dylan and the Rolling Thunder Revue with Louie Kemp and Kinky Friedman
Louie Kemp recounts his lifelong friendship with Bob Dylan, who he met at Jewish summer camp, and which he wrote about in his book Dylan and Me: 50 Years of Adventure. Louie also talks about the 1975 Rolling Thunder Revue that he produced, a concert tour featuring Bob Dylan and other performers like Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell. Joining Louie is Kinky Friedman who performed in the Revue in 1976 and wrote the forward for Dylan and Me.
Stories and Songs of Theodore Bikel with Aimee Ginsburg Bikel
Aimee Ginsburg Bikel, Theo’s wife and director of the Theodore Bikel Legacy Project, gives us an up-close and personal look at the man behind the legend. Aimee shares stories about Theo’s life, from his acting roles to a sampling of his folk music, as well as his passion for tikkun olam (repair of the world). Aimee also presents an excerpt from her recently released book, Theodore Bikel’s: The City of Light, which recounts moments from Theo’s childhood in Vienna.
Broadway Songs about the Jewish Experience with Michael Lavine
Broadway Performance Coach and Music Director Michael Lavine shares Jewish themed songs that are unfamiliar to many, including songs that were cut from the original Fiddler on the Roof. Actress Barbara Minkus who starred in the Broadway show The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N and the television show Love American Style, makes a special guest appearance.