In this joyful, participatory workshop, you’ll learn a selection of Yiddish folk songs that delight in the tastes, smells, and rituals of Shabbat meals. These songs capture the warmth of the Shabbos table, the anticipation of cooking and preparation, and the communal joy of eating together. We'll sing, learn about the cultural context of each song, and practice pronunciation and melody as a group. Whether you're hoping to share these songs with students or congregants, or simply enjoy them around your own table, you’ll leave with music that nourishes both body and soul. No experience with Yiddish or singing required—song sheets with Yiddish lyrics, transliteration, and English translation will be provided.

Adah Hetko is a Yiddish singer/songwriter, dance-leader and educator based in Boston, MA. Several of her compositions are featured on the album Levyosn’s Lullaby, recorded with her ensemble Levyosn (Ashkenazi Hebrew for “Leviathan”), and released by Borscht Beat in June 2023. Levyosn’s Lullaby has been described as “one of those special recordings that brings joy and a smile each time it is heard” (Ari Davidow) and “a warm Yiddish blanket [to] calm your frayed nerves” (Rokhl Kafrissen). Adah has developed her knowledge and skills in many ways, including performing with ensembles Soloveychicks and Eight Foot Babka, completing an ethnographic study of contemporary Yiddish women singers (and completing an MA in Jewish Studies at Indiana University in the process), studying Yiddish song and dance-leading with veteran artist Judy Bressler, and teaching Yiddish songs to students ages 5-95. You can learn more about Adah here.