Sunday 24th July 2022
Soul Joy • 1727
In collaboration with Dr. Nathan Wolski and the Australian Centre for Jewish Civilisation at Monash University, we are thrilled to announce a new album – Soul Joy • 1727
Beloved Melbourne Yiddish band The Bashevis Singers (Evie Gawenda, Husky Gawenda and Gideon Preiss) are thrilled to announce the release of their third Yiddish album, Soul Joy • 1727. Featuring eight new all-Yiddish tracks, Soul Joy 1727 is a contemporary reimagining of the oldest Yiddish song book: Simkhes ha-Nefesh part 2 by Elkhonen Henele son of Rabbi Binyomin Wolf Kirkhhan, first published in Furth in 1727.
Although not a household name today, in the 18th and 19th centuries, Elkhonen Kirkhhan’s Simkhes ha-Nefesh שמחת הנפש (Joy of the Soul, part 1) was a best-seller. His Yiddish classic (first published in 1707 in Frankfurt) was printed nearly twenty times throughout Europe, and of all the musar works (morality-guides) of the time attained a special place in the hearts of the Yiddish-reading masses. Part anthology, part moral guide, part inspirational, Simkhes ha-Nefesh comprises Yiddish paraphrases and folkloristic retellings of stories from the Talmud and medieval sources informed by his core message—niks zorgen zol / don’t worry; instead serve God with the simple joy of your divine soul. Despite the great popularity of his work, Kirkhhan felt that his Yiddish tales weren’t accomplishing their goal, and so in 1727 he published a second volume—this time comprising songs. It is here that we find what may well be the oldest extant Yiddish musical notation with accompanying lyrics, and the inspiration for the songs you will soon hear.
Creating contemporary songs that might appeal to modern sensibilities while simultaneously integrating the original line of melody and the original lyrics was not always straightforward. First, Nathan created something that “looked” like a modern song from Kirkhhan’s long lyrics—omitting sections, re-ordering, finding a refrain etc. Gideon would then play the single line of melody from the 1727 edition. A discussion between Nathan, Gideon and Husky would follow: what genre might best fit the lyrics and melodic line? Clearly Purim would be joyous and cheeky and Yom Kippur would be sombre and contemplative, but what genre suits Shavuot and the account of revelation at Sinai? What style should one employ for a song about our inevitable death? Once agreement on the desired “vibe” and “feel” was reached, Husky and Gideon then worked their magic, creating a contemporary alt-nay/new-old sound (here Leonard Cohen, there Pink Floyd, here Nirvana, there Beastie Boys), making sure to integrate the original melodic line. Then Gideon, Husky and Evie disappeared into studio land for a couple of months, and emerged with something ripped straight from the bowels of the 18th century, that sounds at once familiar and like nothing you’ve ever heard before.
Three hundred years in the making, we hope Henele approves!
More details on the project at https://www.difarborgenekhalyastre.com/soul-joy-1727
In One Voice 2022
date: Sunday 20th March 2022
time: 3pm
location: Selwyn Street, Elsternwick, Victoria 3185
In One Voice 2021
date: 21st March 2021
time: 12pm
location:
Old ABC Building
Selwyn Street, Elsternwick, Victoria 3185
bookings: https://www.inonevoice.org.au/day
In One Voice 2019
The Bashevis Singers will be performing at 2:45pm
Sunday 17th March 2019
Selwyn St, Elsternwick
https://www.inonevoice.org.au/
Also be sure to get there early to hear our friends YID! at 12:00pm
Three mothers, one tongue: Returning to the joys of Yiddish song

Three mothers, one tongue: Returning to the joys of Yiddish song
Article by Benjamin Preiss in The Age
Album Launch at Memo Music Hall
date: Saturday 28th July 2018
time: doors open 7pm
location: Memo Music Hall 88 Acland Street St, St Kilda (entrance via Albert Street)
The Bashevis Singers album launch and show. With special guests.
Author Helen Garner described the album this way: “This music seems simple at first—lullabies and love songs, laments and dances—but it is drawn from such a deep past and refreshed by such vocal purity and sophisticated playing that it grows richer and more enchanting with every hearing.”
Get your tickets here before they sell out.
https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=365595
Or call the Memo Music Hall ticket office (03) 9534 3556 to book via phone.
It’s going to be a magical night of Yiddish song and time travel. We can’t wait to share it with you.
In One Voice 2018

The Bashevis Singers will be performing at the In One Voice festival.
Date: March 18th 2018
Location: Selwyn St, Elsternwick
https://www.inonevoice.org.au/concert
Hope to see you there!
Book launch with live performance

https://www.readings.com.au/event/book-launch-leo-meo
James Button will launch Michael Gawenda’s beautiful and heartfelt new poetry collection, Leo Meo, which explores what it means to become a grandfather. Each of the 30 poems in this beautiful hardcover edition was written during the first year in the life of the author’s grandson, Leo.
Venue: Readings St Kilda — 112 Acland St, St Kilda, Victoria, 3182
Date: Sunday 26th November 2017
Time: 4:00pm
Shir Madness
Shir Madness® is a music festival showcasing and celebrating the diversity of Jewish music and performers from Sydney and across the globe.
Around 30 acts will perform across multiple stages, giving you the chance to sample many different acts across the day.
Husky and Gideon will be performing in the afternoon and also for Song of Songs in the evening.
date: Sunday 18th September 2016
time: Festival opens 12pm
location: Bondi beach, Sydney, Australia
tickets: shirmadness.com