A Besere Velt Yiddish Chorus in Boston is directed by Derek David. This intergenerational community “weaves the heartache and irrepressible idealism of Yiddish folk music into a vision of justice and humanity for the 21st century” (a quote from their web page). Both Lorin and Polina had worked with the chorus in the past. The idea to record together was met by the Chorus and Derek with great enthusiasm. In December 2019, 80 members of the chorus sat shoulder to shoulder in a small studio outside Boston singing with the duo for the first time… for 6 hours! As a result, we have three traditional Yiddish songs and a Yiddish version of Holly Near’s I am willing as part of the project.

            150 Voices by Tela Zasloff 

Tela Zasloff is a writer, editor and English professor living in Williamstown, in western Massachusetts. Read the full article here

.... Yiddish songs have always been central, throughout our history, in urging us to remember that culture -- a greater awareness of common humanity in terms of frailty, vulnerability to illness and mortality, and of the power of exchanging stories about our leaving our homes, either by choice or force.  The melodies of Yiddish songs, some based in ancient modes, and its plain-spoken lyrics, sing directly to our hearts and make possible the continued survival and nurturing of that culture.

....... Polina Shepherd, née Skovoroda, born in Siberia, is a passionate advocate of singing Yiddish songs together with others.  “I feel very strongly about bringing people together through singing, also about Yiddish singing, which is a very fragile culture.”   ... Polina has just put out a CD (“150 Voices”) of her Russian and Yiddish choirs, with Lorin Sklamberg, lead singer of the Grammy Award-winning Klezmatics, and herself as a duo. Read more