On September l, 1939, the Nazis invaded Poland and established a ghetto in Warsaw where they forced most of the resident Jewish population to live behind seven-foot high walls.
Almost 70 years later on December 9, 2008, Anna Clark, one of the children on the last train out of Warsaw, attended a musical evening at Ottawa’s Beth Shalom Synagogue.
Clark, now a very old lady, stayed while Floralove Katz and the Ottawa Klezmer Band played, enjoying the music of a tradition that was developed in the 15th century. It was, indeed, a celebration of diversity.
The band’s vivacious, gutsy performance of old melodies and songs at the synagogue had many in the audience clapping to the music. Those in attendance obviously enjoyed the nostalgic sound of a secular music that draws on devotional practice and cantorial liturgy dating back to Biblical times, while incorporating themes, melodies, and rhythms from the Russian military and gypsy music, as well as Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian and many other cultures.
H.E. Piotr Ogrodzinski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland joined in a spontaneous dance after gifting Floralove with a bouquet of flowers. He was hosting the evening, along with B’Nai Brith Canada, to celebrate the construction of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which will open on the site of the old Warsaw ghetto in 2011.
Almost 70 years later on December 9, 2008, Anna Clark, one of the children on the last train out of Warsaw, attended a musical evening at Ottawa’s Beth Shalom Synagogue.
Clark, now a very old lady, stayed while Floralove Katz and the Ottawa Klezmer Band played, enjoying the music of a tradition that was developed in the 15th century. It was, indeed, a celebration of diversity.
The band’s vivacious, gutsy performance of old melodies and songs at the synagogue had many in the audience clapping to the music. Those in attendance obviously enjoyed the nostalgic sound of a secular music that draws on devotional practice and cantorial liturgy dating back to Biblical times, while incorporating themes, melodies, and rhythms from the Russian military and gypsy music, as well as Greek, Turkish, Bulgarian and many other cultures.
H.E. Piotr Ogrodzinski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland joined in a spontaneous dance after gifting Floralove with a bouquet of flowers. He was hosting the evening, along with B’Nai Brith Canada, to celebrate the construction of the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, which will open on the site of the old Warsaw ghetto in 2011.
