A Baby Boomer Bar Mitzvah

It's part 4 of Ira Gallen's from 9/12/63

My Yiddishe Momme: Billie Holiday's Version!

I found this on youtube and it had accompanying images of Barbra Streisand's family.
In 1956 Billie was not at her best
More Leo Fuld and the Cafe Sahbra where my bar mitzvah was held

Leo Fuld (Rotterdam, October 29, 1912 -- Amsterdam, June 10, 1997) was a Dutch singer who specialized in Yiddish songs. Leo Fuld was born as the third of ten children and grew up in a poor Jewish family. His father, Louis Fuld, was a merchant. Fuld's talent for singing showed at early age during services at the synagogue. Fuld was a good student and was given a scholarship at the Dutch Jewish Seminar. His parents expected young Leo to eventually become hazzan ('cantor'). At the age of sixteen Fuld was already leading services in provincial synagogues. In 1932 he left for England to audition for the BBC and became the first Dutch singer behind the BBC microphone. His performance was noticed by Jack Hylton, leader of one of the most popular show bands of that time. At the age of 19 Leo joined for a tour, singing a miscellaneous repertoire: in addition to schlagers and swing classics he also sang traditional Yiddish songs. Just before the outbreak of the Second World War Fuld left to perform in the United States. Leaving Europe may well have saved his life; of his entire family only Leo and one of his sisters survived the Nazis. The city in which they lived was destroyed in the Rotterdam Blitz. After the war he stayed in the US, becoming the number one interpreter of Yiddish repertoire. Singing songs such as 'My Yidishe Mama', 'Ich hob Dich zu viel lieb', 'Doina' and 'Wo Ahin Soll Ich Geh'n' made him famous all over the world. He shared the stage with Édith Piaf and Frank Sinatra. Many of Fuld's songs are sung partly in Yiddish and partly in English. Sometimes he sang in Hebrew as well.

New York City - Around The World In 80 Dinners
( Originally Published 1959 )
Cafe Sahbra (Israeli), at 253 W. 72nd St., is the only Israeli nite club in the United States at this writing. The SAHBRA (the word means "native-born Israeli") presents the top artists and talents of the State of Israel, such as the actor-pantomimist Shai K. Ophir, singer Shoshana Damari, the Oraneem (a folk-singing and dancing group), folk singer Sara Halevy, folk dancer Sara Aman, et al.
The Cafe, which is less than two years old, is operated by Leo Fuld, a native of Rotterdam, Holland, who is 47. The SAHBRA suggests an actual cafe that might be operated in Israel today, with decorations by noted Israeli artist Yoram Kaniuk depicting scenes of the Middle East. The restaurant specializes in authentic Israeli delicacies, both food and drink.

My Yiddishe Momme

Leo Fuld, who performed at my bar mitzvah-the lyrics?

Of things I should be thankful for,
I've had a goodly share;
And as I sit here in the comfort,
Of a cozy chair;
My fancy takes me to a humble,
East-side tenement;
Three flights up in the rear,
To where my childhood days were spent.
It wasn't much like paradise,
But mid the dirt and all;
There sat the sweetest angel,
One that I fondly call
My Yiddishe Momme
I need her more than ever now
My Yiddishe Momme
Id like to kiss her wrinkled brow
I long to hold her hands once more
As in days gone by
And ask her to forgive me
For things I did that made her cry
Have few were her pleasures
She never cared for fashion styles
Her jewels and treasures;
She found them in her baby's smiles;
Oh I know what I owe what I am today;
To that dear little lady so old and gray;
To that wonderful Yiddishe Momme,
Momme Of mine.
My Yiddishe Momme
Se kimpt nisht besser in der velt
My Yiddishe Momme
Oy vey tzis bisser ven zie fehlt,
Durch vaser unt fayer
Volt si gelofen far ir kind
Nit haltn ir tayer
Dos is gevis di greisteh sind
Oy vi glikech un raich
Is der mensh vos hot
Asa sheineh matoneh
Geshenkt fun Got
Asa altitchkeh yiddishe mameh,
mameh mayn.
A Yiddishe mameh mayn.

Ella: What Is This Thing Called Love, 1961

The queen to Sinatra's king. The year of my bar mitzvah. Too bad she couldn't perform instead of Leo Fuld of the Cafe Sahbra.

I was a humdrum person
leading a life apart
when love flew in through my window wide
and quickened my humdrum heart
love flew in through my window
I was so happy then
but after love had stayed a little while
love flew out again
what is this thing called love
this funny thing
called love
just who can solve its mystery
why should it make
a fool of me?
I saw you there
one wonderful day
you took my heart
and threw it away
thats why I ask the lord
in heaven above
what is this thing
called love?
what is this thing called love
this funny thing
called love
just who can solve its mystery
why should it make
a fool of me?
I saw you there
one wonderful day
you took my heart
and threw it away
thats why I ask the lord
in heaven above
what is this thing
called love?