Program of May 4, 2014-In honor of Yom Ha’atzma’ut-A rebroadcast of “Israel At 50”
on May 5th, 2014 at 2:02 amHi Everybody!! A special broadcast of Washington Jewish Radio is up on the website for your enjoyment! In honor of Yom Ha’atzma’ut-Israeli Independence Day we present a special re-broadcast of a program which I prepared back in 1998 called “Israel At 50”. It is a special retrospective look at the turbulent saga of the creation of the modern State of Israel with rare and poignant archival, commercial and broadcast recordings, culled from the family archive. Each year we have re-broadcast the program and we do so again this year as Israel turns 66!! Ben and I hope you enjoy it. It was originally broadcast on the old WINX-AM in Rockville, Maryland. Here are the highlights of the program:
PROGRAM OF SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2014
ISRAEL AT 50-PART ONE
1. Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver announces the creation of the State of Israel to the United Nations in New York, May 14, 1948.
2. One of the first known recordings of “Hatikvah” recorded for Victor in 1912 by the legendary opera star Alma Gluck. The first time the song is sung by an artist of such international stature.
3. “Aheim, Aheim” (To Home, To Home)-Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt. Recorded for Victor in 1923
4. Hitler addresses the Reichstag and declares war on Poland, September 1, 1939.
5. The Reichstag sings “Deutschland Uber Alles” and the “Horst Wessel Song” as war is declared, September 1, 1939.
6. Belsen concentration camp is liberated by the British army. Reverend (Rabbi) Leslie Hardman, Jewish Chaplain to the British Second Army, conducts a Jewish religious service for liberated Jewish prisoners. April 1945
7. Liberated Jewish prisoners at Belsen sing “Sim Sholom” and are interviewed by Patrick Gordon Walker of the British Broadcasting Corporation. April 1945.
8. “Yisrolik, Kum Aheim” (Jews Come Home)-Cantor Velveleh Rothstein. Sun Records, 1945.
9. “Eretz Yisroel Iz Unzer Land” (Translated then as “Palestine Is Our Home”)-Miklos Gafni-Columbia Records, 1946.
10. “My Home, My Home”-Mary Small-Apollo Records-1947
11. “Vi Ahin Zoll Ich Gehn” (Where Can I Go?)-Leo Fuld with the Wardour Singers-British Decca, London, 1947.
12. Excerpt from “Operation Nightmare” on behalf of the United Jewish Appeal. Broadcast on CBS, June 9, 1947. Al Jolson sings “Eili Eili”.
13. The United Nations Radio Service broadcast of the proceedings and vote on the Partition Plan For Palestine:
a. Statement by Herschel Johnson, United States representative to the UN.
b. Statement by Andrei Gromyko, Soviet representative to the UN.
c. The vote itself, conducted by Chairman Oswaldo Arranyo of Brazil, November 29, 1947.
14. Broadcast of the celebration of the passing of the Partition Plan in Mograbi Square, Tel Aviv by Arthur Holtzman of the CBS and Mutual radio networks.
ISRAEL AT 50-PART TWO
1. Mohammed F. Jamali, Iraq’s ambassador to the United Nations, issues Iraq’s rejection of the Partition Plan, December 1947.
2. “Palestina, Unzer Heim” (Palestine Our Home)-Jennie Goldstein. DeLuxe Records, 1948.
3. “Operation Nightmare, Chapter 2”. Broadcast on the ABC radio network April 19, 1948, on behalf of the United Jewish Appeal. Featuring Al Jolson, Richard Widmark and George Jessel.
4. “Avinu Malkeinu” and reading from the Book of Exodus.
5. Richard Williams of the BBC describes the British departure from Jerusalem at the end of the Mandate, May 14, 1948.
6. General Sir Alan Cunningham, last British High Commissioner For Palestine, gives his farewell address as the British leave Palestine, May 14, 1948.
7. Special addition to the film “Catskill Honeymoon”, released in 1948. Irving Grossman, Bas-Sheva and an all-star cast present a salute to the new State Of Israel with two great songs “I’m Going Home” and “Sing, Israel Sing”. Taken directly from the film’s soundtrack.
8. The first news broadcast from the new State of Israel. Arthur Holtzman of the CBS and Mutual radio networks describes an air battle over Tel Aviv. May 15, 1948
9. “Ai-Di-Die-Da”-Aaron Lebedeff. Columbia Records, June, 1948.
10. “Di Nayeh Hora” (The New Hora)-Moishe Oysher. From a radio broadcast made on WEVD, New York, June 1948.
11. “Home Again In Israel”-Benny Bell. Recorded for Bell Novelty Records, June 1948.
12. “Israel”-Al Jolson with Lou Bring’s orchestra and chorus. From the June 10, 1948 broadcast of “The Kraft Music Hall” on NBC.
13. “Am Yisroel Chai” (The People Of Israel Live)-Molly Picon. From a 1949 rally for the new State of Israel in Madison Square Garden, New York. Taken from the broadcast of the rally carried nationwide over the CBS radio network.
14. “Zingt’zhe Alle Yidelach” (Sing All Jews)-Malavsky Family. Tikva Records, 1949.
Well, there it is. A line-up of rare, poignant and priceless recordings that you will enjoy so much and that you can’t hear anywhere else except right here on Washington Jewish Radio!! Don’t forget to spread the good word about the program by forwarding the website to everyone you can!! Ben and I hope you enjoy the show and remember: Am Yisroel Chai!!! The People Of Israel Live!!!