My better dance tracks 💃

יִשְׂמְחוּ בְמַלְכוּתְךָ, שׁוֹמְרֵי שַׁבָּת וְקֽוֹרְאֵי עֹֽנֶג

Yismechu v’malchuscha shomrei shabbos v’korei oneg

They will delight in your all empowering sovereignty - those who tend and care for shabbos and call it a joyous celebration

Credits from Karov, released August 20, 2020:
Batya Levine - lead vocals
Anat Halevy Hochberg - vocals
Aly Halpert - vocals
Molly Bajgot - vocals
Micah Shapiro - vocals
Arielle Rivera Korman - violin
Joey Weisenberg - percussion & bass
Richie Barshay - percussion

Please check out and support Batya! She has a website here: www.batyalevine.com, a Bandcamp here: batyalevine.bandcamp.com/album/karov, a Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/batyalevine, and is on streaming services such as Spotify. Also, make sure to check out Rising Song Records and all of their amazing artists: https://risingsongrecords.bandcamp.com/.

This remix also features Chris Dickson on the bass and me on guitar.

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If you made it this far, you get to read a quick personal note:
 
I first came upon Batya's original Soundcloud recording (https://soundcloud.com/batyalevine/yismechu-batya-levine) after I had just quit my job and was walking my former colleague's dog for money. The magic of the melody struck me hard and I listened to it on repeat while Basil dragged me through the streets of Somerville. I was so stoked it made the album and made everyone at my sister's socially distant birthday party listen to it the day it came out. I must have heard the melody a thousand times working on the remix and the magic still holds.

It's been a tremendous joy to work with Batya and their melody on this remix. I'm not sure if music production is really my thing in the long run, but my stance remains strong regarding the creation of contemporary Jewish dance music: somebody's got to do it.

Batya Levine - Yismechu (Diva Nigun Remix) - Now on Spotify!

Do Not Touch The Lonely Men - Demo

Samples Used:
- The Story of Ahavath Achim Synagogue created by the New Bedford Cable Network: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz_D58MKJQ0
- Leonard Strear and Albert Dinner in Our Favorite Yiddish Phrases filmed by the Yiddish Book Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILYhlqrdyFo
- Elaine Hoffman Watts on drums from the song "I'll Just Keep Going Rhumba" off the I Remember Klezmer - The Art of Klezmer Drumming album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2so8MOigPU

The Story Of Ahavath Achim Synagogue - Demo

An 80s synth pop cover of Joey Weisenberg’s Ana B’choakh melody! Produced by Diva Nigun, sung by Marni Loffman (https://soundcloud.com/user-627375037) and Molly Bajgot (https://soundcloud.com/mollybajgot), and with translation voiced by Sarah Mamlet and saxophone by Zach Mayer.

Ana B’choakh is a medieval Jewish liturgical poem we sing the words of during Kabbalat Shabbat services. Our communities like to sing a melody by Joey Weisenberg: https://soundcloud.com/user-30824119/mozis-nigun-ana-bchoakh-by-joey-weisenberg?si=6d51a19a85c4418a84ba44a7ce665331&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing.

Artwork by the incredible Jane Demarest (https://www.instagram.com/little.boy.bluee/ please check their stuff out!). 


Ana B'choakh

Sampling the original by the Late Great Debbie Friedman. In addition, sampling a clip from the podcast Yenta! from April 24th 2025: "Jewish Lesbian Power Couple" with Elana Arian. The voices are of host Antonia Lassar and musician Elana Arian.

Listen to and follow Elana Arian via her website, https://elanaarian.com/, on social media @elanahope, and on streaming platforms under her name. 

Listen to and follow the podcast Yenta! on your podcast platform of choice, as well as on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yentapod/?hl=en.

Listen to Debbie Friedman at your local reform synagogue's lesbian karaoke night.

Miriam's Song Remix - Yenta! Pod Version

Sam Slate