Author Archives: Alexander Fiance

Hymn – Calabasas, California

Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 21, 2007
Primary Language: English
Language: Hebrew

Etz Chaim Hee

It is a tree of life to those who hold fast to it,

And all of it’s supporters are happy

Etz chaim hee lamachazikim bah,

Vetomecheha m’ushar.

Jay Rockman is a freshman at USC and a dedicated follower of Jewish religion and tradition. His mother is Israeli, and as a child he learned to speak Hebrew. From grades 6-12 he attend Milken Community School, a prestigious private school in Calabasas, CA that integrates Jewish education into its curriculum. According to Jay, they would often sing Jewish hymns and prayers at assemblies or certain classes; the school would combine both the Hebrew text and the English translation into these short hymns. The third and fourth lines of the hymn are normally written in Hebrew characters, with this version containing the phonetic pronunciation of the words.

This hymn is a dedication to the Torah, which the Jewish equivalent to the Bible (written in Hebrew text). It describes the holy scripture as a “tree of life,” meaning one can constantly grow and flourish as a result of reading the Torah throughout one’s life. Those who follow the words of the Torah will find happiness because it contains many moral lessons, and reading it is also a direct praise to God. Thus, those who “hold fast to it” are rewarded not only by the stable morality they gain, but also because God is said to reward those who adhere to his teachings. In actuality, reading the Torah properly is a demanding process that requires tremendous knowledge and practice, potentially requiring many hours each week. Also, the undressing and redressing of the Torah requires prayers; it cannot simply be pulled out of a closet and opened. For these reasons, people find it hard to consistently read the scripture as God has mandated. However, many people find tremendous gratification and comfort in its messages, which speak of peace, love, charity, and faith.

Hymn – Calabasas, California

Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 21, 2007
Primary Language: English
Language: Hebrew

Hamotzee

Hamotzee l’chem meen ha’aretz

We give thanks to God for bread

Our voices join in happy chorus

As our prayers are humbly said

Barooch atah adonai eloheynu melech ha’olam

Hamotzee l’chem meen ha’aretz

Amen

Jay Rockman is a freshman at USC and a dedicated follower of Jewish religion and tradition. His mother is Israeli, and as a child he learned to speak Hebrew. From grades 6-12 he attend Milken Community School, a prestigious private school in Calabasas, CA that integrates Jewish education into its curriculum. According to Jay, his family would sing the “Hamotzee” every Friday  night to celebrate Shabbat (the Sabbath). The song, which integrates the English translation with the traditional prayer, is recited as father uncovers the holy bread (a special type of bread known as “chalah”). The “Hamotzee” is part of a specific series of prayers sung to welcome the Sabbath, which also includes lighting the candles and drinking the wine.

This prayer is designed as a proclamation to God of thankfulness and joy. According to Jewish religion, simply having bread on the table is a blessing, considering all of the adversity that the ancient Hebrews encountered thousands of years ago. Thus, the “Hamotzee” ensures that nobody takes the simple aspects of life for granted and stresses the importance of “humbly” going about one’s life. Shabbat is also intended to bring the entire family together in prayer (“happy chorus”) and signal the upcoming rest period, since devout Jews try to refrain from using electricity and motor vehicles for the night and the following day.

Folk Song

Age: 11
Occupation: Student
Residence: Westlake Village, CA
Performance Date: April 7, 2007
Primary Language: English

Happy Birthday Rendition

Happy birthday to you,

You live in a zoo,

You look like a monkey,

And you smell like one too

(And many more, On Channel 4, And a Big Fat Lady, on Channel 80, and Scooby Doo, On 32, and all the rest, on CBS)

Normal rendition = Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear (person’s name), happy birthday to you!

Talia recalls multiple occasions during which she and her friends have tried to distort the traditional happy birthday song. This comedic rendition is sung as the birthday boy/girl is receiving the birthday cake, while the majority is singing the normal song.

The modified verse is not intended to offend the person celebrating his/her birthday; instead, it coincides with many other lighthearted birthday rituals indicating rites of passage (such as receiving punches for the number of one’s age). Talia states that the birthday boy/girl almost always laughs at the gag, and the joke is mainly geared as a prank on the parents who are so methodical about the traditional song. While the lines about the monkey serve as a practical joke, the addition about the television stations is completely impersonal and aimed at adding a tone of humor to the song as a whole. Talia claims that almost every time her friends sing “Happy birthday,” someone adds in their own performance of “and many more;” in face, it is almost implied amongst kids that someone will provide an addendum to the song.

The children’s desire to amend the song indicates their desire to add excitement to a very routine traditional song. The thrill of these pranks enables the singers to enjoy themselves and show enthusiasm while harmonizing about a friend’s birthday. Perhaps, the additions also provide a brief moment in the spotlight for the children on a day where the focus lies completely on one kid’s birthday.

The lines about the television statements offer an interesting depiction about the media these days. They suggest that most television stations offer nothing more than cartoons and reality shows, and that most of the news and popular culture on TV (“all the rest”) can be found on mainstream networks such as CBS and NBC (Channel 4 in the Los Angeles area).

Drinking Game

Age: 22
Occupation: Student
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Performance Date: April 15, 2007
Primary Language: English

King’s Cup

The rules:

  • All the participants sit around a standard table, and at the center is a cup of beer surrounded by a deck of cards.
  • The players take turns picking cards, and each card (2-A) represents a unique action that the player must take if picked
  • For example, a 2 could represent “Make a rule,” which enables the player to make any rule that will be in effect the entire game (such as, “anyone who cusses has to drink”), a 7 could represent “everyone drinks,” and a J could represent “nickname,” in which a player if given a nickname that replaces his/her real name
  • Every time a K is picked, it is placed on top of the cup.  The person who selects the fourth K must chug the cup of beer

Mike Searles learned the game of King’s Cup early in his college years, as it is a relatively popular game amongst novice drinkers. He says it is best played in groups of four or more, but that he has sometimes played in groups as large as ten. He describes it as his favorite social drinking game, as the game’s versatility in rules and procedure enables a unique experience almost every time. Also, he says he has encountered substantial variation with this game, as people differ significantly in their setup of rules and cards. There really is no time limit on the game, as the cup can be refilled and the deck repeated.

“King’s cup” is a drinking game that is clearly designed for social purposes. As more rules and nicknames are added, the game gets increasingly complex and, generally, more fun. Likewise, as more rules are added, the participants get increasingly intoxicated, thus making it nearly impossible to remember all the rules. The game seems like a very effective icebreaker, as it invites conversation amongst the closely confined group. While some drinking games are reliant on technique and strategy, there is basically no strategy involved in this game (and therefore no pressure). Thus, unlike the drinking games that foster competitiveness, “King’s Cup” fosters social interaction and is merely intended for everyone to enjoy themselves.

Folk Song – Westlake Village, California

Age: 21
Occupation: Summer Camp Director
Residence: New York, NY
Performance Date: April 8, 2007
Primary Language: English

Little Red Wagon

You can’t ride in my little red wagon

Front seat’s broken

And the axel’s draggin

CHUGA!….CHUGA!…CHUGA CHUGA CHUGA!

Next verse, same as the first

But a whole lot louder and a whole lot worse!

Nicole Ross is the camp director of First Neighborhood Day Camp in Westlake Village, CA. Over 200 kids attend camp every week, and throughout the day the counselors lead multiple song medleys. Generally, Nicole selects a counselor to come on stage with his/her group of campers and pick a song, which they will sing on stage in front of the entire camp. I attended the camp from ages 7-13, but when I arrived to work as a head counselor in the summer of 2006 I noticed that many of the songs had changed. Since the camp has been around for more than twenty years, many of the songs have been modified, and Nicole brought many new songs to the camp’s tradition. She claims to have learned “Little Red Wagon” back when she was a camper around 1993.

“Little Red Wagon” is one of the most energetic songs that the campers sing, as it progressively gets louder for about five verses until everyone is screaming at the top of their lungs. Naturally, the clamor makes it a camp favorite, but it also presents an anti-materialistic message. Although the wagon has a broken seat and a faulty axel, the singers are proud to own it and are unwilling to part with it. The wagon is described as shoddy and small, but yet its sentimental value is indispensable. Surprisingly, the song seems to discourage sharing, which is a primary value of the camp, but the central message conveyed is that value is not measured in monetary standards. Instead, it encourages the children, rich or poor, to take pride in their interests, regardless of how they are perceived by others. Although most campers come from relatively wealthy families, Nicole has established a rule that prevents campers from bringing their personal gadgets to the camp (such as cell phones and portable video games) in order to prevent jealousy and class-consciousness amongst the campers.