Event Hours(1)
THIS WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ January 24, 2021 ~ 11 Sh’vat 5781
Program will be in archive following broadcast
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This week’s Sunday Simcha is a celebration of Tu BiShvat, the New Year of Trees, rejoicing in the first blooms of the trees in Eretz Israel, with songs from pioneering days of Israel to the present celebrating the land, nature, and trees of Israel. We’ll feature music of Oshy Tugendhaft, Batya Levine, Emanuel Rosenberg, Rika Zarai, Yafah Yarkoni, Nina Simone, Ilanit, Shir, Ronit Ophir, Blue Fringe, David Chevan and Warren Byrd (Afro-Semitic Experience), Jeremy Gimbel and Shira Tirdof, and Shiri Maimon. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—comes from George Burns & Gracie Allen as we remember Burns’ 125th birthday this week.
Remaining in our archive until this week’s broadcast is our last program featuring music in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. and our interview with Brandy Jacob-Gold of the Tampa JCC & Federation about J Stage at the JCC on the Cohn Campus (https://www.jcccohncampus.com/jcc/arts-culture/j-stage). Both poignant and joyous music celebrating MLK and the new year was brought to us by the Cantors Assembly, The Maccabeats, Ot Azoj Klezmer Band, Di Naye Kapelye, Vagabondoj, Shir, Austin Gay Men’s Chorus, Pushkin Klezmer Band, Orchestre Klezmer and Congregation Bet Haverim of Atlanta. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—was provided by Rick Moranis.
If you miss a broadcast or have questions about any broadcast, email me at [email protected]. Join me, Joy Katzen-Guthrie, for The Sunday Simcha each Sunday from 1-2 at 88.5 FM Tampa, or here at WMNF.org or on our WMNF App, and listen from our archive on this page throughout the week.
Our January 24th Sunday Simcha celebrates Tu Bishvat—the New Year of the Trees.
LAST WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ January 17, 2021 ~ 4 Sh’vat 5781
Program currently in archive until January 24th broadcast
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On this week’s Sunday Simcha we remembered Martin Luther King, Jr. and spoke with Brandy Jacob-Gold of the Tampa JCC & Federation about J Stage at the JCC on the Cohn Campus (https://www.jcccohncampus.com/jcc/arts-culture/j-stage) and next weekend’s (January 21-24) live theatre with a Jewish lens production of Bad Jews by Joshua Harmon, presented on the Judy Cohn Plaza of the Cohn Campus JCC with socially-distanced guidelines. Both poignant and joyous music celebrating MLK and the new year was brought to us by the Cantors Assembly, The Maccabeats, Ot Azoj Klezmer Band, Di Naye Kapelye, Vagabondoj, Shir, Austin Gay Men’s Chorus, Pushkin Klezmer Band, Orchestre Klezmer and Congregation Bet Haverim of Atlanta. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—was provided by Rick Moranis.
LAST WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ January 10, 2021 ~ 26 Tevet, 5781
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Our January 10th Sunday Simcha was part of WMNF’s weekend pledge drive—our first in over a year, as the station has held 2-day weekday pledge drives since the beginning of the pandemic. So I am reaching out to all to request your pledge of any amount this Sunday to support our program that is in its 41st year and that is so extraordinary among WMNF’s lineup of music. WMNF’s Development Director Laura Taylor and WMNF’s General Manager, Rick Fernandes, joined me in the WMNF studios as I was present live from home. In addition to bringing you wonderful music by Debbie Friedman (whom we lost 10 years ago this week), The Mike Eisenstadt Band, Dave Tarras, Vagabondoj, The Barcelona Gipsy Klezmer Orchestra, Avigdor Zeitlin, and Boh Cooper, we discussed the station’s challenges and striking successes in the last year, especially thanks to the support of our listeners, as well as the way we have been able to rise to the needs of the community during this pandemic and our goals as we carry on. I want to thank every one of the individuals who generously pledged during this program. While we came in under our goal, the station did meet its goal during the pledge drive and we received many thoughtful callers. I will continue inviting you to pledge to meet our program’s goal, and let me say THANK YOU to each one of you who has supported the station and our program and has made it possible for us to continue bringing you The Sunday Simcha.
Marc Chagall, America Windows (1977), Art Institute of Chicago. Gift of Marc Chagall, City of Chicago & the Auxiliary Board, commemorating the American bicentennial. More information at https://www.artic.edu/artworks/109439/america-windows
LAST WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ January 3, 2021 ~ 19 Tevet, 5781
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We danced out 2020 and danced in 2021 on The Sunday Simcha with music by Mischpoke-Hamburg, RubinsteinKlezmer Project, Playin’ Tachles, Bucovina Klezmer & Friends, Gad Elbaz & Nissim Black, Yerachmiel ירחמיאל, The Effi Netzer Singers, The Renanim Singers, Marv Kurz, Stacy Beyer, Laurie Akers &Kenneth Lyonswright, Yankele Ensemble, and Fiddler on the Roof from Israel. We presented a tribute to revered violinist Ivry Gitlis, whom we lost on December 25th at age 98. A Bisl Freylichkayt–A Little Mirth—was supplied by Art Buchwald.
LAST WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ December 27, 2020 ~ 12 Tevet, 5781
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We danced out 2020 on the Sunday Simcha with a celebration of year’s end and our entry into 2021, featuring The Irving Fields Trio, The Minnesota Klezmer Band, The Mike Eisenstadt Band, The Burning Bush Klezmer Ensemble, Itzhak Perlman and the The Andy Statman Orchestra, Colalaila, Theodore Bikel, Henri Gerro & His Band, Bobby Morganstein Klezmer, Omer Adam and Moshe Peretz, Margalit Ankory and the Feenjon Group, Nisht Geferlach Klezmer Band, Tova Ben Tsvi, Hedva & David, and Jon Simon. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—was provided by The 2000 Year Old Man with Mel Brooks and Carl Reiner.
To Life—Chai! by Linda Woods. See more of Linda Woods’ art here.
LAST WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ December 20, 2020 ~ 5 Tevet, 5781
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We featured a wonderfully diverse and again expanded two-hour show on December 20th featuring a world of artists from the last century on our program, beginning with a tribute to Flory Jagoda , whose 97th birthday was Monday (December 21st), and to Thomas LaRue, billed as the world’s only black cantor of the 1920s (though he was one of at least a dozen), whose stunning voice was renowned in his day and has been recently rediscovered and featured in The Times of Israel via discographer and ethnomusicologist Henry Sapovnik’s Henry Sapovnik’s blog, in which Sapovnik describes his efforts to locate the recording and the eye-opening discoveries he made through his research. We also featured music of the Abayudaya Uganda Jewish community, which has been hit terribly hard (along with neighboring nations) by the pandemic and by political turmoil in Uganda. The Cantors Assembly recently raised over $55,000 to feed starving members of the Abayudaya community. Additionally, we presented a just-released single from Boy George and Asaf Goren, declaring love for the state of Israel and appreciation for their friendship, with lyrics in English and Hebrew. We heard music from a capella ensemble Six13, contemporary Jewish rock singer/songwriters Jon Nelson and The Josh Nelson Project, Jewish Gospel-influenced music of Cantor Lisa L. Levine, Iraqi music from the Habibti Ensemble, the South African band Derech Achim, Syrian diaspora master oudist Asher Shasho Levy, Israeli singer of Greek music, Shlomi Saranga, German Yiddish performers Karsten Troyke & Daniel Weltlinger, Ladino ensemble Trio Sefardi, renowned folklorist of Yiddish and early music of Eretz Yisrael, Ruth Rubin, Israeli Naomi Tzuri (arranged and conducted by Israel’s beloved classical composer Marc Lavry), Chasidic singer/songwriter Yosef Karduner, Israeli Opera vocalist Eti Horesh, The American-Israeli folk El Avram Group and The Piyyut Ensemble of Jerusalem with Andalusian sacred song of Morocco. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—was provided by L.A. based stand-up comic, Elon Gold.
Because our playlist includes only the hour for The Sunday Simcha, you’re only able to see on this page the playlist for the selections during the 1 PM hour. To view the entire playlist, visit the WMNF Playlist page at https://www.wmnf.org/programming/playlists/. Select the date of 12/20/2020 and the hour of noon. You will be able to see the playlist for the noon hour. However, the entire two-hour broadcast is here in our archive this week. And I am always able to provide you with the current broadcast from my own Dropbox if you have difficulty downloading it here.
Image credit: 12 Tribes of Ancient Israel, by mosaic by artist Yael Portugheis, located in an alley outside Beit Habad gallery in the Jewish Quarter Old City East Jerusalem (Wikipedia Commons)
LAST WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ December 13, 2020 ~ 27 Kislev, 5781
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This Sunday, December 13th, on WMNF Community Radio’s Sunday Simcha, we featured a special 2-hour Chanukah-Palooza!, from 12-2 PM with an extended broadcast of fun, diverse all-Hanukkah music and lots of memories — Klezmer to Lehrer (Tom, of course) with folk to pop, klezmer, a cappella, choral, Jewgrass, sing-along, children’s songs, and more. Music was brought to you by Six13, The Klezmatics, Peter, Paul and Mary, Watkins Family Hour, Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, Tom Lehrer, The Mama Doni Band, Stacy Beyer, Charlie Hope, The Weavers, Shulem, Shira Kline, The Maccabeats, Rabbi Neal Katz, Rebecca Zapen, Rabbi David Kadoch, Cantor Deborah Katchko Gray, The Western Wind Ensemble, The Zamir Chorale of Boston, Karen Taylor-Good, The Lori Cahan-Simon Ensemble, Yosef Karduner, Jeff Wolpert, Julie B. Geller, Comunidad Bet El de México, Dov Frimer, Chanah Ambuter, and Mordechai Ben David.
Because our playlist includes only the hour for The Sunday Simcha, you’re only able to see on this page the playlist for the selections during the 1 PM hour. To view the entire playlist, visit the WMNF Playlist page at https://www.wmnf.org/programming/playlists/. Select the date of 12/13/2020 and the hour of noon. You will be able to see the playlist for the noon hour. However, the entire two-hour broadcast is here in our archive this week. And I am always able to provide you with the current broadcast from my own Dropbox if you have difficulty downloading it here. For questions about this or any broadcast, email me at [email protected]. Join me, Joy Katzen-Guthrie, this and every Sunday from 1-2 PM at 88.5 FM Tampa, at WMNF.org, or on our WMNF App, and listen from our archive here throughout the week as well. Chag Urim Sameach, a joyous Hanukkah festival.
LAST WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ December 6, 2020 ~ 20 Kislev, 5781
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This Sunday’s Simcha is lots of fun and poignant as well. As part of WMNF’s Mission Calendar focus on diversity in the month of December, our diverse Hanukkah music is in English, Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino by Mostly Kosher (which is featured in the online Eight Mostly Kosher Days: A Hanukkah Concert from California, Nefesh Mountain, Trio Sefardi, Aviva Chernick, Cantor Jonathan Schultz, Beth Styles, Klezmer Conservatory Band, SONiA disappear fear, The Lori Cahan-Simon Ensemble, and The US Army Band with Sgt. Pablo Talamante. I remember legendary Israeli performer Yigal Bashan, who died two years ago this week. And with the news of the first 316 members of some 2,000 of Ethiopia’s Jewish community arriving in Israel this past Thursday from the Gondar airlift, I feature Israeli vocalist Hagit Yaso, whose ancestry is Ethiopian, singing in Amharic—the Semitic Ethiopian language spoken by the Jews of Ethiopia. Finally, A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—was provided by Jewish spoken word artist Rick Lupert of L.A.’s poetry community.
IMAGE CREDIT: Dreidel of Many Colors by artist Linda Woods, https://fineartamerica.com/profiles/linda-woods
LAST WEEK’S SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ November 29, 2020 ~ 13 Kislev, 5781
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We closed this Thanksgiving weekend on The Sunday Simcha with music by Yerachmiel Ziegler, Omer Adam, Noam & Ehud Banai, Melita & Isaac, Gabriel Tumbak, Laurie Akers, and Roni Daloomi in addition to spotlighting Lisa Loeb, who has released a brand-new CD project inspired by, among other things, memories and experiences of her Jewish life and family. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—was provided by comedian Norm Crosby, who passed away at the age of 93 earlier this month. Additionally, as part of WMNF Community Radio’s Mission Calendar focus upon disabilities during the month of November, we spotlighted two extraordinary one-of-a-kind organizations this week: The Autism Center of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as The Nalaga’at Performance Art Theatre of Jaffa-Tel Aviv. Listen to discover their groundbreaking and cutting-edge work.
[IMAGE CREDIT: Rays of Sunlight Passing Through the Trees, by Nikolett Emmert, 2019. Shabbat Shalom and a beautiful, insightful remainder to your Thanksgiving week.]
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ November 22, 2020 ~ 6 Kislev, 5781
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We carried on our celebration of gratitude this Thanksgiving week on The Sunday Simcha with music by Beth Styles, David Roth, Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss, Robbie Solomon, Joey Newcomb and Moshe Storch, Beth Schafer, Pumpidisa, Dovid Pearlman and Tzvi Silberstein, and Laura Bruno Lilly. As part of WMNF Community Radio’s Mission Calendar focus upon disabilities during the month of November, we spotlighted speaker/comedian Pamela Rae Schuller, whose inspiring—and funny—life with Tourette’s Syndrome and as a speaker on the subject has brought an enormous understanding of this disability to audiences worldwide.
IMAGE CREDIT: Psalm 100: A Psalm of Thanksgiving, by Judaica papercut artist Lydia Clem, https://lydiaclem.com/).
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ November 15, 2020 ~ 28 Cheshvan, 5781
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A moving and entertaining program on The Sunday Simcha this Sunday (November 15th), began with our spotlight of The Integrative Orchestra of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance as part of WMNF Community Radio‘s Mission Calendar focus upon disabilities during the month of November. We also remembered longtime comedian Norm Crosby as well as the influential and beloved Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, both of whom passed away November 7th. Additional music was brought by Chicago’s The Leadfoot Band, Sababa, Josh Niehaus and Chava Mirel (Shul of Rock), Joe Buchanan, Susan Krasner, Elana Jagoda, and Maurice Sklar.
The Integrative Orchestra of Jerusalem (https://www.jamd.ac.il/en/node/6695) , comedian Norm Crosby, and UK’s Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks are spotlighted on our November 15th Sunday Simcha.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ November 8, 2020 ~ 21 Cheshvan, 5781
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The Sunday Simcha November 8th, highlighted, among a variety of artists, the life and klezmer music of Itzhak Perlman as part of WMNF’s November programming as our Diversity Committee focuses upon disabilities. Each week this month, The Sunday Simcha is highlighting an artist, band, or organization, and our spotlight this week is on the spectacular music and inspiring life of Perlman and the music through which he returns to his ancestral roots—Klezmer. Performances included Perlman with Klezmer Conservatory Band, The Andy Statman Orchestra, and Brave Old World. The program also features music by Nefesh Mountain, Elana Jagoda, Flavia Cundari, and Nehama Hendel. We remembered Kristallnacht with Perlman’s performance from John Williams’ score of Schindler’s List and Grammy-nominated Yiddish Glory with Sophie Milman. A Bisl Freylichkayt (A Little Mirth) came from Jackie Mason as we continued our political satire through the results of the election.
Itzhak Perlman is spotlighted on this week’s Sunday Simcha (Nov 8th). http://www.itzhakperlman.com/
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ November 1, 2020 ~ 14 Cheshvan, 5781
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The Simcha November 1st, featured inspiring music from Shlomi Shabat, Yerachmiel A. Ziegler, SONiA disappear fear, Asaph Neve Shalom, Ashira, Aliza Azikri and Revivo Project. During November the WMNF mission calendar focuses upon disabilities, in line with WMNF’s Diversity Committee. Our program highlighted a disabled artist or band or organization each week during the month of November, and this week we highlighted The Shalva Band — an 8-member Israeli ensemble of musically gifted special needs musicians who have stunned and delighted the Eurovision community and the world. The ensemble is dedicated to promoting inclusion of individuals with disabilities and to appreciate achievement, courage, and diligence in all humanity. A Bisl Freylichkayt (A Little Mirth) was from Mort Sahl as we continued bringing political satire through the election and the weeks that follow.
The Shalva Band is highlighted on this week’s Sunday Simcha on November 1st. Visit https://www.shalva.org/portfolio-items/the-shalva-band/
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ October 25, 2020 ~ 8 Cheshvan, 5781
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This month’s music on our program has highlighted the diverse indigenous Israeli-Arabic musical voices of Israel—as part of WMNF’s Indigenous Peoples Month, in line with the station’s Diversity Committee. Our stunning music this week features Bedouin Arab Song, the Palestinian Israeli Dikla, Israeli Arab vocalist Nasreen Qadri, Kurdish Israeli vocalist Hadassa Yeshurun. Nash Didan (Ensemble of Israeli-Iranian descendants of the Assyrian captives exiled to Iranian Azerbaijan, singing in their distinct language, Lishán Didán—Judeo-Aramaic), Dudu Tassa (Iraqi-Israeli Jew), and Yamma Ensemble with piyyut of the Jews of Bukhara. I was also joined by Debbie Doliner and Brandy Jacob-Gold of the Tampa JCC 2020 Virtual Jewish Festival of Books and Conversations with an overview of the speakers during the week ahead as well as a very special giveaway opportunity during the program. Visit https://www.jewishtampa.com/bookfestival for more information on the festival. A Bisl Freylichkayt (A Little Mirth) was provided by stand-up comic and Rabbi Bob Alper, who returns to Tampa (this time virtually), as part of the Tampa JCC’s J’la Come As You Are Virtual Gala Event on Thursday, November 12th at 7 PM Live via Zoom. The event features a conversation with Jeff Vinik, owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning in addition to Rabbi Alper’s comedy. Visit https://www.jewishtampa.com/ for details.
The Nash Didan people—a little-known ethnic community of Iran that descends from the Jewish Assyrian captives—who speak their own distinct Neo-Aramaic language. Israeli Iraqis of this heritage are among the diverse musicians of Israel within this week’s program. See http://nashdidan.co.il for more information.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ October 18, 2020 ~ 23 Tishrei, 5781
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On our program this week, I continued with music representative of and/or created through collaboration between Israel and other indigenous cultures of the Middle East as part of WMNF’s Indigenous Peoples Month. We heard recordings of reproductions of ancient musical instruments of the Middle East—the kinnor (ancient lyre), King David’s harp, the ancient lyre of Har Megiddo, the Hebraic harp, and the zither by Michael Levy, Peter Pringle, Nehama Reuben, and Debbie Center. Performances by Israeli artists in collaboration with other Middle Eastern cultures include The Jerusalem Orchestra East West with Sapir Saban (of Turkish ancestry), Liraz (whose ancestry is Persian and whose new CD was created in secret collaboration with Iranian composers, singers, and musicians), and Ensemble Hallaway (אנסמבל חלוואת ביער ירושלים, an ensemble of traditional and contemporary musicians of all ages, backgrounds, cultures with a message of peace between Jews and Arabs) with Egyptian song. Additionally, I shared music by klezmer revivalists and world musicians inspired by indigenous music of the Middle East, including flutist Akiva Ben-Horin (Druze Melody) and Karim Baggili with Le Trio Joubran (merging Arabic, Flemenco, South American, world cultures). My A Bisl Freylichkayt (A Little Mirth) weekly feature, which highlights Jewish standup and other comedy, this week featured a really funny segment from satirist Art Buchwalter in 1964, with coming A Bisl Freylichkayt segments to feature classic political satirists.
19th Century Jews of the Ottoman Empire
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ October 11, 2020 ~ 23 Tishrei, 5781
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Israel is composed of individuals from more than 100 nations with their own languages, ethnicity, social/cultural practices, and religious rites in addition to Druze and Bedouin Arabs, Palestinian Israeli citizens, and refugees/migrants. Over the course of this month on The Sunday Simcha, I shared the contemporary musical voice of Israelis of many of these cultures as a reflection of what is arguably the most musically diverse period in Israeli pop music history—all as part of WMNF’s Indigenous Peoples Month, in line with the station’s Diversity Committee. This program featureed Israeli musical artists Gili Yalo, ORIT, & Abate Berihun, (Ethiopian Israelis), Ehud Banai (Persian heritage), El- Banat & Sharabina (Arabic heritage), LALA Tamar (Moroccan heritage), A-WA (Yemeni Israelis), Light in Babylon (Turkish heritage), Shlomi Saranga (Greek heritage), and The Backyard (diverse Israeli fusion band). A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—came from the Old Jews Telling Jokes web series.
Yemenite Habbani Jew (National Photo Collection of Israel). Music of Yemenite Jews is among the diverse contemporary music of Israel featured on this month’s Sunday Simcha.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ October 4, 2020 ~ 16 Tishrei, 5781
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We have a diverse and beautiful program on the Simcha this week. In addition to music for Sukkot by Cantor Marsha Attie, Eliana Light, and Gerard Edery, we are presenting special music as part of WMNF Community Radio’s Indigenous Peoples Month, in line with the station’s Diversity Committee. Our music today includes the millenia-old tradition of Judeo-Arabic music and rhythms of North Africa and the Middle East, Morocco, Algeria, and Yemen in striking recordings by Andalucious, Neta Elkayam, Emil Zrihan, Yemen Blues, Victor Esses, Ariel Cohen, and Lamajamal. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—is courtesy of comedian/author/producer Judy Gold, who will be appearing as part of The new online series of the Tampa Festival of Jewish Books and Conversations sponsored by the JCC on the Cohn Campus. The series begins October 22nd with Judy Gold and Alan Zweibel, and I know you’ll get a kick out of hearing Judy in this excerpt from her 2017 appearance at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival. View the new JCC Festival of Jewish Books & Conversations series at https://www.jewishtampa.com/bookfestival.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ September 27, 2020 ~ 9 Tishrei, 5781
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Shanah Tovah! Our program this week ushers in Yom Kippur that includes classic and contemporary melodies performed by Cantor Marsha Attie, Netanel Hershtik, North Dakota State University Concert Choir, Comunidad Bet El de México, Comunidad Amijai of Buenos Aires, Noam Katz, Cantor Juval Porat, Yuval Ron Ensemble, Koolulam, Cantor Shmuel Barzilai, and Howard Lutwak.
Shanah Tovah! Early 20th century American High Holy Day postcards, images courtesy of Winners Auctions.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ September 20, 2020 ~ 2 Tishrei, 5781
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Our programs through this month have featured music to inspire reflection, insight, peace and joy as we experience The Days of Awe, the High Holy Days. This week’s music celebrated themes and beautiful contemporary and traditional melodies of The High Holy Days presented by RebbeSoul and Shlomit Levi, Mordechai Ben David, Roslyn Barak, Nancy Linder, Shlomo Katz, Yamma Ensemble, Sue Horowitz, Moshav, and Asher Schick. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—was provided by stand-up comic Raanan Hershberg in his national television debut just this past January. L’Shanah Tovah Tikateivu. May the year ahead be sweet, joyous, and healthful for you in every way.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ September 13, 2020 ~ 24 Elul, 5780
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Our programs through this month have featured powerful and memorable music to inspire reflection, insight, peace and joy as we approach and experience The Days of Awe, the High Holy Days, through Rosh HaShanah (beginning sunset Friday, September 18th) and Yom Kippur (beginning sunset Sunday, September 27th). This week’s music by Shlomo Katz, Daniel Saadon, The Goldmark Choir of Hungary, The Western Wind and Chorus, Cantor Alberto Mizrahi, The Shir Chadash Choir of Santa Barbara, Rick Recht, Josh Goldberg, Craig Taubman, Alain Chekroun, The Maccabeats, and A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—from Spoken Word Artist and Poet Rick Lupert celebrated melodies of Rosh HaShanah from traditional Sephardic, Oriental, and Ashkenazic melody along with contemporary American liturgical settings.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ September 6, 2020 ~ 17 Elul, 5780
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Our programs this week and through this month feature powerful and memorable music to inspire reflection, insight, peace and joy as we approach The Days of Awe, the High Holy Days, through Rosh HaShanah (beginning sunset September 18th) and Yom Kippur (beginning sunset September 27th). This program features performances by A Great Big World, Moshav, Davis Academy, C. Lanzbom and Noah Solomon, Shlomi Shabat, Yuval Dayan, Idan Amedi, and Guy V’Yahel, Omer Adam, Eliana Light, Noah Diamondstein, Daniel Saadon, The Klezmatics, and A Bisl Freylichkayt–A Little Mirth—from Jeff Stambovsky.
Historic Middle Street Synagogue, Brighton, England
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ August 30, 2020 ~ 10 Elul, 5780
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Our program this week and through this month features powerful and memorable music to inspire reflection, insight, peace and joy as we approach The Days of Awe, the High Holy Days through Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur. This program features performances by Avishai and Itzhik Eshel, Emmet Cohen, Jon Simon, Lipa Schmeltzer, Lev Tahor, Static & Ben El Tavori, Schola Hebraica, Cantor Benzion Miller, Cantor Yudi Cohen, Betty Klein, Bat Ella, Eli Schwebel, and The Resonate Trio with Cantor Abbe Lyons.
I am so grateful for your many kind comments for my August programs and how much you enjoyed Great Songs and Great Performances within various genres of Jewish music as well as my Countdown of the Top 25 Greatest Songs in Jewish Music. If you have not heard or downloaded those programs, email me to request copies at [email protected]. Today’s program remains in our archive through the week until next week’s broadcast.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ August 23, 2020 ~ 3 Elul, 5780
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All month I have been bringing you Great Songs and Great Performances within various genres of Jewish music that led up to WMNF’s last week’s Great Songs Week. Today I continue a countown of the Top 25 Greatest Songs in Jewish Music that I began last week, starting with #13 and counting down to #1. It has been a pretty heady task and great fun considering the possibilities. Great composers and performers on this program include Georgian Folk Tour Band, Israel Goldfarb, Ensemble Fontegara, Chava Albertstein, Hirsh Glik, Uzi Hitman, Jerusalem Academy, Aaron Lebedeff, Sholem Secunda, Jack Yellin, Lew Pollack, Karsten Troyke & Suzanna, Belle Baker, Zarah Leander, Ray Charles, Yana Rabinovich, Gali Atari & Milk and Honey, Kobi Oshrat, Naomi Shemer, Nurit Hirsh, Harry Belafonte, Azi Schwartz, the Israeli Concert Band and more.
Leon Zernitsky’s “Klezmer on the Roof.”
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ August 16, 2020 ~ 26 Av, 5780
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The great music continues on this week’s program, which falls during WMNF’s Great Songs Week. All month I have been bringing you Great Songs and Great Performances within various genres of Jewish music. This week and next, I am counting down the Top 25 Greatest Songs in Jewish Music—a pretty heady task I tell you, and you wouldn’t believe the fun I had considering the great possibilities—or maybe you would.
This week, I begin with #25 and count down, sharing much about the songs and their history and significance. I’ll continue next Sunday with the last half of these 25 Greatest Songs in Jewish Music—as selected by Yours Truly. Great songs, composers, and eclectic performances on this program include Winnipeg’s Finjan Klezmer, Molly Picon, Abraham Ellstein, Moshe Dor and Yosef Hadar,HaParvarim,Nira Chen, Rika Zarai, Debbie Friedman, Shir, Issachar Miron & Yechiel Chagiz, Einat Betzalel, Chad and Jeremy, Sholem Secunda, Alexander Olshanetsky and Jacob Jacobs, Seymour Rechtzeit, Netania Davrath, Mark Warshawsky Martha Rock Birnbaum & Barbara Dechario, Abraham Goldfaden, The Ornaim Zabar Troupe, The Barry Sisters, and more.
Philately Fun with the stamp series “Music and Dance in Israel,” First Day of Issue 9/23/1997, Israel Philatelic Federation
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ August 9, 2020 ~ 19 Av, 5780
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Throughout August, we’re featuring Great Songs and Great Performances on The Sunday Simcha as we lead up to WMNF’s Great Songs Week, August 15th – 22nd. This week’s program was devoted to Great Songs of Jewish Joy, featuring some of our most beloved celebratory songs as brought to you by Aaron Bensoussan and Zohar, Itzhak Perlman and the Klezmer Conservatory Band, Zupfgeigenhansel Official, King Django, Muzichenko with Paul Tkachenko, Eitan Katz, The NEC Jewish Music Ensemble, Preßburger Klezmer Band, HaDudaim, The Springfields, The Feenjon! Group, Elana Jagoda, Oran Etkin, and Mickey Katz and his Kosher Jammers. It was an eclectic fun program with horas, bulgars, mambos, disco, flamenco, and even a native American dance if you like.
Our Simcha this week includes celebratory wedding music among other songs of Jewish Joy. Leon Zernitsky’s Joy of Jewish Wedding [view original photo here].
UNDAY SIMCHA ~ August 2, 2020 ~ 12 Av, 5780
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Throughout August, we’re featuring Great Songs and Great Performances on The Sunday Simcha as we lead up to WMNF’s Great Songs Week, August 15th – 22nd. All WMNF programmers in their various formats will bring you music they feel is great —timeless, notable, influential, of particular note. This week’s program was devoted to Great Songs and Classic Performances of the Jewish experience from the musical stage—featuring truly great moments from The Band’s Visit (2016), The Rothschilds (1970), Rags: The New American Musical (1986), Milk and Honey (1961), Molly Picon, Budapest Klezmer Band, Fiddler on the Roof (1964), Fidler Afn Dakh—Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish (2018), Oliver (1963), and a double dose of Freylichkayt with Barbra Streisand in I Can Get it For You Wholesale (1962), and Fanny Brice in the Ziegfeld Follies (1921). A fun and insightful program of Jewish experience as told through the musical stage.
The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene’s Amerike—The Golden Land. Look back at musicals of the Jewish experience, some of which (along with others) are featured in our August 2nd program. https://www.broadwaybox.com/daily-scoop/a-look-back-at-musicals-that-illuminate-the-jewish-experience/
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ July 26, 2020 ~ 5 Av, 5780
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It is an eclectic celebration of world rhythms and melodies in Jewish music old and new on this program, including a tribute to Kulanu, Inc—which has been presenting a powerful summer series of online programs regarding world Jewish communities (http://kulanu.org/). We featured spirited music by French Yiddish singer Talila Guteville with Ensemble Kol Aviv, the KlezKamp Concerts and David Krakauer, Michael Alpert, David Licht as well as The Bagelman Sisters with Dave Tarras. We’ll have a tribute to the Jews of India with music by Zohar Fresco with Miguel Hiroshi & Ghatam Suresh and Irene Orleansky with B’nei Ephraim and B’nei Israel Jewish communities of India. East meets West with powerful music by Hillel Tigay, Bat-Ella, and Shuly Nathan, which included Bat-Ella’s stunning rendering of music by Debbie Friedman. And Yerachmiel Begun and the Miami Boys Choir and the Moscow Choral Academy Male Choir brought a holiness to prepare us for the sacred observance of Tisha B’Av. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—was supplied by Allan Sherman with a couple of (old) new visits to Jewish summer camp at Camp Granada that I’m guessing you may not have heard.
The Spring 2020 issue of Kulanu Magazine features the Jews of India among its other communities. Visit kulanu.org to view Kulanu’s online program offerings and to learn of the worldwide Jewish communities that Kulanu supports.
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ July 19, 2020 ~ 27 Tamuz, 5780
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We featured an inspiring program of music and information for you on The Sunday Simcha this Sunday, featuring music of Bar Yona, Shalom Hanoch, Yehudit Ravitz, Avery Gosfield, Margot Leverett and the Klezmer Mountain Boys, Desert Wind, Orlika, Tracy Friend and Andrew Dennen, Moshe Denburg and Tzimmes, Sam Glaser, and the 2020 Festival Art Kaleidoscope Israel Children’s Chorus. You’ll also hear about coming expansion and renovation of the Venice Jewish Ghetto Museum, scheduled to begin this October. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth is provided by Jackie Mason from a very early national television appearance in 1961.
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Main Square of the Jewish Ghetto of Venice. Photo ©Didier Descouens (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ghetto_(Venice)_Panorama.jpg)
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ July 12, 2020 ~ 20 Tamuz, 5780
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The Sunday Simcha this Sunday (July 12th) remembered the Edict of Spanish Expulsion—issued in 1492—requiring practicing Jews to leave kingdoms under Spanish rule by the end of July. The music on the program was entirely devoted to the Sephardic music of Spanish Jews and their descendants who found refuge in The Balkans and elsewhere, for whom Ladino remained a central tongue. We will hear music in Ladino, Turkish, and Hebrew, featuring Alhambra, Los Desterrados, The Chloe Pourmorady Ensemble, Rosa Eskenazi, Victoria Hazan, Yasmin Levy, Jo Amar, Claudia Nurit Henig, Ofra Haza, Liat Cohen and The Parvarim, and Judy Frankel. We also featured a tribute to Carl Reiner with A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth—from Reiner and the 2000-Year-Old Man, Mel Brooks of course.
“The Expulsion of the Jews from Spain (in the year 1492)” by Emilio Sala Francés. The Grand Inquisitor ,Friar Tomás de Torquemada, in 1492 offers to the Catholic Monarchs the Edict of expulsion of the Jews from Spain for their signature. Oil by Emilio Sala y Francés (1889).
SUNDAY SIMCHA ~ July 5, 2020 ~ 13 Tamuz, 5780
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This July 4th weekend, the July 5th The Sunday Simcha celebrated Jewish music from around the world that has touched American Jewish lives. It is a program of fun, eclectic and historic music from Europe, Israel, Australia, and America by Ziggy Elman’s Orchestra, Kayah, Jingle Django, Nikitov, Eléonore Biezunski, Jewish Monkeys, Uri Banai, Zohar’s Nigun, Aris San, and Ernest Gold. A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little MIrth—is provided by stand-up comic Jessica Kirson.
Hebrew Publishing Company image, 1901 (public domain) Under the Imperial Russian coat of arms, traditionally dressed Russian Jews, packs in hand, line Europe’s shore as they gaze across the ocean. Waiting for them under an American eagle that holds a banner with the legend “Shelter us in the shadow of Your wings,” are their Americanized relatives with outstretched arms.
DOWNLOAD THE SUNDAY SIMCHA
Each week the program remains in the archive and may be streamed on this page or downloaded until the next program replaces it. To download an mp3 of the broadcast, right click on the listen icon under the “Listen On Demand” box to your right on the red WMNF 88.5 FM WMNF.ORG – SUNDAY SIMCHA bar. You’ll be offered the opportunity to download the linked file and to rename it and save it on your desktop or where you desire. Note that if you bookmark this page or an audio file, it will be gone after the next week’s program because it remains in the archive only until then—so download it if you wish to save it, or contact us at [email protected] to obtain a copy of a program from a previous archive.
SUPPORT THE SUNDAY SIMCHA
The Sunday Simcha is the only program of its kind at WMNF and one of only a handful of programs remaining on the air on American radio devoted entirely to Jewish music.
We do have premiums for your donations. If you desire one, please request it when you make your pledge.
• Eternal: a Jewish Historical Novel by award-winning author Dara Horn – $54 pledge
• Sinners and the Sea: a novel by Rebecca Kanner (signed) – $54 pledge
• Stand With Israel T-shirt: available in S, M, L, XL, and 2X – $54 pledge
• The Histories of the Jewish People of Pinellas County: 700+ pages of Jewish history/photographs of Pinellas County by Herman Koren – $72 pledge
• Three-CD Set of Jewish music by Joy Katzen-Guthrie: Seasons of Joy/The Heart of Ancient Promise/How Good and How Pleasant (signed by request) – $108 pledge
• Guest Co-Host the Sunday Simcha! Circle of CHAI – $18 per month for 12 months OR $216 pledge
• Your Own Private Concert or House Concert by Joy Katzen-Guthrie – $1,000 pledge (OR $84 per month for 12 months, total $1008)
Available as supply allows as a Circle of Friends member giving by monthly donation of $5 or more:
• The WMNF 40 Years and Into The Future T-Shirt
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To Make A Pledge:
√ Call the office line during the week at at 813-238-8001 and indicate your support is for The Sunday Simcha.
√ Click the tip jar on this page at any time to pledge in honor of The Sunday Simcha or pick up a premium by requesting one.
√ Email Joy at [email protected].
√ Call our program while on air Sundays 1-2 PM to make a pledge at 813-239-9663.
√ Or visit The Sunday Simcha Facebook page and leave a message for Joy at www.facebook.com/sundaysimcha.Laura Taylor & Shlomo Schwersky join Joy Katzen-Guthrie, Summer 2019 Pledge Drive Program
THE SUNDAY SIMCHA: A TRADITION IN TAMPA BAY (1980-Present)
Since 1980, The Sunday Simcha has featured Jewish entertainment, culture, and information with music from Jewish artists and communities around the globe, local Tampa Bay/Central Florida events and activities, news of Jewish culture, arts, and happenings from around the world, comedy, interviews, and weekly spiritual features. Our audience has an international listenership, both Jewish and non-Jewish.
Among WMNF’s earliest programs after the station signed on air in 1979, The Jewish Sound (as originally named) was hosted by Oded Salpeter from 1980-1985. In 1986, when Oded took a similar position with WKAT-Miami, Mike Eisenstadt took over fully as programmer/host (after serving as a reporter/guest host frequently in the years prior), giving it the name by which it has been known since—The Sunday Simcha. Until his passing in 2005, Mike dedicated himself with whole heart to this program and to WMNF Radio as he brought news of the local Jewish community, Israel, and Jewish community worldwide and aired news and cultural features in addition to the range of Jewish music and comedy for which the program became well known.
Rabbi Shalom Adler, Founder of Chabad/Young Israel of Pinellas County, brought listeners a recorded or live Weekly Dvar Torah—a tradition carried forward by his son, Rabbi Pinchas Adler, in a live interview each week. Kevin Frye and Shlomo (Steve) Schwersky served as hosts of The Sunday Simcha following Mike’s death. After Kevin’s untimely passing in 2016, Shlomo and daughter Jordyn Schwersky, co-hosted the program, dedicating themselves to giving Jewish news around the world and expanding the music library of the program. The two announced their plans to retire in spring 2019; Joy Katzen-Guthrie took over as host of the program beginning June 16, 2019.
With an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary, Klezmer, Chassidic, Israeli, Yiddish, Ladino, Mizrachi, Liturgical, and a variety of Jewish folk, pop, and film music from artists around the globe, features include Milot Chochmah—Words of Wisdom—in which rabbis, cantors, and Jewish spiritual leaders from the Tampa Bay Region to share a Dvar Torah, personal insight or teaching. Programs are spiced with a touch of humor via A Bisl Freylichkayt—A Little Mirth. Community Kvell is a celebration of members of the local community, and The Kehillah Calendar provides events in the weeks ahead.
We are grateful for your comments, suggestions, donations and for your ears! Join us weekly, hear our program in the weekly WMNF archive on this page, and contact us any time at [email protected].
(L to R) Zachary Aborizk, Joy Katzen-Guthrie, Mark Guthrie (Executive Producer), Rande Friedman (jewishintampabay.com) on Joy’s first broadcast as Host of the Sunday Simcha, June 16, 2019
THANK YOU, JEWISH PRESS OF TAMPA BAY
Our deepest appreciation to The Jewish Press of Tampa Bay (Pinellas/Hillsborough Counties) for its extensive features on The Sunday Simcha, first on April 5, 2019 — reprinted online at https://www.jewishpresstampa.com/articles/oh-joy-new-sunday-simcha-host-to-keep-focus-on-music-and-culture/ and at https://www.jewishpresspinellas.com/pageview/viewer/2019-04-05) — as well as on September 6, 2019 — reprinted online at https://www.jewishpresspinellas.com/articles/sunday-simcha-host-named-new-programmer-of-year/ and at https://www.jewishpresspinellas.com/pageview/viewer/2019-09-06#page=8).
At the WMNF Volunteer Appreciation event on Sunday, August 18th, I (Joy) was named WMNF New Programmer of the Year 2019. I am so grateful to be acknowledged for the programs I bring you and to be part of the legacy of this broadcast. In the months that I have had the joy of hosting The Sunday Simcha, I have been told by both Jewish and non-Jewish listeners how much this program means to you. Thank you for allowing me to represent this community and to be part of a dedicated team of broadcasters and staff at WMNF that brings creative, insightful, memorable, and important music and information to the Tampa Bay region and the entire world.
 Mark Guthrie (Executive Producer) & Sunday Simcha Host Joy Katzen-Guthrie with their award at The WMNF Radio Volunteer Appreciation Event 8/18/19 |
 WMNF Radio New Programmer of the Year 2019 THANK YOU! |
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TAMPA BAY KEHILLAH CALENDAR
A SAMPLING OF COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS IN THE WEEKS AHEAD
The Sunday Simcha brings you the Kehillah Calendar — brief updates of community happenings in the immediate weeks ahead.
Send us word of your community events and news at [email protected]
Because of the frequently shifting events in the Jewish community locally, nationally, and internationally during this unusual time, our standard calendar has been removed and we refer you to local congregations and organizations to view their individual current events. Provide your events information to [email protected] to be added to these lists as well as mentioned on the Sunday Simcha. Contact these individual communities to receive email updates in order to be informed of their congregational and community events.
ONGOING VIRTUAL & ON-SITE ACTIVITIES,
WORSHIP SERVICES & CONGREGATIONAL EVENTS 2020/5780
Jewish Press of Pinellas County: https://www.jewishpresspinellas.com/
Gulf Coast Florida Jewish Federation Community Calendar: https://www.jewishgulfcoast.org/calendar
Tampa Jewish Community Centers and Federation Community Calendar: https://www.jewishtampa.com/community-calendar
Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee Community Community Calendar: https://jfedsrq.org/new-community-calendar
JewishinTampaBay.com: https://jewishintampabay.com/
Greater Miami Jewish Federation: https://jewishmiami.org/
FloridaJewish.com: https://floridajewish.com/
Jewish Federation of North America Calendar: https://jewishfederations.org/calendar
World Jewish Congress: https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en
Orthodox, Conservative, & Reform Synagogues/Congregations in Hillsborough County:
Orthodox, Conservative, & Reform Synagogues/Congregations in Pinellas and Pasco County:
Orthodox, Conservative, & Reform Synagogues/Organizations in Hernando, Polk, Marion and Citrus Counties:
Synagogues/Congregatons of Sarasota/Manatee Counties:
Please note that many other Jewish organizations and all Jewish residential/living communities provide Shabbat and festival worship services and activities as well. Visit or contact these sites for their separate listings of area organizations as well.
