Sveta Kundish - In Vinter Farnakhtn

Text by: Dovid Hofshteyn
Music by: Emil Gorovets

Recorded for the memorial of Congress for Jewish Culture for the murdered Soviet Yiddish writers and artists.

The 12th of August this year marked 72 years since the Night of the Murdered Poets.
 
When I was only 18 years old, my teacher Nechama Lifshitz gave me this song to sing in my first student concert of her Masterclass. The song "In Vinter Farnakhtn" is based on a poem by Dovid Hofshteyn, who was also murdered that night. 

I loved the song right away and sang it with my full heart.

At the concert, after I finished singing the song, an old woman from the first row stood up and got on stage to give me a kiss. It was Leviya Hofshteyn, the daughter of the poet...With tears in her eyes, she whispered to me: "There is a future". This way she gave me her blessing to walk my path of Yiddish song. Thinking back on this moment with grace.

Many thanks to Shane Baker and The Congress for Jewish Culture for allowing me to share this video, made four years ago for the annual commemoration of the Night of Murdered Poets.