Hava Nagila (Hebrew: הבה נגילה)

 When I was in high school back in the 60's, choral glee clubs were a wonderful form of training,
discipline and performance for young people.  Your choral directors were highly respected, competitive and demanding of your complete attention and focus, or you were out!  Rehearsals were early before and after school , much like the football or basketball teams.  There were competitions that took you to another venue to perform.  We had matching outfits, black dresses.  We were called the ChoraLees (Robert E. Lee High School).

On a side bar, the Jewish kids kinda were kept to themselves and did not go our school.  Knowing of their culture and religious practices were foreign to us. Our choral director thought it important to understand all cultures so we were learning songs particular to Africa, France and the Jewish nation.
As I got older and went to college, my horizon expanded and so did my understanding as I then had a history teacher that was not Baptist!
My choral director, Miss Dudley, taught us Hava Nagila.  I got to sing it for the first time since 1963 last PM at a wedding of the daughter of my husband's office partner.  She married a Jewish boy and the wedding was in that practice.  At the reception, they hoisted the couple up onto two chairs,  we did a Hora dance and sang Hava Nagila (link to words and music below).  I could not believe that I rememberd the words! The folks near me asked me which synagogue I attended.  I just smiled and kept moving.  I am blond and blue, should have been a dead give away, but they included us anyhow! Thank you Miss Dudley for making it possible for me to love, understand and celebrate in this wonderful love feast.
Sherry, my only Jewish girl friend will be very proud when she learns of my singing expression.
Loved the moment. the words to that song by the way can cross any religious or political line .
Rejoice!
Tom, my husband's friend, is now looking for extra work.....such a dad....
Wait til I write about her French friend's family that the bride lived with when she studied in France.

the words savy and chic have a brand new meaning.....

William and his mommy and daddy are doing just fine and dandy, thank you for asking.


Til next time.....

http://www.horaband.com/Hava_Nagila.html