About Arkady Gendler & "Zumer Weimar"
"Zumer Weimar" was composed during Yiddish Summer Weimar 2009 by visiting faculty artist Arkady (Avraam) Gendler. read more 

About Arkady Gendler & "Zumer Weimar"

"Zumer Weimar" was composed during Yiddish Summer Weimar 2009 by visiting faculty artist Arkady (Avraam) Gendler. Dedicated to both the city of Weimar and the Yiddish Summer Festival, the signed original manuscript was presented to Lord Mayor Stefan Wolf on August 7, 2009 by Yiddish Summer Weimar Artistic Director, Dr. Alan Bern. The framed manuscript is on display in the office of the Lord Mayor.

On request of the City of Weimar and Yiddish Summer Weimar, Gendler recorded a video of himself singing "Zumer Weimar" accompanied by pianist Nina Pershina. The video was first viewed publicy at the Yiddish Summer Weimar 10th Anniversary Gala Evening on July 15, 2010. The video, as well as an audio recording and the text and music of the song are presented on the websites of both the City of Weimar and of Yiddish Summer Weimar.

Gendler performed and taught at Yiddish Summer Weimar 2006 and 2009, and in 2006 he and Dr. Alan Bern were invited by Lord Mayor Stefan Wolf to sign their names in the Weimar Golden Book, honoring special guests of the city.

Gendler was born in 1921 in Soroca Republic of Moldova, formerly known as Bessarabia). The 10th child in a family where everyone spoke and sang in Yiddish, Gendler is one of the greatest living treasures of Yiddish song, language and tradition, and he is cherished at festivals throughout the world, including St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kiev, Paris, Vienna, Krakow and Weimar, for his profound teaching, phenomenal repertoire and memory, and gentle manner. Despite his advanced years, he proudly carries on an active way of life: until August, 2008 he taught Yiddish in the Zaporozhye (Ukraine) Jewish grammar school “Alef” and he directs several study programs in the Zaporozhye Charity Fund “Hesed Michael” and in the Jewish Community Center “Mazl Tov.” Together with Michael Gaisinsky, 15 years ago he organized a Yiddish vocal ensemble that still performs today both in Zaporozhye and the smaller towns of Zaporozhye district. Working as a tailor at the outbreak of WWII, Gendler became a regular soldier in the Soviet army, where he served at the front. With customary circumspection, Gendler writes: “My military war fate is rather similar to millions of other soldiers’ fates, but this is just another story.” Following the war, Gendler graduated from the Labor Youth Evening School, later receiving his diploma as a polymer processing engineer from the Moscow Chemical Technological Institute (today: Chemical Technological University). back