50 | MAY 4 • 2023
E
lena Luchina
developed her career
in teaching Yiddish as
she moved from schools in
Russia, France, Israel and the
United States and is making
friends in this country by
establishing a Jewish Song
Circle.
She lives in an Ann Arbor
home, teaches through the
Frankel Center for Judaic
Studies at the University of
Michigan (U-M) and has
people of all ages singing
in sessions scheduled about
once every two weeks.
Participants can introduce
songs they know through
songs in circulation,
other organizational song
experiences or songs written
to express their feelings.
The circle, which meets in
people’s homes or along their
backyards, was started three
years ago with one meeting
at Hillel, continued through
Zoom and then moved off
on its own by meeting at
members’ homes.
“Participants like getting
together outdoors when the
weather allows,” Luchina
said.
Luchina, 32, who also
teaches cultural courses
at U-M, spends summers
pursuing special interests,
whether they be the subjects
she teaches or the songs
the group sings in English,
Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladina or
a European language. Some
of the songs are from specific
Jewish communities and
their neighbors.
“You don’t have to be
Jewish to be part of the
circle,” said Luchina, who
was named one of the “36
Under 36” young adults
profiled this year by the
Detroit Jewish News.
“Although the circle is
organized by Jews, everyone
is welcome.”
The group is made up of
a continuing group of 10
people and others joining on
occasion. They teach each
other songs that are easy to
sing in a circle and can be of
a serious or funny theme.
“We learn a lot of songs
that have repetitive lyrics,
and we learn them orally
by repeating these lyrics,”
Luchina said.
“We always have
different instruments, like
tambourines and maracas,
so that people interested
in adding to the sounds of
the group can play them.
Sometimes people bring
instruments like a clarinet or
guitar, and we’re open to that
as well.
“We like to improvise
and jam so we get different
effects from one song.”
In organizing the group
and the songs, Luchina is
helped by Moss Herberholz
and Shoshanna Ruth
Wechter. Herberholz, she
said, is a professional leader
in Jewish community events
and advises how to direct
the meetings. Wechter,
described as native to Ann
Arbor, is also referenced as a
district librarian and cultural
organizer who does a lot in
promoting the circle.
The group brings in songs
and spirits they learned
by attending international
Jewish music retreats such
as Yiddish New York,
Klezkanada and Let My
People Sing, which meets in
Connecticut.
ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC
Ann Arbor singers fi
nds joy and friendship in sharing their voices.
SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Jewish Song Circle
Elena
Luchina