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