Apr 3 2013
By Kveller at 12:31 pm
Looking for some new tunes to spruce up your Shabbat celebration with the kids? Look no further than the new CD Shir L’Shabbat–Jewish Songs for Kids & Tots by Debbie Brukman.
Brukman, also known as the pied piper of Brownstone Brooklyn, has been sharing her kid-friendly Shabbat tunes as a music teacher for the preschool at Congregation Beth Elohim and leader of Shir L’Shabbat, a popular Saturday morning sing-along. But now you don’t have to be in Park Slope to enjoy her special blend of Shabbat tunes, which incorporates plenty of familiar Jewish preschool songs with lesser known Jewish melodies from Uganda, Israeli song festivals, and Debbie’s original compositions.
The CD features the incredibly popular “Dinosaur Knocking at my Door” as well “Bim Bam” and a live version of Debbie’s original “Shir L’Shabbat.” Shir L’Shabbat: Jewish Songs for Kids and Tots is available on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, and DebbieBrukman.com.
But we’ve got one copy to giveaway to a lucky Kveller reader! To enter, fill out the form below and we’ll choose a winner next Monday, April 8th.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Mar 5 2013
By Jordana Horn at 3:58 pm
Dear Mom in Music Class,
For a brief second last week, I wanted to punch you in the face. True story.
Sure, I’m an overtired and overworked mom of four kids. I’ll concede that maybe I was a little closer to the tipping point than a normal, well-rested human being would be.
But when I came into the room and said “Hi!” to you, and you slowly and deliberately looked me up and down and then turned back to your friend, not saying hi, there was A Moment.
It was the kind of moment in which crimes are committed: a blinding flash of red rage that makes ears hot and blood boil. It was brief, and then it passed.
But in that moment, I swear: I wanted to put down my toddler, walk over to you and Punch. You. In. The Face. In my mind, I ran through a scenario that made that scene with Lucy Liu and Uma Thurman in Kill Bill look…well, like toddler music class.
In my brain, I Quentin Tarantinoed your ass. Read the rest of this entry →
Feb 8 2013
By Jordana Horn at 11:55 am
That is how my daughter says, “Bim Bam.” As in, “Bim, bam, bim bim bim bam, bim bim bim bim bim bam.” Sing it with me if you will. I know this song inside and out. In fact, I am kind of an expert. I sing this little ditty approximately 4,000 times a day. Baby G is 18 months old, and Bim Bam is rocking her world. Baby G does not want to sing it herself, of course. In fact, she doesn’t actually want to sing it at all. She prefers to have it performed for her. By me. And who could blame her? I am the Lady Gaga of Bim Bam.
Little kids love repetition. You know that thing inside us adults that finds about 99% of things in the world annoying if we have to hear them more than twice? Yeah, little kids don’t have that. In fact, it’s just the opposite. When little kids find something they like, they like the hell out of it. As in, “Let’s make that thing I like aural and visual wallpaper for every waking second of my life–and then, when I wake up from my nap, we’re going to do it ALL OVER AGAIN! YEAH!” Read the rest of this entry →
Nov 21 2012
By Kveller at 11:31 am
We know, we know, Thanksgiving hasn’t even happened yet and we’re already talking Hanukkah. But the holiday falls early this year (first night=December 8th), and we’re here to get you into the Hanukkah mood. What better way than with a little Hanukkah music?
Songwriter/comedian/nice Jewish girl Lauren Mayer tackles the challenges of the season–including what it’s like to be Jewish in a secular Christmas season–through musical humor with her CD Latkes, Schmatkes! Songs range from “Don’t They Know (Not Everyone Does Christmas)” and “A Good Old Down Home Country Chanukah” to “The Jew-In-A-Gentile-World Blues.” You can buy the album on Amazon, iTunes, Picklehead Music, and CDBaby.
If you’d like to rock out with Lauren and your kids, we’re giving away a copy to one lucky winner. To enter, sign up for our newsletter by clicking here. Once you’ve done that, let us know by entering a comment below. If you’re already signed up for our newsletter, just skip to the commenting part. We will choose a winner next Monday, November 26th, so enter today. Good luck!
Sep 19 2012
By Nina Badzin at 11:20 am
WTF is LMFAO?
My husband and I have been disagreeing about the music we let our kids listen to in the car. Bryan’s concerned that kids today know too much too soon. Keeping their song choices “wholesome,” he continues to argue, will help them stay innocent and, well, wholesome a little longer.
At first I said he was being uptight. Furthermore, we have four kids ranging from 10 months to 8 years old. They all have different tastes and interests in music. Read the rest of this entry →
Aug 29 2012
By Jordana Horn at 2:56 pm
I maxed out on “reality” TV about 12 years ago, when my addiction to the then-new Survivor and its ilk bordered on unseemly. When you’re sneaking out of your law firm job in the evenings to watch “Temptation Island” at someone’s apartment, or cooking elaborate French dishes to serve at your “Joe Millionaire” finale party, (hypothetically speaking, of course) it’s pretty clear that you need help.
But now, I am in love. Read the rest of this entry →
Aug 24 2012
By Tamara Reese at 1:36 pm
This is the most pregnant I’ve ever been and I’m simultaneously elated and undeniably FULL of baby.
My doctor commented last week that I have a “sizable guy” (which I’ve chosen to ignore) and my husband lovingly pointed out that over the last few days I’ve developed “marshmallow feet.” Mmmm, marshmallows. I might look like a weeble, but I’m so happy to have made it this far–on my feet and still enjoying weekly prenatal yoga classes. Read the rest of this entry →
Jul 12 2012
By Rachel Molly Loonin at 4:23 pm
Earlier this year, I cooked up a plan for my family to camp out at Mountain Jam, a weekend-long music festival. My husband and I love live jam band music–it is one of the experiences which bonded us in our early days together. But family life is busy, and we don’t go to many shows. Our children knew about our passion for music and for outdoorsy fun. So, in June, with all three kids finally potty trained, we headed for Hunter Mountain Ski Resort with the whole family.
I was not sure how we would manage to keep the crew happy while roughing it on the mountain with thousands of hipped-out music lovers. Even the expense was hard to justify; a quick calculation revealed that suspending our housecleaning help could cover the cost. I was prepared to mop and scrub for a few months if my family was willing to join the jam! Read the rest of this entry →
Feb 22 2012
By Kveller at 2:03 pm
Dear Kveller Readers Outside of New York:
I know. You’re tired of me writing about all of the amazing things that happen in New York City for kids. The thing is, it’s really hard not to tell our New York readers about great programs when they’re happening right here in our backyard. So I’ll make a deal with you–tell me about the awesome programs happening in your neck of the woods, and I’ll write about them too, so you don’t feel left out. Meanwhile, the rest of this is for the New Yorkers. Sorry!
Dear New York Kveller readers,
Ignore that note above–we all know that NYC is the center of the universe for everything, Jewish parenting included. After all, that’s why our Kveller offices are here. Read the rest of this entry →
Nov 15 2011
By Kveller at 8:42 am
Do you and your baby have an ear for music? Is the Hava Nagila your jam?
We’ve got a new pop quiz to test just how much you know about Jewish music for babies and toddlers. Taking the quiz is fun and quick, and it just may give you some ideas for rounding out what we’re sure is a very admirable music collection.
Once you’re done, check out our entire list of quizzes here.
Take the QUIZ now!
