Ukrainian Jewish Heritage: Hava Nagila

Hava Nagila. The words are Hebrew for Let Us Rejoice. They also comprise the title of one of the most recognizable and well-known songs in the world.And little did I know just how appropriate a theme song it would turn out to be for a radio series called Ukrainian Jewish Heritage.This Jewish folk song with the catchy melody actually originated in Ukraine, and it had quite the journey from a shtetl in Ukraine to the world of pop culture.Hava Nagila (The Movie) is a documentary romp through the history, mystery and meaning of this ubiquitous Jewish standard.It is as entertaining as it is informative. It not only details the song’s origins in Ukraine, it also details its journey to become a pop culture sensation around the world.Or, as the producer and director of the movie puts it, from Ukraine to YouTube.This movie will make you laugh, possibly cry. But without a doubt it is a story that will leave you amazed as well as amused.  Click here for the full transcript and movie review. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.