Everything You Need To Know About Machine Learning Chatbot In 2023
How to Create a Chatbot using Machine Learning When a new user message is received, the chatbot will calculate the similarity between the new text sequence and training data. Considering the confidence scores got for each category, it categorizes the user message to an intent with the highest confidence score. After learning that users were struggling to find COVID-19 information they could trust, The Weather Channel created the COVID-19 Q&A chatbot. This chatbot was trained using information from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Worldwide Health Organization (WHO) and was able to help users find crucial information about COVID-19. Retailers are dealing with a large customer base and a multitude of orders. Machine learning represents a subset of artificial intelligence (AI) dedicated to creating algorithms and statistical models. These models empower computer systems to enhance their proficiency in particular tasks by autonomously acquiring knowledge from data, all without the need for explicit programming. In essence, machine learning stands as an integral branch of AI, granting machines the ability to acquire knowledge and make informed decisions based on their experiences. For patients, it has reduced commute times to the doctor’s office, provided easy access to the doctor at the push of a button, and more. Experts estimate that cost savings from healthcare chatbots will reach $3.6 billion globally by 2022. Statistics show that millennials prefer to contact brands via social media and live chat, rather than by phone. A safe measure is to always define a confidence threshold for cases where the input from the user is out of vocabulary (OOV) for the chatbot. In this case, if the chatbot comes across vocabulary that is not in its vocabulary, it will respond with “I don’t quite understand. For our chatbot and use case, the bag-of-words will be used to help the model determine whether the words asked by the user are present in our dataset or not. Step 13: Classifying incoming questions for the chatbot NLP is a branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on enabling machines to understand and interpret human language. All in all, post data collection, you need to refine it for text exchanges that can help you chatbot development process after removing URLs, image references, stop words, etc. Moreover, the conversation pattern you pick will define the chatbot’s response system. So, you need to precise in what you want it to talk about and in what tone. It denotes the idea behind each message that a chatbot receives from a particular user. Machine learning chatbots remember the products you asked them to display you earlier. These elements have started the widespread use of chatbots across a variety of sectors and domains. We often come across chatbots in a variety of settings, from customer service, social media forums, and merchant websites to availing banking services, alike. Understanding the underlying issues necessitates outlining the critical phases in the security-related strategies used to create chatbots. Businesses must understand that sophisticated AI bots use modern natural language and machine learning techniques rather than rule-based models. These methods learn from a conversation, which may contain personal data. AI chatbots may be the most recent technology in terms of user experience, but they run on basic, secure Internet protocols that have been in use for decades. By following these steps, you’ll have a functional Python AI chatbot that you can integrate into a web application. This lays down the foundation for more complex and customized chatbots, where your imagination is the limit. Experiment with different training sets, algorithms, and integrations to create a chatbot that fits your unique needs and demands....
Read MoreAccounting For Startups: Everything You Need To Know In 2024
At any moment, executives or team members may own public or private stock in any of the third party companies we mention. We care deeply about our startup clients, acting as trusted advisors and helping them change the world. We use data to improve our client experience, measuring our accuracy, timeliness, customer satisfaction and more. We promote the continuous improvement of our teammates, our clients, and our firm. We’ve put together this calculator to help you estimate the cost of preparing your startup’s return. A Finance Department as a Service For Startups Online accounting firms typically charge a monthly fee, which can help businesses to plan their expenses. For many firms, the monthly fee is based on the level of services you need. You can pay as low as $150 a month for a starter package that includes day-to-day bookkeeping, https://marquez-art.ru/biblioteko/patroj_kaj_filoj/13.htm account reconciliation, and financial report preparation. With some firms, you can then layer on services or choose a mid-tier package that provides for cash flow management, accounts payable and receivable, and expense tracking for $300 to $500 a month. What Is an Accounting Firm? And if you are trying to get a business loan, you’ll need clear and easy-to-read financials so that potential investors can make an informed decision about investing in your vision. Therefore, consult a professional HR who knows the basic roles and responsibilities. Another example of industry-specific differences for startups is eCommerce. Will a call from the bank be the first indication that your account is overdrawn? If not, you can Google the JD of a small business accountant and get your answer in seconds. So, ensure that you follow the right process to achieve effective results. Here’s my overview of the best accounting software options on the market today. You may need only account reconciliation services now but will need to layer on financial and http://stranymira.com/2007/07/04/blackstone_priobretet_hilton_hotels_za_26_mlrd_doll.html cash flow management services later. If a firm only offers a package that includes services you don’t need, you may pay more than you should at this stage in your business. When building your accounting system, ensure your system includes features for tax compliance so you can track expenses, calculate tax and prepare filings. Bookkeeping, CFO, and tax services for startups and small businesses. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. The great thing about hiring a Paro freelancer is you pay only their base rate, which is a fraction of the cost of hiring one of these professionals through an accounting or bookkeeping firm. Every business owner needs to have a structured method of bookkeeping that records the money coming in and going out of the business. R&D Tax Credit Check out our blog for more details on each of these accounting software programs to help you figure out which one will work best for your business. We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with confidence. Estimate how many hours, on average, you would spend on startup accounting. Having a team of experts – not just http://вариант-строй.рф/?tag=chastnyj-telemaster accountants but also lawyers, HR managers, and senior executives – will protect your company as it grows. It might seem a bit strange to use this as a metric because you want to judge candidates on their qualifications. Still, you need to ensure that everyone likes your accountant as a person and a personality within your company. What’s the difference between bookkeeping software and accounting software? This will mean being experienced in managing payroll, vendors, and clients across different tax jurisdictions and proficient in regional excise, property taxes, and tax credits. One...
Read MoreЧто такое настроение рынка Форекс? Индикатор настроения рынка
Однако, следует быть осторожным и тщательно отслеживать рынок, чтобы избежать ложных сигналов и потерь. Неважно, как долго цена остается в диапазоне; в конечном итоге она выйдет за одну из границ, что для большинства трейдеров является единственным способом торговать. Определение консолидации может быть различным для разных трейдеров. Некоторые трейдеры считают, что консолидация наступает, когда цена актива движется в узком диапазоне в течение нескольких дней или недель. Индикатор определения консолидации для MetaTrader4 В это время «большие парни» постепенно наращивают огромные длинные позиции, готовые к следующему Что такое контанго восходящему тренду. Важно знать, что консолидация может быть паузой в восходящем или нисходящем тренде, в результате чего цена все равно возобновит движение в направлении тренда. В терминах волнового анализа, консолидация цен − это «плоская коррекция», которая обязательно появляется после сильного движения цены. Как правило, она продолжается недолго, разворот тренда после консолидации происходит редко, как правило, восстанавливается предыдущий тренд. Преимущества и недостатки торговли во время консолидации (флэта) Как уже упоминалось, зачастую для определения текущего состояния рынка используются трендовые индикаторы, наиболее известным из которых являются скользящие прежние. Для определения потенциальной смены текущей тенденции следует обращать внимание на появление «неправильных» моделей. Например, в ряду HH и HL появляется LH, это может стать сигналом при условии его подтверждения появлением паттернов LH и LL. На наличие на рынке растущего тренда указывает появление моделей HH и HL, то есть пики становятся все выше и также выше поднимаются впадины. В пользу снижающейся тенденции говорят модели LH и LL, то есть все более низкие последовательные вершины и более низкие впадины. Необходимо отметить, что для того, чтобы имел место действительный, а не ложный прорыв, вся свеча полностью должна выйти за пределы границ диапазона, а не только ее фитиль. Импульсные индикаторы (Осцилляторы) Когда полосы расходятся и образуют достаточно широкий диапазон возникает трендовое движение. В обратной ситуации после доминирования «бычьей» тенденции при совершении прорыва верхней границы, можно открывать сделки на покупку. При прохождении графиком через нижнюю границу тренд меняется, и можно открывать сделки на продажу. В случае, когда перед тем, как на рынке начинается консолидация, доминировал восходящий тренд и стоимость совершается пробой верхней границы канала, то растущая тенденция продолжится. В этой колонке мы поговорим о том, что представляет собой консолидация, как она появляется и как торговать в период консолидации. Что такое настроение рынка? Торговля по тренду – метод, который, по мнению многих опытных трейдеров, дает оптимальные шансы на успех. Идея получения прибыли при торговле по тренду, а не против него, звучит логично. Иногда они накладываются на график цены, а иногда рисуются в отдельном окне. Более того, любой, кто разбирается в программирования, разница между отложенными ордерами может написать свой собственный индикатор. Боковая коррекция рынка (еще ее называют «боковой диапазон» или «боковой торговый диапазон», либо консолидация рынка). Когда вы впервые обнаружите, что рынок вошел в консолидацию, вы должны отметить верхнюю и нижнюю границы горизонтальными линиями. Тенденции рынка не придерживаются одного направления — резкое повышение или понижение цены сопровождается возвратом к ее реальному значению. Так наступает период коррекции в трейдинге, когда цена актива стабилизируется противоположно высокому интересу трейдеров. В этом случае трейдер устанавливает лимитные ордера ниже уровня сопротивления и выше уровня поддержки. Когда цена достигает одного из этих уровней, ордер исполняется и трейдер открывает позицию в ожидании дальнейшего движения в пределах диапазона. Однако может произойти и так, что после флета цена кардинально изменит направление своего движения на противоположное. Как трейдеру, это может показаться не очень интересным, ведь нет явного тенденции и возможности https://prostoforex.com/ заработать много денег. Однако, консолидация — это золотая возможность для трейдера, чтобы подготовиться к следующему движению рынка. В этот период, рынок накапливает силы перед продолжением или разворотом тренда. Торговать во время консолидации практически бессмысленно, поскольку актив торгуется в очень узком ценовом коридоре. Однако после консолидации...
Read MoreManufacturing Accounting: Everything You Need to Know
Manufacturing accounting is a group of inventory and production management processes used for monitoring and controlling the costs involved with manufacturing products. Job costing often involves the cumulation of costs involved in procuring materials, labor expenses, and manufacturing overheads. The job costing process is perfect for businesses that custom-make products for their clients. How does a manufacturing company report taxes? At its most basic level, the cost of goods sold is simply beginning inventory, plus purchases, minus ending inventory. Thus, the derivation of the cost of goods sold is really driven by the accuracy of the inventory valuation procedures that were just described. In addition, any abnormal costs incurred, such as excessive can my landlord ask me to prepay rent scrap, are not recorded in inventory, but instead are charged directly to the cost of goods sold. Also, costs may be assigned to specific jobs (known as job costing) and then charged to the cost of goods sold when the inventory items in those jobs are sold to customers. We recommend using software that is well integrated with the overall production and inventory management solution of choice. Ideally, you’ll be able to make customized dashboards to help you get a fast overview of your finances when you need to. Also known as factory overhead, manufacturing overhead refers to the cost of maintaining and operating your production facilities. Overhead costs include expenses like factory rent, utilities, and administrative costs. Variance analysis, which involves comparing your standard costs to your actual expenses, is a great way to reveal areas of overspending, improve production efficiency, and increase cash flow. When you can estimate how much it’ll cost to produce each unit, you can gauge your progress during each accounting period. Accounting for manufacturing businesses In manufacturing accounting, various financial aspects are addressed, including the cost of raw materials, labor, overhead expenses, and inventory valuation. The primary objective is to provide insights into the financial performance and profitability of manufacturing activities, enabling informed decision-making and effective cost management. The direct costing method in manufacturing accounting allows businesses to only consider variable costs without becoming encumbered with fixed expenses. Direct costing is primarily useful in undertaking pricing decisions for the short term. The method cannot be applied to long-term pricing decisions as it requires tangible information surrounding overhead costs and other aspects of production. Direct costing methods can be used in periods when the market sees changes and businesses might have to tweak previous decisions for the time being. Standard costing is one of the most common production costing methods among manufacturers. It involves calculating a standard rate for groups of costs that go into each unit, including direct materials, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead. Manufacturers often deal with a vast array of costs incurred by their business’ production process. Keeping track of these costs is crucial to the seamless operations of the business. Auditing allows a manufacturing business to ensure that the accounting processes and standards deployed in analyzing a company’s finances are up to the mark. This helps entrepreneurs rest assured that their firm’s statements and records, and in turn the company’s adherence to business ethics and integrity. Accurate financial records are important for both capital expansion goals and to avoid legal repercussions arising from monetary misappropriation. Cost accounting Target costing also allows businesses to foresee products that might not quite make the cut and discontinue them to capitalize on those that perform better. Despite its advantages, target costing requires constant monitoring of market trends and other parameters to remain rooted. All manufacturers create budgets that they adhere to when running their business during a defined fiscal...
Read MoreAbout Me
What’s Susan up to?
Penn State Center for Holocaust and Jewish Studies will host me as I present a solo program of song and history focusing on the roots of Eastern European Jewish music and related songs.
I have the honor of presenting this year at the annual American Folklore Society's conference. A lecture on papercut arts around the world and a demonstration of my own work will take place during the conference on October 22, 2021!
ELEVEN languages and counting! Over the years, I've crafted ketubot that honor many cultures. In addition to the expected Aramaic, modern Hebrew, English, and even Yiddish, I have included Korean, Kannada, Latin, Arabic, and even the Telugu seen in the cropped image above! What a joy this has been!
What a wonderful experience I shared with the community of Las Cruces, NM and the Guild of American Papercutters when I presented an hour-long lecture on the worldwide history of papercut arts on March 16, 2021. This was in conjunction with the museum's show of Islamic papercut art. We looked at tools, traditions, and especially shared visual vocabularies from India to Mexico, from Persia to China and beyond!
February 18, 2018 - Susan will be hosted by the Sholem Aleichem Center in the Bronx for a concert. Come for a shmuez (a chat) and stay for the music!https://www.pineclubgolf.com/best-electrical-push-carts/
As part of the Sacred: Image, Text, Ritual exhibit at Lebanon Valley College, Susan will be presenting a lecture recital titled "Words as Homeland: Where Jewish Text, Art, and Song Converge to Express a Culture." Thursday, February 8, 2018, 5 pm at the Zimmerman Recital Hall.
A wonderful arts residency in Teaneck, NJ at Congregation Beth Sholom concluded with a full concert, accompanied by Adrian Banner on Piano. Enthusiasm and learning flowed back and forth the entire time. Fabulous community!
What a great night at the Jalopy in Brooklyn on June 16, 2016 as my new trio with Lauren Brody and Jake Shulman-Ment stepped out to strut our stuff! Many languages, many musical cultures, and great joy in blending our voices and instruments.
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In the beautiful summer landscape of Rindge, New Hampshire, I was privileged to teach traditional Jewish papercut arts at the annual National Havurah Committee's Summer Institute. We turned a large, sunny room into an art studio, and the class burst into enthusiastic art creation. I love the celebratory greeting of everyone's creations as skills and appreciation deepen over four days of classes. I'll come to you! Just ask!
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Back to the Catskills, this time teaching for HAZAK, a group under the umbrella of United Synagogue that offers among its programs an annual summer week of learning and camaraderie. I used my lecture/recital format to widen the world of Yiddish song for about 150 life-long learners as we studied, laughed, sang a bit, and grew to know one another in Kerhonkson, NY.
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When Nancy Spielberg screened her film Above and Beyond in Harrisburg's Chisuk Emuna Congregation, I was tapped to create a papercut gift for her. I chose the color scheme of her promotional material and the Hebrew words which translate into "Be strong... and strengthen one another." The filmmaker and I are shown here. (photo by Josh Damrauer)
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Each year the myriad of faith communities in the Harrisburg region come together to celebrate in song. Here's an image of my participation, sharing the beauty of Yiddish song at the Pine Street Presbyterian Church.
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One of three children's programs to wind up a hectic and marvelous Scholar in Residence program at Congregation Beth El in Fairfield, CT. Lectures, singing programs, explorations of Yiddishkayt - and a debut concert of the new Leviton/Brody duo in concert! I'll happily come to your community, too!
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Yiddish Culture on St. Croix! I received the warmest welcome all across the island where I had the opportunities to teach a vocal arts class in a school, offer an adult papercutting workshop, lecture in the synagogue, and get the whole audience at the Reformed Church singing along in multiple languages! Cultural seeds planted and the smiles, voices, and hugs still linger in memory!
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The Judson Church off Washington Square was packed with well over 300 people on December 30, 2014, to honor the memory and brilliance of Adrienne Cooper, and to award Michael Wex with this year's Dreaming in Yiddish prize. Below is an image of the finale of the musical performance of the Kanonen song from Brecht and Weill's Threepenny Opera, translated from the German into Yiddish by Wex himself. An all-star band backed us as we belted out the Army Song and others, accompanied by the brilliant puppetry and staging of Great Small Works and Power Point translations which made the text a little less inscrutable! What a night! Singers below include Sarah Gordon, Eleanor Reissa, Tine Kindermann, Dan Kahn, myself, and others.
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A whirlwind arts week in Caldwell, NJ at Congregation Agudath Israel allowed me to open Jewish folk arts to energetic groups from preschoolers through elders. The tots sang and acted out Yiddish songs with costumes and props, the school students (4 larger groups) explored paper arts and traditional papercutting, and adults were treated to a series of lecture recitals, everything taking place in a large space where I hung over 35 works of framed art. What a fabulous arts residency for all of us together!
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Nearly 100 people attended a lecture/recital stitching together I. B. Singer's writing and the artists who illustrated his books as Susan sang her way through the bookshelves, Sunday, November 16, at Chisuk Emuna Congregation in Harrisburg, PA. This was the second event in the year's programming under a grant from the Koster Foundation.
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I was guest lecturer at Dickinson College today, October 6, singing my way through a program on Jews and Food. Unlike the light weight singalongs I often do on this topic, the class took food songs into the framework of Hasia Diner's examination of the place of food in Jewish life in the Pale of Settlement through acculturation in America. 15 songs unpacked! A great eye-opening experience for all!
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Heeding God's Call is a national organization working at a grassroots level to end gun violence and straw buying. On September 18, within days of two gun murders in Harrisburg, I participated in an interfaith program at the MLK Baptist Church in the heart of our city. We 'sang' Reisen's Dos Naye Lid together as the assembled crowd held colored cards with words in Yiddish and English.
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A happy bride at the huppah with her papercut ketubah! 'Tis the season, and I've been busy with commissions of all sorts!
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A full week of learning and teaching at the Havurah Summer Institute was a welcome experience again this year. Located at Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire, about 300 Havurahniks from infancy to elder sage-age filled days and nights with enthusiastic work, food, music, and exploration. I taught classes in Yiddish song and helped create a soundscape for Tisha B'Av this summer. Loved it!!!
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A lovely way to begin the summer's KlezKamp's Wisconsin adventure was a solo concert at Chai Point in Milwaukee. Jill Gellerman and were welcomed to the beautiful facility and then I sang for and with a great crowd of elders, eager to be part of the action!
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Quite a surprise when I met the truck from Welch Signage in Maine, carrying the massive synagogue feature wall I had designed, to see a piece of my own artwork prominently displayed on both sides of the vehicle!
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I performed for over 100 people at beautiful Maris Grove in Pennsylvania's Delaware County on May 13. As part of the PA Humanities Council's program of Commonwealth Speakers, I was able to bring the sound of Yiddish to an audience largely unfamiliar with the language and culture. As always, common threads were immediately found!
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Verrry busy these days creating a synagogue feature wall, but I took time last week to be interviewed for Ted Merwin's article "The Aesthetics of Judaism" in The New York Jewish Week. Here's a quote: "For Susan Leviton, a ketubah-maker, paper-cut artist and Yiddish folk song performer ..., it was during the 1960s and ’70s, when many Jews flocked back to their roots, that Jews... 'took Judaism back into their own hands' and began braiding challahs and tie-dying prayer shawls. Hiddur mitzvah 'alters us as we fulfill a mitzvah or perform a ritual,' she told me. A Midrash (Song of Songs Rabbah 1.15) suggests that observance of the commandments makes Jews beautiful, even as Jews glorify God through hiddur mitzvot."
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An outpouring of love and creativity filled the room as we honored the memory of Adrienne Cooper and saw Jenny Romaine accept the first Dreaming in Yiddish award for her visionary work. Here's Susan on stage with Alicia Svigals, Jake Shulman-Ment, Benjy Fox Rosen, Aaron Alexander, Michael Winograd, and Dan Blacksberg, 12/21/13. (Photo by Bob Blacksberg)
When Goucher College Hillel welcomed a gift of two Torah scrolls, I was honored to craft mantles and wimples. So much silk! Garnet polished to look like pomegranate seeds! Text and the visions of students to work with! A grand experience.
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A totally spectacular group of artists, writers, social activists, and even puppeteers joined me for a week of creative work as I served as Artist in Residence at the 2013 National Havurah Conference Summer Institute in Rindge, NH. In 4 days of intense collective learning and creating, we built a musical theater production in a box (a cranky) and shared the story of the plight of needleworkers, past and present, with 300 others in a rapt audience!
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It was a beautiful day in Baltimore as the Jewish Museum of Maryland presented its annual Risch Memorial Program. I was delighted to be the featured performer, following brief, powerful presentations by Andres Salguero, Ssuuna, and the DC Turkish Folk Music Group. It always touches me to rediscover the points of connection among immigrant communities, regardless of geographic homes, cultures, and reasons for relocation. A brilliant celebration of cultures!
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Over 350 pieces of beautiful Youghiogheny Art Glass hand-cut, and now I'm on to wet-grinding the edges! It's a new skill that I'm happy to add to my resume as I take on the responsibility to create a soaring double wall of glass above the Torah ark for Chisuk Emuna Congregation in Harrisburg, building anew after a destructive fire in 2009. Check back in mid-May for a look at the completed wall!
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Getting closer to a new recording! Michael Winograd spent a day in the studio on March 28 with Frank London, Dan Blacksberg, Hadar Noiberg, and Alec Speigelman to lay down horn tracks for my as-yet-unnamed CD. Dan Kahn joined in as a special guest vocalist. Next will come strings and soon after that the mixing and mastering, printing and artwork, and OT AZOY! A new Yiddish recording!
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A whirl of creative activity has sent me to the sewing machine to craft two Torah mantles for Goucher College Hillel. One of the scrolls is a rescued Torah from Czechoslovakia, so armed with a palette of palest greys, golds, silvers, and ivories, I headed to Chinatown in NYC on a rainy day to seek silks! What a delight to discover Belraf Fabrics, owned by an Uzbeki couple. A trip around the world in fabric! Take a peek here are the first days' construction.
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I'll be guest lecturing at Dickinson College in Professor Ted Merwin's class during the week that we commemorate the 102nd anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire. My program on the fire in words and Yiddish song continues to grow as I learn, and to sadly resonate as we all ponder how little has changed in global workplace safely in the last century. See "Upcoming Events" for details.
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Each year as KlezKamp ends, I proclaim, "This was the best ever!" And every year I mean it. And this year I mean it more! The staff concert nearly lifted the roof off what had been, in its glory days The Granite Hotel in the Catskills. My classes (traditional papercutting and "Our Lives are in our Songs") were filled with curious, thoughtful participants who challenged one another to take each idea to a new level. What an experience. Do not miss this next December!! (sneak peek? Check out the KlezKamp post under Upcoming Events for a video clip!)
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December 22, 2012. Kaye Theater in Manhattan. I soared on the energy of dozens of the finest performers of Yiddish song and Klezmer as we paid tribute to Adrienne Cooper's memory in a three-hour concert of the songs she most loved. What a thrill to sing 'Di Arbuzn' a cappella, in three parts with women performers including Alicia Svigals, Lauren Brody, Shura Lipovsky, and Marsha Gildin. It was both a humbling and energizing evening. Sing out!
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I've just been selected as one of ten 2013 Guild of American Papercutters/X-acto Masters. This means over the course of the coming year I will be testing tools and materials and interacting with other artists to hone our skills and increase interest in papercutting arts. Very exciting!
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Are you aware of the Commonwealth Speakers program under the PA Humanities Commission? Every two years, a roster of artists, story-tellers, historians, and musicians selected by the PHC are able to travel the state offering specific programs at no cost to groups (schools, libraries, state parks, etc.!) other than a basic application fee. I just returned from Ohev Sholom in Williamsport and will head to Reading on Thursday to bring Women's Voices in Yiddish Song to the Federation's Friendship Circle there. Visit the website at www.pahumanities.org and check it out! Free programming! What are you waiting for???
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It's been a long time coming, but here I am, immersed in the joy of working in collaboration with brilliant musicians as I prepare a new recording! Production is in the fine hands of Michael Winograd, and the initial tracks have been laid down with David Licht, Jake Shulman-Ment, Carmen Staaf, Garth Stevenson, and Avi Fox-Rosen, with Lauren Brody and others joining in soon! Hmm... mostly Yiddish, with some surprises mixed in, and everything from spare acoustic accompaniment to over-the-top orchestrations. There'll be more and more about the project as it emerges from its infancy, so watch for news! Perhaps a concert or cd release party in your neighborhood down the line...
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Kesher Zion Congregation in Reading, PA welcomed me as artist-in-residence for the weekend of November 9, 2012, as the congregation honored the memories of Dr. Robert Greenberg and Evelyn Blumberg. I was delighted to find myself in the company of the congregation's brilliant Rabbi Minna Bromberg and rooms full of enthusiastic people hungry to experience new 'takes' on Jewish culture. My programming included a presentation of Yiddish songs of spiritual yearning, a lecture on contemporary Jewish ritual art, and then a rollicking concert on Saturday night with the newly expanded Old World Folk Band! Be sure to check the "Upcoming Events" tab to see where else I'm scheduled to spread YIddish culture!
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I can't say enough about the wonderful Tree of Life Congregation in MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA, where I just spent a weekend as scholar in residence. If you go to my 'coming events' tab, you may see the whole arc of the weekend, but I want to focus here on the response to my "Rage Against the Sewing Machine" presentation on Saturday night, October 27. Among the folks in attendance were physicians, attorneys, and workplace safety experts who each added to a passionate conversation about the effects of completely unregulated natural gas extraction on West Virginians, coal miners' safety issues, and even the plight of disabled people in sheltered workshops who, like the needle workers of 100 years ago, are largely groups without a voice. 'The more things change, the more they stay the same.' And yet we still find inspiration to act for social justice when we learn and sing the songs of our forebears. "Give us bread and give us roses!"
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A radio interview for a BALTIMORE station (WVIE 1370) allowed me to share some insights into the history of labor activism in the United States on September 2, 2012 - Labor Day weekend. So much more meaningful than running to sporting goods stores for sale items, this was a chance to engage listeners in anthemic Yiddish songs and their contexts. So many songs... so little time! But every time a Yiddish song is SUNG, it lives a new life.
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It's late summer, so a trip to the BLOCK AND HEXTER VACATION CENTER in Poyntelle, PA came around on my calendar. My teaching schedule allowed me to alternate sessions with fellow presenter Saul Silas Fahti, as we worked to expand the artistic, musical, polititcal, and in Saul's case, even cosmological horizons of the elders who flocked to the Poconos to participate, learn, and (it's a Jewish camp!) eat 3 squares a day. Whether singing, lecturing, or engaging in issues, I always learn from interactions with program participants. One highlight this year was meeting two Hungarian-born sisters who offered me a macaronic (mixed language) song that alternates lines between Hungarian and German/Yiddish. Will it make the cut on my upcoming recording? Stay tuned!
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A quick trip to MADISON, WISCONSIN as part of "A Bisele KlezKamp" on July 22 was a terrific bright spot in a busy summer season! Over 200 people buzzed around programming by some of the best teacher/artists in the Yiddish folk arts world as Michael Wex, Cookie Segelstein, Lauren Brody, Henry Sapoznik, Sherry Mayrent, Miriam Isaacs, David Spies, Sara Gordon, Kurt Bjorling, Steve Weintraub, and I managed to compress a week's worth of learning into one fabulous day. Keep up-to-date with U. OF WISCONSIN'S MAYRENT CENTER to find out what Yiddish programming will be offered throughout the year before our triumphant return next summer!
On Friday night prior to 'ABKK' I was hosted by Congregation Shaarei Shomayim where I presented an a cappella lecture/recital titled "Healing the World in Yiddish Song." Given the political upheavals and charged emotions in Madison these days, the program was a welcome one. The room was packed with people of all ages, and it was a special joy to me to be singing in a room within Frank Lloyd Wright's historic Unitarian Church, where the congregation meets regularly.
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Lauren Brody and I head to PITTSBURGH on June 3 for two concerts, a family event in the morning, and a full concert in the late afternoon at the JCC, in conjunction with the Jewish Museum's exhibit on the artists who illustrated the works of I.B. Singer. We're working up new material and are delighted that both PennPAT and the PA Humanities Council are supporting the program with generous grants. Come celebrate Yiddish culture!
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Healing the World in Yiddish - This lecture/recital program drew people from a wide variety of backgrounds and ages to a program sponsored but DICKINSON COLLEGE, the Literary Heritage Fund, Association for Jewish Studies, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Harrisburg on April 24. With PowerPoint translations and even a visit from Dan Kahn and the Painted Bird on screen, we explored the drive for human rights that infuses Yiddish song, and the activism that the songs inspire. As part of a series titled "Telling Jewish Stories through the Arts," the evening's riches were obvious as participants lingered over tea and cake and shared the stories that bubbled up in response to the presentation. What a great night!
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On Sunday, April 1, the Jewish Federation of Greater DAYTON and the Lynda A. Cohen Yiddish Club welcomed Lauren Brody and me for a concert. It was the first time that Lauren and I had the opportunity to present a full concert and we felt like siblings on the stage, finding parallel expressions of meaning and intention in her accordion and my voice without even a nod or a word. Utilizing the full range of her instrument, Lauren crafted a unique setting for each song, and the 'whole cloth' was fantastic.
We're already warming up for an upcoming event in June, so stay tuned for details!!
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MAURICE SENDAK! I write this on the day of Maurice Sendak's passing. (If you haven't heard both the recent Fresh Air interview and the hilarious pair of Colbert interviews with the incomparable Mr. Sendak, go find them NOW and come back here in an hour...) I am grateful and humbled to have had the opportunity to spend several months immersed in the life and work of Mr. Sendak, preparing for a program built around the Rosenbach's exhibit of the influences of his Jewish world on his life's work. So on Sunday, April 15, the Haverford Public Library swelled with the sounds of Klezmer as I took over the children's wing of the library to present "Yiddish in the Nutshell" with Ken Ulansey on clarinet and Heath Allen on keyboard. Sendak's early life in a Yiddish-speaking immigrant neighborhood in Brooklyn, the awareness of evil in the world, and the fears and bravery of children shaped much of his life's work, and I blended his personal life into songs and stories for a rollicking hour. The program was interactive, with sing-alongs, props, costumes, and wild Sendakian tales abounding. It was a Yiddishe Vilde 'Rumpus' for everyone's inner child! Pick up a book by Maurice Sendak and look deeply into it. You may be changed!
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LAFAYETTE COLLEGE Hillel hosted me on Tuesday night, March 20 for a program in song and story on the actual history of the Sarajevo Hagaddah. It was a real one-woman show as I demonstrated design, lettering, and gilding techniques of the centuries-old masterpiece, as well as recounted its improbable story interspersed with songs in the Sarajevo dialect of Judeo-Spanish, in Yiddish, and in Hebrew, along with a Moroccan chant - all related to the Hagaddah. The audience included students, college faculty, and local residents, and there was a lively Q and A at the conclusion of the program. Lafayette has a gorgeous old campus perched above the city of Easton at the confluence of the Delaware and Raritan rivers. I hope to return!
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LAUREN BRODY will join me in presenting a full concert in Dayton, Ohio on Sunday, April 1 for the annual event honoring the memory of Lynda A. Cohen. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share the stage and have been working up two terrific sets for the Yiddish club and expected gathered throngs!
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A presentation of my concert "Women's Voices in Yiddish Song" at Penn State University in Middletown, PA on February 23 drew people from Lancaster, York, Lebanon, and the greater Harrisburg area. Having been interviewed for an upcoming article in a Dayton, Ohio paper the night before, I kept thinking during the concert of a particular question I was asked: "What do you want people to take away from your performance?" So I'll tell you: I want people to be so surprised and touched that they come away with a desire to dig a little deeper into Yiddish culture and discover something about themselves. The values and history that are packed into our songs go far in teaching us how to know ourselves if we just open our hearts a bit. That's why I sing. Oh, and also, I sing because I can't NOT sing!!
Only a week to go before Kerhonkson, NY becomes the temporary capital of Yiddishland! This year at KlezKamp I'll be teaching the hands-on papercutting course and a four-session a capella lecture/recital course.
I'm especially looking forward to the time I'll be carving out with fellow PennPAT artist SUSAN WATTS to work on some vocal duets and arrangements, and to begin taking concrete steps towards my NEW RECORDING, which will be produced by the amazing MICHAEL WINOGRAD! Check this website regularly for announcements, too, of a new duo in the works featuring MICHAEL WEX and Susan Leviton. Use your imagination for now - details to follow soon!
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On Sunday, November 20, 2011, I presented a "Conversation with the Artist" in conjunction with the "Making it Better: Folk Art in Pennsylvania Today" exhibit in which one of my papercuts is featured. I demonstrated the art of Jewish papercutting and shared insights into its history and contemporary expressions with about 30 museum-goers. On exhibit through April 29, 2012, Making It Better tells the stories of over 30 master artists whose works represent a wide array of traditions such as African dance, stone wall construction, Native American clay flutes, Pysanky eggs, contemporary blacksmith work, woodcarving, and Vietnamese funerary portraits. I'm honored to have been chosen to have my work represented among so many brilliant examples of folk arts.
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Groundbreaking for Chisuk Emuna Congregation's new synagogue took place in Harrisburg on Sunday, October 16, 2011, and over 350 people celebrated with a block party that featured kugel in a sukkah, carnival food, games and abundant crafts for children, and an afternoon of outstanding music: klezmer, jazz, and old-timey. Bands set up on a concrete pad at one end of the soon-to-be-a-shul property, and music filled the air! I had the pleasure of singing once again with the Old World Folk Band, which has recently welcomed several new musicians as regulars, and which added additional guest performers for the outdoor event.
The synagogue was destroyed by an accidental fire in 2009, and more recently was left homeless when The Flood of 2011 forced the congregation from temporary quarters in the JCC. The sense that the next plague was waiting in the wings was banished by the wonderful welcome to a new neighbrhood, and it looks like the block party may become an annual event!
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A whirlwind few days at the 14th annual IAYC (International Association of Yiddish Clubs) conference in Novi, Michigan offered me the opportunity to perform and teach, and to meet people from all over the country who gathered to celebrate Yiddish culture. Highlights for me were presenting my powerful lecure/recital, "Rage Against the Sewing Machine" in this 100th anniversary year following the Triangle Fire, and joining Dan Kahn on the bandstand following my solo concert.
To see parts of one of my programs at the conference, please visit www.yiddishlives.com/susanleviton
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