A lot more PPP fund are available today, and theyre taking care of small enterprises
A lot more PPP fund are available today, and theyre taking care of small enterprises Shipley’s Do-Wild Baker Antonio Hernandez helps make kolache Saturday, , for the Houston. The brand new Paycheck Safeguards Program has continued to develop its next bullet. Inside, small businesses such as for instance Alan Bergeron, who owns a couple Shipley’s franchises, can apply for one minute financing creating Wednesday A special batch of salary cover system financing appear today through the Coronavirus Assistance Relief and you may Financial Shelter Work. These brand new funds are available up until February 29, and they’ve got this new issues that assist less or minority-possessed businesses. Tim Jeffcoat, You.S. Small business Management director with the Houston town, talked into the Fort Fold Chamber of Commerce via Zoom to your Thursday to explain how the the newest PPP loans are very different from earlier finance- and how to secure one to. New plan for brand new PPP funds is focused on $285 billion. Of that matter, $fifteen mil is determined out specifically for cash advance loans Nucla CO fraction deposit associations and you can other reduced banking companies, $thirty five billion try assigned to have first-date individuals, and you can $twenty-five million is present to own second-time individuals. Particularly earlier PPP move outs, the new financing are meant to financing paychecks to keep organizations discover and employees paid. The fresh finance, readily available through very banking institutions, render finance throughout the number of 2.five times the brand new business’ average month-to-month payroll doing $ten mil, Jeffcoat told you. Companies have to invest about sixty percent of one’s loan amount on payroll, they want to keep teams on the payroll, and so they have to always shell out their staff at the least 75 % of their income to your 2020 otherwise 2019 financial season. Businesses may use the amount of money to fund procedures expenses for example software, cloud calculating, recruiting, bookkeeping and you can vendor can cost you, given the fresh new offers are essential so you can organization. Because the another benefit, the fund safeguards cover expenses having professionals, enabling enterprises to get individual safeguards products designed to avoid the spread away from COVID-19. Rather than the brand new round out-of funds, the remaining 40 per cent of one’s very first PPP finance would-be used in rent, financial focus, resources and other expenses Just like the financing try quicker strict across the board, there are many types of businesses that could be omitted. Publicly replaced companies was in fact eligible at the beginning of move outs but tend to not qualified this time. There is certainly societal outcry in the 2020 whether it is indicated that big companies such as the La Lakers and bistro chains such as for instance Move Shack and you can Potbelly acquired huge amount of money when you look at the financing while you are small mommy and you can pop music enterprises was indeed left without having any resource. We set a really solid work on underserved groups while the shorter, more challenging hit businesses, Jeffcoat told you. We’re really willing to declare that which is operating which the latest money is streaming just as it was meant to disperse. For brand new businesses instead taxation statements, lender statements showing dumps is actually acceptable evidence of money to help you meet the requirements for a financial loan which bullet, Jeffcoat said. When you’re someone that was perhaps not operating inside 2019, while was mostly running a business into the 2020, as long as you been , its Okay, you could potentially...
Read Morenine Greatest Homebuyer Regrets and ways to Prevent them
nine Greatest Homebuyer Regrets and ways to Prevent them 9 Biggest Homebuyer Regrets – and ways to Prevent them Client’s remorse is often mundane, but it’s its devastating if it is to own a giant purchase you to you simply can’t return – such a house. Sadly, particular homeowners become regretting the orders, particularly if it rushed into the and make an offer within the a hot housing market. When Estimate interviewed over 1,one hundred thousand people who advertised with purchased a house from inside the 2021 or 2022 to ascertain its top regrets regarding their purchases. Some tips about what he’s, and additionally, how to avoid having this type of regrets yourself. Purchasing An excessive amount of Almost a third off homeowners (30%) said they invested too-much to their homes. This is the most used regret among those interviewed. To avoid that it, Ken Sisson, a representative and you will representative representative that have Coldwell Banker, considered enter the to order disease once you understand your own rate restrict, and you can leave if you’d need bid more than you to. See their count upfront and you can stick to it, he said. Your count isn’t necessarily the last sticker price, exactly what the fresh new monthly payment and down-payment are getting becoming. Do not get trapped into the a madness. Successful a quote for the a property that was bid upwards better along the list rates apparently leads to instant client’s guilt, the guy told you. When your large and best was at or beneath your go-out number, you may be less inclined to understand this dreadful perception. To shop for Too soon It is important to spend your time when creating like an enormous choice also to be sure you’re more comfortable with the house in advance of moving on, told you Shaun Martin, proprietor and you will Chief executive officer away from Watson Acquisitions. Buying too-soon may cause consumer’s remorse that can result inside you using over you’ll have. To acquire a house That needs Too-much Repairs A sprawling lawn or a patio pool can seem appealing when you buy but can finish at some point being a soreness. A-quarter of recent homebuyers be sorry for to shop for a house that needs excessive repairs. Home ownership includes a great amount of responsibility, told you Rinal Patel, authorized Realtor and you can co-inventor out of I Buy Philly Household. You have got to take care of the possessions, pay money for fixes, retain the surroundings and more. A lot of very first-big date homeowners aren’t prepared for it and you can end up impact overrun by the of numerous will set you back that are included with homeownership. In lieu of watching their brand new house, they truly are always worrying about the money they should invest in upkeep. Start protecting upwards before you buy a home, she told you. Enjoys a crisis fund that one can utilize getting unanticipated repairs, and start to become realistic concerning period of time and cash you may be happy to devote to repairs. If you are not helpful or you don’t have the time for you carry out acts your self, cover professional help as well. To invest in a Fixer-Higher With increasing home values, an excellent fixer-top might have way more desire compliment of its affordable price point – but to purchase a house that really needs a number of strive to get circulate-in in a position can cause be sorry for. Twenty-five per cent of recent homebuyers said they regret to purchase a beneficial fixer-upper. When...
Read Morestep 3 Money Concerns to ask Yourself in an economic downturn, Predicated on Monetary Pro Farnoosh Torabi
step 3 Money Concerns to ask Yourself in an economic downturn, Predicated on Monetary Pro Farnoosh Torabi In the event that you pad the discounts if there is an urgent situation? Has become enough time first off an area hustle? NextAdvisor contributor and financial specialist Farnoosh Torabi has a different Friday element on her behalf So Money podcast that might be of good use once the you browse such issues. We cannot wait for NBER, the new National Agency out-of Financial Lookup, to really make the specialized claim off though we’re in an economic downturn, says Torabi. Enough time is actually become speaking of recessionary procedures we can all be providing to ease some of the economic aches that individuals ‘re going as a result of. The fresh QA collection is part of Recession Assist Dining table, a hub out of tips and advice on how to control your currency through the days of economic downturn, which is a job developed by CNET Currency. (NextAdvisor and you may CNET is actually owned by an equivalent mother team.) Listed below are around three inquiries Torabi implies i inquire ourselves to assist to alter our money management strategy for potentially rocky minutes in the future. Save your self More cash or Repay Personal debt? Of many People in the us are using up a whole lot more obligations, especially credit card debt, to help you counterbalance increased household expenditures considering rising cost of living. People in america added $forty-eight billion to their credit card stability within earliest and you will 2nd one-fourth on the seasons, according to the Federal Reserve Financial of brand new York’s Quarterly report towards the House Personal debt and Credit. For the responding a listener’s question on whether to prioritize savings otherwise debt payoff, Torabi advised a few issues that you can ponder right now to explain your own credit crunch personal finance method: Matter No. 1: What do you already have during the crisis loans savings? If you decided to out of the blue https://paydayloanalabama.com/madison/ get rid of your work, how long is it possible you remain afloat? In case the answer is less than three months, gathering finances reserves is best correct today. Recessions usually result in organization restructuring, losings, and you will layoffs, and sometimes teams try not to see it coming. Thought your lost your job tomorrow given that a starting point in order to pastime their market meltdown discounts strategy. Question Zero. 2: Could you be a younger otherwise more mature personnel? I want to see your local area on your field, says Torabi. Are you a younger personnel? Are you a mature employee? Truthfully, based your group and also the industry you are inside the, you’re able to get a job faster. Torabi emphasizes one, when you are companies are unable to discriminate facing you based on years, we all know one younger workers are more substantial portion of the brand new workforce, and there become more entry-peak jobs than elder-height operate at the same time. Concern No. 3: What type of financial obligation are you experiencing, and what are the rates? If the some of your debt enjoys a high interest, like personal credit card debt, clearing away the bill is going to be a high concern. Other bills, instance student loan personal debt, will always be into the pause, providing you a screen of chance to further pad the liquid coupons. And also this would depend, however, about how exactly far most you have after brand new few days, claims Torabi. How restricted is your earnings here? Have you...
Read More9 secret a means to save money in the home Depot
9 secret a means to save money in the home Depot In case the next searching trip is for decorate, this new products or your bathrooms renovate, there are various a way to save money in the home Depot. You don’t have to end up being Chip otherwise Joanna Gaines, regarding HGTV let you know Fixer Upper, to appreciate Your house Depot. It is one of the largest do-it-yourself stores, with well over dos,200 areas in the U.S., Canada and you can Mexico, and brings as much as 40,100000 different varieties of products connected with things do it yourself. If the next looking trip is for paint, the fresh new equipment or a bathroom upgrade, there are various a way to spend less at your home Depot. To convey an insider’s look at, shopping benefits common the gifts to possess preserving towards home improvements on the new shopping large. For individuals who genuinely wish to holder upwards home improvement offers, guarantee that you take advantage of all the readily available coupons and you can offers. Such as for instance, experts get a 10 % write off towards the Memorial Time, Liberty Time and you will Veterans Big date having evidence of service, considering currency-protecting expert Lori Felix of your web log MoreWithLessToday. There’s also a ten percent disregard everyday to have active-obligation servicemembers, and for resigned or disabled pros in addition to their nearest and dearest, that have a legitimate military ID. Before you could shop, definitely have a look at on the internet to have deals that will really assist you save There are do it yourself product sales in the shop – knowing tips room them. You could potentially usually see approval factors and you can rates markdowns at a stretch hats regarding the store, so it’s advisable that you earnestly look because you stroll this new aisles, considering Felix. You will get lucky and find what you are searching for, she said. The cost labels will reveal if or not an amount are a beneficial finally markdown, told you Felix. Here is how they generally functions: Rates end into the .06 – It indicates it’s an approval goods possesses six weeks until the purchase price drops again. They truly are printed toward a yellow price. Rates finish during the .03 – In the event the items continues to be for the stock just after six weeks, the purchase price could be decreased a supplementary step 3 cents. You need to obtain the tool next, since immediately after around three months, the object could well be taken from the fresh new shelves. These are along with usually released towards the a purple mark. If you are finding paint, in addition don’t want to skip the aisle on the oops painting dish. You’ll find big discounts towards the paints that will be possibly mistinted or perhaps not colour the client expected. Having countless devices and you will pieces of equipment offered to lease at home Depot, you could potentially end accruing one-day play with units that give you with large expense and less storage. Be it a move, a property remodel otherwise landscape project, earliest see if the thing you need is for rent. You are able to view on the internet for your regional Family Depot’s collection and you may rental prices. You could rent per hour, go out, week or few days. Like, state you desire a concrete blender to build a fireplace in your yard. You can aquire an effective Kushlan digital concrete blender to own $349, otherwise lease a comparable one to having $46...
Read MoreFixed-rates finance are a great complement borrowers who are in need of a beneficial much easier solution to budget the mortgage payments
Fixed-rates finance are a great complement borrowers who are in need of a beneficial much easier solution to budget the mortgage payments Really first-big date homebuyers are individuals who are nonetheless building its money. Thus, a lot of them prefer a 30-12 months fixed-rate home loan, that’s a foreseeable commission build that makes home loan repayments much more down. The pace was closed for your lifetime of the loan, which means your dominant and focus money will not alter. This is the contrary of a changeable-price home loan (ARM), that comes with cost you to definitely changes pursuing the introductory several months. This really is attractive to really users whilst guarantees monthly payments stand inside an inexpensive variety. What’s more, it pursue a timeless amortization agenda that shows the exact level of money you have to make inside the concurred identity. Particularly, with a thirty-seasons repaired-rate financial, your payments is pass on throughout 360 monthly premiums. The loan will surely be paid within thirty years so long since you pay because the arranged. As well as the 30-season repaired label, repaired rates financing are available in ten-season, 15-12 months, and 20-season conditions. A lot more homebuyers simply take 31-12 months repaired mortgages while they has actually lower monthly premiums. In addition, a short-term means large monthly obligations to repay the mortgage within this an at some point period of time. Take notice: Opting for an extended label includes highest focus fees. To keep, of several property owners having 30-12 months repaired mortgages in the course of time re-finance for the a shorter identity when markets rates try lowest. Particularly, when you get a great 5/1 Arm, your own rate stays repaired to your earliest 5 years of the loan Thirty-12 months fixed-price loans are definitely the most popular a home loan equipment inside the the world. In , 30-seasons repaired-rate mortgage loans accounted for 73.9% of the latest originations regarding U.S., with respect to the Urban Institute. At the same time, adjustable-speed mortgage loans just accounted for 1.1% of new loan originations in . Whenever Perform Consumers Favor a supply? Adjustable-price mortgage loans (ARM), at exactly the same time, has actually rates of interest that alter dependent on business criteria. Arms always start with the lowest basic price otherwise intro months, and then the pace change a-year toward leftover name. Palms have been in 29-year conditions that may be taken while the a much adjustable-price home loan with costs that change per year immediately after the initial year. not, consumers always simply take them due to the fact a hybrid Case, which come in 3/step 1, 5/step one, 7/step 1, and you will ten/step 1 terms. Following 5-year introductory period, the rate adjusts annually for the remainder of brand new commission label. When does getting an arm make sense? Possession are often chosen because of the customers whom want to offer its family in a few years otherwise re-finance the loan. If you wish to circulate the two years on account of your career, this type of financing might work for your requirements. Hands will often have a reduced introductory price which enables you to build sensible monthly installments, at the least from inside the intro period. Before this period closes, you might promote your home, allowing you to stop high monthly obligations immediately following markets pricing start loans in Loachapoka to boost. More over, homebuyers which get jumbo finance along with benefit from Possession. That have lowest basic prices, they’re able to make low monthly premiums into the teaser several months. With like a giant loan, they’d obviously...
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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