Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome formerly known as Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
During medical detox, any co-occurring mental illnesses or medical disorders can be addressed on an as-needed basis. Ultimately, a medical detox program can help to lower the intensity of withdrawal symptoms and provide around-the-clock support, making a successful detox much more likely. If you have been using a short-acting opioid, acute opioid withdrawal lasts 4 to 10 days, with withdrawal symptoms starting 8 to 24 hours after last use. Opioid withdrawal Your newborn, diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), will spend an average of 20 days in the hospital after they’re born to make sure they’re healthy enough to go home. Your provider will closely monitor their symptoms to make sure they’re safe and that the drug or substance that is in their system clears before they leave. Minimizing overdose risk during a taper is key, so managing withdrawal symptoms is important. Management of cannabis withdrawal In contrast, newer anti-addiction drugs like buprenorphine and Vivitrol can be prescribed in a primary care office and picked up at a pharmacy. A few examples are ice or heat therapy, physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, and nerve stimulation. A doctor monitors your methadone intake and response to make sure that the withdrawal process is safe and effective. Drug addiction is a common condition that affects an estimated 20 million people in the United States. If you find yourself having difficulty during your taper, support from others can be very helpful. If you and your healthcare professional think you have an opioid use disorder, voluntary groups such as Narcotics Anonymous are structured support groups. They are led by other people who have been dependent on addictive substances. https://ecosoberhouse.com/ These groups can be a powerful support network for those who find that they aren’t able to quit using opioids despite their best efforts. Opioid withdrawal can be dangerous, and symptoms can be severe. When it’s time for you to stop taking opioids, ask for your healthcare professional’s help. Study design You may be prescribed anti-nausea medications or medications to help ease anxiety and irritability. Buprenorphine, clonidine, and naloxone are Methadone Withdrawal all medications that can help relieve symptoms. Your body will let you know by generating a number of uncomfortable, often severe symptoms. Introducing a substance like methadone throws off that balance. It does this by initiating counter-regulatory processes to find a new balance that incorporates the drug. Many opioids, like heroin, bind to mu receptors and create the euphoric effect the body recognizes as a reward. Because the mainstay of treatment for stimulant withdrawal is symptomatic medication and supportive care, no withdrawal scale has been included. People who use large amounts of stimulants, particularly methamphetamine, can develop psychotic symptoms such as paranoia, disordered thoughts and hallucinations. These symptoms can be managed using anti-psychotic medications and will usually resolve within a week of ceasing stimulant use. Patients taking methadone to treat OUD must receive the medication under the supervision of a practitioner. But this past spring, the federal agency that oversees substance abuse and mental health services — called SAMHSA — changed the methadone rules for the first time in decades. You may need weeks, months or even longer to slowly and safely lower your dose and stop taking your opioid medicine. Withdrawal is extremely uncomfortable, and the risk of returning to other opiates is...
Read More7 Ways on How to Stay Sober
Furthermore, social media is addictive, and you’re an addict. So it’s tips to stay sober a safe bet that you will use it too much. Addiction doesn’t always mean alcohol abuse or using drugs. Build a Strong Support Network for Long-Term Sobriety People in active addiction completely abandon self-care and often have low self-esteem. I don’t have to tell you that poisoning our bodies with drugs and alcohol is the opposite of love. If you relate and these are all new practices, then commit to five things and introduce the others once these have become habits. What does it take to move beyond addiction—and stay there? When I’m in communion with the Lord, my life goes better. It’s not perfect, but it is closer to it than I’ve ever lived before. Seven months had gone by, and the abusive monster I was on the streets with before messaged me on Facebook. That is crucial for them to receive your letters graciously, and hopefully, those people will respect your boundaries. What’s the difference between sobriety and recovery? Having someone to reach out to during moments of anxiety or discomfort can offer valuable support and guidance 2. This gives you a quick and easy explanation for why you aren’t drinking. It also gives you a sense of purpose that can help you stay focused. Organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous are other ways to build a support network. You can try different meetings for the different groups to find one that’s right for you. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. They provide a clear roadmap for your recovery. Working with a doctor to manage medication is crucial. Regular check-ups allow for dosage adjustments, monitoring of side effects, and assessment of overall treatment efficacy. This quote reminds us that recovery is a journey, and persistence is key. Every step forward, no matter how small, is progress. Interestingly, as of 2019, 73 percent of addiction treatment programs in the United States used a spiritual component,6 the majority referencing God or a Higher Power. Also, focusing your time and energy on something healthy distracts you from being unhealthy. Breed said this is all about having a broad and diverse approach to get people into treatment and care. Sobriety means different things to different people. Embracing sobriety is a life-changing decision that offers numerous benefits across all aspects of your life. If you or someone you love is considering this path, Uplift Recovery is ready to support you. One of the more immediate benefits of getting sober is a surge in energy. Alcohol is a depressant that can leave you feeling lethargic and fatigued. Removing it from your life eliminates these sedative effects, boosting your vitality and enabling you to enjoy a more active, engaged life. Whether you beat addiction to alcohol, cannabis, or other drugs, your recovery journey is unique. Part of the ongoing process of getting sober is staying sober. The sobriety process includes different treatment options that help addiction patients manage their symptoms. It also implies learning triggers, practicing self-care to avoid relapses, fixing broken relationships with loved ones, and learning healthy coping mechanisms. In your first years sober, it’s important to be in a drug and alcohol-free environment, which includes a family get-together if alcohol is being served. A trigger is any form of stimuli that creates the desire to engage in mood-altering substances or behaviors. Finances and Career Sometimes loving yourself can be as simple as taking a shower or brushing your teeth. As a survivor of childhood and adult trauma, I believe in this truth....
Read MoreThe 25 Best Sobriety Quotes 2023
Some of the best drug free quotes and sayings amidst a chaotic life of addiction begin with the hope that something ‘out there can instantly fill up the emptiness inside. One thing you can do to make the day-to-day process of recovery easier is to keep a consistent schedule, Dr. Heinzerling says. “Go to bed and get sobriety sayings up at the same time, exercise every morning, meditate every night,” Dr. Heinzerling says. Sticking to a schedule can help you stay busy, avoid falling back into bad habits, and give you things to look forward to. Keep a gratitude journal and write a list of blessings that have come from getting and staying sober. ‘Everyone wants happiness. No one wants pain. But you cant have a rainbow without a little rain’ Is it okay to congratulate someone on their recovery? Reaching a sobriety milestone is an important and worthwhile accomplishment, no matter how big. As a friend or loved one of someone in recovery, your congratulations will likely be well-accepted, especially if you consider how you express it carefully. You can seek help and recovery for addiction to get your life on track. Next, find more inspirational quotes for every occasion. A September study published in JAMA Network Open found that in all adults, alcohol consumption was up 14 percent from one year ago, and drinking was up 17 percent for women. Even if we cannot assist you, we will lead you to wherever you can get support. The actual AA Birthday date or happy sobriety birthday day is not as important as the reasons for celebrating one’s recovery success. Beating addiction also requires you to have the strength to ask for help when you can’t do it alone. Nux (Nicholas Hoult) It’s okay to make mistakes, and how we overcome those hardships is what makes us stronger and opens up our body, mind, and soul for an extraordinary destiny. This is one of those inspirational sobriety quotes that just makes me laugh. I’ve never broken out in handcuffs, but I’ve certainly gotten in trouble from alcohol more times than I care to admit. I feel like people believe that drinking brings so much happiness and fun to their lives, when in my experience, it’s been the opposite. Going sober has brought me many moments of joy—a feeling I didn’t feel very much while binge drinking every weekend for ten years. Quotes for Daily Struggles and Victories When paired with the support of drug and alcohol recovery centers, your chance for long-term recovery is higher, and your future is bright! You will start and continue to do amazing things, and you, as well as others, will notice your amazing progress in recovery. I hope these inspirational recovery https://ecosoberhouse.com/ quotes are what you need to read to celebrate your new life in sobriety. When I go to darker places, I pull out my inspirational recovery quote cards and remind myself of how far I’ve come. Also, the practice of writing in a sober journal is the best way to experience personal healing. And I wish every person battling addiction to reclaim life with one sober day at a time as each step forward becomes a powerful stride toward lasting recovery. Though leaving an addiction can be difficult, with strong willpower you can always abstain from it. And each day when you go without drugs/alcohol is a triumph. If you have been sober for a while then it’s time to congratulate yourself and celebrate the anniversary. He path to sobriety extends beyond motivational words. If you have been sober for a while then it’s time to...
Read More4 Tips On How to Flush Alcohol Out of Your System
The benefits of meditation range from reduced anxiety to lessened symptoms of everything from IBS to PTSD. We hold our phones in front of our faces and reach forward towards steering wheels and computers. And since our spines were made to twist, the result can be tension in the spinal muscles — and sluggish digestion. Here’s how to detox in a way that’s good for you and can have lasting positive effects. While some inflammation is necessary for recovering from infection or healing wounds, too much of it weakens your body’s systems and promotes disease. Eat Nutritious Foods Now I’m going to tell you how to get alcohol out of your system and ways you can support your body’s detoxification process. In low to moderate amounts, alcohol can have a euphoric and relaxing effect. But when consumed in larger doses, such as binge or heavy drinking, alcohol will begin to have various negative effects on the body. Lincoln Recovery Not only do you get the refreshing mint, but someone who gets up close and personal will have a harder time noticing the alcohol alone when it’s mixed with the alcohol-based mouthwash. If you’ve had a drink or two, you might be wondering just how long that alcohol will stay in your system. In fact, an estimated one-third of people who receive treatment for alcohol issues are sober one year later, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. If your drinking makes you feel out of control and you are ready to seek help, many organizations can assist you. Doctors may prescribe other medications to treat withdrawal-related symptoms. But when consumed in larger doses, such as binge or heavy drinking, alcohol will begin to have various negative effects on the body. However, the toxins in alcohol actually lower the amount of glucose in your bloodstream, which can lead to hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). Either warm or cold lemon water can help with digestion since lemon contains pectin, a type of soluble fiber. There is nothing a person can do to quickly reduce the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level in their body. This can be trickier to do if you are drinking at a bar or restaurant, but you can use the above as a guideline. Understanding Alcohol Metabolism However, it’s important to note that the best way to avoid detection on a drug test is to abstain from alcohol altogether or to wait until it has completely left your system. For instance, if you realize that your colleague is constantly pressuring you to overconsume alcoholic drinks, you may evaluate your relationship with them. Once you do so, you should consider stopping hanging out with them or communicating your sobriety initiative. Many alcohol treatment centers incorporate a fast into their programs. Moderate impairment can also make you more likely to engage in risky behaviors such as driving under the influence or becoming aggressive with others. As a result, you can immediately return to your regular performance and produce high-quality results at work. This means that you can detect it with a blood test for up to 12 hours after your last drink and up to 2 months via a hair test. There’s nothing you can do to speed up how quickly alcohol leaves your system. We will make the process easier by administering medications and therapies and ensuring 24-hour supervision in a peaceful environment. Dehydration can occur when drinking alcohol, so avoiding salty foods is important. Drinking plenty of water can also help people stay hydrated when consuming alcohol. Alcohol’s ability to slow down the body’s processes causes damage to...
Read MoreRelapse, Relapse Prevention SpringerLink
Additionally, lab-based studies will be needed to capture dynamic processes involving cognitive/neurocognitive influences on lapse-related phenomena. Self-efficacy (SE), the perceived ability to enact a given behavior in a specified context [26], is a principal the abstinence violation effect refers to determinant of health behavior according to social-cognitive theories. Although SE is proposed as a fluctuating and dynamic construct [26], most studies rely on static measures of SE, preventing evaluation of within-person changes over time or contexts [43]. The RP model has been studied among individuals with both AUD and DUD (especially Cocaine Use Disorder, e.g., Carroll, Rounsaville, & Gawin, 1991); with the largest effect sizes identified in the treatment of AUD (Irvin, Bowers, Dunn, & Wang, 1999). In sum, the RP framework emphasizes high-risk contexts, coping responses, self-efficacy, affect, expectancies and the AVE as primary relapse antecedents. I have lost all that time,” which can trigger a self-destructive mindset and potentially lead to further relapse. Administrative discharge due to substance use is not a necessary practice even within abstinence-focused treatment (Futterman, Lorente, & Silverman, 2004), and is likely linked to the assumption that continued use indicates lack of readiness for treatment, and that abstinence is the sole marker of treatment success. The current review highlights a notable gap in research empirically evaluating the effectiveness of nonabstinence approaches for DUD treatment. The RP model views relapse not as a failure, but as part of the recovery process and an opportunity for learning. Cognitive Dissonance The term relapse may be used to describe a prolonged return to substance use, whereas lapsemay be used to describe discrete, circumscribed… In sum, research suggests that achieving and sustaining moderate substance use after treatment is feasible for between one-quarter to one-half of individuals with AUD when defining moderation as nonhazardous drinking. While there is evidence that a subset of individuals who use drugs engage in low-frequency, non-dependent drug use, there is insufficient research on this population to determine the proportion for whom moderation is a feasible treatment goal. However, among individuals with severe SUD and high-risk drug or alcohol use, the urgency of reducing substance-related harms presents a compelling argument for engaging these individuals in harm reduction-oriented treatment and interventions. In the 1980s and 1990s, the HIV/AIDS epidemic prompted recognition of the role of drug use in disease transmission, generating new urgency around the adoption of a public health-focused approach to researching and treating drug use problems (Sobell & Sobell, 1995). The realization that HIV had been spreading widely among people who injected drugs in the mid-1980s led to the first syringe services programs (SSPs) in the U.S. (Des Jarlais, 2017). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Cannabis Use Disorder Efforts to evaluate the validity [119] and predictive validity [120] of the taxonomy failed to generate supportive data. It was noted that in focusing on Marlatt’s relapse taxonomy the RREP did not comprehensive evaluation of the full RP model [121]. Nevertheless, these studies were useful in identifying limitations and qualifications of the RP taxonomy and generated valuable suggestions [121]. Gillian Steckler is a research assistant for Dr Katie Witkiewitz at Washington State University Vancouver where she also attended and received a bachelor of science degree in psychology. By implementing certain strategies, people can develop resilience, self-compassion, and adaptive coping skills to counteract the effects of the AVE and maintain lifelong sobriety. 2. Established treatment models compatible with nonabstinence goals At Bedrock, we use evidence-based approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to help our clients develop coping skills and enhance resilience in the face of setbacks. There is less research examining the extent to which moderation/controlled use goals...
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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