Jewish Seniors Not Over the “Hill”
If you are scouting about for original holiday gifts, how about considering an island on a hill?
No, I haven’t lost it . . . yet. “Island on a Hill” is the title of a just-released CD of original songs composed and performed by the elder residents of the Jewish Home in San Francisco.
You can also catch the documentary of the CD creation process — which took place in the Jewish Home’s synagogue — at 6:30 PM Dec. 28 on KQED, Channel 9. The documentary, called “’specially Wonderful Affair,” is particularly poignant because it was shot just before and after Sept. 11.
“We had secured funding, a CD recording engineer and backup musicians. And I had arranged filming collaboration with the Jewish Film Festival’s Nathan Friedkin,” explained Judith-Kate Friedman, the musical mastermind behind the CD.
“We were all set to go! On Sept. 11, I arrived at the Jewish Home to find everyone prepared for our dress rehearsal, but glued to the TV and the unfolding tragedy. I asked the group, ‘What do you want to do?’”
The eldest member of the group, 97-year-old Birdie Gintzler, responded: “If we stop, the terrorists have won.” Her fellow singers agreed. The CD was recorded two days later, and the documentary caught it all.
Friedman is committed to bringing songwriting and music to the elderly and sick. Although she maintains a full touring schedule and has recorded two CDs on her own, Friedman spends about 20 hours a week at the Jewish Home.
“I am most proud of the accessibility of this work. The average age of the song creators and singers is 87,” Friedman said. “While some are active, others are severely disabled or suffer from dementia. Most cannot easily leave the Jewish Home to pursue music or visit a recording studio. So I bring it all to them.”
Friedman’s method of composing is fascinating. Armed with marker pens and paper, she teases ideas out of her songwriters. She then encourages her group to turn the ideas into lyrics. As the lyrics grow into a cohesive form, Friedman starts strumming her guitar. Melody is added, and gradually a song is born. Over the years, Friedman and her senior musicians have created 45 songs.
And why the odd title for the CD? The Jewish Home in San Francisco sits at the corners of Silver Avenue and Mission Street, at the top of a hill, Friedman says. “Island on a Hill” was the first song written there in 1997.
To order the CD, write to the Development Department, Jewish Home, 302 Silver Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112. You can also go online to www.jewishmusic.com or www.cdbaby.com (search for “Jewish Home”).
To read Judith-Kate Friedman, call (510) 548-3655.