REGARDS FROM OUR SHTETELACH

Far in Europe, somewhere in the middle
‘midst the mountains and the hills
There once was the Yishuv of the Yidden
And its memories echo still

Narrow alleys, long and winding pathways
Always crowded, always full
Little children running off to Cheder
And their fathers off to shul

On the roads, coaches filled with Orchim
The horses gallop to their tune
For Shabbos, arriving are Chassidim
Yes, they will greet their Rebbe soon

In the kitchens housewives work and bustle
’Til late at night, they’re on their feet
The girls are out and picking flowers
Lekovod Shabbos - something sweet

Regards from our shtetelach, regards from our gesalach
Regards from what we called the “alte heim”
Regards from every winding street
Little houses trim and neat
Regards from every door and windowpan
Regards from porches bending low, candles burning all aglow
The picture - forever will remain……

Regards from little farming fields, regards from a small water mill
Regards from the surrounding forest deep
Regards from merchants selling goods, markets filled with freshest foods
Regards from the town shlepper - fast asleep
Regards from neighbors big and small, friends you cherished one and all
Memories that you will always keep

Every morning the shamash rises early
And with a fiddle plays his tune
Near each window he stops and gives a twiddle
“Wake up, Yidden! Shacharis is soon!”

As the children rub their weary eyelids
Every father’s long since gone
The sweetest sounds of voices learning Torah
From the Bais Medrash carry on

In the streets are rushing crowds of women
Dressed in their best, they’re off to a Bris
The children scatter alongside them
Hoping the party they won’t miss

And at the outskirts there is a levayah
One of the elders of the town
The Kohen behind a house is hiding
As the procession comes around

Regards from our shtetelach, regards from our gesalach
Regards from what we called the “alte heim”
Regards from every winding street
Little houses trim and neat
Regards from every door and windowpane
Regards from porches bending low, candles burning all aglow
The picture - forever will remain……

Regards from what seems yesterday
Impressions linger still today
In our street corners and in our shuls
A Zaidy who can tell his tale
Sweet and sour - ginger ale
Mixed emotions - Hope has been his tool
A life of simple honesty, sharing joys and tragedies
And most of all ‘lived by the Torah’s rule’


SHORTENED VERSION:
Far in Europe, somewhere in the middle
‘midst the mountains and the hills
Life in Russia was pleasant for the Yidden
And its memories echo still

Narrow alleys, long and winding pathways
Always crowded, always full
Little children running off to Cheder
And their fathers off to shul

On the roads, coaches filled with Orchim
The horses gallop to their tune
For Shabbos, arriving are Chassidim
Yes, they will greet their Rebbe soon

In the kitchens housewives work and bustle
’Til late at night, they’re on their feet
The girls are out and picking flowers
Lekovod Shabbos - something sweet
​
Regards from little farming fields
Nearby a round water mill
Regards from what we called the “Alte Heim”
Regards from every winding street

Little houses trim and neat
Regards from every door and windowpane
Regards from neighbors big and small
Friends you cherished one and all - the picture - forever will remain……