Yossi Green “VISTORY” Shabbos with Zeidy Berish

On August 24th, 2010 Yossi Green unofficially released a new CD single at a wedding.  The single is entitled “Shabbos with Zeidy Berish – Boruch Hashem Yom Yom” and is part of a new series called “Yossi Green Vistory”.  Vistory, Yossi tells us, stands for “Vintage Music History” and marks the beginning of a new endeavor on his part to produce, present and thereby preserve some of the most beautiful songs of the previous generations so that they be available for future generations.

Zeidy Berish is none other than Reb Dov Berish Halevi Horowitz, Zatzal, otherwise known throughout pre-war Europe as R’ Berish Vishover on account of his having lived in the city called Vishov in what was then Hungary.  R’ Berish was one of the main composers of Chassidic music in Europe before World War II.  What this means is that he was one of the most well-known composers writing songs for most of the Chassidic dynasties in the Austro-Hungarian part of Europe.  There are many stories and legends told about him.  One of these is that R’ Berish (some say that he could have been a Rebbe in his own right), after getting to know a new  Rebbe, would immediately understand the nuances of his Avodas Hashem.  He would then write a song which would represent and reflect this individuality, have it written up (there were no recording devices readily available at the time) and sent as a gift to the individual Rebbe.  It is further said that R’ Berish would develop a strong connection and relationship with each Rebbe who would then order songs for specific times and occasions through the years.  These songs would go on to become those that the Chassidim, and eventually the Chassidic world, would sing for generations.

Tragically, in 1944 at Auschwitz, toward the end of World War II, R’ Dov Berish Halevi Horowitz Zatzal, perished together with most of the Jewish people of his city, Vishov. Hashem Yinkom Domom.

Yossi Green says that it was the music and songs of Zeidy Berish which he heard at his father’s table and in the Shuls he attended as a young impressionable child that created within him the drive and stimulation that would later inspire him to compose and set the world aflame with his own music.

The first single in the series entitled “Boruch Hashem Yom Yom” is actually a  Nigun which R’ Berish sent to the great Tzaddik, R’ Yoel Teitelbaum Zatzal the Satmar Rebbe, as a Sholem Aleichem.  It is because the Chassidim later adapted the song to “Boruch Hashem Yom Yom” sung at the Shabbos day meal, that the melody on this recording is represented with these lyrics.

The occasion for the specific release date, was that the wedding taking place that night was of a great grandchild of Zeidy Berish.  A member of this illustrious family, Yossi tells us, had been the Shadchan for some of Yossi’s children and he wanted to give them as Shadchones something special and precious, something priceless and personal – and well, it doesn’t get more precious than a production such as this project.

Yossi says that the “Shabbos with Zeidy Berish” series will, IY”H, hopefully include a series of singles arranged to the words of Shabbos Zemiros.

At the outset this CD will not be available in stores.  If one should be interested in obtaining a copy I would suggest contacting Yossi Green via his Facebook page.