MOBILE, Alabama--What song do Harry Belafonte, Bob Dylan and Bar and Bat Mitzvah bands all across the land have in common? Why, "Hava Nagila," of course. Belafonte's 1959 Carnegie Hall performance of ...
Born in Ukraine, raised in Palestine, the toast of the Catskills and the inevitable guest star at countless Jewish celebrations the world over, the song “Hava Nagila” has pulled many a goy (and I’d ...
“Hava Nagila” is one of those songs, like “Celebration” and “Auld Lang Syne,” that brings back memories and gets stuck in one’s head. In fact, “Hava Nagila” is so ingrained in American pop culture ...
Whether you love it or you hate it, you know it: "Hava Nagila." Maybe you grew up listening to Harry Belafonte's rendition, or found yourself in a chair being hoisted into the air by a singing crowd ...
At the 2012 Summer Olympics, Jewish gymnast Aly Raisman brought “Hava Nagila” to a global audience when she performed her gold medal winning floor routine to the song. But Raisman was not the first to ...
“Hava Nagila” is the typical soundtrack to Jewish weddings and b’nai mitzvah — and, these days, brutal hand-to-hand fighting with naked combatants. Two streaming shows have recently picked up where ...
Roberta Grossman’s new film explores the phenomenon behind the iconic folk song and offers some perspective on why it has been so beloved — and so hated — over the years. NEW YORK (JTA) — You’re at a ...
NEW YORK (JTA) — You’re at a wedding or bar mitzvah when you hear it — the opening notes of a familiar tune that irresistibly carries you and other guests to the dance floor for the rousing dance ...
I have a confession: I do not like the hora. Circle dancing is bad (sorry), and you will never be able to convince me that the chair lifting is safe. However, as a Jew, there is no escaping the hora — ...
Places you expect to hear “Hava Nagila”: weddings, bar/bat mitzvahs, every pop culture depiction of traditional Jews and … gymnastics competitions? In fact, the answer is all of the above. Alexandra ...