It is burning, brothers, it is burning.
Our poor little town, a pity, burns!
Furious winds blow,
Breaking, burning and scattering,
And you stand around
With folded arms.


These words are translation of Yiddish song 'Es Brent' ('It is burning') often performed in the context of Holocaust commemoration.
Here are few words about the author.

Mordechai Gebirtig ( Mordekhai Bertig ) , was born in 1877 in Kazimierz to a family of merchants.
He received a traditional education until the age of ten, and then he began a carpenter’s apprenticeship. He would go on to practice carpentry until the end of his life.

From early on, Gebirtig demonstrated an interest in music, poetry, and theater. In 1905 he began publishing articles and songs in several periodicals,
He bacame quite popular in 1920s at that time he published his first songbook entitled Folkstimlekh ('of the folk').
in 1938 in response to the 1936 pogrom of Jews in the shtetl (small town) of Przytyk he wrote 'Undzer Shtetl Brent!' ('Our Little Town is Burning!') that later became one of the most sang songs in the WWII ghettos.
He also wrote many songs for children, the most popular are Unter geyt di velt ('The World is Going Under'), Kinder-yorn ('Childhood Years') and Hulyet, hulyet kinderlekh ('Rejoice, Rejoice Children').
In January 1941, Gebirtig and his family were forced to move to Łagiewniki,and later on to Podgórze Ghetto, where on June 4, 1942, he was shot and killed during the roundup for deportation to the Belzec extermination camp.

The words of this song and the others are on the page Es brent

[the memorial plate from his birthplace in Kazimierz,Berka Joselewicza street]

The Yiddish word KROKE means "Cracow".
This is also the name of polpular band created in 1992 in KraKow by three graduates of the Cracow Academy of Music: Tomasz Lato, Tomasz Kukurba and Jerzy Bawol.
The group plays klezmer music, but the style is better described by Ari Davidov
- The music is too dark to really represent traditional klezmer. At times, it is almost as if the Velvet Underground have been reborn as a klezmer band - .
Very fast Kroke became utterly popular, and started to play with famous musicians like Peter Gabriel, Nigel Kennedy and Edyta Geppert.

Since 2007 the group cooperates with Tomasz Grochot who took the percussion burden out of Tomasz Kukurba.



[featured the popular Balkan song 'Ajde Jano']

The present KROKE:
Jerzy Bawoł - accordion
Tomasz Kukurba - viola
Tomasz Lato - double bass
Cooperation:
Tomasz Grochot - percussion



Kroke [ Official Website ]

The new opened Cheder at Józefa 36 is the place in Kazimierz where the modern people can learn about Jewish Culture and Judaism.
There are regular music concerts, the movie screen, also the talks on the subject connected with Jewish feasts and tradition.
The workshops where children learn paper cut, and other traditional elements of Jewish Culture, are symbolic link to the history of the place.
Before WWII the Khevra Ner Tamid (Brotherhood of Eternal Light) build here a prayer room, destroyed later by nazis.
The Cafe, where you can drink traditional Israeli coffee prepared in Finjan [on photo] at present is working only during the special events, but soon will be opened on regular basis.

[photo courtesy of baboon ]