Artist Applications to perform at Shir Madness 2018 have now officially closed. We have been totally blown away by the sheer (or should we say "shir") number, calibre and variety of applications this year. The difficult process of final selection has now began and we hope to start revealing our exciting line-up in the very near future. Stay tuned for our first artists announcement coming soon, including a couple of amazing international acts!!!
FAY’S JOURNEY SCREENING ON ABC COMPASS PROGRAM 24 & 25 MARCH
Shir Madness film producer Judy Menczel’s new film, Fay's Journey, created for Compass ABC, brings together the voices of survivors, their descendants and some of the exceptional people on the ground in Poland today. This film, whose protagonist, Fay Susman, is a Shir Madness committee member and popular performer at our festivals, is particularly important in view of Poland's current political situation.
Fay's Journey, COMPASS ABC Screening March 24 6pm, repeated March 25 11.30am on iView for 30 days
Fay with young Polish educators.
What does one make of Jewish musicians coming from Australia to play Klezmer, Yiddish music in small Polish towns where entire Jewish communities were wiped out?
This is exactly what singer Fay Sussman and her band, Klezmer Divas, did, after being invited by an inspirational young woman named Dr Kamila Klausinska.
Fay’s Journey captures Fay embarking on a Journey of healing to Poland to meet young Poles who are working to restore Jewish memory.
Fay Sussman was born in Poland in 1946 and – until recently – vowed never to return. But overcoming her fears – and the anger she inherited – Fay decided to make this surreal pilgrimage as a gesture of hope and love.
Filmmakers Judy Menczel and Paul Green accompanied Fay and her band; what they recorded is both stunning and moving. In each town the musicians were greeted warmly – with standing ovations - by people who didn’t even realise Jews had ever existed in their towns... and were hungry to know more.
She met with young local people preserving Jewish graves which lay forgotten in peoples’ backyards or recovering broken gravestones being used as building materials and former Synagogues being turned into shopping centres .
It was a difficult film to make as Fay Sussman and Producer/Director Judy Menczel are both children of Holocaust Survivors. The film was created from a longer project called Pockets of Hope.
It is very timely, with the current Polish Government creating new laws to restrict free discussion of a painful history which, some are arguing will setback years of progress towards dialogue and friendship.
Fay and Judy believe for Jewish memory to survive in Poland today we must encourage and appreciate the efforts of young Non-Jewish Poles in keeping Jewish Memory alive through Education Programs and preserving Jewish Memory in their towns and cities. Who are we blaming…..the Grandchildren of those who have done us wrong?- Severyn Ashkenzy, Holocaust Survivor. It’s a story that will move you and restore your faith in the human spirit. faysjourney.com enquiries: Judy Menczel ph::0405706107
ISRAEL TIPPED TO WIN EUROVISION 2018!
Israel’s chirpy and cheeky entry in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest is currently top favourite to win on all the booking charts. Sung by Netta Brazilai the song has already notched up over 9 million views on YouTube. It is No. 5 on the iTunes charts in Spain, No. 24 in Greece and in the top 100 in several other countries. Check out the clip here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CziHrYYSyPc
BECOME A VOLUNTEER
If you would like to be part of the madcap team organising the next Shir Madness festival (did we mention it will be on Sunday 7 October 2018?) then just send an email to info@shirmadness.com.
All volunteers are welcome but at the moment we are especially looking for people to help out in marketing, social media, fund raising and event management.
PESACH WISHES
Wishing all our readers a Happy Pesach and well over the Matzas!
