The TBA Programs Committee invites you to learn about the Dartmouth Jewish Sound Archive from one of its founders, Alex Hartov, Professor of Engineering Emeritus, on Sunday, December 4, 2022 at 3:00 PM

In-Person and by Zoom

Radio broadcasts from Israel’s Independence Day in 1962. A children’s choral group singing folk songs in Fes, Morocco, in the 1940s. A 1951 address by the Israeli Prime Minister at a Jewish college in Massachusetts. These are just a few of the sounds housed in the Dartmouth Jewish Sound Archive (DJSA), one of the largest online Jewish scholarly archives in the world.

The archive was established at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire as a repository of sound recordings for researchers and students in 2002.  The collection, which now has almost 145,000 online tracks, includes commercial recordings from the pre-digital era, unique historical audio artifacts, extensive collections of private recordings, and many other items that defy description. While the bulk of the collection requires a research account to access, here are a few public domain samples to whet your appetite:

• Omar Rabbi Elosor - Joseph Rosenblatt - Cantorial [1915]
• Mayn Tayere Mame – Ekenkrigs Orchestra - Klezmer- [1915]
• Dermont amol der Mamen - Alex Silverstein - Yiddish Popular [1912]
• Abraham - Monroe Silver - English Humor [1920]
• Befor der Chupeh - The Jewish Comedians - Yiddish Wedding Humor [1920]

The presentation will begin with a brief history of the project, followed by an exploration of the archive’s contents. Come to learn about this important project that’s housed right here in New Hampshire and prepare to be entertained by some of the other treasures that you may not hear anywhere else!

Light refreshments will be served.

You can also help preserve Jewish culture and clean out your attic or basement at the same time! 100% of the archive’s recordings have been donated and your contribution of any tapes, records, or cylinders that are relevant to Jewish culture and history would help build the collection.  Note that the archive does NOT accept CDs unless they have permission from copyright owners to post them on the archive. Please contact the TBA office if you would like to donate recordings in advance of the program or bring them with you on December 4th.