My Sister Khaye

[MsChanale]

sadly there are still many 'schwester khaya' (life in hebrew) in the world today, who die without ever knowing play and peace, they might be called hayaht (life in arabic).

[sumodosani]

Can somebody write the lyrics of this song in English(Roman alphabet).I want to know the word to word of what is she singing.

I can find English subtitles

but I would love to know the exact words in English Alphabet.

[aarfeld]

@sumodosani:Here is the Yiddish in Roman characters, which is what I think you meant:

Mayn shvester Khaye mit di grine oygn, mayn shevster Khaye mit di shvartse tsep, di shevester Khaye vos hot mikh dertsoygn, oyf smotshe-gas in hoyz mit krume trep. Di mame iz avek fun shtub baginen, venoyfn himl hot ersht koym gehelt. Zi iz avek in krom arayn fardinen, dos bidne-drobne groshedike gelt.

[aarfeld]

2. Un Khaye iz geblibn mit di brider, un zi hot zey gekormet un gehit, un zi flegt zingen zey di sheyne lider, far nakht ven klyne kinder vern mid. Mayn shevester Khaye mit di grine oygn, mayne shevster Khaye mit di longe hor, dis shevster Khaye vos hot mikh dertsoygn, iz nokh nisht alt geven keyn tsending yor. Zi hot geroymt derlangt dos esn, zihot getsvogn undz di kleyne kep, nor shpiln zikh mit undz hot zi fargesn, di shevster Khaye mit di shvartse tsep.

[aarfeld]

3. Mayn shvestr Khaye mit di oygn grine, a daytsh hot in Treblinke zi farbrent. Un ikh binin di yidishe medine, der same letster vos hos zi gekent. Far ir shraybt ikh oyf yidish mayne lider, in teg di shreklekhe fun undzer tsayt. Bay got aleyn iz zi a bas-yekhide, in himl zitst zi bay zayn rekhter zayt.

[pitzirun]

My name is also Chava and I love Chava Alberstein. I just happen to listen to this song on youtube (and cry a bit of course...). I have it on a CD called"Di Krenitse", The Well in English. The little booklet that comes with it contains the lyrics in Yiddish and English. It's very long. Here's part of it: My sister Khaye, her eyes were green, My sister Khaye, her braids were black- Sister Khaye, it was she who raised me, In the house on Smotshe Street, with tumble-down steps.

[Sarvananda]

I listen to this any time I want to cry.

[porkupine666]

The fact I don't speak or understand Yiddish makes this song even more beautiful and somewhat mysterious, even if Chava has given a marvellous yet simple explanation of it. I am a goy but I want to be damned for ever if i won't do anything in my power to prevent another Shoah from happening. No more Khaye's ever again!

[IPv6people]

Can someone please post this beautiful live performance again, but then with a better audio quality. This one is heavily distorted, which makes it hard for me to fully enjoy.

[zivg1]

Khaye----

There were so many Khaye's...

My mother is called after her two Grandmothers', that were murdered by the Nazis- Khaye and Bajla.

I never knew them, but, i will always keep them in my heart.

[allhallowseve23]

She cleaned and cooked and served the food, She washed our little heads All she forgot was to play with us Sister Khaye, her braids were black. My sister Khaye with her eyes of green Was burnt by a German in Treblinka. And I am, in the Jewish world, The very last one who ever knew her. It's for her that I write my poems in Yiddish In these terrible days of our times. To God Himself she's an only daughter, She sits in heaven at His right hand.

[LironLeibo]

חוה, אני אוהבת אותך בכל נים ונים.

[eladbendor]

tears in my eyes....

[cantorandopera]

so moving - there are no words to say.

[mkmkm52]

This was wonderful!

[guauguau6]

This song touches deeply my heart!

I admire Chava and her warmful voice very much!

Toda raba!

[euskadita]

unsurpassed beauty

[djudeo]

does anyone knows the name of the poet?

[gmlch]

the name of the poet, if i am not mistaken, is binem heller

[djudeo]

mayn shvester Khaye mit di grine oygn,

mayn shvester Khaye mit di shvartse tsep -

di shvester Khaye, vos hot mikh dertsoygn

oyf smotshe-gas, in hoyz mit krume trep.

di mame iz avek fun shtub baginen,

ven oyfn himl hot ersht koym gehelt.

zi iz avek in krom arayn fardinen

dos bidne-drobne groshedike gelt

[djudeo]

un Khaye iz geblibn mit di brider,

un zi hot zey gekormet un gehit.

un zi flegt zingen zey di sheyne lider,

far nakht, ven kleyne kinder vern mid.

mayn shvester Khaye mit di grine oygn,

mayn shvester Khaye mit di lange hor -

di shvester Khaye, vos hot mikh dertsoygn,

iz nokh nisht alt geven keyn tsendling yor

[djudeo]

zi hot geroymt, gekokht, derlangt dos esn, zi hot getsvogn undz zi kleyne kep. nor shpiln zikh mit undz hot zi fargesn - di shvester Khaye mit di shvartse tsep. mayn shvester Khaye mit di oygn grine, a daytsh hot in treblinke zi farbrent. un ikh bin in der yidishe medine der same letster, vos hot zi gekent. far ir shrayb ikh oyf yidish mayne lider in teg di shreklekhe fun undzer tsayt. bay got aleyn iz zi a bas-yekhide - in himl zitst zi bay zayn rekhter zayt.

[avielddd]

this is my favorite song. she is the most beautiful singer. i love chava so much.

[icvids1]

That's a beautiful song, if it is sang for Chaye it is also for all our sisters who died ...

I love Chava Alberstein, your voice always touches my heart.

[aroundthevelt]

I got tears in my eyes, Great song, beautifully sung!

[too2tula]

One of my Yiddish-based names is "Chaye" after my father's elder sister who died either in Belzec or in a mass grave outside her town. Their mother was impoverished and daily worked to earn her pittance. I cry each time i hear this song and wonder if my father ever heard it.

[newsman47]

for a beginning Yiddish learner, this song is all the

reason that one needs

[gasberns]

Can I get these lyrics in yiddish?

[JerusalemHolyLand]

Wonderful song!!

[zabeau007]

cette chanson me fend le coeur à chaque fois ! thanks

[murraydesign]

wonderfull

[Sarvananda]

May our sadness always remind us that we are human.

[aahdi18]

albertstein has done a magnificent job with heller's elegant poem. it never fails to stop me in my tracks. i can pictrse khaye's mother leaving the house on smotche gas so early every morning to earn the pittance to house and feed her family!

where was this concert held?

[hek7]

i believe in berlin

[musesuseus]

berlin

[elisheva93]

am israel chai!!!

[Omtomramoa]

Part 2:

My sister Khaye, her eyes were green,my sister Khaye, her hair was long -sister Khaye, it was she who raised me,she wasn't even ten years old-She cleaned and cooked and served the food ,she washed our little heads,all she forgot was to play with us -sister Khaye her braids were black-My sister Khaye with her eyes of greenwas burnt by a german in Treblinka.And I am in the jewish state,the very last one who knew her.

-

[goldsteinbr]

And now she is in heaven onthe right side of G'd

[Omtomramoa]

Here are the lyríc's in english (part 1):My sister Khaye, her eyes were greenMy sister Khaye, her braids were black - Sister Khaye, it was she who raised meIn the house on Smotshe StreetWith tumble-down steps-Mother left the house at dawnwhen the sky had hardly lightenedShe went off to the shop, to earnA wretched  penny's worth of change-And Khaye stayed with the boys.she fed them and watched over themAnd at evening, when little kids get tired,she'd sing them pretty songs-

[Omtomramoa]

This song just breaks my heart everytime - I'll remember Khaye forever.

[LouieLotte]

Touching... I first heard he song in the movie Divided We Fall, it matches the feeling of the film very well.

[Alia251987]

Beautiful, thank you so much for sharing.

[Hamalka]

Thank you.

[jubal3075]

This is an awesome performance which always makes me weep. This should be better known. Chava Alberstein is amazing!!

[gmlch]

!תודה רבה!