Di rayze aheym / The jouney home

Like it or not, we are living in interesting times. 

Authoritarians are exploiting the real threat of antisemitism to justify inhumane policies; threats to queer and trans people’s basic rights are now part of mainstream political discourse; the Israeli government is destroying Gaza rather than attempting to negotiate for any hostages that may yet be alive; peaceful protesters in the U.S. are illegally detained and deported. 

How do we respond to this overwhelming onslaught?

Hope and action. Hope that we can build a more just world, and action to make that a reality. 

Irena’s words give me hope. Di rayze aheym asserts that Jews are here, in the world, and encourages us to choose presence and engagement over isolation. Irena has advocated for alternatives to nationalist narratives for her whole life. As we navigate these challenging times and work to build a more inclusive future, her wisdom and perspective are more essential than ever.

This project represents a significant step in my artistic practice. I’m pushing myself to directly present and grapple with my Jewish and queer identity, and to grow as a musician and an artist organizer.

I am creating a studio album, recorded live over 2 days. Our six-person ensemble is made up of truly extraordinary talents in Yiddish and American music.

The album will present songs based on Irena's words, paired with Irena's readings of the original poems accompanied and supported by new music.

Irena Klepfisz taught Jewish Women's Studies at Barnard College for 22 years. She is the author of five books of poetry including Her Birth and Later Years: New and Collected Poems, 1971-2021 (winner of the 2023 Audre Lorde Award for Lesbian Poetry; finalist for a 2023 National Jewish Book Award), Periods of Stress, Keeper of Accounts, Different Enclosures, A Few Words in the Mother Tongue, and a collection of essays Dreams of an Insomniac. She is one of the foremost advocates of the Yiddish language and its renaissance in the United States. Her work has appeared in Tablet Magazine, The Manhattan Review, The Georgia Review, In Geveb, Sinister Wisdom, Jewish Currents, and Languages of Modern Jewish Cultures.

Alicia Svigals is one of the best klezmer fiddlers currently making music, and she is a long time friend and collaborator of Irena’s. Alicia’s most recent release is 2024’s Fidl Afire. See Irena discussing this incredible photo My Jewish, Lesbian Experience of 2nd Wave Feminism and Yiddish Activism featuring Alicia and Irena marching proudly as “Lesbian / Gay Yiddishists / Freylekher Folk” in 1989 (along with Yankl Salant, Lorin Sklamberg, Jeffrey Shandler and others. wow!). Alicia co-founded the Klezmatics, and has collaborated with everyone from Itzhak Perlman to Taylor Mac to Robert Plant and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. Alicia and I have known each other for close to 20 years, but haven’t collaborated closely until now. And her contributions to this music are truly incredible. I’m honored to have her join this project!

Carmen Staaf is an incredible improvising pianist and composer. And also a longtime friend! Carmen and I first played with my brother Benjy’s project Tick Tock way back in 2010! And she recorded piano on one of my favorite songs in my catalog, Baby. https://avifoxrosen.bandcamp.com/track/baby-2 Today Carmen is Grammy winner Dee Dee Bridgewater’s Musical Director; leads and co-leads several incredible projects ranging from straight head jazz trios, to explosive duos, to free improvisation; and she also continues to play klezmer with my good buddy Michael Winograd in Honorable Mentshn.

Rima Fand is an incredible creative violinist and composer, and also a longtime friend! I played in the pit of  her puppet theater piece Don Cristobal, Billy-Club Man, back in 2011 and 2013. And she joined me in the pit for Fowl Play: Conference of the Birds just this last year. And I plan to join her in January 2026 for the debut of her opera Precipice. I’m excited to have Rima on board for this project!  

Zoe Guigeno is a wonderful bassist, multi instrumentalist, and performing songwriter, in addition to being a winter surfer from Canada’s Pacific Northwest! Zoe and I have been playing together on and off the last 10 years or so, and she’s another alum of Winograd’s Honorable Mentshn. Zoe holds it down, and I’m really excited to hear what she brings to this project! 

The ensemble will also include a drummer and cellist.