In Zaltsikn Yam

"In the Salty Sea",[a][b] known simply as "To the Bund",[c] is a Yiddish poem written by S. Ansky in 1901 and published in Der Arbeyter a year later.[1][2] It became a popular Yiddish song when music was added to it.[1] While it is unclear who composed the music to the song, the first published version was printed in 1919 by Yankev Glatshteyn in Warsaw, in the book Freiheits Lieder (Yiddish: פרײַהײַטס לידער, lit.'Freedom's songs').[2] The poem and song is dedicated to the socialist General Jewish Labour Bund.[1][2]

The text has often been considered controversial, with its direct critiques of wealthy Jews (especially in Russia), Zionists, and the belief in Messiah.[2] Following The Holocaust, in 1945 the First, Second, Fifth, and Final stanzas were published in Mikhl Gelbart's yiddish song book Zingt mit mir and as such it has become convention to perform only these verses so as to omit criticism of other elements of the Jewish community.[2] Daniel Kahn however has recorded and performs the full version; such as for the Yoyvls of the Australian Bund (one of the times with Psoy Korolenko; who translated the verses into Russian).[3][4]


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ a b c "Belarsky Songs". Archived from the original on 2009-06-01. Retrieved 2009-10-27.
  2. ^ a b c d e "In Zaltsikn Yam - A Yiddish Workers' Song | Jewish Music Research Centre". jewish-music.huji.ac.il. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
  3. ^ In Zaltsikn Yam - Bund 120 Yoyvl 2017, 5 November 2017, retrieved 2024-01-31
  4. ^ 'In Zaltsikn Yam' - Daniel Kahn // 123rd Bund Yoyvl, 14 December 2020, retrieved 2024-01-31