In Every Age....

At least one Hanukah song is easily adaptable by urbanists.

1 minute read

November 29, 2013, 10:20 AM PST

My favorite Chanukah song is Mi'Y Malel (Who Can Retell)? (English lyrics here).

The song asks us:

"Who can retell the things that befell us, who can count them? In every age a hero or sage came to our aid."

The next stanza cites a specific example: "At this time of year in days of yore, Maccabees the Temple did restore", and so on.

I love this song because it is so easily altered for other contexts. For example, those of us who are new urbanists could write something like this:

Who can retell the things that befell us, who can count them?

In every age a hero or sage came to our aid.

In New York in days of yore, the city wanted to make the Village into one big road;

Jane Jacobs stopped his plans and taught us all, that the city was no longer just for cars.

Who can retell... [repeated]

Feel free to improve this- or better yet add additional stanzas!

Humor Chanukah Jane Jacobs New York Village

Michael Lewyn

Michael Lewyn is a professor at Touro University, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, in Long Island. His scholarship can be found at http://works.bepress.com/lewyn.

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

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