Equivalent of Uncle Moishy

goldrose

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 12:31 pm

Does anybody know of children's tape(s) equivalent to uncle moishy's style, that uses lubavitch nigunim? made by a lubavitcher?

we have one uncle moishy tape, and my kids like it, but I dont like one of the tunes, it doesnt sound jewish at all. this is his 2nd tape. I know his recent tapes definitely use bob the builder stuff etc. His messages are nice, but the tunes aren't what I want.

TzenaRena

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 1:27 pm

I may be a loner, but I never bought the Uncle Moishy tapes for this reason. I don't think the kids missed out. They now have an absolute love for chassidishe niggunim, undiluted by any other style that they 'also' love. We played Avraham Fried's "gems" - he sings YomTov Ehrlich songs with his special flair, and the Rebbe's Niggunim from Avraham Freid, the Hop Kazak tape from Fried.

I didn't think Torah Tots is specifically lubavitch at all, but I heard (on this forum?) that they recently issued a CD on the 12 pesukim.

For stories we had the Rabbi Goldstein Parsha/Yomim Tovim tapes, Rabbi Burston story tapes, but when they got old enough to do their own shopping they bought Zaidy tapes from S. Kunda, and other similar like Moshele's Tefillah tree, Talking Coins etc. with their Chanukah gelt. Very entertaining, and kosher but some of those are not so high in toichen.

shira

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 1:37 pm

My kids really enjoy Rebbe Alter tapes. He's not lubavich but the messages are so erlich and wholesome.

"Oh we're going yes we're going to learn toirah
I can't wait to see my Reebe and My morah.
Bye bye dear Ima
I'm off to yeshiva
You send me to learn Torah every day.
I'll see you later
I'm off to chaider
Because of you I learn Torah each day"

etc. etc. etc.

TzenaRena

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 1:47 pm

shira, those tapes sound nice! What language are they in, and does he use only Jewish tunes?

I bought Mighty Mitzvah Kids, because the guy selling it outside the supermarket promised that it was only Jewish tunes, but indeed it was not that way. Almost every tune came from non jewish nursery rymes, American type songs....)

timeout

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 1:53 pm

I am extremely surprised to hear that someone wouldn't want there children to listen to Uncle Moishe who teaches about Torah Mitzvos and the importance of our Jewish name shock

My in-laws who happen to be Chassidishe would never even think of saying turn that Uncle Moishe off.....now however all the new music (the Kindelach, Piamenta, and anybody else who seems to be mimmicking the non jewish world they definitely would have something to say about.

My son and daughter both love Uncle Moishe we went to the concert Chol Homead Sukkos and not only my children but I loved it along with the overly packed audience I think in todays time anything that promotes doing the right thing Mitzvos Shabbos in a positive light should be applauded with a standing ovation.

But if there's anything this website has tuaght me.......Everyone definitely has there own opinion Very Happy

TzenaRena

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 2:00 pm

Quote:

in todays time anything that promotes doing the right thing Mitzvos Shabbos in a positive light should be applauded with a standing ovation

.
timeout, you are right of course that in general Uncle Moishy is doing something great. I think it would be much better if he would use only Yiddishe tunes, though. "If good is good, then is better not better?"( Old Chassidic saying)

gryp

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 2:03 pm

goldrose- I think its lubavitch because the latest tape is the 12 psukim. the songs revolve around themes like jewish names, good midos, yetzer hara, etc. the regular songs arent niggunim though.
they have animated stories on videotape now which are adorable and very well done. and theyre half off now in judaica world Wink

check out torahtots.com

Kids ( early elementary grades) like Rebbe Alter too. and theres also R' Fischel Schachter's and Rebbe Hill tapes.

we have all the Rabbi Goldstien tapes too but I havent heard them all.

and while were on the topic, I wish there were story tapes for toddlers in Yiddish. just simple stories in a simple Yiddish.

Last edited by gryp on Mon, Jan 02 2006, 7:05 pm; edited 1 time in total

SMG

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 2:31 pm

Regarding Uncle Moishy borrowing non jewish tunes- We have many Uncle Moishy albums and my kids love them. I personally am not too bothered by the source of the tunes, but I think it goes back to the old issue of who we're trying to appeal to. For some kids, Uncle Moishy is the most Jewish music they will ever hear, and if it takes some tunes from Bob the Builder to get them interested in learning about Torah and Mitzvos, gei gezunterheit!
Out of curiosity, how many people are bothered by the other areas of Jewish music that borrow their tunes from other "non jewish sources"? MBD and Sir Andrew LLoyd Webber seem to have both written identical melodies, and how many newly married couples have hit the dance floor at their chassunahs to some very well known, not yiddish based tunes.

timeout

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 4:35 pm

Lipa Schmeltzer is huge here in Boro Park and in Williamsburg and none of his hits are Yiddishe niggunim but who are we to say waht is or isn't yiddishe alot of tunes really are yiddishe and we just don't know and my kids personally are not interested in a bunch of people dressed in costumes they want real people they can relate to they really think he is there Uncle Very Happy

shira

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 5:33 pm

SaraYehudis wrote:

shira, those tapes sound nice! What language are they in, and does he use only Jewish tunes?

Rebbe Alter makes tapes in english and in hebrew. Its funny- we have the tapes in english at home and then my son goes to chaider and hears the exact same songs in hebrew!

Its only jewish tunes.

ie: on the chanukah tape there is a song about fire safety to the tune of "sivivon sov sov sov"

"Aish is fire
Fire is hot
dont go near a fire
please do not
Aish keep away
Aish is hot
will you play with fire?
I will not!"

and then the refrain (sov na sov ko va cho.....")

"if you burn yourself rachmana ltzlan
it'll hurt and you'll cry
now thats not fuN!"
(2x)

My bro in law is a singer and was able to get us 12 uncle moishy CD's for free- we've got lots of Uncle Moishy. I just find that my kids like Rebbe Alter better and the musagim are more appropriate for them as well.

I'd rather have them listen to

"Please tell me, Yiladim, what are the names of the chumashim?
Braishis, Shmos, Vayikra, Bamidbar, and Devarim....."etc. etc.

instead of "Aint gunna work on saturday......"

I'm not saying Uncle Moishy doesn't have its merits- my kids love jumping to volume 12 "dance with uncle moishy" Even so, I prefer them to listen to Rebbe Alter.

gryp

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 7:04 pm

Quote:

RG, I don't think Torah tots is a lubavitch group with lubav niggunim etc.. I think tzivos hashem together with torah tots made the cd about the pesukim.

Right, Rochel Leah, I think there is some connection to lubavitch though there. its definitely not niggunim like I said. only the 12 psukim songs which I havent even heard yet.

buba123

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 7:53 pm

goldrose wrote:

we have one uncle moishy tape, and my kids like it, but I dont like one of the tunes, it doesnt sound jewish at all. this is his 2nd tape. I know his recent tapes definitely use bob the builder stuff etc. His messages are nice, but the tunes aren't what I want.

As per my dad (who grew up with Lubavitcher minhagim...) one of the Rebbe's niggunim is the same tune as a Russian love song Wink

My dh's and my song (") was the Titanic tune. I wanted to walk down to the chuppah with that tune. My in-laws agreed. My father, who is very frum said sure - if the Rebbe sang a song using the same niggun as a non-Jewish themed love song, why not?! MY dh chickened out at the end, so I didn't do it!
Just because the tune was used for a non-Jewish song doesn't mean it's Tamei. If it was heavy metal or rock or the like, I understand your hesitance. However, I own all of Uncle Moishy's DVD's and have never heard such a tune.
Uncle Moishy has paved the way for good quality Jewish kids music and should be applauded for that. I have seen him many times in person and he is a great role model for frum, Jewish children.
Music

hisorerus

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 8:23 pm

A Niggun that a Rebbe gave validity to is different than someone off the street putting Jewish words to it. Many niggunim are Russian drinking songs.

I'm sure you know the story behind the French Anthem niggun, used for Ha'aderes veha'emuna.

By the way, I try to listen to only Niggunim or at least songs I know are written by Chassidishe Yidden. Not every AF song is "kosher" in my book; him singing a spoof on a non jewish song doesn't make it right. (He doesn't make up all of his songs.)

miriam

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 9:15 pm

mommyoftwo wrote:

I havent heard her whole CD but I want to get it..Morah Music, I know she pretty mich uses the same tunes and they are all hers

I highly recommend her CD's. She writes songs to the tunes of different niggunim. The songs go thru the all the special days in lubavitch, birthdays, weddings, everything that happened to the Chasidim. It's such a beautiful CD and the songs are very catchy. I enjoy listening to it.

cindy324

Mon, Jan 02 2006, 9:20 pm

I CANNOT believe it! Are we really discussing wether or not Uncle Moishy is kosher enough for our children???!!! Rolling Eyes

What level of frumkeit are some of you trying to reach exactly? Sorry I just don't get it.... Scratching Head