Levyosn's Dream by Levyosn

Levyosn (“leviathan”) is inspired by the mythical sea monster of Jewish legend, traveling the world in search of songs, krill, and dreams. Founded in 2021, Levyosn has made its mark through thoughtful, harmony-rich arrangements of Yiddish songs.

Levyosn’s Dream features songs of nature, labor, and love, building on our signature sound and exploring new sonic territory. At its heart are several of Adah’s originals, including Neymashin (a spring song), A Bletele Vert a Bletl (a love letter to Yiddish diminutives), and Vaser on Loshn (a climate-change ballad combining text by Malka Heifetz-Tussman with Adah’s poetry). Lysander’s arrangements of older folk songs meld the grit of archival recordings with textures and harmonies drawn from chamber music, Balkan polyphony, and his favorite bands. The album also celebrates the friends and mentors who inspire us. Geyen Mir Shpatsirn appears with collaboratively-translated English lyrics by Adah and Weaver, and A Sukele a Kleyne features legendary vocalist Judy Bressler in a lush arrangement by Uri Schreter. Two klezmer instrumentals round out the collection, featuring an all-star cast of Boston fiddlers. Levyosn’s Dream weaves these sounds and stories together, embracing the full range of our musical influences and welcoming both seasoned Yiddishists and new listeners.


1 A Bletele Vert a Bletl (Adah Hetko)

2 Fayerdike Libe (Trad., arr. Lysander Jaffe)

3 Kholemen Khaloymes (Text: Aliza Greenblatt, Music: Solomon Golub, Arr. Lysander Jaffe)

4-5 Mit a Nodl / Eyder Ikh Leyg Zikh Shlofn (Trad., arr. Lysander Jaffe)

6 Rivka’s Zhok (Lysander Jaffe)

7 A Sukele a Kleyne (Trad., from Avrom Reyzen, Additional text: Gitty Jakubo & Adah Hetko, Arr. Uri Schreter)

8 Vaser on Loshn (Text: Malka Heifetz Tussman & Adah Hetko, Music: Adah Hetko & Lysander Jaffe)

9 Geyen Mir Shpatsirn (Trad., transl. Weaver & Adah Hetko)

10 Zhumen Binen (Text: Emmanuel Kazakevitch, Music: Leyb (Lev) Yampolsky, Trans. Adah Hetko, Arr. Lysander Jaffe)

11 A Gute Nakht, Yasherke (Lysander Jaffe)

12 Neymashin (Adah Hetko)

Full song lyrics can be found at levyosnmusic.com/lyrics