Created by J. Yalovitser
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                                                                                              L'Chaim A Glezele
                                                                                       

                                                                                        Music by B. Bergholz, Lyrics  Jewish Folk Singer Misha Alexandrovich (Russian Cantor)

Picture
    A Yiddish word "L'Chaim" used mainly during toasts at Jewish celebration. Jewish expression “L’Chaim a Glelzele”  means “Lets raise a glass of wine and drink to life”.
  The root of the word "L'Chaim"  is "Chai", that in Hebrew means for "life". This word was first mentioned around the 5th century BC. As we know that Hebrew letters can be represented by numbers. The sum of the word "Chai" is number 18. Thus 18 by Jewish people considered a lucky number. Usually gift or contribution to charity given in multiple of 18.
The Performer of  this song is  Misha Alexendrovich. He was very popular singer in Russia. He was born in 1914 in the shtetle of Berspils in Latvia.  Even Stalin and Krushchev would call him for private concerts. Later he immigrated to Israel where he became a chief cantor in Ramat Gan Synagogue..

Yiddish
A glezele lekhayim, ez shod nit nemen haynt
 ven me zitst bay a yontevdikn tish.
 A glezele lekhayim far frayndshaft un far fraynt
 me zol shtendik nor munter zayn un frish.
 A glezele lekhayim far alt un yung vos zitsn do
 un far yedern bazunder vos zaynen haynt mit undz nito.
 A glezele lekhayim der bekher ful mit vayn
 far der zun zi zol shtendik mit undz zayn


A glezele lekhayim trinken mir atsind
 nor oyf simkhes bay yedern fun aykh.
 A glezele lekhayim far muter un far kind
 az mit nakhes di mame zol zayn raykh.
 A glezele lekhayim nit opshteyn zol fun aykh di shayn
 keyn shvartser tog in lebn in der mishpokhe zol nit zayn.
 A glezele lekhayim iz oyztrinken keday
 ven me zet zikh mit fraynd oyf dos nay.


A glezele lechayim, far unzer groyser land,
 Iber unz zol der himl kukn reyn
 A glezele lechayim, ich vintsh aych noch anand,
 Mit a shmechl oyf di lipn zolt ir geyn
 A glezele lechayim, begleytn zol aych shtendik freyd
 Mit layblichn un munter, ir zolt keynmol ni tsesheyd.
 A glezele lechayim, far alts vos unz gefelt
 Un far sholem oyf gor der gantser velt.