KCHÖRTOO - In Odessa

My mother was only 7 years old when she had to flee her hometown of Odessa, Ukraine, due to the Nazi invasion during World War II. Her family, like many others fortunate enough to escape, was evacuated by the Soviets.
Since the early 19th century, Odessa has been home to one of the largest populations of Jews in Ukraine. Renowned figures such as Hayim Nahman Bialik, Saul Tchernikhovsky, Ahad Ha'am, Simon Dubnow, and Ze'ev Jabotinsky were all born there.
In August 1941, Nazi Germany and Romania launched an assault on Odessa. By October 17, 1941, 80% of the 210,000 Jews in the region had been killed.
In the ongoing war since February 2022, Russia has been attacking Ukraine, including Odessa. Since October 2023, Israel-home to the largest Jewish population in the world today-has faced attacks from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and forces backed by Iran.
I learned this song from the Yiddish Song of the Week blog: yiddishsong.wo...
This is my rendition of "In Odes af a shteyn" by Lifshe Schaechter-Widman.
אין אדעס אויף א שטיין זיצט א מיידל אליין
זי זיצט און זי וויינט
זי זיצט און וויינט, איר הארץ איז פארשטיינט
א נדבה ביי יעדן זי בעט
די מאסקווער קאצאפעס, מיט אייזרנע לאפעס
האבן געטון מיין הויז צעברעכן
מיין הויז צעבראכן, מיין טאטן געשטאכן
מיין מאמע איז פאר שרעק אומגעקומען
ווי גרויס איז מיין שאנד אויסצושטרעקן די האנט
און צי בעטן ביי לייטן געלט
אוי, גאט ערבארעם, שטרעק אויס דיין ארעם
און נעם מיך שוין צי פון דער וולט
In Odessa on a rock, sits a girl alone.
She sits and she weeps.
She sits and weeps, her heart has turned to stone.
For alms from everyone she begs.
The Moscovite scum with their iron paws,
Did destroy my house.
My house destroyed, my father stabbed.
My mother died of fright.
How great is my shame to hold out my hand
and to beg for money from people.
O, God have mercy, stretch out your arm,
and take me away from this world.