Cantor Moshe Buryn

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn introduces himself and gives some background of what Miami looked like when he arrived in 1980. There were a lot of Jewish organizations. 90% of Miami Beach was Jewish. Cantor Buryn names a number of Jewish clubs and organizations in the area he remembers. Cantor Buryn was very busy during this time he was booked almost every day. People loved his singing he was called on many times. The events and lectures were high class. He was very sorry to see these clubs and organizations fading.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn talks about his fond memories of this time. Everything was Jewish, lively, and interesting. Seeing people so interested in Yiddish, the Jewish language, was unbelievable. He enjoyed singing his songs in Yiddish. It was a wonderful time.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn talks about all the songs he sang. He sang many songs but the people liked best the songs he sang in Yiddish. He did sing in Hebrew but people mostly like his songs in Yiddish.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn talks about the people he performed with and who were performing then. Cantor Buryn mentions all the performers and people involved in the events and the planning of the cultural events. There were poets and singers at all the cultural events. Cantor Buryn was in demand. The events were very well attended. He was invited to comeback many times. He has many very fond memories. The Kosher hotels had entertainment and they wanted programs in Yiddish. The people staying in the hotels were also having cultural events and they were having programs in Yiddish.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn discusses how he felt about being in a place surrounded by Yiddish as the spoken language. He grew up speaking Yiddish. The people he performed for appreciated his singing in Yiddish.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn mentions the Beach Theater. When he came he did have a concert there once. He did not see the Jewish Theater on Washington Ave., but many other rooms and clubs were forming and he was called out to many of them. Cantor Buryn saw the populations spreading out to Broward County.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn explains the vibrancy of Yiddish culture during this time. He was able to feel how the audience appreciated him. He was able to bring up their feeling for Yiddish. Yiddish was their life they didn’t care about anything but Jewish and Yiddish culture.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn talks about what he thinks happened to the Yiddish culture in South Beach. There are many reasons for the decline. Age being one and the coming of the Mariel, people were scared. People started moving north and the central villages were the place to go. Miami became more expensive.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn explains why it is important to remember. If you do not remember the past you have no future. Over the last few years, everything seemed to disappear. It is important to remember the people and everything they did for the Yiddish culture.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn talks about what he would say to the younger generation and about the importance of Yiddish and what it brings to their lives. Many parents did not teach their children Yiddish and it is a shame. It is like an emptiness. Cantor Buryn would not say Yiddish is dead it is being studied and when you say something in Yiddish it has a special flavor. Yiddish is special. He still hears many words in Yiddish.

Partial Transcript: If Cantor Buryn had a magic wand he would wish that the Yiddish culture did not disappear, that it continued. It was the people giving their life for Yiddish culture that helped to preserve it. When he performs now and he performs in Yiddish and he can feel that people love it.

Partial Transcript: Cantor Buryn closes by saying he has nostalgia for those years and he wishes they could be brought back.