Strike up the (klezmer) bands for Ukraine: Bert Stratton

CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — There’s that bar scene in “Fiddler on the Roof,” where Ukrainians and Jews drink and dance together. That happens in Cleveland in real life. At a holiday party, a 15-woman choir, dressed in Ukrainian folkloric regalia, entered a West Boulevard living room and sang Ukrainian carols, plus “Feliz Navidad.” Alexander Fedoriouk of Seven Hills played cimbalom, the Eastern European hammered dulcimer. Steven Greenman of Orange played klezmer violin. Walt Mahovlich of Cleveland played accordion. Zenon Chaikovsky of Lakewood sang. I played clarinet. There was plum brandy.

Zenon Chaikovsky is originally from Lviv, Ukraine, and works in the real estate business with me. Musicians make good co-workers. They’re disciplined and self-motivated.

I was in Zenon’s apartment last month; he was on the phone, saying “Zenon” a lot. When he hung up, I said, “Were you talking to another Zenon?” Yes, two Zenons had been talking about Ukraine. Then Zenon the professional singer talked to me about Ukraine. He suggested he and I organize a benefit concert for Ukraine, to be held on the East Side. (There were plenty rallies, concerts and prayer vigils on the south and west sides.)

Zenon had sound equipment ready to go. He stores it in a building I own in Lakewood. Zenon also stores medical supplies for Ukraine. He’s been doing that since the Maidan uprising of 2014. He’s got walkers, cushioned bed-sore pads and military surgical kits.

About 7,000 Christian Ukrainians live in Cleveland, mostly on the south and west sides. On the East Side, there are several thousand Jews from Ukraine.

I suggested we contact a Ukrainian Jewish musician for the East Side show. I knew a pianist, Ilya Shteyndler. I called him.

“Can you play something Ukrainian?” I said.

“I don’t know anything Ukrainian,” he said. Ilya is a jazz musician.

“Where are you from?”

“Odesa.”

“Perfect. You can play John Coltrane for all I care.”

Zenon and I looked for a venue. There was The Temple-Tifereth Israel, which has a comfy auditorium, in Beachwood. I checked the temple’s online calendar. The temple already had a Ukraine benefit concert booked! I read online about benefit concerts for Ukraine in Maui, Hawaii, and Columbus, Ohio. Ukraine benefit concerts were everywhere.

The temple benefit concert happened last month, on April 10, and was a success. The concert was livestreamed. The temple’s community klezmer band, the Tischler Klezmer Orchestra, was the main act. The event raised more than $11,000.

Zenon sang the Ukrainian national anthem. Zenon apologized to the audience for his hoarseness. He said he had been packing medical supplies for Ukraine the day before in a cold building. That wasn’t my building, by the way. Zenon would never allow a “no heat” situation.

Zenon is a professional — in music, in real estate, and in appreciating plum brandy. To life, to life, l’chaim. Stoke that boiler, strike up the bands.

Bert Stratton lives in Cleveland Heights and is the leader of the band Yiddishe Cup. He writes the blog “Klezmer Guy: Real Music and Real Estate.”

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