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Chiribim Chiribom

A playful Yiddish folk classic in English, from RIGLI and JewishSong.org

Language
English
Music & lyrics
Walter J. Kin (RIGLI)
Performer
Riglis Band
License
Free, non-commercial
About this song

A beloved Yiddish folk song, made to sing along

Chiribim Chiribom is one of the most joyful songs in the Yiddish tradition, a bouncy, call-and-response folk classic that has made crowds clap and laugh for generations.

RIGLI keeps the playful village spirit and gives it singable English verses, so that everyone can join the chorus, no matter what language they grew up speaking.

What the song is about

A village, a rebbe, and the wise fools of Chelm

The verses paint little pictures: a village waking up to song, a soup full of dumplings, a wise old rebbe, and the famous town of Chelm where the fools dance and laugh at themselves. The chorus is pure joy, made for clapping along. This English version is part of the world of JEWISH from RIGLI.

Sing along

Let's all sing it together.

Chiribim, chiribom
Chiribim, chiribom
Yesterday within our village I heard a joyful song
Sparrows on the branches, pigeons on the roofs sing along
Mama makes a soup with noodles and dumplings with leek
Holiday world is so bright, the dreidel spins all week
There once was a wise old rebbe praying every single day
He told us he and heaven made a pact along the way
There is a town called Chelm where day and night the fools all play
All the fools they sing and dance and laugh at their foolish ways
Chiribim, chiribom
Chiribim, chiribom

Sing the chorus with everyone, then trade verses around the room.

Traditional Yiddish folk song. English version, arrangement, and recording by Walter J. Kin (RIGLI). Performance: Riglis Band.

For kids, parents and teachers

Talk about it, then sing it

1. What is the funny town in the song called?
Chelm - the town of wise fools.
2. What kind of song is this?
A call-and-response folk song: one side sings, the other answers.
Activity: Split the room in two. One half sings "Chiribim," the other answers "Chiribom," faster and faster!
License

Free to sing, teach, and share.

Yours for your school, choir, or family

You may sing, perform, teach, record, and share Chiribim Chiribom for non-commercial purposes: schools, synagogues, JCCs, choirs, camps, museums, families, and individuals. Keep the credit to RIGLI and JewishSong.org, and please do not charge for the performance or resell the files.

The music, lyrics, and recording were created for RIGLI by Walter J. Kin, Member of the Dramatists Guild of America, and published by Rigli Publishing as part of JewishSong.org. Full terms and a copy-paste credit line are on our License - Free page. For commercial use or custom arrangements, write to walter@jewishsong.org.