last word
Cantor Charles Davidson
Jarrad Saffren | Staff Writer
I n the early 1990s, following the
fall of communism and the birth of
the Czech Republic, Cantor Charles
Davidson’s musical number, “I Never
Saw Another Butterfly,” was performed
at the former site of the Terezin ghetto.

Davidson’s piece was based on
poetry written by children who were
prisoners of the Nazis in the ghetto. He
wrote it in the late 1960s, and it’s been
performed thousands of times since.

But on this day, it was played for
about 150 Terezin survivors on the
50th anniversary of the creation of the
ghetto. New Czech Republic President
Vaclav Havel was also in attendance.

“A trip I have long remembered,” the
cantor said.

It remains the highlight of a cantorial
journey filled with them. Davidson, 94,
is the hazzan emeritus at Congregation
Adath Jeshurun in Elkins Park, where
he served for 30 years, according
to his daughter, Miriam Davidson. He
also taught at the H.L. Miller Cantorial
School in New York City for 27 years.

Now, the cantor will be honored with
a tribute concert at First Presbyterian
Church in Philadelphia on June 4.

Three local choirs, the ANNA Crusis
Feminist Choir, the Nashirah Jewish
Chorale of Philadelphia and Zachor
Keneseth Israel Youth Chorale,
will perform “I Never Saw Another
Butterfly.” Tickets, which range from
$10 to $45 depending on your ability
to pay, are at annacrusis.org.

Davidson’s daughters, Miriam, the
director of the ANNA Crusis Feminist
Choir, and Alyssa Davidson, leader
of the Zachor Keneseth Israel Youth
Chorale, organized the concert. Both
women, as well as their brother Michael
Davidson, a musician and artist, and
their sister Ilana Davidson, a cantor in
40 JUNE 1, 2023 | JEWISH EXPONENT
New York, followed their father into the
music field.

“I think Dad’s commitment to commu-
nity and to bringing people together is
something that he instilled in all of us,”
Miriam Davidson said. “I feel like the
way that I move through my musical life
really centers around bringing people
together.” As they planned the tribute concert,
the cantor’s daughters asked him to
write a reflection on his career. In
it, he wrote: “Regarding my feelings
about the piece, if I had not written
anything other than ‘Butterfly,’ I would
be content.” He repeated that senti-
ment in an interview.

“I would be very happy to be known
only as the composer of ‘Butterfly.’
It’s very important to me, and I feel
that that’s what I’ve been here for,” he
said. “I feel that I represent children. It
wasn’t anything out of the ordinary that
I did. But it had more meaning to me
than anything else.”
Davidson’s journey with the song
began in 1966, as he explained in his
reflection. His friend, Cantor Solomon
Mendelson, called to tell him about
a “recently published book of poems
by children who had been impris-
oned” in Terezin in Czechoslovakia.

The children “subsequently had been
murdered by the Nazis.”
“When I read the poems, I knew that
I had to try to set them musically,” the
cantor wrote.

It took him two years. With a normal
song, his process might take a day.

But with “Butterfly,” Davidson had to
make sure that he was getting the
piece right. The poems were bright
and optimistic despite the situation.

The cantor had to try to keep that
feeling alive, even though he knew
how the story ended. One was about
a little boy who wandered down a path
and saw a rosebud.

Davidson finished the piece and
published it. In the ensuing years and
decades, it was performed more than
4,000 times at synagogues, churches
and other locations in the Philadelphia
area and beyond.

“The music has had a good journey
so far,” Davidson wrote.

On that trip to Terezin about three
decades ago, the cantor rode in a bus
with the choir kids who performed the
song that day. They traveled through
the countryside and continued through
the gates of the town. It was the
same journey that the kids who had
composed the poems had taken a
half-century earlier.

As the choir kids rehearsed on stage
on a cold, rainy October day, a butter-
fly flew over the stage. ■
jsaffren@midatlanticmedia.com Photo by Mike Davidson
TO BE HONORED FOR SONG PAYING TRIBUTE TO
HOLOCAUST VICTIMS



SEASHORE SALE
LOVE where you LIVE
#1 IN NEW JERSEY
FOR LARGE TEAM
SALES VOLUME
*RealTrends 2021
NEW LISTING!
MARGATE NEWLY RENOVATED!
$999,000 COMPLETELY
REMODELED HOME HAS 3 BEDS, 2.5 BATHS,
A NEW EAT-IN KITCHEN AND
AN ADORABLE BACK PATIO!
NEW CONSTRUCTION!
MARGATE www.HartmanHomeTeam.com
$2,395,000 NEW CONSTRUCTION
TOWNHOMES AVAILABLE!
4 BEDS, 3.5 BATHS, OCEAN
VIEWS & ELEVATOR!
VENTNOR $1,250,0000
COMPLETELY RENOVATED
3-STORY HOME WITH
5 BEDS, 5 BATHS AND
ROOM FOR A POOL!
NEW LISTING!
MARGATE $2,199,000
GORGEOUS NEW CON-
STRUCTION IN THE SOUTH-
SIDE OF MARGATE WITH 5
BEDS AND 4.5 BATHS!
NEWLY RENOVATED!
MARGATE $1,275,000
NEWLY RENOVATED
4 BEDROOMS, 3.5 BATH
HOME WITH PARKING
AND HUGE BACKYARD!
BAY VIEWS!
MAYS LANDING $2,500,000
CUSTOM 3 BED, 3.5 BATH
HOME NESTLED ON 6.6
ACRES WITH A HUGE BARN
AND FLOATING DOCKS!
BEACH BLOCK!
VENTNOR $1,600,000
ADORABLE BEACH BLOCK HOME
WITH 4 BEDS, 3 BATHS, A LARGE
LIVING AND DINING AREA
AND A RELAXING SUNROOM!
NEW LISTING!
VENTNOR $2,599,000
SITUATED ON A 125X125
CORNER LOT WITH 5 BEDS,
4.5 BATHS AND A HUGE
PRIVATE BACKYARD!
HHT Office
609-487-7234 9211 Ventnor Avenue, Margate
8017 Ventnor Avenue, Margate
9313 Ventnor Ave, Margate
NEW LISTING!
VENTNOR $1,650,000
FULLY RESTORED ST. LEONARD’S
TRACT BEAUTY ON A 50X125 LOT
WITH 7 BEDS, 4.5 BATHS AND
SO MUCH CHARACTER!
NEW LISTING!
MARGATE $2,890,000
PARKWAY SECTION BAYFRONT
HOME! COMPLETELY RENO-
VATED WITH 5 BEDS, 5 BATHS
AND AMAZING BAY VIEWS!
NEW LISTING!
MARGATE $1,699,000
5 BEDS AND 4 BATHS,
JUST A FEW YEARS
YOUNG! LOCATED IN THE
HEART OF MARGATE!
NEW CONSTRUCTION!!
VENTNOR $3,750,000
NEW CONSTRUCTION! 6
BEDS, 6 FULL BATHS & 2 HALF
BATHS! POOL, ELEVATOR &
3 LARGE FRONT DECKS!
HOMES FOR SALE
PENN VALLEY “OAK HILL”
OAK HILL TERRACES • OAK HILL TOWER
The DeSouzas
are Back
on Bustleton!
OAK HILL ESTATES
BBQ & Pool Season Has Begun!
NEW LISTING – TOWER AT OAK HILL
THE SPRING MARKET
IS HERE!
4th Floor, spacious, 1 bedroom, 1.5 bath. Large living room, dining room and den or office.

Eat-in kitchen, “WALL OF CLOSETS”. Sunny balcony overlooking pool, 24 hour doorman,
basement storage, SPECIAL CABLE PACKAGE; 2 gyms. Heating & air conditioning included.

NO PETS PERMITTED! April Availability: ONLY, $192,500.

Now is the time to list
your home with Us!
FOR RENT – Tower at Oak Hill
7th Floor - CORNER; 2 bedroom/2.5 bath; modern open kitchen; granite counters; breakfast
bar; new appliances; washer/dryer in unit; wall-to-wall carpet; new closets; SUNNY balcony; 24
hour doorman; basement storage, SPECIAL CABLE PACKAGE; 2 gyms. Heating & air conditioning
included. SEPTA 44 & school bus at front door. NO PETS PERMITTED! RENT: $2,495 a month
NEW LISTING – Oak Hill Estates
Mid-level Townhouse; 2 bedroom/2 bath; open granite kitchen; washer/dryer; fireplace;
custom lighting; parking under covered balcony. Facing the woods!
REDUCED & Available Immediately: $2,195.00 per month
NEW LISTING – Tower at Oak Hill
Large corner 2 bedroom/2.5 baths; wood floors; washer & dryer in unit; lots of closets;
balcony overlooking pool; 24 hour doorman; basement storage, SPECIAL CABLE PACKAGE;
2 gyms. Heating & air conditioning included. SEPTA 44 & school bus at front door. NO PETS
PERMITTED! NEW LISTING – Oak Hill Estates Townhome
2nd floor walk-up; spacious 2 bedroom/2baths; washer/dryer in unit; new carpets; new
appliances; living room w/ fireplace; lots of closets; sunny balcony. FOR RENT IMMEDIATELY
$2,300 plus utilities
Broker, Owner & Your Neighbor at Oak Hill!
Realtor® Emeritus.

5 Star winner, Philly Mag
Google Harvey Sklaroff
oakhillcondominiums.com HBSHOME@AOL.COM
Office: 610-667-9999
Direct: 610-660-9999
PA#RB041533-A NJ#8310118
Cell/Text: 610-613-7606
Call Andi or Rick DeSouza for an appointment
& we will deliver: Results, Not Promises!
RE/MAX ONE REALTY
Eric DeSouza, Associate Broker
Andrea DeSouza, Sales Associate
Eric Cell 215-431-8300/8304 • Bus 215-953-8800
rickdesouza70@gmail.com BOCA RATON
Fabulous 2 bedroom 2 bath yacht
and tennis condo overlooking
the intracoastal. Great amenities
including a luxury pool. Available
for weekly or monthly rentals.

Photos upon request.

Please call 610-742-3056
BALA CYNWYD - THE FAIRMONT
Sun filled 2 bdrm 2 bth condo with open living and dining
room, updated eat in kitchen, built ins, balcony, loads of
storage, 2 new hot water Heaters, year round individually
controlled heat & c/a, 1 indoor garage space, 24 hr sec, pool,
tennis, pickelball. Desirable main line boutique building,
$395,000 Andrea Robbins, BHHS Fox & Roach
610-212-6848 or 610-527-0900
#mainlinerealestate, #maininecondo
Andrea Robbins GRI,ABR,CRS
“Offering Personalized Professional Services in All Aspects of Real Estate”
Berkshire Hathaway Home Services, Fox & Roach
763 Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
610-527-0900 (office) • 610-212-6848 (mobile) • 610-717-1400 (fax)
Pa. License # 121759A
andrea.robbins@foxroach.com Twitter: @arrelst8
Selling on the Main Line in Montgomery, Delaware, & Chester Counties since 1979
JEWISH EXPONENT
CLASSIFIEDS To advertise, call
215-832-0749 JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
41