Back On Track

Chugga-Chugga Full of Torah Values

                              By: Frimet Blum

      This time of year is all about teshuvah – about getting back on track, and doing things right. So when I saw the new Uncle Reuven & the Simcha Train CD, “Back on Track”, I figured it might be a nice back-to-school gift for my children. Now, a week later, I have only the best to say about this charming CD.

      My children already know the lyrics by heart – and are absorbing the lessons in every song. When I asked them to name their favorites, opinions varied. But everyone had something they loved best.

      “I love the part about the swimming pool,” said one child.

      “And I love the ‘Hachoo! Gezuntheit!’ part,” said another. “It’s so funny.”

      I’m not a kid – but I have a favorite, too. I love the Happiness Dance. It’s not just the beautiful lyrics and the catchy music that I love; it’s what it does to my family. The other day, I came into the dining room to find my children singing, dancing and giggling together, as Uncle Reuven gave instructions.

      “Turn your head to the left, turn your head to the right,” the CD player sang; and the kids sang along, as they tried to keep up with the quickening tempo, clapping their hands, jumping, and moving in time to the music. Even my two-year-old was in on the action. The kids couldn’t get enough of the song. They replayed it about a dozen times, until my daughter said that she wanted to hear the next number.

      For me, it’s not just fun to watch my kids have a great time; it also feels good to know that they’re getting exercise, after a long day in school. It feels even better to know that my children are absorbing the phenomenal lessons on the CD.

      Every song – from the delightful Chugga Chugga Choo to the final Good Bye – is Chugga-Chugga full of Jewish values and lessons. Uncle Reuven is a master teacher – who imparts his wisdom through his adorable little friend Aharon. Kids everywhere will recognize themselves in this little boy who wants to sit near the window, has a stamp collection, loves birthdays, and thinks the moon looks like a banana.

      The simcha CD is more than a train trip; it is a true journey of Torah values, replete with emunah, bitachon, ahavas Yisroel, and more, presented in a most humorous, delightful way. Although this is meant to be a children’s CD, the lyrics speak to adults, too; and range from the insightful to the hilarious.

      In “The One Above”, children learn about Hashem’s creations – and about their own intrinsic value.

      “The One Above, the One Above,

      Made something else, it’s clear to see,

      The One Above made you and me.

      The One Above, the One Above,

      Made all of us on this great earth,

      The One Above knows what we’re worth.

       As the children lift their voices and sing along, the words have to make an imprint on their delicate souls. And sing along they will. The music and words on Back on Track are simply irresistible. And the script between the songs ties it all together with humor and a love of life.

      In “Will you Just”, where Uncle Reuven and his friends visit a sick friend and help him clean house, kids find the humor in clean up – a value their mothers are sure to appreciate.

      The song outlines dozens of tasks, including some you wouldn’t think of – set to a tune that gets the most reluctant Erev Shabbos helpers moving, shpritzing, and scrubbing away.  

      “Will you just …

      Hang the shirts with collars buttoned,

      Iron clothing made from cotton,

      Paint the walls with two fresh coats,

      Afterwards please feed my goats.

      Dab and dip and rinse, please do,

      My home looks delightful, I thank you!”

      The musics, lyrics, and script, written by the inimitable Leah Subar, are an absolute treat. Mothers, especially, will enjoy “These Lights” – a poignant ode to the Shabbos candles, with words and music that pull on the heartstrings. And Adon Olam is sure to become a bedtime favorite with both children and adults.

      The other songs also teach important lessons. “The Happiest Person”, in particular, addresses one of our generation’s greatest ills – the dead-end of the endless pursuit of happiness. It teaches the beauty of a person being same’ach b’chelko – satisfied with his lot in life.

      Shaya, little Aharon’s friend, comes to the conclusion that his wishes have little to do with his ultimate happiness.

      “That pot of gold I’m wishing for is not out in the world, sir,

      ’Cuz I finally found it in my own heart,

      It’s been here from the start,

      And now I’m happy, so happy, with what I’ve got.”

      It’s a lesson all of us would be wise to learn and live – as are all of the other great lessons in Back on Track.

      To find out your family’s favorites, turn on Back on Track. It’ll take you on an irresistable journey to simcha, self-esteem, and much more.