Dust Bowls and Jewish Souls: Another Side of Woody Guthrie

Incoming Editorial·Verified June 4, 2026

What does Woody Guthrie, the famous Dust Bowl balladeer and the songwriter who wrote "This Land Is Your Land," have in common with blintzes, knishes and Hanukkah songs? A whole lot more than you could possibly imagine. Hearing the name Woody Guthrie for most of us conjures images of Dust Bowl refugees from the 1930s and migrant families fleeing their soil-ravaged farms, along with those famous lyrical phrases, "This land is your land, this land is my land. From California to the New York Island." But Woody extended his horizons far beyond the Oklahoma hills of his youth. And once his wanderings and ramblings brought him to New York City in the 1940s, he was introduced - both personally and professionally - into a vibrant Jewish culture that he wholeheartedly embraced and which, ultimately, had a deep influence on his life and his music.