“Madre miya, si mi muero” is a traditional Sephardic song in Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), whose author is unknown, as it comes from the oral tradition of Sephardic communities in the Balkans, especially Bosnia and Herzegovina. Like many Sephardic romances, it has been passed down through generations and exists in several lyrical and melodic variations. The song became widely known through Flory Jagoda, the Bosnian-American singer born in Sarajevo, who recorded it on her 1989 album Memories of Sarajevo. After surviving the Holocaust and emigrating to the United States, she devoted her life to preserving Ladino language and Sephardic musical heritage, becoming one of the key figures in its revival.

My favorite version is performed by Shira Utfila(https://youtu.be/pYLY-NwbBuo?si=rH238-liW6Mj0Sml), a Belgrade-based multi-faith ensemble dedicated to nurturing and reinterpreting the Sephardic musical heritage of the Balkans.

I chose this song because it beautifully intertwines my Balkan and Jewish identities. Its melodies and emotional intensity feel deeply rooted in the region where I grew up, while the Ladino language carries the layers of Jewish memory, exile, and resilience. In this song, I hear both Sarajevo and Belgrade, both the Balkans and the wider Jewish world. It feels like a bridge between cultures and histories and, in many ways, a reflection of my own story.