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A Life of Jewish Music
by Cantor Rosalie Boxt Four hundred people are joined together, eyes shining, faces bright, voices raised in a glorious chorus. I am sitting in a small concert hall, eyes darting between the sheet...
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A New Shema
In this recently posted video from Temple Israel of West Bloomfield, MI, teenager Anna Brooks performs a breathtaking new Shema she wrote herself (with a little help from Deuteronomy, of course). The...
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Community: Debbie Friedman’s Gift to Us
I thought I knew the work of Debbie Friedman. Debbie, whose second yahrzeit we observed this week, was a beloved and familiar presence at URJ Biennials, in our congregations, and at our camps. I...
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Nurturing the Next Generation of Jewish Songleaders
Recently, Congregation Or Ami sponsored two teens – 10th graders Sophie Barnes and Josh Gellerman – to attend the NFTY NASHIR Songleading Weekend in Seattle, Washington. As Cantor Doug Cotler has made...
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Singing (Jewishly!) in the Rain
Who travels to Miami in the coldest, rainiest week that Florida has seen this winter? I do. My excuse? I was one of 40 or so composers whose pieces (you can listen to mine here) were selected for...
View ArticleTorah Cantillation for the High Holy Days
By Cantor Hayley Kobilinsky There are many elements which make the High Holy Days a unique experience. Often, congregations swell to double or triple their usual size, the musical settings of even...
View ArticleHin’ni
By Cantor David E. Reinwald Da lifnei mi atah omeid. Know before whom you stand. We see this text every time we are in the sanctuary. It is a reminder to us of the holiness of the space we inhabit and...
View ArticleThe Timeless Melody Kol Nidrei
By Hayley Kobilinsky How many Jewish holidays (or, for that matter, any religion’s holidays) can you name which are referred to by one prayer? Not many, I can assure you. Even though Kol Nidre is only...
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Choral Infusion: North American Jewish Choral Festival
Summer is camp season – not only for kids but also for adults. And if singing is your passion, there’s nothing like the North American Jewish Choral Festival, a project of the Zamir Choral Foundation...
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Repetition vs Addition: Melody of M’chal in the Yom Kippur Amidah
By Cantor Hayley Kobilinsky There may be no better day than Yom Kippur to observe the emphasis achieved by repetition of prayer. Our siddur provides many opportunities throughout the year to highlight...
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Vidui: Atonement through A-tune-ment
By Cantor Daniel Singer Thanks to the creative team at G-dcast, when we arrive at the Vidui section of the High Holidaymachzor, we can truly say “there’s an app for that!” The world now has access to...
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Sounds of Penitence: The Music of Selichot
By Cantor Hayley Kobilinsky It may seem strange, but I wish to begin with a very Jewish, and yet not at all Jewish phrase: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned.” These words are what a Catholic person...
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Yom Kippur Torah Service: Emulating God
By Cantor Cheryl Wunch There are many different themes that appear throughout our Yom Kippur liturgy. Obviously, the themes of repentance, returning, and renewal are the ones that most immediately...
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The Music of the URJ Biennial: What to Expect This Year
by Josh Nelson “The wave of a song carries the soul to heights which utterable meanings can never reach.” (Abraham Joshua Heschel, Man’s Quest for God) The URJ Biennial is just a month and a half...
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The Music of Seder Ha’avodah
By Cantor Judith Ovadia The Avodah service of Yom Kippur (Seder Ha’Avodah) challenges us as Reform Jews. It depicts an ancient, archaic rite that is anathema to our modern practice, with elements that...
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Eileh Ezkerah: These I Will Remember
By Cantor Hayley Kobilinsky The Eileh Ezkerah with which most Reform Jews are currently familiar does not bring to mind familiar melodies. While thematically, Eileh Ezkerah fits well with Yom Kippur,...
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Worship Without Music?!
By Jerry Kaye Can you imagine a worship service these days without a cantor, a song leader, or even a band? There is nowhere in the liberal Jewish community where music isn’t an integral and...
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The Music of N’ilah – Part Two
By Cantor Barbara R. Finn Last week, in my discussion of the beginnings of the N’ilah service, I reflected upon the contemplative nature of the concluding service for Yom Kippur. The music of the...
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SING OUT! The Beginnings of NFTY Music: A Look at the First Songs We Sang
By Cantor Wally Schachet-Briskin I found myself (quite literally) at Reform Jewish summer camp. More than anything, it was the music that drew me into experiencing Jewish life with all my heart, with...
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Community. Prayer. Holiness.
By Rose Snitz As people gather and voices come together in harmony, the holiness of the space begins to form. From Shabbat services in local communities to regional Havdalah services, to closing...
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