THE SHORESH HALEV CENTER FOR JEWISH MUSIC

Exciting News from Shoresh Halev Center for Jewish Music at Beth El

Dear friends,

Hello! I hope you had a good summer and a chance to recharge and enjoy relaxed time with loved ones. I’m so excited to enter into another year of music and prayer and learning and, above all, a year of community. Our goal is to allow everyone to develop a deeper connection to our sacred community through music - members and neighbors; regional friends and beyond; tots to seniors; experienced musicians and, of course, all of you who are singing with us and making music for the first time. It’s never too late to have music become an integral part of your spiritual life. We hope you’ll join our activities!

We have been working hard to develop exciting musical offerings for our Religious and Nursery School students, for Shiratenu – Beth El’s new children’s choir - and for our growing Prayer Team. If you like to sing, or if you play an instrument, or if you’d like to even just dip your toes into the musical waters, please don’t hesitate to be in touch with me directly or come to one of our special events and say hello. I promise, your voice and your neshama (spirit) will be welcome.

I’m also excited to give you an update on our Shirei Neshama Project. In this project, we invite renowned guest artists to join our community around Jewish holidays and, as part of their residency, they premiere a new song inspired by the holiday, which we perform together and film and record. By the time you read this, I’m hopeful that we will have launched new videos that highlight past spring’s premieres. One of the videos is Nava Tehila’s performance on Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), of their gorgeous new song based on the ancient text, “Lo Yisa Goy”. Another video is of Rabbi Josh Warshawsky premiering his beautiful new melody for Ein Kamocha in honor of Shavuot.

As many of you remember, Shoresh Halev had its official launch during Yom Ha’atzmaut, and we are working on a video which will capture that special moment, including the moving and inspiring Hallel that we shared that evening.

Please support our musical efforts however you can! I wish you a year of peace and love and I’m looking forward to singing and praying and playing with you. Shana tova u’metuka, Jack