The Ruach: Merging Rhythm, Song, Prayer, Community, and Tzedakah

August 2023

By Charlotte Rouchouze

The Ruach again brought rhythm, song, prayer, community, and tzedakah together at the Shabbat for Good on June 23. That evening, the Shabbat for Good provided The Ruach Community with awareness of DRUMSTRONG’s Rhythm Aid Project in Ukraine. Through rhythm sessions, this project provides psychological and social support for children in Ukraine battling cancer.

Over the past 18 years, DRUMSTRONG’s Charlotte-based parent organization, DrumsForCures (DFC), has facilitated cancer support initiatives in over 80 cities in 29 countries through the DRUMSTRONG interactive rhythm events. While holding events in Ukraine, DRUMSTRONG learned of the good work being done by the Ohmatdyt Specialized Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, the largest hospital in Ukraine and one of the few major hospitals still operating there today. It houses the country’s premier pediatric oncology center but now also addresses the needs of a wide array of injured and orphaned children and stressed parents.For the past year, DFC has coordinated uplifting, interactive rhythm events at Ohmatdyt that provide comfort and healing to kids, young adults, families, and staff. They have witnessed and recognized the immediate and potentially long-term benefits these regular sessions have provided.

During the Shabbat for Good service, in lieu of a silent Amidah, Scott Swimmer, president and founder of DRUMSTRONG and a percussionist himself, guided The Ruach Community in meditative, interactive drumming. Scott brought percussive instruments to distribute and encouraged everyone to participate in this one-of-a-kind Shabbat service.

The drum circle for this Shabbat service exemplified The Ruach’s signature blending of traditional and new, as well as their ability to provide worshippers with unexpected and exciting experiences on every occasion. These are truly “modern services built on Jewish tradition™.”

Save the date for The Ruach’s upcoming Experiences, all of which are free and open to all:

Shabbat for Good — July 28 at Trinity Presbyterian Church. At 5:30, free pizza and beverages will be provided to all attendees followed by the Shabbat for Good services at 6:30 p.m. The featured Shabbat for Good organization will be North Carolina Hillel. Jewish students from all backgrounds come to NC Hillel to make friends in a welcoming environment and to discover what it means to be Jewish. For other students, this is their first exposure to a Jewish role model. Others are discovering Judaism for the first time on their own terms. We invite you to join us as we embrace our students with a pizza pre-neg and uplifting music and prayers to jumpstart their back-to-school experience.

The High Holy Days Experience:

Rosh Hashanah: September 16, 2023, 10 a.m. at the historic Great Aunt Stella Center located at 926 Elizabeth Avenue.

Kol Nidre: September 24, 2023, 7 p.m. at The New Theater at the Parr Center on Central Campus at CPCC.

If you or your nonprofit would be interested in sharing your mission through The Ruach’s Shabbat for Good, email the.ruach.band@gmail.com. The Ruach, an innovative and modern Jewish worship community, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Charlotte, NC, whose mission is to spread the joy of Judaism through modern services filled with meaningful messages and new, uplifting Jewish music. The Ruach offers the Shabbat for Good, The Shabbat Experience, and the High Holy Days Experience; all are modern services built on Jewish tradition™. To stay updated on the Shabbat Experiences, community projects, and High Holy Day details, please request to be on The Ruach’s distribution list by emailing the.ruach.band@ gmail.com. Like and follow on Facebook (/theruachband) and Instagram (@the.ruach.new. jewish.music).