Ruach Neshama is a collection of songs of soul and breath. These songs employ traditional texts, lyrical midrash and the meditative practice of the nigun—the wordless melody—to open our hearts to the ever-present guidance and compassion within. They strive to paint the wisdom and words of our ancestors on a canvas of body and nature, and to ask the question: What is my soul calling for? What teachings do Earth, Song, and Spirit offer me? 

Free sheet music found at arielwolpe.com/sheetmusic 

Many thanks to the incredible musicians who shared their voices on these tracks: to Kendra for being my sister in life, love and music, to Deborah for sweet harmonies and infinite padding, to Jon for relinquishing his time and office space for recording, to Gayanne for sharing my passion for musical connection to earth, and to my mother Valerie for her ongoing guidance in sound, song and spirit. Thank you to my Rising Song cohort Rebekka, Gedalia, Eitan, Batya, Rena, and Sam, for the never-ending inspiration, support and friendship that have lifted my spirit and my offerings to the world. To Don Godwin for mixing and editing these layered tracks, to Eliyahu Sills and Will Robertson for instrumental offerings, and to Josh Fleet for his logistical support. This album would not exist...  more
credits
released August 8, 2021 

All music composed by Ariel Root Wolpe, Hebrew text from Jewish liturgy and Tanakh. 
Music direction by Joey Weisenberg and Ariel Root Wolpe 
Harmony direction by Deborah Sacks Mintz 
Produced by Joey Weisenberg 

Recorded outside and in home-studios in Atlanta, GA, Philadelphia, PA, and Berkeley, CA. 
Engineered by Joey Weisenberg and Jon Mitchell 
Mixed and Mastered by Don Godwin 
Artwork and Layout by Sol Yael Weiss. 

Singers and Musicians: 
Ariel Root Wolpe - lead vocals, acoustic guitar 
Kendra Root Wolpe - vocals 
Deborah Sacks Mintz - vocals 
Valerie Root Wolpe - vocals 
Jon Mitchell - vocals, djembe (track #8) 
Joey Weisenberg - bass, percussion, guitar, baritone ukulele, piccolo, drum programming, vocals 
Will Robertson - bass (track #7) 
Eliyahu Sills - flute (track #2) 
Rising Song Institute Vocalists: Rena Branson, Rebekka Goldsmith, Eitan Kantor, Gedalia Penner, Sam Tygiel, Batya Levine, Gayanne Geurin (track #5) 

www.arielwolpe.com 
www.risingsong.org 

A Project of Hadar's Rising Song Institute: Cultivating Jewish spiritual life through song. 

"Ruach Neshama" sponsored by Wilderness Torah 
"Yedid Nefesh" sponsored by Ahavath Achim Synagogue 
"Hineni" sponsored by Adath Israel on the Main Line 
"Vatikach Miriam" sponsored by Congregation Or Hadash 
"Waking Up Nigun" sponsored by Har Zion Temple
license

Ruach Neshama

Waking Up Nigun

This I know: 
That my body is a vessel for the song
Let the drum beat through me
Let the great bells ring through me
Sing through me

Vessel for the Song

Like an Ocean

Heart broken, open like an ocean
Can’t stand, swimming in emotion 
Heart broken, open like an ocean
Can’t stand, swimming in emotion

I’m reaching inside
Tossed in the waves of my heart and my mind
I’m reaching inside
Looking for shore, but it’s high tide

Spread, spread thin
Not giving up, giving in
Spread, spread thin
Not giving up, giving in

like an ocean

Nishmat Kol Chai - Joey Weisenberg And The Hadar Ensemble

For Pittsburgh and Squirrel Hill. In service of our healing and collective freedom in the midst of intense white nationalist violence in the form of transphobia, racism, sexism, and anti-semitism.  As a reminder that more police and "security" do not make us safer, especially for those of us who hold multiple targeted identities.  We will only win when we are all together.

Lyrics:
we are a beautiful people
though our hearts are broken
we sing for justice, and wholeness

we are a beautiful people
though our hearts are broken
we know that we are not alone
right here we are home

you have taken a universe
you have taken a mountain
our voices echo in the hills

they will not divide us
we will not abide this
we know that together we'll be free
mourning tragedy
our safety is with each other

we are a beautiful people
though our hearts are broken
we sing for justice, and wholeness

we are a beautiful people
though our hearts are broken
we know that we are not alone
right here we are home

toch emunei am segulah (repeated)

hebrew translation: 
from lecha dodi, a prayer greeting shabbes:
among those who hold faith, a treasured nation

gratitude to Chana Rusanov for hebrew lyrics and translation.
gratitude for Rachel Beck for leading me on my own journey against anti-semitism for seven years now
gratitude for Dove Kent, JFREJ, and so so many other brilliant teachers leading us towards solidarity
gratitude for our allies who take the time and effort to see the realities of systemic anti-semitism
gratitude for life, for existence, and the capacity to heal.

Aly Halpert's Album

Beautiful People (Toch Emunei)

This recording was made in community with the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir NYC

Healing Is Possible by Orion Johnstone

Elohai Neshama by Sol Weiss

Just for a Little While by Mother Tongue, author Raphael Agosto-Miranda

Daily praise song that celebrates all who live in the home of the divine (our sacred planet). Words from tradition, music by Aly Halpert. Creative consultation from Batya Levine.

Written for Linke Fligl, a queer Jewish chicken farm and cultural project in Millerton, NY, for their Sukkot gathering, 5779. (linkefligl.com)

Lyrics 
Hebrew(from traditional Jewish services)
Ashrei yoshvei veitecha, od y'hallelucha, selah!

English (by Aly Halpert)
I sing for you
I sing for what is holy and is true
I sing for all creation, for life and liberation
Everyday anew

Ashrei

Moses' prayer for his sister Miriam when she is sick -- Ana el na refa na la - "please Gd, heal her." 

Ancient Jewish words from Numbers 12:13. Music written and recorded in 2016 by Aly Halpert for a friend who was in need of healing.

Songs for Healing

Ana El Na

Mi Chamocha 
Traditional Indian Melody
Arranged and Produced by Shir Yaakov Feit
Recorded by Sol Weiss, Margot Seigle & Aly Halpert

מִ י כָ מכָ ה בָ אֵ לִ ים ה'. מִ י כָ מכָ ה נֶאְ דָ ר בַ ּקדֶ ׁש. נורָ א תְ הִ ּלות
עשה פֶ לֶ א מַ לְ כּותְ ָך רָ אּו בָ נֶיָך. ּבוקֵ עַ יָם לִ פְ נֵי משֶ ה. זֶה אֵ לִ י
עָ נּו וְ אָ מְ רּו יְהֹוָ ה יִמְ לְך לְ עלָ ם וָ עֶ ד וְ נֶאֱ מַ ר. כ ִ י פָ דָ ה ה' אֶ ת
יַ עֲ קב. ּוגְ אָ לו מִ יַ ד חָ זָק מִ מֶ ּנּו בָ רּוְך אַ תָ ה יְהֹוָ ה גָ אַ ל יִ שרָ אֵ ל

Mi chamocha baeilim Adonai. Mi kamocha ne’dar bakodesh. Nora t’hilot
osei fele. Malchut’cha rau vanecha, bokeia yam lifnei Moshe, zeh eili anu
v’am’ru: Adonai yimloch l’olam va’ed. V’ne’e-mar: Ki fada Adonai et
Ya’akov, u’g’alo miyad chazak mimenu. Baruch atah Adonai, ga’al yisrael.

Who is like you, Adonai, among all powers of the world? Who
is like you, glorious in holiness, Awesome in praises, doing
wonders? You redeem the one who wrestles, and make us whole
in the face of what overwhelms

Nishmat Kol Chai - Joey Weisenberg And The Hadar Ensemble

Ramah Darom Musica