Sowing & Reaping | Sukkot & Simchat Torah 5782

Mozi's Nigun  (Learning Track) Joey Weisenberg

Trees Grow Slow - Laurence Cole
recorded by Audrey Berman, Arone Dyer, Margot Beeber, Lia Medman, Zebi Williams, Zia Evan Hyatt Ryan Williams & Margot Seigle
February 1st, 2017

Trees grow slow
Trees grow strong
Trees sway with the wind
Their whole lives long
Trees hold the ground
As they reach for the sky
And fallen trees still feed the seeds
They cast before they die

SHEVAT - Trees Grow Slow

recording of Od Yenuvun by Hannah Shefsky & Batya Levine, sung at the Saturday night participatory concert of Let My People Sing!

Od Yenuvun - Hannah Shefsky & Batya Levine (sung live at Let My People Sing!)

Vocals - Batya Levine
Percussion - Simcha Halpert Hanson

Nechama - Batya Levine

Part 1: 
May this body be a bridge for the healing of this land
May the river flow through us cleansing greed from our hands

May this body be a bridge for the healing of this land
May the river flow through us cleansing grief from our hands

Part 2:
We are, we are born from the water
We are, we are made from the land

Teach us, teach us, oh Great Mother
To bring, to bring peace to this land

Lyrics: Part one is inspired by Said Abdallah; part 2 by Theresa Martin
Melody: Theresa Martin

May This Body Be A Bridge

Batya Levine and I wrote this feminist twist on the Purim story of Queen Vashti and the King's decree.

vashti's song: herstory | batya levine and molly bajgot

irises bloom

Itai Gal: music, keyboards, production, lead vocals, English translations
Jeremy Orenstein: guitar, percussion, vocals
Pádraig Donworth: trumpet, vocals
Lyrics from liturgy and the Book of Esther
You are the first and last. Other than You, we have no king or redeemer.

Lift Us! by Itai Gal

by Bernice Johnson Reagon (adapted by Toshi Reagon, I think)

Let your light shine, shine, shine
There is someone down in the valley tryin' to get home
It may be one and it may be two, it may be me and it may be you
(Call + response)
1: Tryin' to get home
2: Let your little light shine

Let Your Light Shine (w/ Harmony)

Music: Orion Johnstone and Nehemiah Luckett
Lyrics: Based on the Lilla Watson quote:
"If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound in mine, then let us work together." 

I learned from Orion and Nehemiah when they were in Portland leading workshops in spring 2019. They wrote the song on Mt. Tabor in Portland that week. (PS the picture for this track was taken on Mt. Tabor!)

Sung at a song circle on July 20, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
Then let us work together
Let us work together
O-o-o-oh
Let us work together

Part 2:
If you have come here to help me
You are wasting your time
O-o-oh
Let us work together

Part 3:
Let us work together
If you have come
Because your liberation is bound in mine
Let us work together

Let Us Work Together (Music: Orion Johnstone and Nehemiah Luckett, Lyrics: Lilla Watson)

Artist: Ayla Nereo

Sung at a (mini) song circle on December 11, 2018 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Lyrics:
I feel the winds of the west, outbreath
Letting go of my leaves, all I do not need
Into the darkness of the fall sunset
I release, receive, getting ready for the 
Silence

Winds Of The West (Ayla Nereo)

Poem by Lila Serene, translated by Lila & her mom Ana Goldenberg.
Melody by Margot Seigle
Recorded on the 24th of Iyar 5780 // Netzach shebe Yesod 
Yiddish pronunciation support from Noam Lerman 

This poem is about trusting the babies choosing to be conceived and born in this pandemic to be bringing with them the gifts and wisdom that are most needed.

naye lebn

dayne 
zise oygn farshpreyt
fris tsit fun eybikeyt arop
greyt, hungeric
oysgisn bagleybtkyte azoy vi honic dekn mid harts 
onton a bissle fargenign azoy vi vesne regn 
gebakt in der shmek fun frish likht
du bist punkt genoy gekumen aher 
biz a hor ven du kumft iz der merste veytikeyt
un ich tsuher zich 
hent aroysraysn tfilin fun lipn farstitert 
doziker beyner fartriknt megn beygn gehnuk niderik
kushn dos erd gehnuk tsertlekh
zayn bagrisn ba der mikdesh
fun vos du host gekumen aher tsulernen.

translation: 

new life.

Your 
Wide sweet eyes 
Fresh plucked from eternity 
Ready hungry 
pouring trust like syrup over tired hearts 
a sprinkling of joy like spring rain steeped in the scent of fresh light 
you are right on time
right when you're needed most 
and I am listening
palms pressing prayers through trembling lips
may these drying bones bend low enough 
to kiss this earth gently enough 
to be received at the altar 
of what you've come here to teach.

Naye Lebn

Ayelet chen b’galut tis’m’cheini
U-valaila b’toch cheika m’loni
L’chos yeyna ani tamid m’zuman
v’-nit’arav chamad yeyna b’-yeyni
Sh’tu dodim l’umati v’-shichru
v’-hairu l’sechek ra’ayonai
B’-heychal bat m’lachim ha-k’vuda
v’-shulchana m’zuman la-hamoni
z’man hifrid l’chol re’im v’dodim /
aval dodi b’-ahava yimsh’cheini
Y’kasher chen v’-chesed al g’veret /
b’-ma’agal chen v’-chesed yizk’reini
M’farshez ba’anan avey sh’chakim /
l’-ra’ayati v’-hi tafik r’tzoni
Sh’areyha chamushim hem k’vuim /
z’chut Leah b’vina tis’adeini
T’orer ahavat Rachel l’-vanim /
b’-sod malchut asirit ta’aleini
Elokim chish l’amcha y’shua /
b’et ratzon t’tzach’tze’ach g’roni
Sh’lumey lev b’rov shalom t’sovev /
b’ney ish tam s’gulat av hamoni

Translation:
A graceful doe supports me in exileAnd here in her bosom she’ll lodge me.To drink from her cup I am always prepared,She mingles her wine with my lees.Before me, my friends, drink and be drunk,Rouse the reason that’s sleeping within me.There in her palace sits the daughter of kings,Her table ready for those who are with me.For every lover there comes a time to part,But with ardor my love shall recall me.He adorns his lady with grace and with kindness,In paths of grace and of kindness he leads me.For my beloved I spread out the clouds of the heavens,My desire she never denies me.Fifty are her gates, solid and firm, and withThe favor of Leah her wisdom sustains me.She arouses Rachel’s love for her children,Unto the tenth kingdom’s secret she’ll raise me.God, hasten to bring unto thine people salvation,And may my tongue be made pure within me.Thy great peace shall encompass those whole of heart,The sons of the pure man, a charm unto thee.

LMPS 2019

Ayelet Chen - as sung by Ofra Haza, words by R. Shalom Shabazi (Performed by Anat Hochberg)

Nigun Esh - Mizmor Ledavid (Psalm 29)

Sung with chickens at Linke Fligl, 10/1/20
http://linkefligl.com/

Linke Fligl Nigun

Grateful for this little melody coming to me from the pages of my siddur one summer morning.

Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishk’notecha Yisrael
How lovely are your tents [people of] Jacob; your sanctuaries [people of] Israel.

Mah Tovu

The New Synagogue Project is building a spiritually vibrant, radically inclusive synagogue that reflects our vision for a world of justice, equity, and liberation. Our community is being created by and for families with kids, couples and single people, queer and trans people, disabled and chronically ill people, D/deaf and hard of hearing folks, interfaith families, Jews of color and white Jews, Jews from many religious and secular backgrounds, and anyone interested in exploring and experiencing Jewish life. 

We believe communal singing is an incredibly powerful way to pray, connect with each other and ourselves, and find healing. Singing infuses our services and gatherings, and we are always looking for new ways to create vibrant, songful experiences. Come sing with us!

Winds Of The West (Ayla Nereo)

Ary Solomon

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