New music - Summer 2020

pretty jewish songs

Tishrei

Lila

Ana El Na Refa Na La אֵל נָא רְפָא נָא לָהּ

Shalom

Vocals - Batya Levine
Percussion - Simcha Halpert-Hanson

I'm Gonna Get Through  - Batya Levine

Yismechu v'malchuscha shomrei shabbos v'korei oneg

They will delight in your all empowering sovereignty - those who tend and care for shabbos and call it a joyous celebration
(translation by batya)

Vocals - Batya Levine
Percussion - Simcha Halpert-Hanson

Yismechu - Batya Levine

Part 1:
Swaying body, swaying soul
Swaying body, swaying soul

Part 2:
Move to the rhythm of your heart,
Move to the rhythm of your soul

Lyrics and melody by Theresa Martin and Christine Kick

Theresa Martin's Album

Swaying Body, Swaying Soul

A powerful contemporary spiritual with a unique and compelling rhythmic arrangement from Sweet Honey In the Rock founding singer Ysaye Barnwell.

Caint No One Know by Ysaye Barnwell of Sweet Honey in the Rock

This song was born out of John O'Donohue's poem, "For Someone Awakening to the Trauma of Her Past"; it has come through me in a season when the long buried wounds of past trauma have surfaced, inviting healing and renewal. "Only you know where the casket of pain is interred," John O'Donohue wrote. "You will have to scrape through all the layers of covering and according to your readiness, everything will open." 

May this song bring you healing, too.

Part One: 
As your tears fall over that wounded place,
may they wash away your fears and free your heart

Part Two:
I am coming home, I am coming home,
this body now, a meadow -- gentle, my love.

Awakening

This one (chorus) came through in Northeast Missouri while singing with a couple people and (verses) in California outside the house I grew up in, standing at the foot of a great Monterey Cyprus tree (not a Redwood!) and watching some vines climb up the brick outside of the house.

Chorus:
Sister you are not too far holding
I need your strength to carry on

Verse 1:
Our bodies are bound like the vines on the side of a house somewhere deep in the heart of the earth

Verse 2:
Our roots intertwine like the Redwood tree somewhere deep in the soil in the soul of the earth

Sister, You Are Not Too Far for Holding

Your Heart Knows the Way

we are good.
we are flawed.
we are the breath of an imperfect god.

returning to self. returning to source.
god is change. god is growth. the process, in all it's beauty and all it's mess, is god.

collage art by Chani Nicholas

we are good we are flawed

This song came through just before Rosh Hashanah 5779,  inspired by the season of Teshuvah/Returning in the Hebrew calendar and the Run4Salmon led by the Winnemem Wintu people of the Shasta/Redding area. Please visit www.run4salmon.org and support their efforts to bring the Chinook salmon home and ensure a healthy watershed for future generations.

www.gofundme.com/salmonwillrun

We are the salmon returning home
to the places these bones have known
We know the way
We know the way
We are the salmon returning home

I hear the sound of the stars
I feel the beating of the drum
It's time to come
It's time to come, come home
I know every rock, tree, bend
in this river comin' to another end
and it's time to come
it's time to come, come home

Salmon Teshuvah Demo

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

Tishrei Nigun By Nava Tehila (sung by Ilana And Rachel Lerman)

Safra

Iraqi Yah Ribon/Lecha Dodi (George Mordechai)

Zeh Hayom: This Is the Day

Hallelu! (Psalm 150) by Miriam Margles

A slow song brought to you by the waters of the Webatuck swamp - Schagticoke / Mahican land. 

Water provides life. From the rain, the dew, the ocean, water heals and holds, and sings so many songs through us. I am grateful to the waters for being such a teacher, and invite you to honor them with this song.

The hebrew at the end is the traditional prayer said for a Mikveh, ritual immersion or bath:

Barukh atah Adonay Eloheynu ruach ha-olam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al ha-t'vilah.

Blessed are you, source of creation,  of the universe, who sanctifies us through mitzvot and has shown us immersion.

lizard popping bubbles

Great Waters

Tune: an adaptation of the song 'Galeh' by Moshe Shur
Concept from Joseph Berman, Words by Joseph Berman & Batya Levine for the Neilah service on Yom Kippur

Open, open up the gates for 
All who gather here
Open up the gates for
all who seek your presence

Open, open up the gates of
Kindness and compassion
Open up the gates of
Wholeness and peace 
 
Open, open up the gates of 
Freedom and justice
Open up the gates of
Liberation

Open, open up the gates of
Change and release
Open up the gates of 
Transformation

Open, open up the gates of 
Healing and forgiveness 
Open up the gates of
Reconciliation

Open, open up the gates of
Listening and patience 
Open up the gates of 
Humility 

Open, open up the gates of 
Prayer and wisdom 
Open up the gates of
Intuition

Open, open up the gates of 
Equity and honor
Open up the gates of
Dignity
 
Open, open up the gates of
Torah and blessing
Open up the gates of
Gratitude and learning 

Open, open up the gates of
Love and connection
Open up the gates of 
Giving and receiving

Open, open up the gates of 
Trust and pleasure
Open up the gates of
Abundance

Open, open up the gates of    
Joy and resilience 
Open up the gates of 
Liberation

Open Up the Gates - Melody: 'Galeh' by Moshe Shur// english words by Joseph Berman & Batya Levine

This melody is for liturgy that praises the eternal attribute of lovingkindess. 
This recording shows two different places it can be used, in liturgy that shares this core message. The first is in Hallel (a praise section of liturgy reserved for holidays and new moons) and the second is found in Psukei D'zimra on Shabbat & Festivals (the consistant praise section of liturgy that has special additions on shabbos & holidays, such as this song!)

Hodu Ladonia from Hallel (added section of praise for holidays & new moon)

hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo(leader) 
hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo (congregation responds) 
yomar na yisrael ki l'olam chasdo (leader)
hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo (cong. responds) 
yomar na beit aharon ki l'olam chasdo (leader)
hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo (cong. responds) 
yomru na yirei adonai ki l'olam chasdo (leader)
hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo (cong. responds)

Translation:
LEADER: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal 
CONGREGATION: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal!
LEADER: let yisrael(our people/g?d wrestlers) please say: their chesed (lovingkindness)is eternal!
CONG: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal!
LEADER: Let the house of Aharon (the priests/witches/magic weavers/spirit workers) please say: their chesed (lovingkindness)is eternal!
CONG: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal!
LEADER: Let those who are in fear/awe of YHVH (existence/hashem/all time and space)please say: their chesed (lovingkindness)is eternal!
CONGREGATION: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal!

Hodu Ladonai from Psukei D'zimra on Shabbat & Yom Tov (festivals)

hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo
hodu lei'lohei ha'elohim ki l'olam chasdo
hodu l'adonai ha'adonim ki l'olam chasdo
l'osai nifla'ot gedolot levado ki l'olam chasdo
l'osai ha'shamayim bi'tvunah ki l'olam chasdo
l'roka ha'aretz al ha'mayim ki l'olam chasdo
l'oseai orim gedolim ki l'olam chasdo
et ha'shemesh l'memshelet bayom ki l'olam chasdo
* [the liturgy continues, but this recording ends with these words, I've included the next line in the liturgy because they are liturgically linked, but there are more verses after that as well]
et ha'yareach v'kochavim l'memsilot ba'laila, ki l'olam chasdo 
(and it continues on...)

Translation: 
offer gratitude to YHVH (existance/g?d/life force...) because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal
offer gratitude to the unifying power that is within all powers, because it's chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal
offer gratitude to the *boss* (in a positive sense of the word) of all bosses, because their chesed is eternal
to the one who is responsible for miracles and wonder, because their chesed is eternal
to the one weaves the heavens with understanding, because their chesed is eternal
to the spreading of earth over waters, because their chesed is eternal
to the former of great light/luminaries/illumination, because their chesed is eternal
the sun that reigns in the day,  because their chesed is eternal
[this song ends with the words above, but I included the next line because liturgically they go together]
the moon and stars that reign at night,  because their chesed is eternal


**** All translations are the way that I understand this liturgy, in which I strive to stay to true to the words, and include my own understanding of them ****

Hodu Ladonai (liturgy from Hallel & Shabbat/Yom Tov)

Batya Levine