NSP Fire Pit Singing

Origin:
Melody by Rabbi Shefa Gold
Words from morning liturgy
Sung by Batya Levine & Aliza Schwartz
Art by Naomi Weintraub & Etai Rogers-Fett

Words:
Ashrei yoshvei veitecha
Od y'hallelucha

Translation:
Happy are those that dwell in Your house
They keep on praising

Ashrei - Rabbi Shefa Gold

Sung with Grace Gleason in a tunnel in Riverside Park, Wappinger/Munsee Lenape land, Manhattan, 9/9/21

צָמְאָה לְךָ נַפְשִׁי כָּמַהּ לְךָ בְשָׂרִי
בְּאֶרֶץ-צִיָּה וְעָיֵף בְּלִי-מָיִם
 כֵּן בַּקֹּדֶשׁ חֲזִיתִךָ
 לִרְאוֹת עֻזְּךָ וּכְבוֹדֶךָ

Tzama lecha nafshi, kama lecha basari
B'eretz tsiya v'ayef bli mayim
Ken bakoidesh chazisicha 
Lirois uzcha uchvoidecha

My soul thirsts for You, my flesh longs for You 
(As one) in a desolate and weary land without water
So (I thirst) to see You in the Sanctuary
To behold Your strength and glory

- Psalm 63, 2-3

This song was first taught by Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson on 28 Nissan, 5714 - 1954.

Chassidishe recording: https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/livingtorah/player_cdo/aid/690694/jewish/Tzama-Lecha-Nafshi.htm

Tzama Lecha Nafshi/My Soul Thirsts for You (Chabad) — Psalm 63

Cross the Sea

Vocals - Batya Levine
Percussion - Simcha Halpert Hanson

Nechama - Batya Levine

I wrote this song inspired by this quote from the Apocrypha, Book of Enoch (9:7) “The angels taught the daughters of men incantations, exorcisms, the cutting of roots, and revealed to them healing plants.”

The angels revealed to us healing plants (x2)
The angels taught the daughters the cutting of roots (x2)

Erez v'ezov
Levanah v'rimon
Shaked v'tamar
peygam v'shoom

Cedar and hyssop
frankincense and pomegrante
almond and date palm
rue and garlic

 I love this quote because it speaks to knowledge acquired through direct transmission, through relationship, specifically to “the daughters of men” (which we know means anyone without access to institutional power/gender non-conforming/trans/femmes) –  people who are identified by who they belong to and who are clearly transgressing by hanging out with and learning from angels.  It also suggests that this knowledge is always/still available to us; that even though it can feel like the healing wisdom and practices of our ancestors have been lost or purposely hidden from us,  we can access this knowledge by connecting with “angels.” Who are these angels who reveal and teach this stuff (and can I follow them on instagram and take a workshop?) I don’t know, but in my dreams sometimes they are the trees and flowers themselves, generously sharing their magic and beauty everywhere we look. (fyi, originally, in the Apocrypha, this was not actually a celebration of learning about healing from angels as you can imagine!)

you can read more about jewish plant magic here: https://dorimidnight.com/resources/jewish-plant-magic-rooting-in-resources/?fbclid=IwAR1edzpNKBZMTcivRU6TsePiQuoUGNrzxBMsButomfTNbErAHO2D1aqQc3A

Erez V'ezov

El Eliyahu, an Iraqi song sung after havdallah, taught and led by Galeet Dardashti at Let My People Sing! 2018

LMPS 2018

El Eliyahu (Iraqi Melody) - LMPS 2018

Singing Team - Friday Night Melodies

Hashkiveinu - Two Part Round

Vahaviotim Niggun - composer unknown

Galeh

Sosne Nign by Jonah Meadows Adels z''l (recorded by Hebrew College)

Artist: Chandler Yorkhall
I learned it from Sonrisa Alter.

Sung at a (mini) song circle on August 1, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Lyrics:
Full moon outside my window
This warm September night

Pulls me into wakefulness
Far too early

I'd rather be sleeping the day's
Already too long for me

I'll just wait
For dawn

Full Moon Round (Chandler Yorkhall)

Birkat Kohanim/Duchening Niggun

Lyrics by Ibn Gvirol & Melody by Arielle Korman 

Shachar avakeshcha, tzuri u’misgabi
E’eroch lefanecha shachri v’gam arvi
Lifnei gedulatcha, e’emod v’ebahel
Ki eincha tireh chol machshevot libi
Ma zeh acher yuchal halev v’halashon 
La’asot u’mah koach ruchi b’toch kirbi 
Hineh l’cha titav zimrat enosh al ken 
Odcha b’od tihyeh nishmat Eloha bi 

(Somewhat Interpretive) English Translation— Arielle Korman

Dawn— I seek you, my rock and my fortress 
I unfurl before you my Shacharit (morning) and Aravit (evening) prayers 
Before your greatness I stand in my fear 
For your eye sees all the thoughts of my heart.
What is it that my heart and tongue are capable of 
doing? What is the strength of this spirit within me?
Here— a human’s song will be good to you.
I thank you, while the spirit of God is still within me. 

שַׁחַר אֲבַקֶשְׁךָ,
צוּרִי וּמִשְׂגַּבִּי
אֶעְרֹך לְפָנֶיךְ
שַׁחְרִי וְגַם עַרְבִּי
 
לִפְנֵי גְדֻלָּתְךָ
אֶעְמֹד וְאֶבָּהֵל
כִּי עֵינְךָ תִרְאֶה
כָּל מַחְשְׁבוֹת לִבִּי
 
מַה זֶה אֲשֶׁר יוּכַל
הַלֵּב וְהַלָּשׁוֹן
לַעְשׂוֹת וּמַה כֹּחַ
רוּחִי בְּתוֹךְ קִרְבִּי
 
הִנֵּה לְךָ תִיטַב
זִמְרַת אֱנוֹשׁ עַל כֵּן
אוֹדְךָ בְּעוֹד תִּהְיֶה
נִשְׁמַת אֱלוֹהַּ בִּי

Shachar Avakeshcha - Lyrics by Ibn Gvirol & Melody by Arielle Korman

Carousel Nigun – Lecha Dodi

Origin:
Hebrew words from morning liturgy, English words by Marsha Attie
Melody by Marsha Attie
This is a recording that Batya Levine made for NSP in preparation for co-leading High Holiday services with Rabbi Joseph in 2020

Words:
Ahavah rabah ahavtanu

What a great love you have given us

Ahavah Rabah - Marsha Attie

A scrappy recording of this original nigun, recorded at Linke Fligl Sukkos in 2018.

Shtetl Wedding Nigun

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!

Erez V'ezov

Dori Midnight

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