יִשְׂמְחוּ בְמַלְכוּתְךָ, שׁוֹמְרֵי שַׁבָּת וְקֽוֹרְאֵי עֹֽנֶג

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

Credits from Karov, released August 20, 2020:
Batya Levine - lead vocals
Anat Halevy Hochberg - vocals
Aly Halpert - vocals
Molly Bajgot - vocals
Micah Shapiro - vocals
Arielle Rivera Korman - violin
Joey Weisenberg - percussion & bass
Richie Barshay - percussion

Please check out and support Batya! She has a website here: www.batyalevine.com, a Bandcamp here: batyalevine.bandcamp.com/album/karov, a Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/batyalevine, and is on streaming services such as Spotify. Also, make sure to check out Rising Song Records and all of their amazing artists: https://risingsongrecords.bandcamp.com/.

This remix also features Chris Dickson on the bass and me on guitar.

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If you made it this far, you get to read a quick personal note:
 
I first came upon Batya's original Soundcloud recording (https://soundcloud.com/batyalevine/yismechu-batya-levine) after I had just quit my job and was walking my former colleague's dog for money. The magic of the melody struck me hard and I listened to it on repeat while Basil dragged me through the streets of Somerville. I was so stoked it made the album and made everyone at my sister's socially distant birthday party listen to it the day it came out. I must have heard the melody a thousand times working on the remix and the magic still holds.

It's been a tremendous joy to work with Batya and their melody on this remix. I'm not sure if music production is really my thing in the long run, but my stance remains strong regarding the creation of contemporary Jewish dance music: somebody's got to do it.

Batya Levine - Yismechu (Diva Nigun Remix) - Now on Spotify!

Hofn Stantsye: Taitch

We were joined by Rabbi Alissa Wise and Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari of Rabbis for Ceasefire.

Rabbi Alissa Wise is Lead Organizer of Rabbis for Ceasefire, and former Deputy Director at Jewish Voice for Peace and co-found of the JVP Rabbinical Council. Also former Education Director at Jews for Racial & Economic Justice! 

Rabbi Ari Lev Fornari is the Senior Rabbi at Kol Tzedek Synagogue in West Philly He is a White, queer, trans person, of Ashkenazi and Italian descent. He was ordained from the Rabbinical School of Hebrew College and worked as a Jewish educator, Hebrew School director, and prison chaplain.

Rabbis for Ceasefire is an ad-hoc group of Rabbis and Rabbinical students across political affiliations and denominations. They are Rabbis from Conservative, Reform, Modern Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and Renewal communities who hail from Israel/Palestine, North America and Europe. 

"At this moment of great moral reckoning, we are speaking out with one voice to fulfill the most sacred obligation in Jewish tradition – pikuach nefesh, saving a life."

rabbis4ceasefire.com
instagram.com/rabbis4ceasefire
kol-tzedek.org (West Philadelphia)
instagram.com/alissashira

Opening track was Rabbi Mrian Levia Grossman of Kolot Chayeinu in Brooklyn who joined Rashida Tlaib, AOC, Jamaal Bowman, and other Congress members in front of the Senate weeks ago with the group.

Rabbis for Ceasefire

Comedian Matt Lieb joins hosts Shoshana Brown and Rafael Shimunov to discuss his new podcast, Bad Hasbara. The comedy podcast examining and ridiculing the failures of Israeli and US propaganda tactics during attacks on Palestinians in Gaza.

We end the show with a clip from Palestinian comedian Sammy Obeid.

Bad Hasbara with Comedian Matt Lieb

Shabbat Album

03 Shabbat Shacharit - שבת שחרית

Selichot

Selichot Day 13 - Aseret Yemei Teshuvah

Birkat Kohanim/Duchening Niggun

Drone - Klezmer Idea 3

By Hadar Ahuvia

Created for a Lag Ba'Omer Celebration curated by Cantor Sarah Myerson
Lag Ba'Omer is a minor Jewish holiday celebrated on day 33 of 49 of "the omer" the 7 weeks between Passover and Shavuot. It is day of respite from period of semi mourning. A celebration of the life, on the anniversary of his death of Jewish sage Shimeon Bar Yochai. Yochai is attributed with the founding of Jewish mystical movement, one reason bonfires are lit to celebrate this day. 

In Israel the bonfires have also taken on a nationalist dimension. I honor the anti-imperialist struggles of the Bar Kokva revolt decoupled from Zionism. 

I sampled Horah Medurah (Horah Bonfire): lyrics- Natan Alterman, music- Yoel Valbe, a song for an Israeli hora that I danced with my mom, but changed the Hebrew lyrics a bit:
Hora Ali, Esh Hadliki Belibi, 
Tehora Rabat Ora, Horah Medurah 

Horah rise, ignite a flame in my heart
Pure, full of light, Horah fire 

In the Kabbalistic tradition each day of the Omer is contemplated on two qualities of divinity. Lag Ba'Omer the 33rd is Hod B'Netzah- splendor/humility in endurance. I dedicate this to all splendor and humility of those who have and continue the struggle for freedom, from ancient Judea, to Palestine, to Turtle Island, to people imprisoned in ICE detention and by the Prison Industrial Complex.   

Yes, in holiness we witness divine power and strength
our souls thirst 
Our flesh craves 
for freedom

Above, my translation of Ken B'Kodesh that I sing at the end, a song I sang with my grandfather- lyrics from Jewish litrugy to tradition music
Ken B'kodesh Haziticha Li'rot Uzecha Ukvodech
Tsama'a lecha nafshi
Kam'ah lecha besari

#FreeThemAll

Horah Medurah #FreeThemAll

hadar ahuvia

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