This is one (of many) phrases that is said to someone who is in mourning in the Jewish tradition.  And after experiencing personal and communal loss in the last few weeks, these words have been swirling around me. With help from the ancestors, this song came through. --kbf

words to the song:
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
HaMakom yenachem et'chem 
b'toch shar avay'lay 
Tzion vee'Yerushalayim.
May you be comforted 

May you be comforted with the mourners of Tzion
And the mourners of Yerushalayim
May you be comforted with mourners everywhere
May you be comforted

****The artwork, which features cloves, salt, tulip petals, straw flowers, glitter, sand dollar, a melach card, and the hebrew words "HaMakom yenachem et'chem" was lovingly created by Rachel Kipnes

Hamakom Yenachem Etchem | May You Be Comforted

A new nigun for waiting for the bus, walking home late, for swirling wonderings!

Nigun Hamtanah

From Aly Halpert:
"Ayeka is a song based on the story of Cain and Abel, the first story of murder in our ancient texts, between the first brothers.

And Gd says to Cain after he has taken Abel’s life, “What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground.”

Hashem hears the ground shaking, hears the cries of every child, every world of a human who has been taken from us in the last 132 days.

Ayeka asks us to look at ourselves, at everything. At every Palestinian and Israeli death that is the result of occupation, apartheid, and colonization, because these systems keep no one safe. At how the world is expected to grind on, to look away from what’s happening in Gaza and the tens of thousands of people who no longer get to have their one wild and absolutely precious life. All for profit, for war, for oil, lining the pockets of Western powers who have never cared about using Jews and don’t mind making Palestinians disposable. Ayeka asks, where are we? And how do we find our humanity again?"

Av 5784: Ayeka by Aly Halpert

Ufros, Text from Evening Prayerbook Liturgy, melody by Shir Meira Feit 
וּפְרוֹשׂ עָלֵינוּ סֻכַּת שְׁלוֹמֶךָ וְתַקְּנֵנוּ בְּעֵצָה טוֹבָה מִלְּפָנֶיךָ וְהוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ

U·fros a·lei·nu su·kat she·lo·me·cha
Ve·tak·nei·nu be·ei·tzah to·vah mil·fa·ne·cha ve·ho·shi·ei·nu

Spread over us the shelter of Your peace and guide us to better ourselves through Your good counsel.

Ufros - Shir Meira Feit

Lo yisa goy el goy cherev; lo yilmidu od milchama
לֹא יִשָּׂא גוֹי אֶל גוֹי חֶרֶב לֹא יִלְמְדוּ עוֹד מִלְחָמָה
Nation shall not lift sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.
(B'ko​l Echad, pg 90)

Tear down the walls that keep us fighting, dividing and conquering
They cannot take our humanity
You're a part of me, sibling

-----------------
Cease. Fire. Now.

Sibling (Lo Yisa Goy)

[Verse]
There's a leprechaun in my attic he hides behind the beams
He tells me all his stories and shares his golden dreams
His laugh is like a whisper his footsteps light as air
The world forgot about him but I know he's still there

[Verse 2]
He sips his tea at midnight his cup a thimble small
He swears he built the rainbow that arches over all
His tales of ancient mischief they sparkle in the night
A tiny friend with secrets glowing in the moonlight

[Chorus]
The leprechaun in the attic is my friend till the end
He’s a keeper of the magic where the real and dreams blend
We dance on dusty floorboards under starlit skies
The leprechaun in the attic makes the ordinary rise

[Verse 3]
He hums a tune of clovers that grow beneath the stone
He says he found his fortune but prefers to be alone
The gold he keeps in shadows is nothing he would spend
He says the greatest treasure is the company of friends

[Bridge]
Sometimes he feels forgotten a legend lost in time
But I remind him daily his heart's a precious rhyme
He smiles his crooked smile and tips his tiny hat
A friendship born in secret a bond that won’t fall flat

[Chorus]
The leprechaun in the attic is my friend till the end
He’s a keeper of the magic where the real and dreams blend
We dance on dusty floorboards under starlit skies
The leprechaun in the attic makes the ordinary rise

[Verse]
There's a tiny laugh in the creaky beams
A whisper of gold in my midnight dreams
He dances on dust and the moonlight's glow
The leprechaun's secrets
Only I know

[Chorus]
The leprechaun in the attic is my friend
Through the rafters and the nights we spend
He spins tales of rainbows that never bend
The leprechaun in the attic
My odd godsend

[Verse 2]
He wears a coat stitched from clouds and moss
A hat that tilts like he's the boss
His boots click on the wooden floor
A mischievous soul I can't ignore

[Chorus]
The leprechaun in the attic is my friend
Through the rafters and the nights we spend
He spins tales of rainbows that never bend
The leprechaun in the attic
My odd godsend

[Bridge]
He tells me jokes that make no sense
Plays tricks on time
It's all so intense
A guardian of treasures no one can see
But he shares his laughter just with me

[Verse 3]
In the quiet nights when the house feels cold
He warms the air with stories bold
A pot of joy
No gold in sight
The leprechaun keeps my heart alight

The Leprechaun in the Attic

Original music set to the Jewish morning prayer "Elohai Neshama."

Elohai Neshama

V'yitnu L'kha Keter M'lukha

Elul: Songs for Turning

Elul Niggun by Aly Halpert

Origin:
Words are from the selichot service
Melody is from Sephardi/Mizrachi selichot
This is a recording that Batya Levine made for NSP in preparation for co-leading High Holiday services with Rabbi Joseph in 2019

Words:
Adon Ha-Selichot, bochen livavot
Golah amukot, doveir tzedakot
Chatanu lefanecha, rachem aleinu

Hadur ba-niflaot, vatik bi-nechamot
Zocheir berit avot, chokeir kilayot
Chatanu lefanecha, rachem aleinu

Tov u'meitiv labriot, yodei’a kol nistarot
Koveish avonot, loveish tzedakot
Chatanu lefanecha, rachem aleinu

Maleh zechuyot, nora tehilot
Soleach avonot, oneh b'eit tzarot
Chatanu lefanecha, rachem aleinu

Poh-el yeshuot, tzofeh atidot
Koreh hadorot, rochev aravot
Shomeah tefilot, t'mim dei-ot
Chatanu lefanecha, rachem aleinu

Adon HaSelichot

sim shalom, sim shalom, sim shalom, oooh sim shalom
lace peace and goodness and blessing on the world
grace, lovingkindness, compassion on us

Sim Shalom - Koach Baruch Frazier

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!