Sung with Rachel Chang on electric guitar and harmony

Return, return anew
To the breath that is moving through
To the repair that you're called to do
To the healing that's ripe for you

Return, Return Anew

Requiem Lux - Absolve, Domine

sampling:
~ environment, gate 8 at October 16th White House action
~ drums, Jacob Cantor at October 16th White House action
~ vocals, Abigail Bengson of The Bengsons - original: https://www.instagram.com/p/CyopQuoPjW3/
~ vocals, Molly Bajgot and Sol Weiss, with Leigh Witzling, Nina Gordon Kirsch, and Lily Israel - lyrics inspired by Aurora Levins Morales - original: https://soundcloud.com/sol-yael/cross-the-sea?si=825707bcc3d3439da38d19ce2937426e&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing	
~ chanting, October 18th Congress action			 
~ speech, Rabbi Miriam Grossman at October 16th White House action		 
~ speech, Eva Borgwardt at October 18th Congress action
~ drums, Zoe Schoen

No Horror For Horror

14 Bell Road Nign

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

Yah Echsof is a Chassidic song of longing sung on Friday night of Shabbos.
Recorded for a friend upon request for her birthday, and shared here for whomever may find it meaningful.
Artwork by Batya Levine


Translation (by Rabbi Zalman Schachter​-Shalomi):
Yah! How I long for 
the bliss of the Shabbat, united in secret ​
with Your own fervent wish. Give way to Your own 
deep desire to love us. 
May Sabbath in Torah 
be our sacred bliss. ​
Share​ Her with us 
who desire to please You- Our deep thirst for union 
be met with delight

Holy Presence
filli​ng all time and space! Keep safe who keep Shabbat in their longing all week.
Like a deer that seeks water by the banks of the river, ​
We seek Shabbat, the secret of Your sacred Name! 
Grant​ us all week long 
Her shimmerin​g Presence,​ So our hearts and our faith be pure service to You!

Warml​y embrace us 
with Your kind compassio​n, Quench quickly our thirst for Your unending Grace. Give us the bliss drink from Eden's own river. Your praises we sing with joy on our face.
Let Jacobs gift to us-
 ec​ho all week long Infusing our lives 
with a Shabbes-f​illed trace.

Hail Shabbat, delight
of our souls and our Spirits. Ecstasy life-thro​b 
am awed by Your love, Secure that Your caring grants safety and nurture- You feed us sweet nectar from Your Source above. As You embrace us 
with Mothering​ comfort-
In You I take refuge ​
and pledge You my love.

Yah Echsof - by Rebbe Aharon of Karlin

Mah Anu (Rena Branson + violin/production by Eitan Kantor)

Harmony and guitar by Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe

Tzemach Tzedek (1789 - 1866), the third Chabad Rebbe, would purportedly break into this melody upon reaching these words in Hallel (a special set of prayers for festivals and the new moon). 

Listen to an old recording:
www20.chassidus.com/audio/enign/enign911.mp3

Words:
www.chabad.org/multimedia/media_…/Yemin-Hashem.htm

Yemin Hashem (Chabad)

Yeshivat Hadar Fellows of 2018-2019 are pleased to present our recording of tunes from Hallel. We loved singing together so much and want to share our joy with you.

Singers: 
Joe Hyman
Aliza Abolaffia
Yael Jaffe
Ariela Hyman
Nissa Mai
Anina Dassa
Michal Segall
Eliana Willis
Jonathan Wasserman
Anat Hochberg
Allen Lipson
Nate Swetlitz
Lili Shvartzmann
Baci Weiller
Rena Branson
Ari Pomerantz
Ella Grodzinski
Mia Appelbaum
Sam Balogh
Liza Bernstein
Daniela Nagar

Recorded & Edited by Jonathan Wasserman

Hallel

Min HaMeitzar

I have a deeply reverent relationship with Birkas Kohanim and it feels *very* edgy for me to even make, let alone share a recording of it. This prayer feels too potent, too powerful, too real for internet listening. It's meant to be done in ritual, in person, in community, with deep attention and channeling. And yet... with yirah(reverence/fear/awe) & emunah(faith) I'm choosing to share this recording - knowing that so many don't or haven't had access to this ritual - with the intention of it being a tool for learning, a healing salve, and a small taste of this ritual - especially in these times when we can't gather as we used to. 
In this recording I sing the "call" of the prayer, as if I am the shaliach tzibur (prayer leader) and I do not do the "answer" which would be done by the Kohanim in the congregation. I also say "ado-shem" instead of "adonai" to avoid saying the name of G!d in this recording. The melody is a traditional Ashkenazi melody I grew up with. 

Birkas Kohanim, The Priestly Blessing, is a ritual that goes back to Temple times when Kohanim (priests) would use this ritual to bless the people. In many Jewish communities today it is still practiced - traditionally by those with Kohen lineage for the congregation. It is often referred to as “nesiat kapayim,” meaning the raising of hands or as “duchenen,” a Yiddish word, referring to the platform Kohanim often stand on when they bless the congregation.  Birkas Kohanim is (I believe)one of the only rituals left from temple times that we still practice today as it was done then.

Every yuntif, my mom and I would make sure to get to shul in time for Birkas Kohanim, no matter what. Her father, my Zaydie, was a Kohen, and on Pesach, he would walk around to the various shuls in town to make sure they had a Kohen to do Birkas Kohanim. If they didn’t, he would stay and do Birkas Kohanim with them. He wanted everyone to get those potent blessings. I have vivid memories of being blessed by my Zayde, my uncle, and all the Kohanim at shul each year. In Ashkenazi tradition, it is only done on the shalosh regalim (three pilgrimiage holidays) and the yamim noraim (high holidays). From a young age I could feel the immense spiritual power of this ritual as it reverberated through my body and soul, and I still do...every time. 

Text from Shmot/Numbers 6:23-17
Traditional Ashkenazi melody
The words used are from the Torah, they are the words Hashem/Spirit/Godexx commanded the Kohanim to use to bless Bnai Yisrael.

יְבָרֶכְךָ ה' וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ
Yivarechicha adonai v’yishmirecha
May G!d bless you and protect you

יָאֵר ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וִיחֻנֶּךָּ
Ya’er adonai panav eilecha vi’chuneka
May G!d illuminate their face for you and be gracious to you

יִשּא ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ וְיָשם לְךָ שָׁלום
Yisah adonai panav eilecha v’yasem licha shalom
May G!d turn their face towards you and establish peace for you

Birkas Kohanim // The Priestly Blessing - Traditional Ashkenazi Melody & Nusach

Haneiros Halalu (Chabad) — Melody for after Chanukah candle-lighting

Sam Tygiel is a musician, prayer leader and myth-weaver who draws on the rich narrative and musical traditions of Judaism to create emotional openings for people to experience connection, curiosity and healing through Jewish ritual.

Profile photo by Lev Ami 
Background photo by Sam Tygiel