Nu Ju Tunz

Ruach Neshama is a collection of songs of soul and breath. These songs employ traditional texts, lyrical midrash and the meditative practice of the nigun—the wordless melody—to open our hearts to the ever-present guidance and compassion within. They strive to paint the wisdom and words of our ancestors on a canvas of body and nature, and to ask the question: What is my soul calling for? What teachings do Earth, Song, and Spirit offer me? 

Free sheet music found at arielwolpe.com/sheetmusic 

Many thanks to the incredible musicians who shared their voices on these tracks: to Kendra for being my sister in life, love and music, to Deborah for sweet harmonies and infinite padding, to Jon for relinquishing his time and office space for recording, to Gayanne for sharing my passion for musical connection to earth, and to my mother Valerie for her ongoing guidance in sound, song and spirit. Thank you to my Rising Song cohort Rebekka, Gedalia, Eitan, Batya, Rena, and Sam, for the never-ending inspiration, support and friendship that have lifted my spirit and my offerings to the world. To Don Godwin for mixing and editing these layered tracks, to Eliyahu Sills and Will Robertson for instrumental offerings, and to Josh Fleet for his logistical support. This album would not exist...  more
credits
released August 8, 2021 

All music composed by Ariel Root Wolpe, Hebrew text from Jewish liturgy and Tanakh. 
Music direction by Joey Weisenberg and Ariel Root Wolpe 
Harmony direction by Deborah Sacks Mintz 
Produced by Joey Weisenberg 

Recorded outside and in home-studios in Atlanta, GA, Philadelphia, PA, and Berkeley, CA. 
Engineered by Joey Weisenberg and Jon Mitchell 
Mixed and Mastered by Don Godwin 
Artwork and Layout by Sol Yael Weiss. 

Singers and Musicians: 
Ariel Root Wolpe - lead vocals, acoustic guitar 
Kendra Root Wolpe - vocals 
Deborah Sacks Mintz - vocals 
Valerie Root Wolpe - vocals 
Jon Mitchell - vocals, djembe (track #8) 
Joey Weisenberg - bass, percussion, guitar, baritone ukulele, piccolo, drum programming, vocals 
Will Robertson - bass (track #7) 
Eliyahu Sills - flute (track #2) 
Rising Song Institute Vocalists: Rena Branson, Rebekka Goldsmith, Eitan Kantor, Gedalia Penner, Sam Tygiel, Batya Levine, Gayanne Geurin (track #5) 

www.arielwolpe.com 
www.risingsong.org 

A Project of Hadar's Rising Song Institute: Cultivating Jewish spiritual life through song. 

"Ruach Neshama" sponsored by Wilderness Torah 
"Yedid Nefesh" sponsored by Ahavath Achim Synagogue 
"Hineni" sponsored by Adath Israel on the Main Line 
"Vatikach Miriam" sponsored by Congregation Or Hadash 
"Waking Up Nigun" sponsored by Har Zion Temple
license

Ruach Neshama

Yedid Nefesh

Recorded live in Jamaica Plain in April, 2016.
Music by Micah Shapiro; Words from Kabbalat Shabbat
Batya Levine - Vocals
Molly Bajgot - Vocals
Claudia Kreiman - Vocals
Anat Hochberg - Vocals
Nate DeGroot - Vocals
Ariadne Valsamis - Vocals
Noam Lerman - Djembe
Ron White - Djembe
Jesse Andrews - Bass
Sarah Noyovitz - Vocals
Dara Rosenblatt - Vocals
Scott Goldberg - Vocals
Leora Abelson - Vocals
Micah Shapiro – Guitar, Vocals
Eli Levitt - Vocals
Zoe Levitt - Vocals

He'iru V'rakav

Melody by Lydia Watkins
Recorded at Hava Nashira 2022

Lydia's Nigun

Shtibl Minyan Shacharit Service

Sim Shalom

A classic niggun attributed to Rav Yisrael ben Eliezar, ZTsL, the Baal Shem Tov from the coming album "Candle Light: a collection of niggunim" at http://arielwolpe.com/rabbi

Sung by Ariel Root Wolpe, Nat Rosenzweig, and Jon Mitchell

Besht Niggun

Od Ynuvun, words - Psalm 92, music by Anat Halevy Hochberg & Noam Lerman

Od Ynuvun b’seivah
D’shenim v’ra’ananim yihiyu

Shetulim b’veit adonai,
B’chatztrot eloheinu yafrichu

Tzadik katamar yifrach
Ke’erez balvanon yisgeh

L’hagid ki yashar adonai
Tzuri v’lo avlata bo
עוֹד יְנוּבוּן בְּשֵׂיבָה 
דְּשֵׁנִים וְרַעַנַנִּים יִהְיוּ.

שְׁתוּלִים בְּבֵית ה' 
בְּחַצְרוֹת אֶלֹהֵינוּ יַפְרִיחוּ

צַדִיק כַּתָמָר יִפְרָח כְּאֶרֶז 
בַּלְּבָנוֹן יִשׂגֶּה. 

לְהַגִּיד כִּי יָשָׁר ה'
צוּרִי וְלֹא עַוְלָתָה בּוֹ

Translation:The righteous​ shall flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.Plant​ed in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit even in old age; they shall be fresh and full of sap; To declare that the Lord is upright; He is my Rock, in whom there is no unrighteo​us​ness. Trans​lation source: Jewish Publicati​on Society Bible (1917) (public domain)

Od Ynuvun - Anat Halevy Hochberg & Noam Lerman

הִנֵּה אֵ-ל יְשׁוּעָתִי, אֶבְטַח וְלֹא אֶפְחָד כִּי עָזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָ-הּ ה’, וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה. וּשְׁאַבְתֶּם מַֽיִם בְּשָׂשׂוֹן, מִמַּעַיְנֵי הַיְשׁוּעָה לַה’ הַיְשׁוּעָה, עַל עַמְּךָ בִרְכָתֶֽךָ סֶּֽלָה. ה’ צְבָאוֹת עִמָּֽנוּ, מִשְׂגָּב לָנוּ אֱלֹקֹי יַעֲקֹב סֶֽלָה ה’ צְבָאוֹת, אַשְרֵי אָדָם בֹּטֵֽחַ בָּךְ. ה’ הוֹשִֽׁיעָה, הַמֶּֽלֶךְ יַעֲנֵֽנוּ בְיוֹם קָרְאֵֽנוּ. לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה וְשָׂשׂוֹן וִיקָר, כֵּן תִּהְיֶה לָּֽנוּ. כּוֹס יְשׁוּעוֹת אֶשָּׂא, וּבְשֵׁם ה’ אֶקְרָא:
Hinei El y'shuati, evtach v'lo efchad. Ki ozi v'zimrat Yah Adonai vay'hi li lishuah. Ush'avtem mayim b'sason mimaay'nei hay'shuah. L'Adonai hay'shuah, al am'cha virchatecha, selah. Adonai tz'vaot imanu, misgav lanu, Elohei Yaakov, selah. Adonai tz'vaot, ashrei adam botei-ach bach! Adonai hoshiah; haMelech yaaneinu v'yom kor'einu. LaY'hudim hay'tah orah v'simchah v'sason vikar; kein tih'yeh lanu. Kos y'shuot esa, uv'shem Adonai ekra:

Havdalah, Blessing over the wine/grape juice: 
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא פְּרִי הַגָּֽפֶן. 
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, borei p'ri hagafen.

Havdalah, Blessing over the spices: 
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מִינֵי בְשָׂמִים.
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, borei minei v'samim.

Havdalah, Blessing over the flame: 
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, borei m'orei ha-esh.

Havdalah, Blessing of separation:
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, אֱלֹקֵינוּ מֶֽלֶךְ הָעוֹלָם, הַמַּבְדִיל בֵּין קֹֽדֶשׁ לְחוֹל, בֵּין אוֹר לְחֹֽשֶׁךְ, בֵּין יִשְׂרָאֵל לָעַמִּים, בֵּין יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי לְשֵֽׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה’, הַמַּבְדִיל בֵּין קֹֽדֶשׁ לְחוֹל.
Baruch atah, Adonai Eloheinu, Melech haolam, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol, bein or l'choshech, bein Yisrael laamim, bein yom hash'vi-i l'sheishet y'mei hamaaseh. Baruch atah Adonai, hamavdil bein kodesh l'chol.

Translation:
Behold, the God who gives me triumph! I am confident, unafraid; for Adonai is my strength and might, and has been my deliverance. Joyfully shall you draw water from the fountains of triumph, deliverance is Adonai's; Your blessing be upon Your people! Selah. Adonai Tz'vaot is with us; the God of Jacob is our haven. Selah. Adonai Tz'vaot. happy is the one who trusts in You. O Adonai, grant victory! May the Sovereign answer us when we call. The Jews enjoyed light and gladness, happiness and honor. So may it be for us. I raise the cup of deliverance and invoke the name of Adonai:

We praise You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, Creator of the fruit of the vine. We praise You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, Creator of varied spices.
We praise You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, Creator of the lights of fire.
Praise to You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all: who distinguishes between the holy and ordinary, between light and dark, between Israel and the nations, between the seventh day and the six days of work. Praise to You, Adonai who distinguishes the holy and ordinary.

Havdala (Modzitz & Debbie Friedman melodies)

Havdala

All Music by Micah Shapiro
Words from Kabbalat Shabbat
Micah Shapiro (Guitar, Vocals), Rebecca Schatz (Vocals), Myra Meskin (Vocals), Shira Gluck (Vocals), Sam Blustin (Vocals), Jenn Queen (Vocals), Geo Poor (Vocals)

Psalms 93:3,4 - Nas'u N'harot נשאו נהרות

Vocals - Batya Levine
Percussion - Simcha Halpert Hanson

Nechama - Batya Levine

By the wonderful and talented Rabbi Shefa Gold

Kosi Revaya

Safra

Iraqi Yah Ribon/Lecha Dodi (George Mordechai)

Artist: Unknown
I learned at Adamah (Jewish Farming Fellowship) in 2014. The song was brought to the Isabella Freedman community from Cara Michelle Silverberg who learned it at The Art of Mentoring (a workshop from the Vermont Awareness School). **please correct me if I'm wrong about any of this info!

Sung at a song circle on April 13, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
Learn to live your life with all your heart, and
All your soul and all your mind, and
Love all humankind as you would love yourself

Part 2:
Learn to live your life
With all your heart
And all your soul and mind and 
Love all humankind

Part 3:
We've got happy lives to live
We've got open arms to give
We've got hope down deep inside
Because in love we do reside

Learn To Live Your Life (Unknown)

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

Baby Bird Nigun (Aly Halpert)

Mishpacha Nigun (Molly Bajgot & Sol Yael Weiss)

how can I ...

be a little more soft today
feel a little more connected today
get a little more grounded today
be a little more free today 
___ a little more ____ today

A part of the melody inspired by and based on "Faith's Hymn" by Beautiful Chorus

How Can I

Batya Levine, Rena Branson, Aliza Schwartz, Tamar Sandweiss-Back, Becky Havivi

Galeh (Rabbi Moshe Shur)

Hamotzeh shivrei tzelamim, harei eilu mutarim
 המוצא שברי צלמים הרי אלו מותרים
(Mishnah Avoda Zara 3:2)
 To the finder of broken images-- behold, these are permitted.

Check out Arielle's SoundCloud here: https://soundcloud.com/user-227382512

LMPS 2019

Hamotzeh - Arielle Rivera Korman

By Molly Bajgot & Noah Weinberg. 
Elul music project by Anat Hochberg & Matt Goldfield

Nu Ju Tunz

emerald moses