Days of Awe at Kol Tzedek

MENTORS
This song came through about a year after a grief ritual where several of us were grieving lack of mentorship in our lives, lack of in tact culture - a sense of cultural orphans - wishing we were waking up to 30 pairs of eyes on us in our youth - longing for village and connection. And then a friend told me, we have to become the mentors we are seeking for the next generations. And I was like “Pum!”
  
lyrics:
we must become the mentors that we are seeking
is also dreaming us, what it is that we are dreaming

to hear more community songs by ahlay, visit: https://www.alexandrablakely.com/songlibrary

Mentors

sung by R' Mónica Gomery, Batya Levine, and Ilana Lerman

Achat Shaalti, traditional Ashkenazi tune by S Mernick

Zochreinu, Remember Us

Leylines

I Believe in Being Ready, by Rising Appalachia

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

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)

Your presence makes the weary whole

Niggun Tishrei - Nava Tehila

V'yitnu L'kha Keter M'lukha

Inspired by nomadic years, the wisdom of the body and nervous system, change, Somatic Reality: Bodily Experience and Emotional Truth by Stanley Kelemen, the Kohenet Hebrew Priestess community, and the Judaism of my ancestors. Received to the tune of Avinu Malkeinu, a traditional Jewish High Holidays prayer. 

Deep gratitude to my teachers, community and bright and well ancestors: Taya Shere, Ibrahim Baba, my parents, Zaide, Grandpa, the Romanian women, Kohenet and so many more. Thank you.
lyrics
Slow down, child, slow down 
Slow down and listen to the wind 
All comes together; all falls apart 
Forming anew your beating heart 

Slow down, child, slow down 
Slow down and draw yourself near 
The rocks are your keepers 
Tell them your stories 
Now it is safe to be here 

A river flows from within you to where you will go 
The current carries you home 
Let your life unfold 

Slow down, child, slow down 
Slow down and you will receive 
Life wants to meet you where you are 
Not where you think you should be 

A river flows from within you to where you will go 
The current carries you home 
Let your life unfold 

Slow down, child, slow down 
Slow down and you will be shown 
The love that was always lifting you up 
You are never alone 

A river flows from within you to where you will go 
The current carries you home 
Let your life unfold 

Slow down child, slow down (x4) 

Slow down, child, slow down 
Slow down and listen to the wind 
All comes together; all falls apart 
Forming anew your beating heart

Slow Down / The Mother's Response (Demo)

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

recorded by Sol Weiss, Aly Halpert & Margot Seigle

Ki anu amecha, v’atah Eloheinu;
anu vanecha v’atah avinu.
Anu avadecha, v’atah adoneinu;
anu k’halecha, v’atah chelkeinu.
Anu nachalatecha, v’atah goraleinu;
anu tzonecha, v’atah ro’einu.
Anu charmecha, v’atah not’reinu;
anu f’ulatecha, v’atah yotz’reinu.
Anu ra’yatecha, v’atah dodeinu;
anu s’gulatecha, v’atah eloheinu.
Anu amecha, v’atah malkeinu.

כִ י אָ נּו עַ מֶ ָך וְ אַ תָ ה אֱ ֹלהֵ ינּו
אָ נּו בָ נֶיָך וְ אַ תָ ה אָ בִ ינּו
אָ נּו עֲ בָ דֶ יָך וְ אַ תָ ה אֲ דֹונֵנּו
אָ נּו קְ הָ לֶ ָך וְ אַ תָ ה חֶ לְ קֵ נּו
אָ נּו נַחֲ לָ תֶ ָך וְ אַ תָ ה גֹורָ לֵ נּו
אָ נּו צֹאנֶָך וְ אַ תָ ה רֹועֵ נּו
אָ נּו כַ רְ מֶ ָך וְ אַ תָ ה נֹוטְ רֵ נּו
אָ נּו פְ עֻ לָ תֶ ָך וְ אַ תָ ה יֹוצְ רֵ נּו
אָ נּו רַ עְ יָתֶ ָך וְ אַ תָ ה דֹודֵ נּו
אָ נּו סְ גֻ לָ תֶ ָך וְ אַ תָ ה אֱ ֹלהֵ ינּו
אָ נּו עַ מֶ ָך וְ אַ תָ ה מַ לְ כֵ נּו

We are Your people and You are our God. We are Your children;
You, our parent. We are the ones who serve You; You, the one
who calls us to service. We are Your community; You are all
we need. We are Your portion forever; and You, our destined
one. We are Your flock; You are our shepherd. We are Your
vineyard; You watch over us. We are the fruit of Your labor;
You are our creator. We are Your loving friend; and You, our
beloved companion. We are your people, you are our Sovereign.

Adapted from Temple Rodef Shalom Yom Kippur Prayerbook

Elul Niggun by Aly Halpert

Kol Tzedek

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