Days of Awe at Kol Tzedek

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

Achat Shaalti, traditional Ashkenazi tune by S Mernick

Leylines

I Believe in Being Ready, by Rising Appalachia

Karov

We Are Good, We Are Flawed, by Batya Levine

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

אלהי נשמה שנתתה בי
טהורה היא

Elohai neshamah shenatatah bee 
tehorah hee 

"God, the soul that You have given me is pure."

From "Avodat Lev: Service of the Heart" by members of the ADAMAH Fellowship. Buy it here: http://isabellafreedman.org/store/avodat-lev:-service-of-the-heart-(cd)-adamah/dp/4798

Co-produced by Shir Yaakov Feit and Kassia Arbabi.



Elohai Neshama by Rabbi Shefa Gold - אלהי נשמה

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

Temptation Calling

Niggun Tishrei - Nava Tehila

V'yitnu L'kha Keter M'lukha

Tehom Nigun by Mónica Gomery

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

Chai Ani by Dovid Zeller

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

Ki Anu Amecha

This is a chant grounded in the resilience, courage, and hope of our Jewish ancestors, reminding us that when we fight for life and for justice, we are weaving ourselves with all justice-fighters who came before us. No fight is too big for our fierce and courageous hearts. 

As the story goes: In 1939, Nazis surrounded a group of Jews from Lublin, Poland, backed up against barbed wire and ordered them to sing to their own execution. One man began to sing: "Mir veln zey iberlebn, iberlebn, iberlebn” —"We will outlive them.” The song took hold among the entire people, who, as they awaited their deaths, began to dance. They danced with joy, with resilience, with a life that could not be destroyed by fascism, militarism, or genocide. The commander saw this resilience. He recognized their defiance. They continued, even as the SS troops charged at them. Most lost their lives that day. And some lived to tell this story. We are here. We will outlive them. We will join forces and voices with others to fight so we can all outlive them, together (thank you, Jews for Racial & Economic Justice!). 

Vocals: Avra Shapiro
Melody: Avra Shapiro
Arrangement: Avra Shapiro & Nadav Simon 
Bass: Matt Coglianese
Drums: Nadav Simon
Violin: Mallory Linehan
Production and Mixing: Nadav Simon
Mastering: Steve Marek 
Recorded and Mastered at Cybernetic Meadow
Art by Micah Bazant (poster can be bought here: https://www.micahbazant.com/buy-art/we-will-outlive-them).

We Are Good, We Are Flawed, by Batya Levine

Kol Tzedek

Related tracks