Yotzer Yechidati - R’bi Moshe Zakut (Italy, 1620-1697)
Morocco | Baqashot Beshalah | Hijaz Mesharqi

Yotzer yechidati lo etenah dodai 
Echeseh be’ziv seter e’lion betzel Shadai

Gamar be’yom shishi et kol asher a’sah
Ra’a vehineh tov, kol machazeh Shadai

Limeyachaleh chasdo ganaz me’or tuvo
Mazhir ke zohar a’l harim veziv shadai

Kidesh behar Sinai et kol kahal ‘amo
Hamu lechibato gam bahamot Shadai

Moshe zechut hirba torah befiv natan
Kolo kekol mayim rabim kekol Shadai

Yom ze ani mekhin nafshi le’hod yeter
‘Al ken teshacher na el el ve’el Shadai

Ochil le’tsur el chay yigmor shanot hachol Lishbot beshabato az yaaloz Shadai.

To the creator of my being, I shall give my love
In the light of a sublime secret, I will hide in the shadow of Shadai 
He finished on Friday everything that he had done 
He saw that it was good, all of Shadai’s creation.
He strengthened the sick with the light of his goodness. 
The splendor of Shadai shines like a beacon on the mountains.
In Sinai, he blessed the whole community of his people
They hummed to his affection,  even the animals of Shadai.
Moshe multiplied the credits and gave Torah from his mouth. His voice was like the voices of water, like the voice of Shadai. 
For that day, I am preparing my soul to deep gratitude
That God may arise, El and El Shadai.
I pray that my rock, the living God,  may end the unsacred years. That He may sit in His Shabat. Then Shadai may exult.
Source:  אתר הפיוט והתפילה, שיר ידידות. Translation and Transliteration: Laura Elkeslassy.

Laura's Website: https://www.lauraelkeslassy.com/
Laura's Bandcamp: https://lauraelkeslassy.bandcamp.com/album/ya-ghorbati-live-concert

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Yotzer Yechidati - R' Moshe Zakut, Morocco, Baqashot Bashelah, sung by Laura Elkeslassy

What Ezekiel Saw, by Nomy Lamm


CHORUS: I looked up into the sky
I was lookin at the center of god’s insides
Looking for an angel to be my guide
Chills ran up and down my spine

There was a great big golden ring
And it was twisting and turning…

CHORUS

There was a second ring right there inside
The great big golden ring
And it was twisting and turning…

CHORUS

There were eyeballs on every side
of the second ring right there inside
of the great big golden ring
And it was twisting and turning…

CHORUS

There were wings upon wings
growing out the eyeballs on every side
of the second ring right there inside
of the great big golden ring
And it was twisting and turning…


CHORUS

Face of a lion an eagle a human a cow
on wings upon wings
growing out the eyeballs on every side
of the second ring right there inside
of the great big golden ring
And it was twisting and turning…

CHORUS

It was young and old and in between
a lion an eagle a human a cow
on wings upon wings
growing out the eyeballs on every side
of the second ring right there inside
of the great big golden ring
And it was twisting and turning…

CHORUS


Trumpets were blasting!
young and old and in between
a lion an eagle a human a cow
on wings upon wings
growing out the eyeballs on every side
of the second ring right there inside
of the great big golden ring
And it was twisting and turning…

Nomy's Bandcamp: https://nomylamm.bandcamp.com/
Nomy's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-949519256
Nomy's website: https://www.nomyteaches.com/

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

What Ezekiel Saw: The Ophanim Song - Nomy Lamm

Time of Change - Keshira haLev Fife
We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for
We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for
It is upon us to dream beyond us
We’re the ones we’ve been waiting for
 
This is a time of change
Hold liminality
Let it rearrange us
May it turn us towards the sacred

Keshira's website: https://www.keshirahalev.com/

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Time of Change - Keshira haLev Fife

Margot's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/margotseigle

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Spider / Araña Nigun - Margot Seigle

Sing Through My Voice - text by Abigail Spinner McBride, Melody by Beautiful Chorus, sung by Marques Hollie
Sing through my voice
Play through my hands 
Let the way be open

Marques' Website: https://www.marqueshollie.com/
Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Sing Through My Voice - Beautiful Chorus, sung by Marques Hollie

Shema - Caryn Shebowich
Shema yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai echad
Listen my people, 
Our voices and bodies are one
Lifting voices together
We know that our work's just begun

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Shema (Hebrew & English)- Caryn Shebowich

Shema - Caryn Shebowich
Shema yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai echad

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Shema (Hebrew Live)- Caryn Shebowich

Seek My Presence - Itai Gal
Lakh amar, lakh amar libi
Lakh amar, lakh amar libi

Bakshu fanai, bakshu fanai
Bakshu fanai, fanai tamid

To You my soul, to You my soul has said
To You my soul, to You my soul has said

Seek My presence, seek My face always
Seek My presence, seek My face always

Your presence, Holy One, I will seek, I will seek
Your presence, Holy One, I will seek, I will seek

לְךָ֤  אָמַ֣ר לִ֭בִּי בַּקְּשׁ֣וּ פָנָ֑י אֶת־פָּנֶ֖יךָ ה' אֲבַקֵּֽשׁ

Itai's Bandcamp: https://itaiandtheophanim.bandcamp.com/

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Seek My Presence - Itai Gal

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Red Yurt Nigun Reprise - Bri Watson

Red Yurt Nigun - Bri Watson

Greif and Love by Sarina Partidge
Grief moving through me
Let my body
Feel the waves of love and grief

Grief, grief and love
Let me feel it all

Purchase this track & hear more music from Sarina: https://sarinapartridge.bandcamp.com/  
Support Sarina's work: Patreon.com/sarinapartridge 
Sarina's Website: https://sarinapartridge.com/

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Grief and Love - Sarina Partridge

Barukh ata adonai, eloheinu melekh halom, asher natan lesechvi binah lehavchin ben yom uven layla.
Barukh ata adonai, eloheinu melekh halom, she’asani b’tzalmo.
Brukha at shekhina, elohoteinu ruach haolam, she’asani bat horin.
Barukh ata adonai, eloheinu melekh halom, she’asani yisrael
Brukha at shekhina, elohoteinu malkat haolm, malbisha arumim.
Barukh ata adonai, eloheinu melekh haolam, matir asurim.
Brukha at shekhina, elohoteinu malkat haolam, zokefet k’fufim.
Barukh ata adonai, eloheinu melekh halom, hanoten laya’ef koakh.

Blessed are you, Cosmic Majesty of the Universe,
for giving my heart the ability to distinguish between day and night,
who made me in Their Divine image,
who made me free,
who made me part of my people,
who clothes the naked, 
who frees the bound,
who straightens the bent,
who gives the weary strength.

Anat's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/anat-hochberg
Anat's album on Bandcamp: https://anathalevyhochberg.bandcamp.com/album/how-can-i-keep-from-singing

Photo by Jess Benjamin, taken at Let My People Sing! Summer Retreat 2023

Birkot HaShachar / Morning Blessings - Anat Halevy Hochberg

Ashreichem, piyyut from Persian tradition, sung by MJ Gilbert 
written in Judeo-Persian 
זְכוּתֶה תוּרֶה יֶה מוּשֶׁה
זְכוּתֶה גַ'מְעֵה חֲבֵרִים 
בָּר מָה רֶסַאן בְּשׂוֹרָה 
אָז אוֹמַאדַנֶה יְשׁוּעָה 
אַשְׁרֵיכֶם אַשְׁרֵיכֶם אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל 
אָז צֶ'שְׁמֶה יֶה הָיֶיה יְשׁוּעָה 
אָוֹבֶּה הָייָאתִי בָּרוֹרִים 
בָּר מָה רֶסַאן בְּשׂוֹרָה 
אָז אוֹמַאדַנֶה יְשׁוּעָה 
אַשְׁרֵי אֲשֶׁר אַשְׁרֵי 
הַשִּׁירִים אֲשֶׁר לִשְׁלֹמֹה 
אַשְׁרֵיכֶם אַשְׁרֵיכֶם אַשְׁרֵיכֶם יִשְׂרָאֵל

Zekhuteh tureh ye Musheh
Zekhuteh jam’eh haverim
Bar mah resan besorah
Az omadaneh yeshu’ah
Ashreikhem, ashreikhem, ashreikhem Israel
Az cheshmeh yeh hayeh yeshu’ah
A-obe hayati barorim
Bar mah resan besorah
Az omadaneh yeshu’ah
Ashrei, asher ashrei 
Hashirim asher li-Shlomo
Ashreikhem, ashreikhem, ashreikhem Israel

By the merit of the Torah of Moses
By the merit of this gathering of friends
Send us the good news
Of the coming of our redemption.
Happy, happy, happy are you O Israel
From the wells of redemption we draw the water of life
Happy, happy, happy are you O Israel



Artwork by Sivan Tratt

Ashreichem - piyyut from Persian tradition, sung by MJ Gilbert

When the world is sick, can't no one be well
But i dreamt we was all beautiful and strong

from God Bless Our Dead Marines by Thee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band

recording produced by Shir Yaakov Feit. 

musicians: 
Elana Brody, Arielle Solomon, Rachel Cohn, Talya Goldberg, Tadea Klein, Yaeli Bronstein, Brooke Palatt, Craig Auerbacher, Margot Seigle, Brian Dolphin, Shir Yaakov Feit

Release Outtakes

When The World Is Sick

by Aly Halpert

chorus and bridge from an Arundhati Roy quote.

recorded by Aly Halpert (voice & guitar) & Margot Seigle (backup vocie)
November 9th, 2016

lyrics:
the policemen have thrown away their guns
they kiss their sons and their daughters and their souls are at peace
no more black boys black girls trans women dying
no more reasons that could ever justify their loss 
and mothers send their teens out at night 
to breathe the sweet summer air and exhale on the ground
the earth was made for them
the earth is made for them
she is on her way
and no one can be silent anymore
every death is a death that my family mourns 
we've traded in our numbness and all of our fear
to fight for the lives we now hold dear
and everyone has come to greet the reckoning
the place where our hearts got smaller and smaller 
now grows to hold the pain
the brokenness that leads to pain
she is on her way
another world's not only possible
on a quiet day I can hear her breathing
and when the world we're dreaming is ours
we'll be tall inside
there will be no more question
as we pray and sing
that we have each other and what that means
we'll finally get to be together
stare with our hearts at what has been
and find some place of home
she is on her way"

She is On Her Way

recorded by Batya Levine & Noam Lerman
November 9, 2016

Noam Lerman learned this song during a morning water ceremony that took place at standing rock reservation when they were there during sukkot. It was taught by someone named Lia.

Water Heal My Soul

by Batya Levine with creative collaboration from Noam Lerman

recorded by Batya Levine & Noam Lerman
November 13, 2016

We Rise

Itai Gal: music, keyboards, production, lead vocals, English translations
Jeremy Orenstein: guitar, percussion, vocals
Pádraig Donworth: trumpet, vocals
Lyrics from liturgy and the Book of Esther
You are the first and last. Other than You, we have no king or redeemer.

Lift Us! by Itai Gal

Negro Spiritual reinterpreted by Koach Baruch Frazier

Be With Me by Koach Baruch Frazier

This recording was made in community with the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir NYC

Healing Is Possible by Orion Johnstone

Elohai Neshama by Sol Weiss

Tehom Nigun by Mónica Gomery

Chabad nigun named after it's author, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneersohn who was also known as the "Tzemach Tzedek," which means "sprout of justice."

Tzemach Tzedek Nigun

Just for a Little While by Mother Tongue, author Raphael Agosto-Miranda

Healing Song by Kestrel Feiner-Homer

Tu Bshvat Nigun by Batya Levine sung live at Let My People Sing! 2018.

LMPS 2018

Tu Bshvat Nigun - Batya Levine - LMPS 2018

Be With Me by Koach Baruch Frazier, sung at Let My People Sing! 2017

LMPS 2017

Be With Me - Koach Baruch Frazier - LMPS 2017

Tree Nigun by Noam Lerman, used at many Let My People Sing! gatherings.

Tree  Nigun - Noam Lerman

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

A zemer (song) for rest and joy on Shabbat, a time of slowing down
This zemer is usually sung on on Friday night. (16th century text)
sung by Mónica Gomery & Batya Levine

M’nuha v’simha, or lay’hudim,
Yom shabbaton yom mahamadim.
Shom’rav v’zokh’rav heima m’idim
Ki l’shisha kol b’ru’im v’om’dim.

Sh’mei shamayim, erets v’yamim,
Kol ts’va marom g’vohim v’ramim,
Tanin v’adam v’hayat r’eimim,
Ki v’yah adonai tsur olamim.

Hu asher diber l’am s’gulato,
Shamor l’kad’sho mibo’o v’ad tseito.
Shabbat kodesh, yom hemdato,
Ki vo shavat mikol m’lakhto.

B’mitsvat shabbat eil yahalitsakh.
Kum k’ra eilav yahish l’am’tsakh
Nishmat kol hai v’gam na’aritsakh,
Ekhol b’simha ki kh’var ratsakh.

B’mishneh lehem v’kiddush raba,
B’rov mat’amim v’ruah n’diva,
Yizku l’rav tuv hamit’an’gim bah
B’viat go’eil l’hayei ha’olam haba.

Translation:
O light of gladness,​​ O light of gladness,​​
Peace​ unto Israel,
Shabba​​t day of bliss, weave thy magic spell,
Weave​ thy magic spell.
All they who guard thee, all they who guard thee,
With raised cup do tell,
Tell of six days toil, earth from chaos raised
Build​ed firm and well.

Blue skies and green fields, blue skies and green fields,
Ocean​'s unceasing​ tide.
Glori​ous hosts of heaven, beaming far and wide,
Beami​ng far and wide.
Might​y whales and dragons fierce, mighty whales and dragons fierce,
Then human, to tame their pride:
God's​ hand formed them all, sure God's works abide,
Sure God's works abide.

God spoke to Israel, God spoke to Israel,
Chose​n for this behest,
'Till​ night's stars shine bright guard My Shabbat blest,
Guard​ My Shabbat blest.'
O day delightfu​​l, O day delightfu​​l,
Day which our God loved best,
God Godself on thee from God's toil did rest,
From God's toil did rest.

Ye faint and wearied, ye faint and wearied,
Shabba​​t soon make you strong!
Call on God, to God strength and might belong,
Stren​gth and might belong.
Sing loud God's praises, sing loud God's praises,
Sing mid the Angel throng,
Then go, eat in peace, God hath heard your song,
God hath heard your song.

Twin loaves and good cheer, twin loaves and good cheer,
Goble​ts of ruby wine,
Bid thy guests sing loud, praise God's gifts divine
Prais​e God's gifts divine.
God's grace will bless thee, God's grace will bless thee,
True Sabbath bliss be thine
Soon to greet our King, sprung from David's iiu
Sprun​g from David's line.

Menucha V'Simcha - Ashkenazi Traditional

recorded by Aly Halpert, Sol Weiss & Margot Seigle

I believed in solid ground until I saw the earth in motion,
in the winds of steady change and in the ever-rolling ocean.

All moves on in perfect, perfect motion.
All is change and ever-rolling ocean.

from Annie: 
Blessed Motion is a 4-part acknowledgement of the nature of Life as an unpredictable, ever-changing movement toward itself. The melody came squatting on a rock next to a fast moving fork in the Trinity River, where salmon were in their first week of journeying to their spawning sites in northern California. Martin Prechtel said after surviving the Guatemala earthquake of 1976, during which he witnessed the ground beneath him rising up and swallowing people and villages whole, that solid ground is a myth believed by people who live on the earth rather than in it. This idea has stayed with me through the years and provided partial inspiration for this song. This is a big song! It travels through two dimensions, the first, a three or four part set of repeating lines, the second, a layered riff topped with a solo section.

Blessed Motion - Annie Zylstra

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

Kishke Nigun - Margot Seigle

stone by stone
tear by tear
we release
& create right here

what is gone we build upon

credits
this is a rough cut / pre-master recorded with R. Micah Shapiro (on engineering, djembe & harmony vox) in west philly.

Stone by Stone by Taya Mâ

"The Sky's Reply" by Joshua Blaine
LYRICS:
מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃
Psalm 118:5

To You I call, feeling scared and small.
And You reply with the vastness of the sky!

English verse/translation inspired by-the English translation from Siddur HaKohanot: A Hebrew Priestess Prayerbook:
"I called to Yah from the narrow place, and was answered with the sky's wideness"

The Sky’s Reply by Josh Blaine

let it blow through
let it blow through 

open up the windows of your soul and let it blow through

hard times come and hard times go 

let it blow through

Let It Blow Through by Maggie Wheeler

JEWISH COMMUNAL SINGING FOR HEALING AND LIBERATION
Let My People Sing! is a cultural project expanding the ancient and transformative practice of Jewish communal singing. We gather in multi-racial, multicultural and genderful Jewish community, uplifting songs and leaders historically and ongoingly pushed to the margins. Together, we transmit and reclaim diasporic Jewish singing traditions, celebrate original music emerging from our communities, and create heart-centered gatherings where we can all be leaders and learners of song.

Let My People Sing!

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