This is a collection of songs that were shared at Let My People Sing!'s Summer Retreat 2023 that we are thrilled to be sharing with you, beloved community.

Artwork by Sivan Tratt

It is Upon Us to Dream Beyond Us: a taste of LMPS summer retreat 2023

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

Lamma Bada Yatathanna - 10th Century Poem, Unknown Composer
Rhythm: Sama’i Thaqil 10/8
Doum es es Tak es Doum Doum Tak es es
D - - T - D D T - -

لما بدي يتثني
Lamma bada Yatathan-na
When my love appeared walking with a swinging gait
لما بدي يتثني
Lamma bada Yatathan-na
When my love appeared walking with a swinging gait
امان امان امان امان امان
Aman Aman Aman Aman Aman
(exclamation)
حبي جماله فتننا
7ebbi jama-lu fatan-na
Her beauty infatuated me
امان امان امان امان امان
Aman Aman Aman Aman Aman
(exclamation)
أومى بلحظ أسرنا
Awma bi LaHzu asarna
Something captured our hearts at a glance
أومى بلحظ أسرنا
Awma bi LaHzu asarna
Something captured our hearts at a glance
امان امان امان امان امان
Aman Aman Aman Aman Aman
(exclamation)
غصن ثنى حينما
Ghusnun thana Hin-amal
Like the branches that sway gracefully
امان امان امان امان امان
Aman Aman Aman Aman Aman
(exclamation)
وعدي و يا حيرتي
Wa’di wa ya Hirati
Oh my destiny, my dilemma
وعدي و يا حيرتي
Wa’di wa ya Hirati
Oh my destiny, my dilemma
ما لي رحيم شكوتي
Mali raHimu shakwaty
None will answer my appeal
بالحب من لوعتي
BilHoub-bi min law’aty
Who can heal me from my ardor of love
إلا مليك الجمال
Illa maleekul jamal
Other than the lady (Lordess) of beauty.
إلا مليك الجمال
Illa maleekul jamal
Other than the lady (Lordess) of beauty?
بالحب من لوعتي
Bil7oubbi min law3aty
Who can heal me from my ardor of love
إلا مليك الجمال
Illa maleekul jamal
Other than the lady (Lordess) of beauty?
إلا مليك الجمال
Illa maleekul jamal
Other than the lady (Lordess) of beauty?

April's website: https://aprilcentrone.com/

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

Lamma Bada Yatathanna - 10th Century Poem, Unknown Composer, led by April Centrone

Arielle's Soundcloud: @user-227382512

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

Ka'as Nigun - Arielle Rivera Korman

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

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

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, Rabbi Jill Hammer, 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 (Preview)

Vocals - Batya Levine
Percussion - Simcha Halpert Hanson

Nechama - Batya Levine

Your Heart Knows the Way

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)

A slow song brought to you by the waters of the Webatuck swamp - Schagticoke / Mahican land. 

Water provides life. From the rain, the dew, the ocean, water heals and holds, and sings so many songs through us. I am grateful to the waters for being such a teacher, and invite you to honor them with this song.

The hebrew at the end is the traditional prayer said for a Mikveh, ritual immersion or bath:

Barukh atah Adonay Eloheynu ruach ha-olam, asher kidshanu b'mitzvotav v'tzivanu al ha-t'vilah.

Blessed are you, source of creation,  of the universe, who sanctifies us through mitzvot and has shown us immersion.

lizard popping bubbles

Great Waters

Bobover Wedding Niggun

Moses' prayer for his sister Miriam when she is sick -- Ana el na refa na la - "please Gd, heal her." 

Ancient Jewish words from Numbers 12:13. Music written and recorded in 2016 by Aly Halpert for a friend who was in need of healing.

Songs for Healing

Ana El Na

"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

Let it Unfold

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.

Ka'as Nigun - Arielle Rivera Korman

Let My People Sing!

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