Unaccompanied English folksong -a man rises from the dead to spend one last night with his lover before daybreak comes and they must part .

The Lover's Ghost

For Pittsburgh and Squirrel Hill. In service of our healing and collective freedom in the midst of intense white nationalist violence in the form of transphobia, racism, sexism, and anti-semitism.  As a reminder that more police and "security" do not make us safer, especially for those of us who hold multiple targeted identities.  We will only win when we are all together.

Lyrics:
we are a beautiful people
though our hearts are broken
we sing for justice, and wholeness

we are a beautiful people
though our hearts are broken
we know that we are not alone
right here we are home

you have taken a universe
you have taken a mountain
our voices echo in the hills

they will not divide us
we will not abide this
we know that together we'll be free
mourning tragedy
our safety is with each other

we are a beautiful people
though our hearts are broken
we sing for justice, and wholeness

we are a beautiful people
though our hearts are broken
we know that we are not alone
right here we are home

toch emunei am segulah (repeated)

hebrew translation: 
from lecha dodi, a prayer greeting shabbes:
among those who hold faith, a treasured nation

gratitude to Chana Rusanov for hebrew lyrics and translation.
gratitude for Rachel Beck for leading me on my own journey against anti-semitism for seven years now
gratitude for Dove Kent, JFREJ, and so so many other brilliant teachers leading us towards solidarity
gratitude for our allies who take the time and effort to see the realities of systemic anti-semitism
gratitude for life, for existence, and the capacity to heal.

Aly Halpert's Album

Beautiful People (Toch Emunei)

Artist: Peter McKenna
I learned it from Adamah (Jewish Farming Fellowship) in 2014. 

Sung at a song circle on January 1, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Part 1:
There is so much magnificence in the ocean
The waves are comin' in
Waves are comin' in

Part 2:
Wash me away
So that all that's left is love
Great Spirit

Part 3:
Hallelujah
Hallelujah

Part 4:
Hallelu, Hallelujah (x3)

Magnificence (Peter McKenna)

Artist: Thee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band 
I learned at Adamah (Jewish Farming Fellowship) in 2014.

Sung at a song circle on January 1, 2019 on Chinook land/Portland, OR.

Lyrics:
When the world is sick
Can't no one be well
But I dreamt we were all beautiful and strong

When The World Is Sick (Thee Silver Mount Zion Memorial Orchestra and Tra-La-La Band)

Origin:
Words are based on a poem by Wendell Berry
Melody is by Plum Village
This is a recording from NSP's Yom Kippur Community Singing Session in 2019

Words:
And when I rise
Let me rise
Like a bird, joyfully
And when I fall,
Let me fall
Like a leaf, gracefully,
And without regret

Singing Team - YK Melodies

When I Rise

Melody by Sol Yael Weiss, harmonies by Aly Halpert

Words brought by Batya Levine, text from the very end of the Shmoneh Esrei / Amidah (silent standing prayer in every Jewish service): Y'hiyu l'ratzon imrei fi v'hegyon libi lefanecha adonia tzuri v'goali

"May these words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be favored in your presence, eternal One, my rock and redeemer." 

Dedicated to Ratzon: Center for Healing and Resistance in Pittsburgh PA, and all of us working to build the world we know is possible.

Y'hiyu L'ratzon

kol ha olam kulu gesher tzar meo'd 
the whole entire world is a very narrow bridge
and the main thing to recall 
is not to fear fear itself

<3

gesher tzar

written on the 1st of Nissan, 5780 // March 26th, 2020

The words for this song come from Earthseed: The Books of the Living out of Octavia Butler's Parable series. At a time when so much is rapidly changing around us, her words feel more present than ever.  I sought to try and write a song to capture this, and opened the book to a part in the story where a community member passes without time to do a proper burial.  Instead, this prayer is offered.  May this song offer some support and solace in a moment where there is so much loss without the ability to come together and properly mourn.

As wind,
As water,
As fire,
As life

God is Change.

God 
Is both creative and destructive,
Demanding and yielding,
Sculptor and clay.

original text:
As wind,
As water,
As fire,
As life,
God
Is both creative and destructive,
Demanding and yielding,
Sculptor and clay.
God is Infinite Potential:
God is Change.

dedicating this song to Edith Louise Goldberg, a"h, who I did not have the privilege to know but was dear to many and took her life on the very day this song came to life. may her memory be a blessing.

As Wind, As Water

This melody is for liturgy that praises the eternal attribute of lovingkindess. 
This recording shows two different places it can be used, in liturgy that shares this core message. The first is in Hallel (a praise section of liturgy reserved for holidays and new moons) and the second is found in Psukei D'zimra on Shabbat & Festivals (the consistant praise section of liturgy that has special additions on shabbos & holidays, such as this song!)

Hodu Ladonia from Hallel (added section of praise for holidays & new moon)

hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo(leader) 
hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo (congregation responds) 
yomar na yisrael ki l'olam chasdo (leader)
hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo (cong. responds) 
yomar na beit aharon ki l'olam chasdo (leader)
hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo (cong. responds) 
yomru na yirei adonai ki l'olam chasdo (leader)
hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo (cong. responds)

Translation:
LEADER: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal 
CONGREGATION: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal!
LEADER: let yisrael(our people/g?d wrestlers) please say: their chesed (lovingkindness)is eternal!
CONG: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal!
LEADER: Let the house of Aharon (the priests/witches/magic weavers/spirit workers) please say: their chesed (lovingkindness)is eternal!
CONG: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal!
LEADER: Let those who are in fear/awe of YHVH (existence/hashem/all time and space)please say: their chesed (lovingkindness)is eternal!
CONGREGATION: give gratitude to hashem (spirit/g!d/life force/etc.), because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal!

Hodu Ladonai from Psukei D'zimra on Shabbat & Yom Tov (festivals)

hodu ladonai ki tov ki l'olam chasdo
hodu lei'lohei ha'elohim ki l'olam chasdo
hodu l'adonai ha'adonim ki l'olam chasdo
l'osai nifla'ot gedolot levado ki l'olam chasdo
l'osai ha'shamayim bi'tvunah ki l'olam chasdo
l'roka ha'aretz al ha'mayim ki l'olam chasdo
l'oseai orim gedolim ki l'olam chasdo
et ha'shemesh l'memshelet bayom ki l'olam chasdo
* [the liturgy continues, but this recording ends with these words, I've included the next line in the liturgy because they are liturgically linked, but there are more verses after that as well]
et ha'yareach v'kochavim l'memsilot ba'laila, ki l'olam chasdo 
(and it continues on...)

Translation: 
offer gratitude to YHVH (existance/g?d/life force...) because they are good, because their chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal
offer gratitude to the unifying power that is within all powers, because it's chesed (lovingkindness) is eternal
offer gratitude to the *boss* (in a positive sense of the word) of all bosses, because their chesed is eternal
to the one who is responsible for miracles and wonder, because their chesed is eternal
to the one weaves the heavens with understanding, because their chesed is eternal
to the spreading of earth over waters, because their chesed is eternal
to the former of great light/luminaries/illumination, because their chesed is eternal
the sun that reigns in the day,  because their chesed is eternal
[this song ends with the words above, but I included the next line because liturgically they go together]
the moon and stars that reign at night,  because their chesed is eternal


**** All translations are the way that I understand this liturgy, in which I strive to stay to true to the words, and include my own understanding of them ****

Hodu Ladonai (liturgy from Hallel & Shabbat/Yom Tov)

Mi Chamocha 
Traditional Indian Melody
Arranged and Produced by Shir Yaakov Feit
Recorded by Sol Weiss, Margot Seigle & Aly Halpert

מִ י כָ מכָ ה בָ אֵ לִ ים ה'. מִ י כָ מכָ ה נֶאְ דָ ר בַ ּקדֶ ׁש. נורָ א תְ הִ ּלות
עשה פֶ לֶ א מַ לְ כּותְ ָך רָ אּו בָ נֶיָך. ּבוקֵ עַ יָם לִ פְ נֵי משֶ ה. זֶה אֵ לִ י
עָ נּו וְ אָ מְ רּו יְהֹוָ ה יִמְ לְך לְ עלָ ם וָ עֶ ד וְ נֶאֱ מַ ר. כ ִ י פָ דָ ה ה' אֶ ת
יַ עֲ קב. ּוגְ אָ לו מִ יַ ד חָ זָק מִ מֶ ּנּו בָ רּוְך אַ תָ ה יְהֹוָ ה גָ אַ ל יִ שרָ אֵ ל

Mi chamocha baeilim Adonai. Mi kamocha ne’dar bakodesh. Nora t’hilot
osei fele. Malchut’cha rau vanecha, bokeia yam lifnei Moshe, zeh eili anu
v’am’ru: Adonai yimloch l’olam va’ed. V’ne’e-mar: Ki fada Adonai et
Ya’akov, u’g’alo miyad chazak mimenu. Baruch atah Adonai, ga’al yisrael.

Who is like you, Adonai, among all powers of the world? Who
is like you, glorious in holiness, Awesome in praises, doing
wonders? You redeem the one who wrestles, and make us whole
in the face of what overwhelms

Mi Chamocha - Shir Yaakov

Grateful for this little melody coming to me from the pages of my siddur one summer morning.

Ma tovu ohalecha Yaakov, mishk’notecha Yisrael
How lovely are your tents [people of] Jacob; your sanctuaries [people of] Israel.

Mi Chamocha - Shir Yaakov

Nishmat Shoom