Pacific Jewish Center | Rabbi » music

The Shabbaton Choir is Amazing

rabbifink — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:48:17 +0000

Yesterday I had the privilege of attending a historic event. The new building of a synagogue in Los Angeles, to be more precise, North Beverly Hills, opened its doors for the first time. Young Israel of North Beverly Hills dedicated their new shul at an inspiring ceremony.

Founding President of Pacific Jewish Center, Michael Medved was the Master of Ceremonies for a speaking lineup that included members of congress and local government. The keynote address was magnificently delivered by Chief Rabbi, Lord Jonathan Sacks.

It was a beautiful event and a ceremony befitting such an auspicious day.

The highlight for me was the live performance by the Shabbaton Choir. They sang several stirring songs and had the crowd buzzing. They were phenomenal. Their style is a mix of cantorial and chamber music that is not often associated with Jewish music. Most people think of Klezmer music as the Jewish music standard. Others, from Sephardic backgrounds think of middle-eastern music as Jewish music. Orthodox Jews in the 21st century think of the pseudo-pop-rock Jewish music as Jewish music.

The Shabbaton Choir has a different take. It is a beautiful take too.

Here is one song they sang yesterday that I really loved.

As you can see and hear, this is not typical Jewish music by any commonly held definition of Jewish music.

I think there is a unique quality to this kind of music that is lacking in the other forms of Jewish music, at least to my ears. This certainly applies to the pseudo-pop-rock version of music that is most prevalent in orthodox circles. The other Jewish music is mostly marketed as an alternative to non-Jewish music. It’s entertainment. The music is designed to distract, keep one busy, lighten a mood, or inspire. The music does not feel like an end to itself, rather it is a means to some other purpose. That’s fine. I have no problem with it and I even enjoy it from time to time (-usually the older stuff).

But Shabbaton is doing something different, at least that’s how it feels to me. They are using the music as worship. The music is not being used to inspire. It is the act of singing that is fulfilling a need to serve God. In other words, the singing is for its own sake. To sing. The music is uplifting, but I don’t think that is their purpose. I think they are singing as an act of praise to serve and love God. That’s very different.

It reminded me of something I wrote about here: Book Review | Sacred Trash

Throughout the centuries, Jews have developed various social ways of expressing themselves as they worship God. [Please read what I wrote in Book Review | Sacred Trash in the last couple of paragraphs for a fuller explanation of this idea.] The Shabbaton Choir is using their song in this manner. Their singing is like the Talmud study of the yeshiva student or the meditations of the chasid. I love the idea of singing as worship and I love the perfect execution of this idea by the Shabbaton choir.

It is a joy to experience first hand. I encourage you to experience it for yourself as well. Their music is available on iTunes and they have some videos on YouTube.

(This is an unsolicited blog post. Just my pure thoughts.)

Links: Shabbaton Choir Website, YouTube, iTunes

Yom Kippur Message: The Bird of Hope

rabbifink — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 15:56:16 +0000

REPOST: I posted this last year in anticipation of Yom Kippur.

The song is The Bird of Hope, the singer is Mordechai ben David.

For me, this song has always been a powerful metaphor for Yom Kippur. I really wanted to share it with you but it was not available anywhere online. So I decided to do it myself. I made this video ~~yesterday~~ last year. The pictures don’t do the lyrics justice, but it was worth making the video so everyone could hear the song before Yom Kippur.

Please watch the video and contemplate its important message.

No matter where how drastically we fall, we can always rise from the ashes to great heights. We just need to make the right choices.

On a side note, this song was recorded in 1979. Mordechai ben David’s voice is so incredible in this song. It’s amazing that he is still recording new songs, but after listening to this, you will note that he a shadow of his former self…

I want to wish everyone a successful Yom Kippur. Please forgive everyone who may have harmed you. I know I have.

Please share this video to help everyone prepare for Yom Kippur.

REVIEW: The Soul of Jewish Music Concert

rabbifink — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:07:47 +0000

(rehearsal)

Last week I told you about the concert featuring Itzhak Perlman and Cantor Helfgot (The Soul of Jewish Music Concert in Los Angeles). Through a series of fortuitous events I was given a pair of excellent seats. My wife and I attended the show and it was amazing.

For me, it was stepping out of my comfort zone. I don’t particularly love cantorial music, nor classical music, nor klezmer music. But I can appreciate all three. I enjoy pushing the envelope of my personal tastes so I was excited at the opportunity to do just that. I recorded some parts of the concert on my phone to share with you. But unfortunately when I woke up this morning, my phone was broken. It has been replaced and those recordings are lost. Gam zu le’tova…

I hear they are making a CD / DVD of the event. I will likely buy that and I recommend you do the same.

The show opened with one of all time favorite comedians, Elon Gold. He calls himself the Jewish Jerry Seinfeld. Hilarious. I know. He only gave us a small taste of his hilarity but I have been fortunate to hear him for a full set (see: Elon Gold and Me! from six years ago). His Jewish jokes are the best I’ve ever heard and he had the entire place rolling within seconds.

Then the klezmer band played an opening song to get everyone warmed up. Every time I hear klezmer I wonder if I like it. It’s a strange feeling not knowing how you feel about something. But I think I like it when it’s being played, especially live, but I don’t think I would actively pursue a klezmer group of album.

Itzhak Perlman rolled onto the stage next to a raucous ovation. He played masterfully and I particularly enjoyed his facial expressions as he played. It is clear that the music speaks from his violin but through his very essence.

Eventually, Cantor Helfgot took the stage. To many in the crowd, he was an unknown. He blew everyone away. He sang with such control, such beauty and such royalty. He took people’s breath away. The people behind us had never heard him before. They could not stop gasping in astonishment, raving about his performance and cheering his big moments. The entire audience was spellbound by Helfgot’s masterful performances. I was also particularly moved by how regal he looked and held himself. Chasidic dress is supposed to look that way and Helfgot played the part perfectly.

The “tour guide” and conductor for the evening was Hankus Netsky. He was funny, charming, informative and soulful all night and to me he was the surprise star of the show.

Throughout the night, various music styles were featured. We heard klezmer, chasidic and cantorial pieces all performed exquisitely. It really and truly felt like we had been transported a century or two back to the shtetl. The lyric were mostly (unapologetically) religious and the prayers and meanings of the songs were a source of pride for the performers.

I honestly was surprised at how much I enjoyed and how much I was amazed by the performance. Thinking back, I shouldn’t have been so surprised. Arguably, Perlman and Helfgot are the best people in the world at their craft. Any time the best does what they do, you can’t help but be impressed. It also got me thinking about what it must feel like, or be like, to be the absolute best in the world at something. I’ll never know, but it something worth thinking about.

One of the funniest things about the night were the glaring foibles of ashkenazik Jews on display. Self deprecating jokes, confusion about the sets, performers interrupting each other during their little talks and music sheets strewn across the stage made me laugh a little inside.

The highlight of the night for me had nothing to do with music. The highlight for me was spending 3 hours with a crowd that was well over 95% Jewish and representatives of almost every single kind of Jew. Most of the men were not wearing head coverings. But many were. There were rabbis of all denominations and flavors as well. Even within the orthodox Jewish contingent there was so much diversity. There were chasidic Jews, yeshivish Jews, kollel fellows, all kinds of rabbis and the full gamut of modern Orthodox Jews. Ashkenazim, Sephardim, baalei teshuva and FFBs were all in attendance. The cross section of Jewry in Los Angeles was fully represented and it made me feel so good.

Music has that ability. It can unite. It can connect. It can break through the imaginary barriers we place between ourselves. Perhaps that is why the evening was called the “Soul of Jewish Music”, as Jews, we all share one soul. It was easy to see that last night at the Saban Theater in Los Angeles.

The Soul of Jewish Music Concert in Los Angeles

rabbifink — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 05:32:02 +0000

This concert looks amazing.

Three uniquely Jewish music styles in one concert. Three masters of their craft performing together. Three entertainers worth seeing on their own are performing together on one stage in Los Angeles on March 30 2011.

The Soul of Jewish Music with Itzhak Perlman, Cantor Yitzchok Meir Helfgot and a Klezmer Ensemble promises to be an amazing night of Jewish music. It is not often that classical, klezmer and cantorial music styles share a stage, but this concert will do just that.

Not to mention, one of my favorite comedians, Elon Gold will be performing as well. Elon performed for an organization I worked for previously and he was a huge hit. He is a TV star and stand-up comedy star and he tells some of the best “Jewish jokes” I have ever heard.

I hope I can get tickets for this event (they are expensive) and hope I can attend. If you live in Los Angeles, and can afford it, don’t miss it.

If I sound excited it is because I am. And this is not a paid for or sponsored advertisement.

Tickets: Ticketmaster

Enjoy the clip below of rehearsal and some interviews.

HT: YS

The Jewish Music World Says Goodbye to Two Legends: Debbie Friedman and Moshe Yess

rabbifink — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 04:07:28 +0000

It is always hard to say goodbye. That’s why I prefer not to say goodbye. Instead, I just say “I’ll see ya, when I see ya”. Goodbye has too much finality to it for a simple salutation.

But when people die, it is time to say say goodbye. The finality is appropriate.

But when some people die, their legacy lives on in a way that makes saying goodbye much easier. This is certainly the case with regard to the recent passing of Debbie Friedman and of Moshe Yess.

These two artists wrote and sang Jewish music for decades. Their legacies are as different as their styles and religious convictions. But they share a common impact upon the musical soul of the Jewish people.

I went to Yeshiva. So I never heard of Debbie Friedman until I became a rabbi at USC. Once there, I was educated by some of my students who grew up with Debbie Friedman music. I quickly learned her Havdala and it became a part of my life. Since then, I have learned that her influence on Reform liturgy is beyond description. Or, so I’ve heard.

Certainly, she will be missed. But her music survives and she will not soon be forgotten.

I went to Yeshiva. So I heard plenty of Moshe Yess. Whether it was Megama, Marvelous Middos Machine or anything in between, Moshe Yess had a distinctive tone, voice and music style. One of the first CDs I ever bought was the Best of Megama. I still have it. I am grateful that Moshe Yess shared his talents with the world. We are the beneficiaries of his unique and impressive talent.

Moshe Yess is gone but his music endures. My CDs don’t care whether he is dead or alive. They play his music just the same. He will be missed. But thankfully, he has made it easy to remember.

T’hei nishmasam baruch.

This Year’s Hottest Chanukah Song: Candlelight by The Maccabeats | Jewish Holiday Music

rabbifink — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 10:37:01 +0000

By now you probably have seen this one. If you haven’t, where have you been? I admit it, this one should have been first.

This is a great addition to the Jewish Chanukah music genre. It loses a few points for not being an original tune, but the guys do a great job “making it their own” as Simon Cowell would say. And the lyrics seem a little forced at times.

But the production is pretty good overall and the popularity of the video speaks for itself. Oh, and I would have loved to see a cameo by Taio Cruz. Maybe in the remix…

They have now been featured on CNN, The NY Post, The Huffington Post, WPLJ.com and every single one of my Jewish friends’ Facebook page.

Enjoy the Maccabeats singing Candlelight…

The Most Famous Chanukah Song | Jewish Holiday Music

rabbifink — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 15:15:41 +0000

This song was more popular when I was a kid. Back when Adam Sandler used to be funny. In those days of yore, Sandler used to sing songs that were mildy funny and usually entertaining.

One of those songs was the now famous Chanukah song. With its pop culture references, wacky rhymes and Sandler’s whiny voice, it has become the staple of Chanukah songs that non-Jews know.

So, here is Adam Sandler and the Chanukah song…

Enjoy.

How Do You Spell Chanukah? The LeeVees | Jewish Holiday Music

rabbifink — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:45:51 +0000

Tonight the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah, Chanuka, Hanukah, Hanukkah begins.

Happy Chanukah, Chanuka, Hanukah, Hanukkah.

No this is not an SEO trick. And no there is no official spelling either.

It’s a song hint…

Everywhere you go, you hear holiday music. There is a dearth of decent Jewish Holiday music. This has become a sore spot for many Jews. They want to hear overplayed cliches and appeals to emotion for their holiday too. I can’t say I agree.

Yet, once in a while a great Jewish holiday song comes along and it deserves to be shared and heard.

Over the next few days I will be posting some Jewish holiday music that I like.

We begin tonight with my absolute favorite. How do you spell Chanukah? by The LeeVees.

I need to thank my friend Rabbi Quinn for introducing me to this song 6 years ago. Thank you!

Enjoy.

Today Would Be John Lennon's 70th Birthday

rabbifink — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 16:41:55 +0000

John Lennon died 8 months before I was born. Today would have been his 70th birthday.

And Google is celebrating with a special doodle in honor of John Lennon. Except this doodle is not a sketch, it is an animated video.

See it for yourself by going to Google.com (and turn off all iGoogle settings or special backgrounds)

The animation is set to music. The 30 second clip is taken from Imagine.

There could be no more important sentiment for this week’s Torah portion. My father’s dvar Torah (Live Like A Rainbow | A Guest Post) echoes the words of Imagine beautifully.

“I hope someday you’ll join us / and the world will live as one”

Video below:

Yom Hashoah: Two Holocaust Survivors And Their Emotional Reunion

rabbifink — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 16:02:19 +0000

Today is Yom Hashoah. It is a day designated to Holocaust Remembrance. In the spirit of this special day I would like to share a story with you.

Over on Cross-Currents, Rabbi Adlerstein has linked to a very powerful article in the Detroit News.

Most Orthodox Jews have heard the song called “The Man From Vilna” by Abie Rottenberg. It tells a powerful story in post liberation Europe. It was the day of Simchas Torah, a grand celebration at the completion of the weekly Torah readings. Typically, the day is marked by feverish dancing and rejoicing for hours while holding the Sefer Torah Scroll. However, on this dark day the synagogue in Vilna had no Sefer Torah. They had been destroyed by the Nazis.

A Jewish Russian soldier spotted a young boy. This was an anomoly as most young children were killed in the holocaust. But this boy was hidden in a convent during the war and had survived. The soldier scooped up the boy and danced with the boy as if he were the Sefer Torah Scroll. His act symbolized to all that although the physical Torah Scrolls were destroyed and Six Million Jews had been killed, the Torah and Judaism live on through the next generation of children.

After that moment, they never saw each other again.

Until last week.

They finally met for the first time in 65 years. They both remembered that incredible day and that poignant moment all this time. It was a very emotional reunion.

Like many great stories, people thought of this as a legend, with perhaps some basis in reality. But these two men confirmed its veracity. It also identifies the two men as prominent Jewish leaders. Abe Foxman was the boy and he is the New York based director of Anti-Defamation league and Leo Grossman, was the soldier and became the Rabbi of Shaarey Shamayim Synagogue in Oak Park Michigan. Their story and inspiration became inspiration for others as well as action in their lives for others.

I recommend reading the article in the Detroit News.

Someone has taken the song and made a homemade music video. I have included the video below:

Obligatory Michael Jackson Post

rabbifink — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 16:50:57 +0000

For those folks who report on and follow Hollywood gossip and news it sure has been a busy week.

First, Ed McMahon died, then Farrah Fawcett and then Michael Jackson (oh, and Billy Mays too). Of course, the death of Michael Jackson garnered the most attention. Michael Jackson completely revolutionized the entire music industry (Jewish and not Jewish music) and made all kinds of news for his questionable extra-curricular activities.

A friend of mine in the music industry (Jewish and not Jewish music) wrote this on his Facebook page “Goodbye Michael! We will miss you! You taught me so much…” and that got the ball really rolling.

People responded to his status by referring to his notorious trouble with accusations of impropriety with young children. My friend fired back that yes he was flawed but that takes nothing away from his talent. And they went back and forth for a little while.

I am certain that this was not the only such discussion following MJ’s death. We all grapple with the paradox of a deeply flawed and incredibly talented person.

To me, it is really a micro and macrocosm of all of our personal struggles. It is a microcosm because he was just one person and “we” are everyone else, but it is also a macrocosm because while his talent was greater than any of ours, his flaws were deeper as well.

The next level of contemplation regarding MJ is whether his flaws nullify his contributions. Or more precisely, can we still appreciate his talent all the while knowing he was so challenged in other areas? Is he a role model? No. Is he immensely talented? Yes.

Does this sound familiar?

This reminds me of my take on LeBron James and his poor sportsmanship. We need to be sensible enough to differentiate athletic talent, musical talent, or any other talent for that matter and the talented one’s behavior in other arena of life.

I don’t expect or care if an athlete or celebrity “acts out”. They are not famous for their ability to act morally. They are famous for their talents. That is all I care about when I think about that person. MJ’s liabilities in one area do not influence my opinion of his other accomplishments and my appreciation of those accomplishments.

If you are nervous about this because he is a “role model” my response is that you have categorically poor taste in role models. If you are nervous that children look up to him as a role model, my response it that it is the job of the parents to train their children to choose good role models. MJ was not a good role model but then again he should never be looked to as a role model.

And if your child looks to MJ or LeBron or any other famous person who is not famous for their superior ability at making good moral choices you need to parent them and educate them real role models.

A real role model is a person that we can look towards for inspiration and guidance in our daily challenges. Find those people and cherish them. Even if they can’t do the moonwalk…