Music Articles

Harmoniyah-Reconstructionist Music Network

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Sun, 28 Jan 2007 21:21:20 -0500

Harmoniyah Mission Statement:

The mission of Harmoniyah (Reconstructionist Music Network) is to nurture, facilitate, and energize the evolving musical culture of Jewish civilization in accordance with the values and principles of Reconstructionism Judaism. Harmoniyah will serve to connect all who are involved in the musical transmission of our religious civilization by providing a central place for philosophical, educational, material, and logistical knowledge to be disseminated and shared by all of its members.

Go to the music page for links to music downloads

SAVE THE DATE! Harmoniyah 2nd Biennial Retreat 10/ 29 - 11/1

Background
Harmoniyah was founded as a grass roots movement by musicians attending the JRF Biennial Convention in 2004. There was a general feeling that musicians throughout the Reconstructionist movement had no apparatus by which they could network easily together. It was decided to try and build one together.

The main goals identified at that time included:

1. Create a list serve, preferably hosted by JRF.

This was achieved quickly by successful collaboration of Harmoniyah member Barry Brian with JRF Staff member R. Shai Gluskin. The list serve has over 100 subscribers. The list, while moderated, is used freely by its members to pose questions, make announcements, organize meetings, share resources, and was used very successfully to organize music events approaching the JRF biennial convention.

To sign up for the listserv you must be a member of a JRF congregation, a graduate of RRC, a member of the RRA or an individual member of JRF: Go to http://jrf.org/listserves

2. Create an on-line Music Catalogue for Reconstructionist music, with links to other resources. To be launched in phases beginning in 2008.

3. Energize Reconstructionist gatherings with music, both nationally and locally.

With the help and support of JRF Staff, Harmoniyah prepared a number of workshops and programs for the 2006 and 2008 JRF Biennial Conventions. This included the first North American JRF Community Kumsitz, a Music Sharing workshop, a goals setting workshop, and teaming with other groups in JRF to help with Shabbat song leading duties.

A very successful and inspiring Harmoniyah Shabbaton was held in Philadelphia, in November, 2007, with over 40 participants from 20 JRF congregations present. Work on the 2009 retreat in Bethesda, MD, is currently underway.

4. Provide for continuing leadership

After the convention in Portland a Steering Committee of volunteers was formed and has led the network up to the present day. The Steering Committee members were invited to join the committee by founders from Portland. The committee includes a member who is the liaison between Harmoniyah and JRF Staff. This relationship has proven to be very helpful and successful.

In June, 2008, the JRF board unanimously approved the Harmoniyah Steering Committee's proposal that Harmoniyah become an officially recognized project of the Reconstructionist movement (JRF).

We are proud of what we have achieved so far with limited resources, feel we are able to acknowledge how to better concentrate these in order to achieve our goals, and look forward to the upcoming Convention in Philadelphia, and beyond.

Thank you.

Submitted by the 2008 Harmoniyah Steering Committee

Rabbi Micah Becker-Klein, Springfield, MA
Barry Brian, Or Hadash, Ft. Washington,PA
Doris Dyen, Dor Hadash, Pittsburgh, PA
Cantor Rachel Hersh Epstein, Adat Shalom, Bethesda, MD
David Lefkowich, Darchei Noam, Toronto, Ontario, CAN
Elaine Moise, Keddem Congregation, Palo Alto, CA
Barbara Nordstrom-Loeb, Mayim Rabim, Minneapolis, MN
Cantor Eric Schulmiller, RSNS, Plandome, NY
Rabbi Margot Stein, Mishkan Shalom, Philadelphia, PA
Rabbi Shawn Zevit (JRF Staff Liaison), Jenkintown, PA

Other founding committee members:
Ilana Axel (Chair 2004-7)
Rabbi Steve Segar (2004-7)
Cantor Sharon Hordes (2004-6)
Lauren Resnick (2007 Retreat co-chair)
Rabbi Shai Gluskin (JRF Web Liaison), Jenkintown, PA

For general Harmoniyah, please contact either co-chair Barry Brian, barrybrian@alum.mit.edu, Elaine Moise, emoise@stanford.edu;

For music, email your question to the Harmoniyah listserve music@lists.jrf.org - to post you must be a member of the Harmoniyah listserv, which requires Harmoniyah membership (You are a members of a JRF congregation, the RRA, RRC, a JRF Individual member, or become one by taking out membership at http://jrf.org/individual-membership.

Once you are a member of the categories listed you can subscribe to the Harmoniyah music listserve at http://lists.jrf.org/lists/info/music.

Reconstructionist Composers Celebrated in Washington DC Concert

Lisa Tuttle — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 10:38:39 -0500

The work of Jewish Reconstructionist composers will be performed at "No Rock Like You: Songs for the Jewish Soul." This Shalshelet concert will be at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 13 at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue in downtown Washington, or at workshops the day after. The concert will feature inspiring new works — pop and classical to Latin and klezmer — performed by gifted soloists, a full choir, drums and more. Free creative workshops for music lovers, musicians, and composers will take place on Sunday, Dec. 14, also at Sixth & I. Visit www.shalshelet.org for details and tickets.

Participants include Manel Frau-Cortes, Cantor Marcelo Gindlin, Mark Glicksman, Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael, and Rabbi Shawn Zevit. Read more to learn about these talented Reconstructionists.

Born on the island of Mallorca, Manel Frau-Cortes is currently enrolled as a cantorial student at Gratz College. He studied piano and composition at the Ciutat de Mallorca’s Professional Conservatory, as well as jazz piano and arrangements at Taller de Músics, a contemporary music school in Barcelona. He also earned a Masters in Hebrew-Aramaic Letters from Barcelona’s Central University and is a published translator and music scholar specializing in Medieval Hebrew literature. His career as a composer, arranger, producer and performer spans styles from folk to jazz-fusion and New Age. In addition to liturgical settings, he has composed soundtracks for several short films, including Drop Plot (1993), as well as music for theatre including Membria d’en JuliB (2000) by Iguana Teatre and Una Noche Contigo by Haché de Teatro.

Cantor Marcelo Gindlin, born and raised in Buenos Aires, now lives in southern California where he serves as Cantor of the Malibu Jewish Center & Synagogue and teaches at the University of Judaism. In addition to certification as Hazzan & Ba’al Tefillah from the Latin American Rabbinical Seminary, he has earned two degrees in music therapy and has extensive experience as a teacher, composer, choir director, and performer. His music can be heard on two CDs, Alfie’s Bark Mitzvah (accompanying the book by the same name) and Tot Shabbat with Cantor Marcelo. He has performed with the Los Angeles Jewish Symphony, at CAJE national conferences, and at synagogues around the U.S. In 1986 he performed in Buenos Aires with Ofra Haza (z”l), and in 2007 he was selected to officiate at Kabbalat Shabbat on the occasion of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s visit to the University of Judaism. (see http://www.mjcs.org/cantor_music.asp)

Mark Glicksman came to music composition after beginning piano lessons at around age 50. In addition to composing choral pieces, he enjoys writing songs in styles ranging from calypso to doo-wop, singing in the choir at Reconstructionist Congregation Or Hadash in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, gardening, and cooking for family and friends. His day job is in engineering and software design.

Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael is the rabbi of Beth Israel Congregation in Woodbury, New Jersey. She consults with the Jewish Women’s Spirituality Institute and InterFaithways: an Interfaith Family Support Network of Greater Philadelphia and teaches in numerous locations in the area. She performs with MIRAJ, which recently released the CD Healing Chants for the Soul, and with Shabbat Unplugged. She can also be heard on her CD, Friday Night Revived. (see http://www.shechinah.com/)

Rabbi Shawn Israel Zevit is a founding member of Shabbat Unplugged (who recorded the JRF Pesach companion CD to "A Night of Questions") and Playback Philadelphia. He also co-directs the Davennen’ Leadership Training Institute. He is Director of Outreach and Tikkun Olam and a congregational consultant for the Jewish Reconstructionist Federation and is also on the steering committee for Harmoniyah: the Reconstructionist Music Network.(see www.rabbizevit.com)

Jewish Exponent Feature on Harmoniyah Retreat

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:10:24 -0500

Reconstructing Music
October 16, 2008 - Cantor David F. Tilman, Jewish Exponent Feature

http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/17383/

There are many achievements of the Reconstructionist movement of North America pointing to the undeniable reality that this stream of modern Jewish thought and practice has become a major component of the American Jewish community. At its first music retreat, "Harmoniyah -- Let Us Make Harmony to God," it brought together professional and lay synagogue musicians for a gathering at Or Hadash: A Reconstructionist Congregation in Fort Washington.
Several of the participants were eager to share their motivations for coming to the conference. Lauren Resnick, member and organist of Congregation Dor Hadash in Pittsburgh, was attracted to it for the rich and innovative musical experiences she had found at the Reconstructionist Federation conventions: "I have found a live musical tradition being created day to day, week to week, month to month, by the leaders of the movement."
At the gathering, Resnick found that contemporary Jewish music reflects the philosophy and culture of Reconstructionists. "The Friday evening service seemed to be traditional, and the Shabbat morning service featured a lot of drumming," she said.
Marjan Helms, a Jew by choice, is a member of a small Reconstructionist congregation in Michigan, and a classically trained pianist and composer. Her 90-minute work for the Michigan State University Children's Choir, "Voices of a Vanished World," is based on Holocaust music.
Elaine Moise of Mountain View, Calif., grew up in a large Reform congregation in Riverdale, N.Y., singing in the choir. "Music is how I do Jewish; it was the entrance for me."
Taught Torah reading by Conservative Cantor Hans Cohen in Palo Alto, Calif., she identifies ideologically with Reconstructionism.
I arrived at the Saturday evening/Motza-ei Shabbat "Kumsitz" program in the middle of Havdalah. Right away, I heard and saw many new sounds, compositions and musical instruments that I never before experienced in Jewish surroundings.
The Havdalah prayer was chanted by Rabbi Shefa Gold, director, Center for Devotional Energy and Ecstatic Practice in New Mexico. Participants played stringed and percussion instruments in distinctly Indian style, with a hint of Middle Eastern drum riffs.

Harmoniyah Music Events at JRF 2008 Convention

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:49:20 -0400

Come join us for an exciting array of musical, prayerful and inspirational Hamroniyah community workshops and events at the JRF 2008 Convention! To register go to www.jrf.org/convention

Highlights Include:

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Integrating New Music and Choruses into Services
Workshop Block A, Thursday, Nov. 13, 9:00-10:30am

Integrating new music into services can be difficult -- as much as people want it and appreciate what it brings to services, there are real challenges involved in getting a congregation to participate, and we’re often left with a chorus that simply “performs" and interrupts the flow of the service. This tune-filled workshop will help provide the tools to help your congregation explore new Jewish music and expand its repertoire while increasing participation and building community.

Workshop Presenters: Barry Brian and Richard Yospin
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You Too Can Create Reconstructionist Liturgy

This hands-on liturgy-writing workshop will give participants an opportunity to add to the rich literature of Reconstructionist prayer. We will examine various types of liturgical forms, based on Reconstructionist principles illustrated utilizing the Kol Haneshamah prayer book series and other venues, reviewing the tensions between keva (fixed, structured prayer) and kavanah (devotional, interpretive prayer), and exploring the purpose and short history of liturgical poetry and prayer. Participants will create new liturgy to energize our home congregations.

Workshop Presenter: Elise Rosen-Levin
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Music Sharing Session
Workshop Block B, Thursday, Nov. 13, 4:30-6:00pm

Join with Reconstructionist musicians from all parts of our movement to share creative output with one another, thereby providing new music to bring to your home congregation.

Led by Elaine Moise and Harmoniyah Steering Committee members
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Harmoniyah Business Meeting
Workshop Block D, Friday, Nov. 14, 11-12:30pm

This business meeting is open to members of Harmoniyah—the Reconstructionist music network.
Chaired by the Harmoniyah Steering Committee
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Tefillah (Prayer) Leadership Training
Workshop Block: Block E, Fri. Nov. 14, 2:45-4:15pm

Take part in a leadership training workshop for those who lead congregational prayer. This session will be an exploration into traditional Jewish prayer structures (nusach and mat'beah) and what they might look like “reconstructed.” This session will be an opportunity for leaders at all levels of experience to consider their own leadership style, skills, and goals. Participants will come away with ways to convey a sense of the liturgy's "inner text" in leading our communities in prayer, and how to invite and encourage participation in our communal worship so that it activates the body, touches the heart, engages the mind and nourishes genuine spiritual growth and insight. Employing the highly participatory approach of an intensive master class, the facilitators will coach participants in the high art of leadership of public ritual and prayer, as well as look at some of the deep structures of our liturgy.

Workshop Presenters:
Hazzan Rachel Hersh Epstein, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
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The Music of Camp JRF
Workshop Block: Shabbat Beit Midrash I, 2-3:30pm

This fun and uplifting session introduces the music of Camp JRF through singing. Come discover ways to share the wonderful spirit of our own summer camp's music to energize your congregation.

Workshop Presenters: Ayal Weiner-Kaplow, Rabbi James Greene, Rabbi Jeffrey Eisenstat
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Friday, Nov. 14th, 8:45 pm – 10:30 pm: A Musical Celebration of Shabbat featuring Harmoniyah members
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Sat, Nov. 15th, 8:45 pm – 9:15 pm: Havdalah and Music featuring the Harmoniyah Steering Committee members and friends

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Harmoniyah Steering Committee
Harmoniyah Mission Statement:

The mission of Harmoniyah (Reconstructionist Music Network) is to nurture, facilitate, and energize the evolving musical culture of Jewish civilization in accordance with the values and principles of Reconstructionism Judaism. Harmoniyah will serve to connect all who are involved in the musical transmission of our religious civilization by providing a central place for philosophical, educational, material, and logistical knowledge to be disseminated and shared by all of its members. See www.jrf.org/music

Report from the First Harmoniyah Retreat - November, 2007

Rabbi Margot Stein — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:26:21 -0500

Harmoniyah Steering Committee(L-R, rear) Barry Brian (Or Hadash), Elaine Moise (Kedem), Cantor Rachel Epstein (Adat Shalom), Doris Dyen (RRC, Dor Hadash), Rabbi Shawn Zevit (JRF), (L-R, Front) Barbara Nordstrom-Loeb (Mayim Rabim), Lauren Resnick (Dor Hadash)

Music is flowing in the Reconstructionist movement! Voices raised with kavanah, moving renditions of favorite classics, and brilliant interpretations of liturgy seamlessly intermingle with fresh explorations of the meaning of God, Torah and Israel in their broadest sense.

The November, 2007 retreat of Harmoniyah: The Reconstructionist Music Network brought together more than 40 music-lovers from 20 congregations in the US and Canada. During three days of davenning, singing, jamming, and workshops, we shared new ideas and practical tools for enriching congregational worship with music from a wide variety of genres. We opened up the conversation about where our music comes from and where we think it is going. We talked about core texts and prayers, about choirs and communal music making, about the role of traditional nusah (HWD) and bold new melodies, about chanting and about electronic instruments, about Shabbat and healing services.

At the Saturday night kumsitz, a full array of musical styles was on display, from chant, blues and folk-rock to Ladino, Yiddish and klezmer offerings. And at the Sunday night panel discussion, which I had the privilege of moderating, we explored such issues as:

Can the Ashkenazic modes and melodies of many a childhood comfortably share space with Sephardic and Yemenite rhythms? Rachel Hersh Epstein’s Psalm 150 experiments with this question, producing a difficult (for us Westerners) but exquisite take on the popular sing-along psalm. As to the future, her prediction: funky fusion sounds.

Liz Bolton treated us to 8 or 9 different melodies for the Reader’s Kaddish. Many of them were easily recognized by the participants (High Holiday evening, Shabbat and so on). We did get stumped, though, on the particular nusah (HWD) for shelosh regalim between maftir and haftarah!

By being intensely personal, Shefa Gold hopes to be simultaneously universal. She spends a great deal of time with a single phrase, seeking its deeper meaning so that she can come into relationship with it before setting it to music.

Shawn Zevit believes that the leader who wishes to bring musical change must appreciate who we already are musically. Our grandparents and our childhoods are powerful influences on us all, and Shawn treated us to some of his family’s unique melodies.

What’s clear is that having a nice voice and enjoying leading congregational singing doesn’t itself prepare you for spiritual leadership and pastoral caregiving. In MIRAJ’s workshop on healing services, one of my goals was to teach lay people who sing to also lead, because the role will often be thrust upon them by virtue of their musical talent. What’s more, healing services and bedside rituals are powerful, private moments of spiritual transition that can profoundly benefit from a compassionate musical presence. Just as in other aspects of our rabbinates, the “conscious use of self” is essential. MIRAJ “consciously uses” itself in a model of shared spiritual leadership. We assert comfortably, yet yield effortlessly, whether teaching, leading joyous musical services, or giving a concert. There’s a dynamic flow among our voices. Harmony down below, in the service of creating harmony up above. Ken yehi ratzon!

Harmoniyah's web page.

This article appeared in a slightly different form in the December issue of the RRA Connections, the newsletter of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association.

Robert Glatzer: from Kol Emet in Yardley, PA

Rabbi Liz Bolton: Congregation Bet HaTikvah, Baltimore, MD

Rabbi Shawn Zevit

Reconstructionist Music Retreat - Register Online Now

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:35:43 -0400

Start: Nov 9 2007 - 5:00pm

End: Nov 12 2007 - 1:00pm

Musicians Attending the JRF Women's Retreat in Wisconsin in April, 2007
The First Retreat of Harmoniyah—Reconstructionist Music Network will be held November 9-12, 2007, in Philadelphia, PA.

Saturday and Sunday 8pm evening events are open to the general public at a nominal charge- register in advance using the registration same registration link below:

Space is limited: Register Online Now.

Join us for Shabbat services and a unique opportunity to learn with Reconstructionist clergy, lay leaders, song leaders and musicians nationwide:

music for worship
vocal and instrumental workshops
music for children and families
Saturday night Kumsitz with musical performances and song sharing (open to the public, separate registration required for non-retreat attendees)
Sunday evening panel on "Music of the Jewish People" today with Cantor Rachel Epstein, Rabbis Shefa Gold, Elizabeth Bolton, Margot Stein and Shawn Zevit, (open to the public, separate registration required for non-retreat attendees)
informal discussions, jam sessions, and more.
See attached schedule below for full details.

Workshops include:

Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton (Text and Liturgy) http://www.beittikvah.org/rabbi/index.html

Rabbi Shefa Gold (Chant and Leadership) http://www.rabbishefagold.com/

Barry Brian (Congregational Choirs)

Rabbi Shawn Zevit (Davenning Leadership) www.rabbizevit.com

Rabbi Margot Stein, Rabbi Rayzel Raphael, Juliet Spitzer of MIRAJ (Music, healing services and rituals) http://www.mirajtrio.com/

Rabbi Sigal Brier (Call and Response in Prayer) http://www.rabbisigal.com/

Cantor Rachel Hersh Epstein (Nusach) http://www.adatshalom.net/

Hazzan Eric Schulmiller (Choir, Cantor and Congregation) http://www.rsns.org/html/cantor.html

Robert Glatzer (Electronic Instruments and Prayer Services)

James Greene of RRC/Camp JRF (music and educational settings)- in combination with Reconstructionist Educators of North America Conference (see http://www.jrf.org/rena/)

Events will take place at congregation Or Hadash, Ft. Washington, PA and
the Hilton Garden Inn nearby. Home hospitality will be available. For further information, or to let us know what you would like to experience at the retreat, contact the retreat co-coordinators Doris J. Dyen, 412-521-7570) or Lauren Resnick, 412-362-1640).

Attendance is limited: register NOW!

If you are interested in presenting a workshop at the retreat. Please visit the presenter application download page.

If you need home hospitality OR can offer home hospitality, please download the attached form and follow the instructions.

Harmoniyah Conference Presenter Application

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 16:34:31 -0400

The Harmoniyah Music Retreat is looking for volunteer presenters to submit proposals for workshops. The application form is attached. Please contact me at szevit@jrf.org with any questions. That's also the address to which you send the completed applications.

Main retreat page.

Two New Passover Recordings Available for Free Download

Rabbi Shai Gluskin — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 00:35:58 -0400

Shabbat UnpluggedHappy Passover Everyone!

Two new recordings are now available in the resources section of this site. The first is for Hassal Siddur Pesach, the concluding prayer of the Hagaddah. The second is a recording of the Kiddush (prayer sanctifying the beginning of the holiday). Enjoy!

"In the Valley" by Rabbi Shawn Zevit

Rabbi Shawn Zevit — Wed, 28 Mar 2007 15:30:17 -0400

Rabbi Play the video.

Shawn Zevit singing his song, "In the Valley." This song was written initially in 1991 but never recorded until now.

Harmoniyah Music Collection

Fri, 02 Mar 2007 10:10:46 -0500

Contemporary Shalom Aleykhem
By Rabbi Steve Segar, Rabbi Shawn Zevit
New interpretation of traditional text sung to welcome the Sabbath.
Hassal Siddur Pesach
By JRF
Melody for the penultimate prayer in the Passover Haggadah, Hebrew text, transliteration, translation, and mp3 are provided.
Joyful, Soulful, Prayer
By James Greene
Original music written for Exodus 15:17-18. Introductory text includes Hebrew words, translation, and the author's intention in writing the niggun and his own personal story associated with it. Audio mp3 included.
Kiddush for Passover
By Shabbat Unplugged
Recording of the kiddush sanctification prayer said at the beginning of major holiday.
Lecha Dodi
By Elaine Moise
Setting of Lecha Dodi
Light and Dark
By Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton, Rabbi Margot L. Stein
Words and sheet music for three-part vocal harmony for a Hanukah song about differences between dark and light, good and evil. Music and Lyrics by Margot L. Stein. Arrangement by Elizabeth Bolton.
Lulay - Psalm 27
By Rabbi Margot L. Stein
A song from the closing verses of Psalm 27. Music and English translation written by Rabbi Margot Stein. Arranged and sung by MIRAJ. Audio file, Hebrew text, transliteration, and English translation are provided.
The Omer Song
By Rabbi Geela Rayzel Raphael, Juliet I Spitzer, Rabbi Margot L. Stein
Fast, fun, song about counting the omer. Lyrics and mp3 included.