I’m glad I don’t have to choose a favorite holiday. I can love Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. I can love Shavuot and Sukkot. But every year, when Sukkot arrives, it is literally, music to my ears.
When I think of Sukkot I think of beautiful weather. I think of hanging out in a Sukkah with family and friends. I think of lingering over meals. Of making room for conversations to unfold. Of making music. I think of the first Sukkah I ever really helped build. It was at the home of my beloved friend and mentor, Rabbi Jim Ponet. It was in New Haven, Ct. I think of what the Sukkah symbolizes– the impermanence and fragility of life, our connection to nature and to God, our home in the world.
Since this blog is devoted to music and songwriting, I want to share a song that speaks to these themes. It’s not a Sukkot song, though I’ve got a few of those in the works. Instead, it’s a setting of the well-known text of Psalm 133– Hineih Mah Tov. Psalm 133:1 reads, “How good and pleasant it is for brothers and sisters to dwell in peace.” To me, that’s the essence of Sukkot.
As background, this version of Hineih Mah Tov appears on my 2nd album made in partnership with The Davis Academy, A Palace in Time. This version of Hineih Mah Tov features students from The Davis Academy and The Marist School. The message of the song goes beyond the typical meaning of Hineih Mah Tov and is meant to be a celebration of interfaith dialogue and community service. A highlight performance of this song was at the Atlanta/ Southeastern US branch of the American Jewish Committee’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of Nostra Aetate.