We need healing. Our world needs healing. I need healing. You probably do as well. To be human is to be broken and whole at the same time. To be human is to know that our bodies are beautifully imperfect
Jacob’s Journey
Imagine going to sleep. With a rock for a pillow. Imagine having a dream. And meeting God there. Imagine waking up. And discovering that God isn’t only in your dreams. That God is everywhere.In everything. In the rock. In the dirt. In the trees. In
Mi Yimaleil, A New Chanukah Melody
I’m very proud of this version of Mi Yimaleil that I wrote and which will be released on an upcoming Davis Academy/Hello, Goodbye, & Peace album. Mi Yimaleil emphasizes the heroism of the Maccabees in their struggle against the Greeks
The Blessing of Torah
Yesterday and today are Simchat Torah. Simchat Torah is a holiday that celebrates the end and the beginning of the annual cycle of Torah reading observed by Jewish communities around the world. Every time that Jews study Torah we recite
Sukkot, Music to My Ears
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
L’chah Dodi
One of my more “popular” Jewish liturgical settings is a melody I wrote to the medieval hymn, L’chah Dodi. L’chah Dodi is sung during Kabbalat Shabbat, the Friday night prayer service that welcomes Shabbat. It describes two companions going out
Today, if only we could hear
Of all the songs I’ve written I think this is one of the most beautiful and meaningful. It’s based on two passages from Psalm 95. The first, “v’anachnu am marito v’tzon yado,” means something like, “we, your people, are like
Baruch Adonai
There’s a common adage that goes (and I’m paraphrasing here), “Whatever we’re looking for is what we will see.” Psalm 68:20, the basis for the song “Baruch Adonai” asks us to see God’s sustaining power in every day and every
Love Your Neighbor
It’s simple: Love your neighbor as yourself. The rest is commentary. Love your neighbor even after they’ve moved and are no longer your neighbor. Love your neighbor even before they’re your neighbor. Love your neighbor even when their guests park
Sweetness and Light
For several thousands of years the Jewish People considered themselves to be God’s “Chosen People.” Our ancestors felt that God has chosen the Jewish People to help realize God’s vision for humanity and all creation. Sometimes the idea of