Shabbat Message from Rachel Mersky Woda & Carl Shulman
03/19/2021 11:57:36 AM
Mar19
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Temple Beth-El
Shabbat Message from Rachel Mersky Woda & Carl Shulman
The more things change, the more they stay the same…
We grew up at the same Jewish summer camp and were both active in NFTY, albeit a generation apart. We love to sit and talk about how traditions have evolved in those sacred spaces and what has endured the test of time.
One thing we both agree upon is our shared experiences with music, and how it taught us to better understand Hebrew and liturgy. It also built a strong sense of community. There is nothing better than singing at the top of your lungs while doing silly hand motions with a few hundred other kids around a campfire or in the dining hall on a rainy day. We experience this weekly with our Lower School students on Zoom which is truly joyful, communal and accessible.
While there are incredible musicians and song leaders influencing the repertoire of Jewish music today, it’s the tunes from 40-50 years ago that bring both of us great comfort and joy.
Starting in the early 1970s, artists started incorporating contemporary musical styles into worship. Many of them were teenagers active in NFTY and attending Jewish summer camps. They followed the style of folk singers who encouraged the participation of the entire community, knowing that music could help change the world.
Singing continues to be an integral part of the communal youth experience and has made a tremendous impact on how congregations worship today. Campers would return home to their synagogues yearning for that same feeling they experienced with their peers.
One of the most influential of these early change makers in the world of Reform Jewish music is Cantor Jeff Klepper, most famously known for his version of Shalom Rav. Join us tonight at our Joint Reform Kabbalat Shabbat where you will get to meet Cantor Klepper and enjoy the gifts he gave to our movement.
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