Making sacred space Ashrei Yoshvei (Ps 84:5) – gentle, short chant; easy for people to pick up and join in with. Voice and guitar. Shalom Aleichem, Aleichem Shalom – gentle, short song, only two words; welcoming each other in peace. Voice and guitar. V’asu Li Mikdash (Ex. 25:8) – “We we’ll make You a holy home, and …
Jewish boys and the choice not to circumcise Even though circumcision is not a halachic criterion for establishing Jewish status for a boy, there is a strong and widespread religious and social expectation within the UK Orthodox community (religious and non-religious) and Masorti community that a boy must get circumcised. Anecdotally, from my own conversations with people, …
Circumcising conversion candidates – ‘the most unkindest cut of all’ Read More »
Here is a list of the music that I have written to Jewish texts that be used for Jewish baby blessings, for boys or girls: B’ruchah Haba’ah (Blessed Is She) – A blessing for the baby girl; a simple tune, the guests can pick up the refrain easily by ear and join in. Nir’eh Or …
Here is a list of the music that I have written to Jewish texts that can fit into a Jewish wedding: B’ruchah Haba’ah (Blessed Is She) – A simple tune, the guests can pick up the refrain easily by ear and join in. Kumi Lach Rayati (Rise Up, My Love) – verses (and part verses) …
Here is a collection of pieces that I have written that celebrate women and girls at the centre of Jewish ritual: B’ruchah Haba’ah (Blessed Is She) – baby blessing for a girl. There is a companion piece which, in English version can also be for a girl: ‘In your light, we see light’ (Nir’eh Or) …
Music & audio © Alexander Massey, 23 March 2014 BUY the sheet music (1 or 2 vces + guitar chords) – $2.25 In Jewish life, we take joy seriously! We are reminded that, on Shabbat especially, we should be joyful, prompted by the verse from Isaiah 58:13 – “and call the Sabbath a delight [oneg]”. The …
Psalm 36: 8-10 – Music and audio © Alexander Massey 16 Sept 2018 Music, English lyrics & audio © Alexander Massey 16 Sept 2018 BUY the sheet music (voice & pno/guit) – $4.95 Enjoy listening! Fuller commentary / essay coming soon – in the meantime, here are some brief thoughts: I wrote this as a …
In Hebrew In English – ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one’ Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 9 Dec 2015 This recording and a version of this article were published on Ritual Well (USA) as ‘Arise, my love‘. English duet version (a recording with women’s voices is coming soon!) Hebrew duet version (a recording with …
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 5 Dec 2015 BUY the sheet music (lead sheet) $3.95 Much could be (and has been) written about the Kaddish (to which I have put links below). Although one version is referred to as mourner’s kaddish, it is part of our daily prayers, and comes, in some form, in …
Composition and audio © Alexander Massey 12 Dec 2015 BUY the sheet music (1 or 2 vces lead sheet) – $4.50 (2 copies @ $2.25) This recording and a version of this article were pubished on Ritual Well (USA), June 2016 with the title ‘Blessed Is She‘. The opening line of this lyric is based …