In summer 2023, these songs formed the programme for a devotional, illustrated talk I gave to the Oxford (UK) Council of Christians and Jews (CCJ); many of these texts are shared by Jews and Christians. A musical setting of a text creates its own world, and suggests a particular way of seeing, hearing and feeling. […]
I’ll sing a little song – Playlist Read More »
Who’s good enough? Who here is a tzaddik? (You don’t have to answer that!) The opening of the story of Noach describes a global crisis: the earth is filled with lawlessness, and people’s ways are corrupt. One man is singled out as at least more of a tzaddik, of better character, than those around him.
Moving beyond binaries (Noach) Read More »
אוֹר, זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק, וּלְיִשְׁרְי לֵב שִׂמְחָה “Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.” (Ps. 97:11) In 2020, over one 24-hour period, I composed these two very different settings of Or Zarua – one lyrical and contemplative for Yom Kippur, and the other celebratory for Shabbat. Here are the two
Or Zarua – Two ways of sowing light Read More »
In 2020 I composed a sombre, yearning setting of the 13 attributes (Adonai, Adonai No.1). Two years later, I composed a completely different setting (Adonai, Adonai No.2) that was filled with light and relief. Here are the two settings, set side by side, with their commentaries. For me, both settings carry equal weight in my
Adonai, Adonai – Two faces of the 13 Attributes Read More »
Recording coming in due course. Yedid Nefesh No.2 – Download the free sheet music (voice & guitar)
Yedid Nefesh No.2 (My Soul’s Beloved) Read More »
Before you read the translation, notice that I’ve added a little bit of padding from Talmudic midrash, just to help make sense of what’s going on. It’s a good story, and I hope readers will see something fresh in this translation even before we get to the drash. There are, of course, many faces to
A story about allyship (Beha’alotcha) Read More »
God is From as far back as I can remember, God has been real for me. I don’t know where that comes from. My family wasn’t religious. We never discussed religion or God. I haven’t always seen eye to eye with God of course. We’ve had our differences and fallings out. I’ve turned my back
Making room for God Read More »
[13] Now these you are to hold-detestable from birds—they are not to be eaten, they are detestable-things: the eagle, the bearded-vulture and the black-vulture, [14] the kite and the falcon after its kind, [15] every [sort of] raven after its kind; [16] the desert owl, the screech owl and the sea gull, and the falcon
The Birds Clause (Sh’mini) Read More »
This d’var is based on Lev. 6:1-6. The aish tamid The first six verses of this morning’s Torah reading announce that these are the rules concerning the olah—the sacrificial offering in which all the meat is burnt so that its smoke ‘ascends’ to God. But, in fact, the early rabbis, and key commentators ever since,
Pesach and the aish tamid / continuous fire (Tzav & Pesach) Read More »
Here’s a selection of my music that can be used for morning blessings and P’sukei d’zimra (verses of song). Ashrei Yoshvei (Ps 84:5) Elohai N’shamah Halleluyah #1 (Ps 150) – and if you want a 4 part round in ‘old style’, try Halleluyah #2 Ki L’Olam Chasdo (Ps 136) Mah Gadlu (Ps 92:6) Modeh Ani Naomi’s
P’sukei d’zimra & morning music Read More »