Welcoming Shabbat in South Africa with Lecha Dodi by Singer Leigh Nudelman

Leigh Nudelman is an Ashkenazi South African Jewish singer, who is single-handedly reviving Yiddish music in Johannesburg. A fourth generation South African, Leigh eloquently describes the power of Yiddish to connect her to her ancestors, just as she expresses the struggles and joys of being Jewish in South Africa today.

In this video, Nudelman and her Beis Clef ensemble sing the traditional Kabbalat Shabbat song Lecha Dodi. Beis Clef is a Johannesburg-based Jewish community that explores Jewish identity through music, ritual and creative expression. Their monthly Friday night gatherings bring together traditional liturgy, contemporary arrangements and communal singing in an intimate home setting.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!