Welcoming Shabbat with V'Shamru (Sephardic-Turkish Style) by Rabbi Jacob Agar of Beth Sholom in Elkins Park

Last year Cantor Jacob Agar, the cantor of Congregation Beth Sholom in Elkins Park, Pennsylvania, sang V'Shamru to the tune of Uskudara, a traditional Sephardic Turkish melody. The synagogue, also known as the Frank Lloyd Wright Synagogue for its architect and designer, is a National Historic Landmark.

Cantor Agar received his cantorial investiture at the H.L Miller Cantorial School at Jewish Theological Seminary of New York. Previously he studied opera performance and linguistics at SUNY Purchase College. Following conservatory, he sang with several opera companies in New York and New Jersey, and has worked with a wide variety of conductors. 

Cantor Agar is also a composer and arranger and is inspired by a wide variety of music. He was inspired to become a cantor by his love for Judaism, Jewish music, and his interest in using music to uplift people and bring them closer to Judaism. His goal is to use music to elevate people spiritually and to help them find comfort and solace at synagogue. 

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom! 

Havdalah with Congregation Beth Sholom of Teaneck

On Fridays we usually post a musical welcome to Shabbat with a version of Shalom Aleichem, Lecha Dodi, or Adon Olam. But this week we're skipping to the end of Shabbat and continuing the series of Havdalah services that we started in 2017. 

 

Because we don't post on Shabbat, we haven't been paying much attention to the closing minutes of Shabbat, when beautiful melodies are sung as part of Havdalah, the ceremony marking the transition from the holiness of Shabbat to the work week.

But there's a rich lode of musical endings to Shabbat, and Havdalah ceremonies around the world reflect the traditional and local musical tastes of each location.

Here's a video to save for tomorrow night at the conclusion of Shabbat. Playing it after dark will give us a reminder of the sweet taste of Shabbat and energize us to face the challenges of the coming week.   

For this Havdalah service we don't have to travel far. This version comes to us from Congregation Beth Sholom in Teaneck, New Jersey. The lead singer is Cantor Ronit Wolff Hanan.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

A SPECIAL NOTE FOR NEW EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS:  THE VIDEO MAY NOT BE VIEWABLE DIRECTLY FROM THE EMAIL THAT YOU GET EACH DAY ON SOME COMPUTERS AND TABLETS.  YOU MUST CLICK ON THE TITLE AT THE TOP OF THE EMAIL TO REACH THE JEWISH HUMOR CENTRAL WEBSITE, FROM WHICH YOU CLICK ON THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE VIDEO IMAGE TO START THE VIDEO.