Showing posts with label Kabbalat Shabbat. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kabbalat Shabbat. Show all posts

Friday, September 12, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Yedid Nefesh by Ein Lanu Zman of Agudas Achim Congregation of Northern Virginia

Ein Lanu Zman (We Have No Time) is the name of the house band of Agudas Achim Congregation of Northern Virginia. Together with Hazzan Elisheva Dienstfrey they play and sing a wide variety of songs as part of Shabbat and Holiday services.

Led by Rabbi Steven Rein and based in Alexandria, Virginia, the congregation describes itself as a community built on covenantal relationships, generating the connections that bind one individual to another and one generation to the next.

Today we're welcoming Shabbat with Hazzan Dienstfrey and the band easing into the Kabbalat Shabbat service with a version of Yedid Nefesh by Josh Warshawsky.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, September 5, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with L'cha Dodi by Cantor Abbie Strauss

Cantor Abbie Strauss is a renowned composer, multi-instrumentalist, and recording artist, with her works being enjoyed worldwide. 

Abbie founded the music school, The Institute of Jewish Rock and Judaism: Inside Out, driven by her desire to bring all people together as one in love and joy through music. She is a proud member of the Grammy's Recording Academy and an advocate for the arts.

Abbie is a Cantorial Soloist at Temple Judea, a Reform congregation in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, where her husband, Feivel Strauss is a rabbi.

In today's video, she sings a lively version of L'cha Dodi.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom! 

Friday, August 29, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with L'cha Dodi by Rick Recht at United Hebrew Congregation in St. Louis

Rick Recht is one of the top touring musicians in Jewish music playing over 150 dates each year in the US and abroad.

Rick has revolutionized and elevated the genre of Jewish rock music as a powerful and effective tool for developing Jewish pride and identity in youth and adults across the US. 

Rick is the national celebrity spokesman for the PJ Library and is the Executive Director of Songleader Boot Camp – a national songleader training immersion program held in various cities around the U.S.

Rick and his band have played at literally hundreds of URJ, Ramah, JCC and private camps around the country.  Rick has been featured in concert and as scholar in residence at the NFTY, BBYO, and USY International conventions, the URJ Biennial, the American Conference of Cantors, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and Jewish communities across the US.   Rick has 13 top selling Jewish albums including his most recent release, Halleluyah.

Let's welcome this Shabbat with Rick singing L'cha Dodi at A Friday night service at United Hebrew Congregation in St. Louis.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, August 15, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Adon Olam by Israeli Harpist Rivka Arki-Amar

Rivka Arki-Amar is a professional harpist and professor in Jerusalem
. She is a dedicated and accomplished musician with experience performing in various settings and genres, including classical, contemporary, and folk music. 

Her focus is on technique and expression, and she is known for her professionalism and ability to adapt to diverse performance environments. She also collaborates with other musicians and artists.

Today we welcome Shabbat with Rivka Arki-Amar playing Uzi Hitman's version of Adon Olam on her harp as filmed in Jerusalem's City of David.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, August 8, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Shalom Aleichem by Ein Lanu Zman of Agudas Achim Congregation of Northern Virginia

Ein Lanu Zman (We Have No Time) is the name of the house band of Agudas Achim Congregation of Northern Virginia. Together with Hazzan Elisheva Dienstfrey they play and sing a wide variety of songs as part of Shabbat and Holiday services.

Led by Rabbi Steven Rein and based in Alexandria, Virginia, the congregation describes itself as a community built on covenantal relationships, generating the connections that bind one individual to another and one generation to the next.

Today we're welcoming Shabbat with Hazzan Dienstfrey and the band easing into the Kabbalat Shabbat service with a touch of country and bluegrass sound.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, August 1, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi Sung by Kol Kinor Choir of Birmingham, UK

Kol Kinor Choir was formed in Birmingham, UK in September 1990, under the able musicianship of Joyce Rothschild and Jane Ward. Alexander Knapp is the honorary Patron. Jacob Fifer is the musical director and principal conductor.

Kol Kinor is a small mixed voice choir of singers who perform, enjoy and enthuse about Jewish music. It has a rich and diverse repertoire covering many aspects of Jewish culture including liturgical and synagogue pieces set to modern, traditional and folk arrangements. It has Jewish and non-Jewish members.

The choir sings in Yiddish, Hebrew, English and Ladino, and complement this with commentaries on the history and significance of each piece in relation to musical development and religious emphasis within individual festivals and services.

Over the years, the choir has performed all over the UK in many varied venues including cathedrals, churches, synagogues, music festivals, City of Birmingham events; the choir has also sung in the USA. 

In this video, Kol Kinor sings Lecha Dodi, a traditional part of the Kabbalat Shabbat service.

Shabbat shalom!

Friday, July 18, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi by the Maccabeats

Originally formed in 2007 as Yeshiva University's student vocal group, the Maccabeats have emerged as both Jewish music and a cappella phenomena, with a large fan base, more than 50 million views on YouTube, numerous TV appearances, and proven success with four albums.

In this video, a trio from the Maccabeats sing an excerpt from Lecha Dodi, a major liturgical piece from the Kabbalat Shabbat service sung on Friday night.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, July 11, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Shalom Aleichem by Itay Benda

Itay Benda, also known as Itay Ben David, was born in Jerusalem with music in his soul. Enthralled by music from a young age, he convinced his friends to take music lessons to form his first band. He’s since gone on to tour around the globe with some of the most prominent Israeli and European acts as both a singer and musician.

Currently based in Los Angeles and performing around the world, Itay brings new meaning and life to audiences as he shares the songs inside his soul. As a solo act or alongside a band of up to twelve, Itay incorporates nuances and flavors from his time spent touring the world.

Join us in welcoming Shabbat tonight with Shalom Aleichem, as sung by Itay Benda.

Shabbat shalom!

Friday, July 4, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Mizmor Shir by Congregation Shir Shalom of Westchester and Fairfield Counties

Today we welcome Shabbat with another version of Mizmor Shir L'Yom HaShabbat by Cantor Bryce Megdal and the Adult Choir of Congregation Shir Shalom of Westchester and Fairfield Counties.

The congregation is located in Ridgefield, Connecticut approximately one mile from South Salem, New York. It is a union of Jewish Family Congregation of South Salem, NY and Temple Shearith Israel of Ridgefield, CT. Though a Reform congregation, its congregants come from Reform, Conservative and Orthodox backgrounds or no religious background at all.

This version was recorded at the installation of Cantor Megdal in March 2025.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, June 27, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi by Julia and Amalia, a New Singing Duo

Julia Sabra and Amalia Kelter Zeitlin are two musicians deeply committed to building and inspiring Jewish community through song. They met briefly in December of 2023, but did not become friends until September of 2024, when they were both living in Jerusalem.
 
One day, a mutual friend told them that they really needed to make music together. They took her advice, and started compiling songs for an album of Jewish music. Some written by Amalia, some by Julia, and some an organic collaboration of their musical minds. 
 
The album is in development, and the duo is looking for sources of funding. In the meantime they are performing in various locations, including this session in a private home in Baka, Jerusalem, where they sing Lecha Dodi for a group of friends.
 
Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!
 

Friday, June 6, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi Sung by Harvard Hillel's "ApiChorus" a Cappella

Today we welcome Shabbat with another version of Lecha Dodi set to Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah in an arrangement by the Maccabeats. It's sung by ApiChorus, Harvard Hillel's Jewish a Cappella Group. 

Founded in 2023, ApiChorus is a coed group comprised of current students at Harvard University. They sing a diverse repertoire of Hebrew and English classics, represent a broad range of Jewish backgrounds, and perform at venues locally in Cambridge as well as in concerts across the country.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, May 23, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Shalom Aleichem at Congregação Israelita Mineira of Brazil

The Congregação Israelita Mineira (CIM) was founded in 1996 in Mineira, a state in Southeastern Brazil. In the synagogue, Tiféret Israel, with capacity for up to 400 people, men and women can pray together. 

Since July 2020, the religious leader of the CIM has been Rabbi Lucca Myara.

In this video, Rabbi Myara sings Shalom Aleichem, which is usuallly sung at the beginning of the Shabbat meal.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, May 16, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Yah Ribon Olam by Kedmah

Kedmah is an ensemble of musicians and prayer leaders excavating the power and beauty of Mizrahi Jewish expression through ancient poetry and song. Today's video, Yah Ribon Olam, one of the zemirot for Shabbat, is on their debut album, Simu Lev.

Led by Rabbi Yosef Goldman and Yoni Avi Battat, Kedmah honors the artists’ Iraqi, Syrian, and Yemenite ancestry in conversation with their intersecting musical influences. Their interactive performances, workshops, and recordings allow listeners to experience the spiritual and emotional depth of Middle Eastern piyyut (liturgical poetry) and the ages-old tradition of Arab melodies that adorn them. Part educational initiative, part performance group, the social and pedagogical impact of this project is strengthened by a commitment to musical creativity, historical accuracy, spirituality, and public performance at the highest level.  

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, May 9, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with a Cappella Shalom Aleichem by Yonatan Stern

It's another Friday and time to welcome Shabbat with an a cappella version of Shalom Aleichem. This is the 66th version that we've posted and it's sung by Yonatan Stern and his a cappella group.

Enjoy and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, May 2, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with V'Shamru by Zimriyah Chorale of San Diego's Beth Israel

This evening we welcome Shabbat with V'Shamru, part of the Friday night liturgy. It is sung by the Zimriyah Choir of Congregation Beth Israel of San Diego. 

Congregation Beth Israel, the historic center of Jewish life in San Diego, is an inclusive Reform congregation that offers a warm welcome and a nurturing home to all who seek a meaningful and enduring connection to Judaism.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, April 25, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Shalom Aleichem Sung by BerKalit a Cappella


Today we welcome Shabbat with BerKalit a cappella singing Shalom Aleichem.

Founded in 2022 at Berklee College of Music, BerKalit's name cleverly nods to its origins; in Hebrew, 'Kalit' (קליט) means 'catchy,' capturing the spirit of BerKalit's music, while sounding like 'Berklee.' BerKalit are the proud winners of Jewish Star Season 5 and the singers behind ASMAC critically acclaimed arrangement, "Lecha Dodi."

Alongside facilitating Shabbat services and vocal harmony workshops nationwide, the group is thrilled to have released their debut EP in 2025, featuring a collection of innovative liturgical arrangements. Comprising members from diverse religious backgrounds united by their love for Jewish music, BerKalit aims to bridge the gap between Jewish music and contemporary a cappella, foster community through vocal harmony, and use their voices to uplift the Greater Boston Area and beyond.

Shabbat shalom!

Friday, April 18, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with an Egyptian Version of Yigdal by Jenni Asher

Tonight we welcome Shabbat and the seventh day of Pesach with an Egyptian version of Yigdal, the hymn that usually closes the Friday Night service.

This rendition has roots in Egyptian music, which is part of the tradition of Jenni Asher's family. This is the tenth version of the song that we've posted, and it's the first to use an Egyptian tune.

The song is a musical expression of Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides)’s Thirteen Principles of Faith.

We will not be posting on Sunday because we'll be in our Florida shul observing the last day of Pesach. We'll be back on Monday with another Joke to Start the Week.

Enjoy, Shabbat shalom, and Chag Pesach sameach! 

Friday, April 4, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi by The Shvesters

The Shvesters (Chava Levi and Polina Fradkin) are a Yiddish vocal duo hailing originally from Detroit, Michigan. They gained a reputation on social media for their perfectly synchronized voices (and signature matching outfits) — and have won the hearts of audiences from all backgrounds.  

The Shvesters transform classic Yiddish melodies into sophisticated, contemporary harmonic jazz arrangements.

In this video the Shvesters welcome Shabbat with a rendition of Lecha Dodi.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!

Friday, March 28, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Mi Chamocha to Mr. Tambourine Man by Congregation Shir Shalom

Mr. Tambourine Man is a song written by Bob Dylan, released as the first track of the acoustic side of his March 1965 album Bringing It All Back Home. The song's popularity led to Dylan recording it live many times, and it has been included in multiple compilation albums. 

It has been translated into other languages and has been used or referenced in television shows, films, and books.

It's also been adopted by Congregation Shir Shalom in Buffalo, New York as the musical background for Mi Chamocha, part of the Shabbat service.

So today we're joining Shir Shalom in welcoming Shabbat with an unconventional melody for the morning service.

Enjoy!

Friday, March 21, 2025

Welcoming Shabbat with Lecha Dodi by Cantors Shiree Kidron and Azi Schwartz

It's Friday again and time to welcome another Shabbat. This week we're sharing our 70th version of Lecha Dodi, this time with cantors Azi Schwartz and Shiree Kidron.

We're all familiar with the inspiring voice of Azi Schwartz, lead cantor at the Park Avenue Synagogue in Manhattan. Over the years cantor Schwartz has appeared 26 times on this site with renditions of many parts of the Shabbat services. 

Cantor Shiree Kidron is a unique and versatile vocalist who appears locally and internationally as a classical singer, as well as oratorio and as a Jewish classical and folk music performer.

She received her Master of Music at the Manhattan School of Music and her Bachelor in Music at the Rubin High Academy of Music and Dance in Jerusalem. .

Cantor Kidron currently serves as the Cantor at Or Olam, The East 55th Street Synagogue. She is proud member of the Cantors Assembly. She has been the senior Cantor at Bet Shira Congregation in South Miami and a Cantor at the Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City.

Enjoy, and Shabbat shalom!