Welcoming Shabbat (and Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah) with U'Vyom HaShabbat by the Zurich Synagogue Choir

Tonight we celebrate a grand finale to what has been almost a full month of holidays. With Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot in the rear view mirror, what's left is the holiday of Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah, which is celebrated as a single day in Israel and two days in the diaspora.

This year the holiday falls on Shabbat, so there is an abundance of joy and an extra measure of dancing with the Torah, song, and feasting. We're starting the holiday by sharing a performance of U'Vyom HaShabbat by the Zurich Synagogue Choir.

The Zurich Synagogue Choir includes around two dozen singers under the direction of conductor Robert Braunschweig. The choir is supported by the Jewish Community of Zurich, Switzerland. They sing once a month at the Löwenstrasse synagogue during services on Shabbat morning and on the High Holidays. The choir also sings at interdenominational events and gives concerts at home and abroad.  

The choir in the Löwenstrasse Synagogue has existed – in various forms – for over 100 years. Its members have and live a wide variety of religious orientations. What they all have in common is the joy of singing in the cultural and religious environment of the unified community.

We'll be observing the two-day holiday tomorrow and Sunday, so the next Jewish Humor Central post will be on Monday, when we'll be back with our regular mix.

We wish you a Shabbat shalom and Chag Sameach!

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.

Welcoming Shabbat with Yismechu by the Zurich Synagogue Choir

Today we're sharing a version of Yismechu by the Zurich Synagogue Choir, a singing group in Switzerland that includes about two dozen singers under the direction of conductor Robert Braunschweig. The choir sings once a month at the Löwenstrasse synagogue in the service on Shabbat morning and on the High Holidays. In addition, the choir sings at interdenominational events and gives concerts in Germany and abroad. 

Yismechu is part of the Mussaf Amida on Shabbat. 

Yism'chu v'malchut'cha shom'rei shabbat v'kor'ei oneg. Am m'kadshei shv'ii kulam yisb'u v'yitan'gu mituvecha, uvash'vii ratzita bo v'kidashto, chemdat yamim oto karata, zecher l'ma'ase v'reshit.

יִשְׂמְחוּ בְמַלְכוּתְךָ, שׁוֹמְרֵי שַׁבָּת וְקֽוֹרְאֵי עֹֽנֶג, עַם מְקַדְּשֵׁי שְׁבִיעִי, כֻּלָּם יִשְׂבְּעוּ וְיִתְעַנְּגוּ מִטּוּבֶֽךָ, וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי רָצִֽיתָ בּוֹ וְקִדַּשְׁתּוֹ, חֶמְדַּת יָמִים אוֹתוֹ קָרָֽאתָ, זֵֽכֶר לְמַעֲשֵׂה בְרֵאשִׁית:

The choir in the Löwenstrasse synagogue has existed – in various forms – for over 100 years. Its members have a wide variety of religious orientations. What they all have in common is the joy of singing in the cultural and religious environment of the Zurich Jewish community. The choir's repertoire includes around 60 mostly synagogue songs and chazzan accompaniments by German, French, Polish and Russian composers of the 19th century. 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.