Page 27 - Jewish News_Sept2021

JEWISH INTEREST September 2021 27A

Tefillah and Shirah: Two legs of the spiritual throne

By Arlene Stolnitz
September 1941 was one of the larg- ecently, I have been reading ing the prayer liturgy. and “musical scale.” Tova Tikatevu. Let the prayers and ob-
est mass killings at any single location about Rising Song Circles. So who is Joey Weisenberg? He The most famous story in the To- servance of these awesome days pave
during World War II. The horrendous RThese are groups of music lov- is the founder and director of Hadar’s rah concerns Jacob’s ladder, in which the way for a renewed spiritual life.
numbers killed were surpassed only ers in Jewish communities who join to- Rising Song Institute, and the author the patriarch dreams of a ladder with This year, I look forward to sharing
by the massacre in October 1941 of gether on a regular basis to study and of Building Singing Communities angels going up and down. Maimon- with you the stories of gifted musicians
50,000 Jews at Odessa by Romanian sing all forms and The Torah of Music, which was ides thought the angels had one pur- and their inspirational works.
(and some German) units, and by the of Judaic music. the winner of a 2017 National Book pose, that of singing. We can think of Arlene Stolnitz, founder of the Sara-
two-day Aktion Erntefest (Operation Song Circles in- Award. His library of over 500 vid- Jacob’s ladder as a musical scale with sota Jewish Chorale, is a member of
Harvest Festival) in early November clude nigunim, eos, teaching topics such as “Leading angels ascending and descending with the Jewish Congregation of Venice. A
1943, which claimed 42,000 - 43,000 nusach, prayers Moving Communal Prayer,” “Bringing our prayers. retired educator from Rochester, New
Jewish victims. and all forms of Nigunim into the Community,” “Shab- When we sing, we can think of York, she has sung in choral groups
More than any other incident, the known Jewish bat and Festival Melodies,” “Building ourselves as experiencing a state of our for over 25 years and also sings in
massacres at Babi Yar have come to music, but un- Joyous Singing Communities” and best selves as we enter a state of spir- The Venice Chorale. Her interest in
symbolize a characteristic of the Ho- like a traditional “High Holiday Prayers and Chants,” ituality. Weisenberg’s idea is that mu- the preservation of Jewish music of all
locaust – mass shooting, or “the Holo- choir, everyone is only one of many ways Weisenberg sic, although only a bunch of notes, can kinds has led to this series of articles
caust by bullets.” Arlene Stolnitz may join regard- demonstrates, through song, the Torah transform us if we let it. on Jewish Folk Music in the Diaspora.
In 1959, novelist Viktor Nekrasov less of musical background. The idea of prayer and music. Wishing you and yours a L’Shana
ARTS
appealed in the pages of Literaturnaya for the program was originated by An interesting interpretation I read CULTURE MUSIC CULTURE SHABBAT
BRADENTON
ELDERLY SERVICES
Gazeta for a memorial to be established Joey Weisenberg, whose mission is to by Weisenberg talks about the idea that FAMILY SOCIAL
EDUCATION
at Babi Yar. Poet Yevgeni Yevtushenko bring people together in song. He be- in gematria (the code used in biblical YOUTH HADASSAH
VENICE
CHEVRA KADISHA
followed this up with a famous poem, lieves that where there is song, there is times for assigning a numerical value SHABBAT
“Babi Yar,” in the same journal on prayer, and that Jewish tradition teach- to a word according to its letters), the SYNAGOGUE CULTURE MOHEL
CEMETERIES
September 19, 1961. The poem was es that music unlocks the door to di- numerical value for tefillah (prayer) KOSHER CAMP
LONGBOAT KEY
an open attack upon antisemitism and vine connection. and shirah (song) are the same. His SENIORS HOLOCAUST EDUCATION
drew attention to Jewish martyrdom. In his own words, recently pub- thought is that they are two legs of the ARTS
BRADENTON
Composer Dmitri Shostakovich lished in My Jewish Learning online: spiritual throne, mutually supporting YOUTH GROUP MUSIC CULTURE
ELDERLY SERVICES
FAMILY
L
KI
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING JEWISH?
O
O
YOUTH
then set Yevtushenko’s lines to music “Music is the most… ephemeral of all each other. He feels that where there YOUNG ADULTS N G F O R S O M E T H I N G J E W I S H ?
in his 13 Symphony, performed for art forms. We can’t see music, we can’t is song, there is prayer and that music JUDAICA VENICE
th
FIND IT IN THE DIRECTORY
the first time in December 1962. Yev- grasp it in our hands, but we can feel can open our hearts and minds to better FOOD CHEVRA KADISHA HADASSAH
SYNAGOGUE
tushenko was publicly denounced by it working through us and the world. understand what is around us. HILLEL JFEDSRQ.org/Directory EDUCATION
Premier Nikita Khrushchev in Pravda As such, music represents our con- Besides referring to the proph- SUMMER CAMP CULTURE MOHEL
KOSHER
on March 8, 1963, but the details of the nection to the divine, to each other, to ets who knew this, he talks about the SARASOTA CAMP
CEMETERIES
SOCIAL
massacre would not remain censored. everything. Music is… a prayer that role of the cantor, whom he describes TEEN HOLOCAUST SOCIAL
EDUCATION
Details resurfaced in 1966 in a novel opens up our imaginations to the as a “sacred musician who snatches SENIORS NORTH PORT
focusing on Babi Yar written by Anato- divine source of all life.” the song from the place where proph- SHABBAT YOUTH GROUP ARTS FAMILY
ly Kuznetsov. Anyone who has ever sung in a ets suckle.” He speaks of melodies CHEVRA KADISHA BRADENTON
CEMETERIES
CAMP
After the breakup of the Soviet temple choir has felt that connection. forming a divine ladder connecting EDUCATION SHABBAT
Union, the Ukrainian government ac- And in the congregation, one can sense earth with the heavens. In Hebrew, TEMPLE JUDAICA FOOD VENICE
knowledged the specifically Jewish the feeling as worshipers join in sing- the word sulam means both “ladder” HILLEL SYNAGOGUE
SENIORS
nature of the site and an appropriate MUSIC CULTURE SUMMER CAMP MUSIC
rededication was held. MUSIC
Paul R. Bartrop is Professor Emeritus The Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Community is
of History and the former Director of Learn about our growing Invited to Join Temple Beth Sholom for a
the Center for Holocaust and Geno- Jewish community in this comprehensive Custom, Small-Group Tour of
cide Research at Florida Gulf Coast
University. population study of Sarasota-Manatee Jewish Budapest, Vienna & Prague
July 6-17, 2022

World-renowned tour manager Jacob Shoshan will lead this special
journey. Highlights include:

Budapest's Dohany Street Synagogue & Jewish Museum
Holocaust Memorial Center
Vienna's Jewish Museum
1 ST Optional Shabbat services at local synagogues
Prague's Jewish Quarter and ancient Jewish cemetery
population study
Terezin
in 20 years!
Figarohaus
Panoramic tour of Vienna

2019
a grant from:
Prague's Astronomical Clock
Jewish Community Study Sponsored in part by Cesky Krumlov
5-star Hotel Accommodations
Cohen Center Authors: A socio-demographic portrait of the Jewish Rabbi Altshuler will connect us
Matthew Boxer
Matthew A. Brookner community in Sarasota-Manatee with local Jewish communities
Eliana Chapman
Janet Krasner Aronson Temple membership NOT required
jfedsrq.org/CommunityStudy For Details Contact Marc Bokoff:
jfedsrq.org/CommunityStudy
For more information, 860-608-6095 mobile
844-768-2799 Office
contact Kim Adler
941.552.6300 Marc@BookThatEscape.com
kadler@jfedsrq.org www.BookThatEscape.com/GroupRegistrations/view/96360