Music

Music is a vital part of Jewish and synagogue life. It comes from the heart and speaks to the heart. In prayer much can be expressed through music that might not be easily expressed with words. We are working on providing a rich selection of Jewish music for your enjoyment and education.

Want to get a taste of the service? Listen to Nusach HERE

Choirs

Adult Choir
The Adath Choir explores the many facets of Jewish choral music and participates in some Friday night services and programs throughout the year. Under the direction of Hazzan Joanna Dulkin the choir provides us with unforgettable and inspiring music on the High Holy Days.

Youth Choirs—M'shor'rim
M’shor’rim (singers)--M’shor’rim is a traditional term for singers who stood near the Hazzan and assisted in singing parts of the synagogue repertory with the Hazzan. This group for vocally talented youth will learn about specific prayer texts and rehearse and sing in small ensembles with the Hazzan at selected Shabbat morning services throughout the year and at other occasions. We meet during SMP once or twice a month and sing during the Musaf service in the sanctuary. Students may generally join M’shor’rim beginning in 8th or 9th grade. Please contact Hazzan Dulkin for more information.

Many of our talented high school singers also participate in
HaZamir—HaZamir: The International Jewish High School Choir is a network of choral chapters across the United States and Israel which provides Jewish teens with a high level choral experience in a Jewish environment.

Local groups (such as ours) all over the country work on Jewish and/or Hebrew chorale pieces, perfecting their craft throughout the year. Then, in the early spring, all the local groups converge in New York City for a wonderful, awe-inspiring song fest. This is truly an amazing opportunity led locally by Cantor Audrey Abrams.

This is a program of Yachad – our Jewish community high school. 

Kedusha for Musaf

"The Kedusha is a dialogue between the angels calling to one another in praise of God."

At Adath there are two distinct melodies that we use for Kedusha of Musaf (page 157 Siddur Sim Shalom). Singing familiar melodies is comforting. It enables us to sing-along and feel a part of congregational prayer.

At the same time we also need challenge. We need something new to wake us up out of the familiar slumber of the usual routine. A new melody may express the text in a different way. This can lead to a transformed relationship with the text and new insight. To that end I went searching for a new melody for Kedusha. When I could not find a new, beautiful and appropriate melody for this prayer I embarked on writing my own new musical setting for Kedusha. I spoke about and introduced this new melody on a recent Shabbat morning.

The Kedusha is a dialogue between the angels calling to one another in praise of God. The first two paragraphs focus on praise and expressions of awe in the face of God's glory. My musical setting expresses in melody the theme of this praise. Beginning with the third paragraph of Kedusha there is reference to God's compassion and mercy and so a change in musical tone and key may express this theme. I chose to move from the major to a minor key and to use a new rhythm to express this change in theme of the liturgical text.

You can hear a recording at http://www.adathjeshurun.org/music--choirs.html. This will allow you to become familiar with this new musical setting and enable you to participate when we sing this melody on a future Shabbat. Go online and sing along with me to prepare for a full and hearty participatory experience during Shabbat Musaf.

See the Music

Hear the Music: