Dear Friends,
If we consider the most powerful building blocks for a sense of community, music quickly rises to the top. A familiar melody can bring complete strangers together in a very unique way. Consider the transformation which occurs when our national anthem is sung before a sporting event. As soon as the Star Spangled Banner begins to play, 60,000 fans are united – if only for a brief moment – as a community.
So too it is with the melodies we share as a congregation. The songs we sing and the prayers we chant provide all of us with a special identity which binds us together in community.
For the past two years, HCRJ has placed a special focus on the musicality of worship through our monthly Got Shabbat experiences. On the second Sabbath of each month, we highlight the musical aspects of our liturgy by exploring musical traditions from around the world.
This Friday night is no exception. This Friday night our service will be mostly music. This kind of jazzy Shabbat experience has become extremely popular in congregations around the world. Please join us for a very special Shabbat service accompanied by the magnificent harmonies of Dee Dee Dochen and Mike Kahn. This service will also feature a full band and promises to bring us together as a community like never before.
L’Shalom–Steve