VOICES OF ISRAEL AT 70

J A N U A R Y 2 7 , 2 0 1 8 • 1 1 S H E VAT 5 7 7 8

A BBAT SHIRA
SH H
 INTRODUCTION
ABOUT JEWISH MUSIC…
“Eelu finu maleh shirah kayam, ul’shoneinu rinah
kahamon galav.”
“If only our mouths were as full of song as the sea, and our tongues
joyful as its waves.” (appears at the end of P’sukai D’zimra, verses
of praise during the Shabbat morning preliminary service).

Like much of our prayer book, this verse may be as old as the eighth
century, most likely written in Babylonia. The verse epitomizes, in
a beautiful and poetic way, the powerful strength that music has
and how it can move us beyond words, cognitive thoughts and
ideas. In a modern age of highly intellectualized messages, many
transmitted through electronic devices, music combined with our
ancient Jewish ideas and poetic expressions can lift us and take us
away from it all. As a Jew, I use Hebrew for purposes of
communication and expression, but beyond, the ancient language
of our people offers an enigmatic musicality all of its own. When
combined with music, the encounter can be quite thrilling. Jewish
music is an opportunity to bring to our communities an enchanting
language, combined with music of all different generations, new
and old. It is an opportunity to teach history and culture, and to
connect generations with our ancient heritage and story. It is a
vehicle to keep telling the story and to bring us closer to one
another, and to God.

ABOUT THIS SHABBAT SHIRAH…

This Shabbat Shirah is different from past Shabbat Shirah
presentations in that I chose to link it to Israel’s 70th birthday by
giving a brief history by example of the music of Israel. As you
know, we celebrate a very special moment in the Torah, a very
musical moment in Jewish biblical history. This Shabbat is Shabbat
Shirah. It is the Sabbath of Singing. Many congregations highlight
this Shabbat by creating services brimming with extraordinary
music to celebrate Moses and Miriam leading the Israelites across
the Sea of Reeds (The Red Sea) and out of Egypt. But as we begin
to celebrate Israel’s 70th birthday, I want to highlight certain
musical pieces that created “era” markers. The first time period I
selected was the time before Israel was born, pre-1948, when
Chalutzim were farmers and “cowboys” across the desert, exem-
plified by the songs “Shir Habokrim” – the Cowboy song, and
“Sa’enu” – the bells on camels in the desert. The second time period
was called “Shirah B’Tzibur,” sing-alongs that kept groups of peo-
ple in kibbutzim inspired and hopeful for a bright future using song
and dance. The third was when Israeli music was recognized on
the world stage for the first time. “Halleluyah” won first place in
the Eurovision International Singing competition by country, from
all over the world. Israel has come a long way (in many areas) in
a relatively short period of time.

Let’s celebrate!

Hazzan David Propis

January 27, 2018
11 Shevat 5778
 LYRICS
1. Shir Habokrim – Song of the Cowboy
Music: M. Olari-Nozyk
Lyrics: Ya’akov Orland

} (2X)
Arava arava ad keitz,
Ein habokrim tara
Lo arar lo dardar lo eitz
ruach ba hamidbara

Zemer habokrim yaale v'yivka

Al merchavim avudim ad en gemer
v'tizrach hachama v'tishka
umosif v'kole’ach hazemer

Desert, desert without end

The cowboys’ eyes survey it
No juniper, no thistle, no tree
Wind coming from the wilderness

The cowboys’ song rises and falls

Over an empty, endless expanse
The sun rises and sets
And the song continues to flow
 LYRICS
2. Sa’enu
Music: Yemenite Melody
Hebrew Lyrics: Alexander Penn
English Lyrics: Charles Davidson

El hamidbar yisa’enu
Al dab’shot g’malim.
Al tzav’re’hem,
Y’tzaltzelu pa’amonim g’dolom.

Sa’enu, sa’enu, lamidbar sa’enu.

Halila lachem, t’hal’lu
Haro’im navim.

O, listen to the bells faintly sounding,

Calling, ringing clear.
O, listen to the bells on camels,
Gently swaying, drawing near.

Awake, awake, come and ride away

O, listen to the bells while shepherds are sleeping
And their flocks are still.
 LYRICS
3. Jerusalem Medley

Uva’u Ha’ovdim
Music: Shlomo Carlebach
Lyrics: Isaiah 27:13
Uva’u haovdim
B’eretz ashur
V’hanidacheem b’eretz Mitzrayim
V’hishtachavu LaShem
B’har hakodesh b’Yerushalayim

And they shall come that were lost

In the land of Assyria,
And they that were dispersed in the land of Egypt,
And they shall worship the Lord
In the holy mountain at Jerusalem

Yevarechecha
Music: David Weinkranz
Lyrics: Psalm 128:5-6

Yevarechecha HaShem MiTziyon.

Ur’eh b’tuv Yerushalayim.
Yevarechecha HaShem MiTziyon,
Kol y’mei chayecha.
Ur’eh vanim l’vanecha,
Shalom al Yisrael.

God will bless them from Zion.

And they will see the goodness of Jerusalem,
God will bless them from Zion.
All the days of their lives.
And they will live to see their grandchildren,
And peace in Israel.
 LYRICS
Jerusalem Medley, continued

Ki Mi Tziyon
Music: Shlomo Carlebach
Lyrics: Liturgy

Ki mitziyon teitzei Torah,

Ud’var HaShem mi’Yerushalayim.
Baruch Shenatan Torah,
L’amo Yisrael bikdushato.

Truly out of Zion shall come forth the Torah,

And the word of the Lord out of Jerusalem.
Praised is God who gave the Torah,
To Israel in holiness.

Sisu et Yerushalayim
Music: Akivah Nof
Lyrics: Isaiah 66:10, 62:6

Sisu et Yerushalayim
Gilu va kol ohaveha.
Al chomotayich ir David
Hifkad’d’ti shomrim,
Kol hayom v’chol halaila.

Rejoice with Jerusalem

All you who love her.
Upon your walls, city of David,
I have set watchmen
They shall never hold their peace, day or night.
 LYRICS

4. Yerushalayim Shel Zahav

Music: Naomi Shemer
Lyrics: Naomi Shemer

Verse 1
Avir harim tzalul kayayin,
V’rei’ach auranim.
Nisa b’ruach ha’arbayim,
Im kol pa’amonim.

Uv’tardeimat ilan va’even,

Shvu’ya bachaloma.
Ha’ir asher badad yoshevet,
Uv’liba chomah.

Chorus:
Yerushalayim shel zahav,
V’shel nechoshet v’shel or,
Halo l’chol shirayich Ani kinnor. (2X)

The mountain air is clear as wine,

The scent of pines around.
Is carried on the breeze of twilight,
And tinkling bells resound.

The trees and stones there softly slumber,

A dream enfolds them all.
So solitary lies the city,
And at its heart – a wall.

Chorus:
O, Jerusalem of gold,
And of light and of bronze,
I am the lute for all your songs. (2X)
 LYRICS

Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, continued

Verse 2 (Naomi Shemer reworked this verse after the 6-day war)
Chazarnu el borot hamayim,
Lashuk velakikar,
Shofar koreh behar habayit,
Ba’ir ha’atikah.

Uvme’arot asher baselah

Alfei shmashot zorchot.
Nashuv nered el Yam Hamelach
B’derech Yericho.

Chorus:
Yerushalayim shel zahav,
V’shel nechoshet v’shel or,
Halo l’chol shirayich Ani kinnor. (2X)

The wells are filled again with water,

The square with joyous crowd,
On the Temple Mount within the City,
The shofar rings out loud.

Within the caverns in the mountains

A thousand suns will glow.
We’ll take the Dead Sea road together
That runs through Jericho.

Chorus:
O, Jerusalem of gold,
And of light and of bronze,
I am the lute for all your songs. (2X)
 LYRICS

5. Halleluyah
Music: Kobi Oshrat
Lyrics: Shimrit Or

Halleluyah la’olam.
Halleluyah yashiru kulam,
B’milah achat bo-d’da,
Halev maleh b’hamon todah,
V’holem gam hu eizeh olam niflah.

Halleluyah im hashir,
Halleluyah al yom shemei’ir,
Halleluyah al ma shehaya yah,
Umashe’od lo haya, Halleluyah.

Halleluyah la’olam,
Halleluyah yashiru kulam,
V’ha’inbalim hag’dolim,
Yehad’hadu b’hamon tzlilim,
V’itanu hem yomru Halleluyah.

Halleluyah im hashir,
Halleluyah al yom shemei’ir,
Halleluyah al ma shehaya yah,
Umashe’od lo haya, Halleluyah.

Halleluyah al hakol.
Hallelu al Machar v’etmol,
Halleluyah ut’nu yad b’yad,
V’shiru im lev echad, Halleluyah.

Halleluyah im hashir,
Halleluyah al yom shemei’ir,
Halleluyah al ma shehaya yah,
Umashe’od lo haya, Halleluyah.
 LYRICS

Halleluyah, continued

Halleluyah to the world.

Everyone will sing,
One word only,
And the heart is full of thanks,
And beats as well “what a wonderful world.”

Halleluyah with the song,

For a day that shines,
For all that has been,
And for all that is about to happen.

Halleluyah to the world,

Everyone will sing,
And the big bells,
Will be echoes in many notes,
And together with us they will say – Halleluyah.

Halleluyah with the song,

For a day that shines,
For all that has been,
And for all that is about to happen.

Halleluyah for everything,

Yesterday and tomorrow.
Halleluyah hand in hand,
And sing in one heart – Halleluyah.

Halleluyah with the song,

For a day that shines,
For all that has been,
And for all that is about to happen.
 LYRICS

6. Hatikvah
Music: Samuel Cohen (1888)
Lyrics: Naftali Herz Imber (1878)

Kol od balevav p’nimah,

Nefesh Y’hudi homi’ah.
Ul’fatei mizrach kadimah,
Ayin l’Tzion tzofiyah.

Od lo avdah tikvateinu,
Hatikvah bat sh’not alpa’yim.
Li’h’yot am chofshi b’artzeinu,
Eretz Tziyon Vi’y’rushalayim.
Li’h’yot am chofshi b’artzeinu,
Eretz Tziyon Vi’y’rushalayim.

As long as deep within the heart,

A Jewish soul stirs,
And forward, to the ends of the East,
An eye looks out, toward Zion.

Our hope is not yet lost,

The hope of 2000 years,
To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
 ARTISTS
HAZZAN DAVID PROPIS
with the
CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK CHOIR

Dr. Brandon Ulrich, Conductor

Brian Leduc, Personnel Manager
Gary Schunk, Accompanist

Sopranos
Carol Ambrogio-Wood
Erin Ben-Moche
Kate Connolly
Martha Pergament

Altos
Lisa Agazzi
Annie Klark
Catherine Lykins
Sarah Resnick Cohen

Tenors
Armand Banooni
Darin DeWeese
Brian Leduc

Basses
Joel Ben-Moche
Kurt Frank
Tom Shilakes

Cover art by Julie Wohl

CONGREGATION SHAAREY ZEDEK is a warm, welcoming,
inclusive and egalitarian Conservative Jewish community. We
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