Shabbat Music

Shabbat Shalom!

As I look back to the very beginning of my journey into Judaism, I can vividly remember my first impressions of the Shabbat service at Temple.  When I first heard the music,  I was struck by how familiar it all seemed, and yet I had never heard the Hebrew language before.  The musical melodies were calming, joyful.   And although I didn't understand one word of the Hebrew language, I felt a connection and a desire to learn more.   I began listening to Shabbat music from various artist, and I slowly started to learn the songs from the Liturgy with the help of transliteration.  Our family is very musical, so it was natural for all of us to gravitate towards the music.   I purchased the Shireinu for our family, and we began the process of learning the Shabbat music through participation at services and at home practicing the songs for our own Shabbat.  Both my husband and daughter play guitar and we all love to sing.   It was exciting for me to learn that all the songs from the Liturgy are actually ancient Hebrew prayers and this gave me more incentive to learn the Hebrew along with the beautiful melodies.

Our musical journey brought many wonderful changes for our family.  Singing and learning together provided an opportunity to express ourselves as a family unit.  Our home was filled with a joy and a desire to be openly creative.  All of us were on a different path of learning,  but it was the music that brought us together and we celebrated that oneness through song.  My husband joined the T'filah all volunteer band at our Temple for about two years, my daughter, for her Bat Mitzvah project, became a song leader for the Shabbat services at a retirement center.  She is in her 3rd year now as a song leader at this senior retirement home, and she is loving every minute of it.  This senior community has warmly embraced my daughter, and they have taught her many important life lessons, lessons about wisdom, kindness, patience, understanding, forgiveness, and giving to the community.

Today, my family and I are still playing the music at home.   Every Monday evening we get together, my husband and daughter on guitar and I on the drums and we have a music lesson with Bradley Fish.  I have learned two basic rhythms on the bongo drum, and I must admit that I have a new respect for drummers.  It is more difficult than I ever imagined, but what a blast to learn.  Bradley is teaching both my daughter and spouse different arrangements and techniques for the guitar using Shabbat music as well.  

For my family, it all began with the music.  The music helps us separate Shabbat from the rest of week.  Through song, we can just be in the moment, let the worries of the week go, and love each other. 


HOW DID YOUR JOURNEY BEGIN?

Shabbat Shalom!