AJR Concert CD

Jewish Music from the
Four Corners of the Earth

May 24, 2006
Park Avenue Synagogue
New York, New York

1) NAOMI SHEMER MEDLEY
Arr. Cantor Sol Zim
AJR Cantorial Choir and Alumni
Cantor Anna West Ott, conductor
Mark Toback, keyboard
Ed Kalny, trumpet
Ellis Berger, drums
Dave Grego, bass

2) NAOMI SHEMER MEDLEY (continued)

3) MODIM ANACHNU LACH (WE THANK YOU)
Words: Traditional Liturgy; composer: Natasha J. Hirschhorn
Cantors Kathy Barr, Dorothy Goldberg, Natasha J. Hirschhorn, Anna West Ott, and Rena Shapiro
Cantor Anna West Ott, conductor
Paul Olson, keyboard

We gratefully thank You, for it is You who are our God and the God of our ancestors for all eternity. Rock of Our Lives, Shield of Our Salvation are You from generation to generation. We shall thank you and recite your praises ‘ for our lives, which are in Your keeping and for our souls that are entrusted to You; for Your miracles that are with us every day; and for Your wonders and favors in every season, evening, morning, and afternoon. Your compassion never ceases, Your kindnesses never end ‘ we have always put our hope in You. For all these, may your Name be blessed and exalted, our Sovereign, for ever and ever. Everything alive will gratefully acknowledge you, selah! And praise your name, O God of our salvation and help, selah! Blessed are you, Eternal One, Your Name is good and it is fitting to give thanks to You.

4) YIDDISH MEDLEY
Gut Shabbos (Chassidic, adapted and arr. Sidor Belarsky)
Der Alte Zigayner (Jacob Jacobs, lyrics; Abraham Ellstein, composer)

Fraytig Oyf Der Nacht (N. Sternheim)

I’m reminded of Friday nights, what a pleasure! Father would sing z’mirot and tap with a spoon, Bubbe would shake her head. On Shabbos, Father would come home from shul street by street, singing a niggun. On Shabbat, at night, I would sit in a little corner. Mother stood by the window in thought, Bubbe would read from the tzene-rene (Yiddish Bible), and tell stories.

Alle Brider (lyrics, Morris Winchevsky; music, folk song)

We are all brothers, and we sing joyous songs! We are all sisters, and we sing and also dance. We are all part of the same chain, like the bride and the groom, like the chumash and the commentary, like kugel and kasha!

Cantors Arlene Frank and Marcia Lane, soloists
Dr. David Macfarlane, keyboard

5) OLAM
Shirav: Rabbis David Paskin and Menachem Creditor

My wife and I were living in New York and expecting our first child when 9/11 happened. I remember thinking to myself, ‘Into what kind of a world am I bringing a child?’ I still worry sometimes. But I’ve learned since that terrible day how healing one person’s love can be. It creates a new world with every sharing. When people allow themselves to be vulnerable and open to each other, the world is born again. It is my deepest blessing to my children, and to us all, that we use our holy capacities to love to the fullest. The world needs it. We need it. And I believe that God needs it too.
- Menachem

6) ZEH HAYOM
Shirav: Rabbis David Paskin and Menachem Creditor

It’s all in your perspective. Years come and go, but this day – today is a magical and sacred manifestation of what is eternal: Today is God. It is so easy to lose sight of the splendor of today. It is so easy to forget that each day the world is created for us and we for it. Zeh hayom asah ADONAI. Today is the day that God created – for you, for me and for life.
-David

7) THERE IS HOPE
Shirav: Rabbis David Paskin and Menachem Creditor

Rav Nachman of Bratslav taught us to see into the essence of everything that exists and discover its spark. There are times, he taught, when our vision is strained by circumstance, when it is hard to be brave. But in those very moments this teaching can be a source of strength. There is more to this world than that which we see. When we live that vision we sense the blessing of hope just beneath the surface.
-Menachem

RABBI TARFON OMER
Words: Pirkei Avot 2:20-21; Cantor Lawrence Avery, composer
Cantor Kenneth Cohen, soloist
Paul Olson, keyboard

Rabbi Tarfon taught: ‘The day is short, the task is great, and workers indolent, the reward bountiful, and the Master insistent!’ This was a favorite teaching of his: ‘You are not obliged to finish the task, neither are you free to neglect it. If you have studied much Torah, your reward will be abundant. Your Employer can be relied upon to reward you for your labors. Know, however, that the reward of the righteous is in a future time.’

9) PURIM MEDLEY: ITALIAN JEWISH MELODIES FROM TUNIS AND LIVORNO
Arr. Ramon Tasat
Cantors Natasha J. Hirschhorn and Dorothy Goldberg, soloists
Paul Olson, keyboard

Honor the beautiful Purim that truly deserves it, Long live our Purim! Let us drink as much wine as possible; Today the Jew has no worries, for today it is Purim.

10) AHAVAT OLAM
Words: Evening liturgy; Cantor Sunny Schnitzer, composer
Cantors Robin Anne Joseph and Sunny Schnitzer

Together again after nearly ten years…it’s B’shert, with a moving expression of HaShem’s love for Israel.

11) AL TIZK’RU
Words: Isaiah 43:18-19; Cantor Robin Anne Joseph, composer
Cantors Robin Anne Joseph and Sunny Schnitzer

‘Do not recall what happened of old or ponder what happened of yore! Here, I am about to do something new; Behold! You will know it!’ This song was born out of an eschatology class at AJR! It reminds us of our unending challenge to seek peace and to participate in the creation of the Messianic Age.

12) HINEI ANOCHI SHOLEACH
Cantor Robin Anne Joseph, composer
AJR Cantorial Alumni: Kathy Barr, Arlene Frank, Dorothy Goldberg, Natasha J. Hirschhorn, Judith Israel, Robin Anne Joseph, Marcia Lane, Anna West Ott, Rena Shapiro
Cantor Anna West Ott, conductor
Paul Olson, keyboard

The text, from Torah and T’filat HaDerech (‘Behold, I send an angel before you to guard you on your path and bring you to the place that I have prepared.’), was written for the occasion of the retirement of my beloved mentor Cantor Lawrence Avery.

13) CANTOR SOL ZIM IN CONCERT
Arr.: Cantor Sol Zim
Mark Toback, keyboard
Ed Kalny, trumpet
Ellis Berger, drums
Dave Grego, bass

14) CANTOR SOL ZIM IN CONCERT (continued)

15) CHAI
Arr.: Cantor Sol Zim
AJR Cantorial choir and Alumni
Cantor Anna West Ott, conductor
Mark Toback, keyboard
Ed Kalny, trumpet
Ellis Berger, drums
Dave Grego, bass
Israel lives!

Sound Engineer: Ken Kresge

For more information about the artists, please visit these websites:
www.cantornatasha.com (Natasha Hirschhorn)
www.robinannejoseph.com (Robin Joseph)
www.gentlewind.com/folktale.htm (Marcia Lane)
www.shirav.net (David Paskin and Menachem Creditor)
www.ramontasat.com (Ramon Tasat)
www.solzim.com (Sol Zim)