Commissioned by Cantor Abbie Strauss and Temple Judea over the summer, this piece was originally crafted as an inspiring and uptempo song designed to complement the congregation's "Year Of Torah" program. As tragic events continue to spiral in Israel and Gaza, the underlying Hebrew text and English adaptation take on new meaning...posing a profound
Commissioned by Cantor Abbie Strauss and Temple Judea over the summer, this piece was originally crafted as an inspiring and uptempo song designed to complement the congregation's "Year Of Torah" program. As tragic events continue to spiral in Israel and Gaza, the underlying Hebrew text and English adaptation take on new meaning...posing a profound challenge to us: love thy neighbor as thyself (Leviticus 19:18). Writing this piece also afforded me the opportunity to reimagine and adapt the text.
V'ahavta l'reyacha kamocah
(Love your neighbor as yourself)
Hinei ma tov uma na'im shevet achim gam yachad
(How good it is when brothers and sisters come together)
Let me be not afraid let me rise above
to love the other as my sister as my brother (repeat 4x)
Will I be there for my neighbor
When my neighbor is in need of help?
Will I learn to love the stranger
Love the stranger as myself?
I look forward to hearing how you and your community will reinterpret and infuse your own vision into the song for your congregation.
An interesting anecdote accompanies the creation of this piece: one morning, after the song was essentially complete, I found myself in bed at 6 am, strumming the song on my guitar. To my surprise, the words of Hinei Ma Tov spontaneously flowed from my lips and immediately felt right...that they belonged. I had some reservations about how Rabbi Kapitulnik would respond to the merging of these two texts and it was beautiful that we all agreed on the seamless compatibility of this combination.
And, Abbie, with her insight and creativity, reimagined it as a ballad for Yom Kippur, a transformation that deeply resonated with me.
Ever grateful to Cantor Abbie Strauss Music, Rabbi Yaron Kapitulnik and Temple Judea of Palm Beach Gardens for inviting me to play my small part in the congregation's Year Of Torah program.
May we all find a way to live up to one of the most familiar and enduring lines of Torah...Leviticus 19:18.