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Shalom, One of the very first things I noticed about Congregation Beth Sholom is that people here love to sing. This makes me very happy since I too love to sing… I believe that melodies and music helps us connect with the Divine and connect with the words and ideas expressed in the Siddur. I also noticed that many people are not sure about the Hebrew words, pronunciation or meaning. Others are not quite familiar with the melodies and tunes we sing. I want the synagogue experience to come alive and be meaningful for each and every one of you regardless of your Hebrew proficiency or singing ability. With the help of congregants who talked to me about possible options we have come up with two ideas that will be implemented in the very near future. I am in the process of putting together a prayer book that will have Hebrew and English translations of prayers as well as transliteration for those prayers we sing together. I also just finished recording a CD with the melodies we use during services. The emphasis here was on the teaching rather than sound quality or the inclusion of instruments. Both the prayer book and CD reflect our Friday Night services and are meant to help enhance your joy and participation in prayer/T’filah. Please join me in giving a special thank you to Miriam Lincoff and Jackie Lassman for underwriting and making the CD recording possible. As well, I would like to thank Avi, who worked tirelessly on all the technical aspects of the production. Their generous investment of time, energy and money will have a lasting effect for those who come together for our Friday Night service. It is my hope that you will sing along with this recording and bring your singing voices to our synagogue. With you, your friends and family we can create a warm and inclusive Shabbat experience, one we all wish for and deserve for our spirits and our souls. L’hitra’ot, |