Our Lyrics

A Taste of Mishkan, our first professionally live-recorded CD, is full of the tunes you know and love from Friday nights, High Holidays & the rest of the year.

The Mishkan in the Torah connected earth to the heavens, creating sacred space wherever the Israelites were on their journey through the desert. We want to help you connect earth and heavens in your everyday life, too, just by hitting “play” on the train or bus, in your car, in your office, putting your kids or yourself to sleep at night. For many of us, the siddur/prayerbook gives us words to speak in services, but the music is the vehicle that helps us carry those prayers outside the walls of the shul–literally and spiritually. We invite you to experience inspired, down-to-earth Judaism, wherever you are in the world, and wherever you are on your journey.

Joey’s Niggun

Tune: Joey Weisenberg + singing communities, feat. Kalman Strauss

This tune emerged spontaneously at the 2013 Singing Communities Intensive at Mechon Hadar. We find it grounding and elevating, a great way to enter kabbalat shabbat/Friday night services or shaharit/morning davening. (Learn more about Joey’s transformational work and Mechon Hadar here.)

Shiru L’Adonai • Sing To God

Tune: Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach • Words: Psalm 96

שִׁ֣ירוּ לַ֭יהוָה שִׁ֣יר חָדָ֑שׁ שִׁ֥ירוּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

שִׁ֣ירוּ לַ֭יהוָה בָּרֲכ֣וּ שְׁמ֑וֹ בַּשְּׂר֥וּ מִיּֽוֹם־לְ֝י֗וֹם יְשׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃

סַפְּר֣וּ בַגּוֹיִ֣ם כְּבוֹד֑וֹ בְּכָל־הָֽ֝עַמִּ֗ים נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃

כִּ֥י גָ֘ד֤וֹל יְהוָ֣ה וּמְהֻלָּ֣ל מְאֹ֑ד נוֹרָ֥א ה֝֗וּא עַל־כָּל־אֱלֹהִֽים׃

כִּ֤י ׀ כָּל־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָעַמִּ֣ים אֱלִילִ֑ים וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם עָשָֽׂה׃

הוֹד־וְהָדָ֥ר לְפָנָ֑יו עֹ֥ז וְ֝תִפְאֶ֗רֶת בְּמִקְדָּשֽׁוֹ׃

הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהוָה מִשְׁפְּח֣וֹת עַמִּ֑ים הָב֥וּ לַ֝יהוָ֗ה כָּב֥וֹד וָעֹֽז׃

הָב֣וּ לַ֭יהוָה כְּב֣וֹד שְׁמ֑וֹ שְׂאֽוּ־מִ֝נְחָ֗ה וּבֹ֥אוּ לְחַצְרוֹתָֽיו׃

הִשְׁתַּחֲו֣וּ לַ֭יהוָה בְּהַדְרַת־קֹ֑דֶשׁ חִ֥ילוּ מִ֝פָּנָ֗יו כָּל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

אִמְר֤וּ בַגּוֹיִ֨ם ׀ יְה֘וָ֤ה מָלָ֗ךְ אַף־תִּכּ֣וֹן תֵּ֭בֵל בַּל־תִּמּ֑וֹט יָדִ֥ין עַ֝מִּ֗ים בְּמֵישָׁרִֽים׃

יִשְׂמְח֣וּ הַ֭שָּׁמַיִם וְתָגֵ֣ל הָאָ֑רֶץ יִֽרְעַ֥ם הַ֝יָּ֗ם וּמְלֹאֽוֹ׃

יַעֲלֹ֣ז שָׂ֭דַי וְכָל־אֲשֶׁר־בּ֑וֹ אָ֥ז יְ֝רַנְּנ֗וּ כָּל־עֲצֵי־יָֽעַר׃

לִפְנֵ֤י יְהוָ֨ה ׀ כִּ֬י בָ֗א כִּ֥י בָא֮ לִשְׁפֹּ֪ט הָ֫אָ֥רֶץ יִשְׁפֹּֽט־תֵּבֵ֥ל בְּצֶ֑דֶק וְ֝עַמִּ֗ים בֶּאֱמוּנָתֽוֹ׃

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This particular tune, to this particular psalm, sung on Friday night, has become so ingrained in the collective consciousness of our generation of daveners, it’s as if the tune itself came from Sinai. But it didn’t. It was written by an inspired rabbi of the last generation, and is a great reminder that the words, “Shiru l’Adonai shir hadash…” sing a new song to God, are instructions for how to be in the world, not just words we say in prayer. We must be constantly rewriting our words of praise, blessing and gratitude, first and foremost to one another, in life, and model that in the way we construct our prayers to the Most High. And whatever kind of week we may have had, when we arrive on Friday night and hear this, it’s an invitation to rewrite the moment, and set an intention for the future for a clean slate, a major key, a smile, a new song.

L’cha Dodi to Avniel’s Niggun

Tune: Peter Avniel Saltzman • Words: Shlomo Alkabetz, kabbalat shabbat

לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה. פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה

לֹא תֵבֽוֹשִׁי וְלֹא תִכָּלְמִי. מַה תִּשְתּוֹחֲחִי וּמַה תֶּהֱמִי

בָּךְ יֶחֱסוּ עֲנִיֵּי עַמִּי, וְנִבְנְתָה עִיר עַל תִּלָּהּ

וְהָיוּ לִמְשִׁסָּה שֹׁאסָֽיִךְ. וְרָחֲקוּ כָּל מְבַלְּעָֽיִךְ

יָשִׂישׂ עָלַֽיִךְ אֱלֹהָֽיִךְ. כִּמְשׂוֹשׂ חָתָן עַל כַּלָּה

יָמִין וּשְׂמֹאל תִּפְרֽוֹצִי. וְאֶת־יְיָ תַּעֲרִֽיצִי

עַל יַד אִישׁ בֶּן פַּרְצִי. וְנִשְׂמְחָה וְנָגִֽילָה

בּֽוֹאִי בְשָׁלוֹם עֲטֶרֶת בַּעְלָהּ. גַּם בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְצָהֳלָה

תּוֹךְ אֱמוּנֵי עַם סְגֻּלָּה. בּֽוֹאִי כַלָּה, בּֽוֹאִי כַלָּה

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There are a million tunes for L’cha Dodi. We could have chosen at least 10 that we love. We went with Avniel’s niggun, which we originally learned to the Shabbat table zemer/song Yah Ribon Olam, because it has both the qualities of lightness and rhythm, and the ability to be done fast and ecstatic, and slow and meditative– both of which are important qualities in creating prayer space.

Kalman’s Niggun • Barekhu

Tune: Kalman Strauss • Words: Shaharit service, feat. Kalman Strauss

בָּרְכוּ אֶת יְיָ הַמְבֹרָךְ barekhu et Adonai ha’mevorakh

בָּרוּךְ יְיָ הַמְבֹרָךְ barukh Adonai ha’mevorakh

לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד le’olam va’ed

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“Each day You burst open the doors of the eastern sky and the windows of the globe surrounding the world…”

Kalman’s words: These stirring words are from Ha’eil Ha’poteiach, a prayer that celebrates the natural beauty and potential of each new day. My niggun is inspired by this prayer, and is meant to evoke the feeling of optimism in each new day and the utter joy I feel in the natural world. Like most niggunim, my niggun can be put to different prayers and lyrics. This recording is of my niggun put to the beginning of Shacharit.

When I take a solo, I try to immerse myself fully into the music, as if there is nothing else in the world than the music around me. I let my fingers and bow take lead and guide the improvisation, without thinking much about each and every note myself. Making music for me is a spiritual experience. It is not about perfection, but rather about being in the moment and in the music.

Shalom Aleikhem • Welcome, Angels

Tune: David Frankel • Words: traditional, feat. Kalman Strauss

שָלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָרֵת מַלְאֲכֵי עֶלְיוֹן

מִמֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא

בּוֹאֲכֶם לְשָׁלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָׁלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי עֶלְיוֹן

מִמֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא

בָּרְכוּנִי לְשָלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָׁלוֹם מַלְאָכִי עֶלְיוֹן

מִמֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא

צֵאתְכֶם לְשָלוֹם מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָׁלוֹם מַלְאָכִי עֶלְיוֹן

מִמֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא

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A song sung on Friday nights to welcome in Shabbat around the dinner table. David, channeling his spiritual ancestral Mizrahi composer, wrote this tune.

Sanctuary • V’asu li Mikdash

Tune: Pastor Michael Dixon • Words: from the Torah, featuring Stacy Brown

וְעָ֥שׂוּ לִ֖י מִקְדָּ֑שׁ וְשָׁכַנְתִּ֖י בְּתוֹכָֽם V’asu li mikdash v’shakhanti betokham

וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ ׀ נְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ יָ֗הּ מֵֽעַתָּ֥ה וְעַד־עוֹלָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ Va’anahnu n’varekh Yah me’otam v’ad olam

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Inspired by HaShem’s words in the Torah “Prepare for me a sanctuary, and I will dwell within you” (Exodus 25:8) this song asks us to prepare OURSELVES to be holy vessels for God’s presence to permeate– in essence, to make ourselves into Mishkans.

Bina’s Niggun

Tune: Joey Weisenberg, featuring Kalman Strauss

Click here to learn more about Joey’s music and pick up a CD full of his niggunim.

Min HaMetzar • From the Depths

Tune: KD Kagel; adapted by a•zam•ra • Words: Psalm 118:5 (often used for Hallel)

מִֽן־הַ֭מֵּצַ֥ר קָרָ֣אתִי יָּ֑הּ עָנָ֖נִי בַמֶּרְחָ֣ב יָֽהּ׃ Min ha’metzar karati Yah, anani b’merhav Yah

הוֹד֣וּ לַיהוָ֣ה כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃ Hodu la’donai ki tov, ki le’olam hasdo

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This song gives voice to the struggle to reach beyond places of sadness, constriction and depression out into the great Mystery– and to find great spaciousness and possibility there. And for that journey out of darkness into light, we give thanks. Hodu l’adonai ki tov, ki l’olam hasdo. This song can be used at Passover, or anytime Hallel is sung.

Just as Jewish music has always been in dialogue with the popular music and culture of the times, in this piece, we’re connecting two powerful motifs of modern Jewish life in America: the desire to connect to spirituality through traditional forms and Hebrew words… and the desire to connect to spirituality by any means necessary. Following the latter trend, many Jews have found deep meaning in Eastern traditions, and some have then brought back the wisdom, lessons and, in this case, the music, into normative Jewish settings, evolving our sense of collective tradition and giving us great new music for familiar words.

By the Waters/Rivers of Babylon

Tune: Don Mclean, Brent Dowe, Trevor McNaughton • Words: Psalm 137:1, featuring Jill Zenoff

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Particularly resonant around Tisha B’Av, the holiday remembering the destruction of the Temple, and the ongoing brokenness of our people and our planet, these words recall our People sitting on the banks of the river, remembering and dreaming about Zion, and their desire to return home. Fascinatingly, even with the creation of the State of Israel, Jews around the world continue to pray for a return to Zion. More than a literal restoration of a location to sacrifice animals in a special temple, we’re praying for what Jerusalem symbolizes: a city that has always been fraught, at peace. A dream that we’ve nurtured for years, being realized. And that is something that hits home on a personal level as much as a national one.

Chicago

Tune & Words: Sufjan Stevens, featuring Abby Citrin

“I made a lot of mistakes.” With these words, we’re really capable of moving into High Holiday territory, of being transformed by the spiritual technology of verbal confession and prayer at the heart of Yom Kippur. Try it sometime. “I made a lot of mistakes.” You might just become a new person.