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Nachum Segal presents great Jewish music, Harry Rothenberg's parsha vlog, the Weekly Update with Malcolm Hoenlein, the Torah portion of the week with Rabbi Benjamin Yudin and a special interview/musical presentation with Tzvi Fishman concerning Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and the debut of the timeless "Am Yisrael Chai/Od Avinu Chai."
Good Purim with Rabbi Shlomo CarlebachAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Noah Solomon and Grammy Award winner C Lanzbom first met in Israel in a little village called Modii'm (founded by the late Shlomo Carlebach) in the early 90's where they both were living at the time. After performing around Israel for a few years with their own band and accompanying Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, they moved to NYC where they formed the group Inasense; later becoming Soulfarm. The band quickly gained a strong and loyal following due to their exciting live shows and extensive touring schedule. Noah & C have been also tour as a Duo. They have been bringing out a more acoustic and intimate vibe to audiences across the Globe. Their sound is a unique melting pot of Middle-Eastern, Celtic, Blues and Folk music. Their heartfelt melodies, compelling lyrics, and high-energy shows move audiences throughout the US, Europe and Australia. Some of the people they have shared the stage with include, Shawn Colvin, Bruce Hornsby, Perry Farrel, The Wailers. As well as many others. -- Please rate and review the Empowered Jewish Living podcast on whatever platform you stream it. Please follow Rabbi Shlomo Buxbaum and the Lev Experience on the following channels: Facebook: @Shlomobuxbaum Instagram: @shlomobuxbaum YouTube: @levexperience Order Rabbi Shlomo' books: The Four Elements of an Empowered Life: A Guidebook to Discovering Your Inner World and Unique Purpose - The Four Elements of Inner Freedom: The Exodus Story as a Model for Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Personal Breakthroughs You can order a copy on Amazon or in your local Jewish bookstore.
This morning I share a wonderful lecture I heard ten years ago in Jerusalem from Ruth Yair Nussbaum. She discussed the insight of Rabbi Kalman Shapiro into the concluding words of the prayer "Yishtabach" which we say every morning. Then she tells a moving story about Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach composing his famous song, L'Ma'an Achai V'Rayoi, which has become ubiquitous throughout the Jewish world. Michael Whitman is the senior rabbi of ADATH Congregation in Hampstead, Quebec, and an adjunct professor at McGill University Faculty of Law. ADATH is a modern orthodox synagogue community in suburban Montreal, providing Judaism for the next generation. We take great pleasure in welcoming everyone with a warm smile, while sharing inspiration through prayer, study, and friendship. Rabbi Whitman shares his thoughts and inspirations through online lectures and shiurim, which are available on: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5FLcsC6xz5TmkirT1qObkA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adathmichael/ Podcast - Mining the Riches of the Parsha: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/mining-the-riches-of-the-parsha/id1479615142?fbclid=IwAR1c6YygRR6pvAKFvEmMGCcs0Y6hpmK8tXzPinbum8drqw2zLIo7c9SR-jc Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3hWYhCG5GR8zygw4ZNsSmO Please contact Rabbi Whitman (rabbi@adath.ca) with any questions or feedback, or to receive a daily email, "Study with Rabbi Whitman Today," with current and past insights for that day, video, and audio, all in one short email sent directly to your inbox.
This series is sponsored by Mira and Daniel Stokar, and this episode is sponsored by dailygiving.org.In this episode of the 18Forty Podcast, we talk to musician Matisyahu Miller—known as “Matisyahu”—who has publicly re-embraced his Judaism and Zionism since October 7.Matisyahu's public persona has long been subject to scrutiny and analysis. Comparatively few people, though, have listened to his story in depth. In this episode we discuss:How has the public expression of Matisyahu's Jewish identity ebbed and flowed throughout his life?Is there anything Matisyahu would change about the Orthodox community?How has the inwardness of Matisyahu's Jewish identity guided him throughout his life?Tune in to hear a conversation about what it means to be, in Matisyahu's words, “a pnimius Yid.”Grammy-nominated artist Matisyahu is a singer, songwriter, rapper, and alternative rock musician. He's known for his skill in blending reggae and hip hop as he provides a raw expression of his spirituality. His long and winding career consists of seven albums including chart-topping Light, Youth, Spark Seeker, Akeda, and Undercurrent with hits such as "One Day", "Sunshine", and "King Without A Crown". Through his lyrics, Matisyahu develops a personal, artistic, and sophisticated way to express the yearning for deep spiritual meaning, and as his own beliefs opened up to find more variety and depth, the desire for his performances to match the unpredictable flow of life developed as well. References:The Office Light by MatisyahuAkeda by MatisyahuHoly Brother: Inspiring Stories and Enchanted Tales about Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach by Yitta Halberstam MandelbaumThe Sabbath by Abraham Joshua HeschelPolitics Of Experience by R.D. Laing"Spiritual Schadenfreude: The Case of Matisyahu's Beard" by David BashevkinBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/18forty-podcast--4344730/support.
Growing up in the Orthodox movement, Neshama Carlebach would hear it a lot: "It's a shame your father never had sons." The father in question, the acclaimed Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, instead had two daughters—and the implication was that his legacy as a prolific songwriter, whose repertoire includes the popular 1965 folk anthem "Am Yisrael Chai", would die with him. Neshama didn't let those comments stop her—in fact, the opposite became true. After growing up in Toronto, Neshama ended up following in her father's footsteps, first becoming an acclaimed singer, teacher and songwriter, and now embarking on a years-long journey to becoming a rabbi. Her theological studies changed tone after Oct. 7, sparking a new desire in her to be "a rabbi who fights" for her community. But what's remained consistent has been her stubborn defiance of societal expectations. Neshama joins Ralph Benmergui on Not That Kind of Rabbi to discuss her life and music, and explain what it's like raising two sons to carry on the Carlebach legacy in an increasingly antisemitic world. Credits Host: Ralph Benmergui Producer: Michael Fraiman Music: Yevhen Onoychenko Support The CJN Subscribe to The CJN newsletter Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt) Subscribe to Not That Kind of Rabbi (Not sure how? Click here)
Rabbi Raz Hartman is a teacher of chassidut and spirituality in many Torah institutions throughout Israel. He is also the founder and former spiritual leader of the world-famous "Va-ani Tefilah" Synagogue in Jerusalem. After meeting Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach while studying music in university, Raz began a journey to discover his Jewish roots and channel his musical gifts towards creating heartful, meditative, and spiritual music that would touch the souls of all who hear. He is a pianist, songwriter, and singer who has recorded three studio albums and has appeared as a guest on countless others. --- Related episodes: R' Shlomo Katz: Getting in Touch with the Song of our Souls Rabbi/Musician R' Yonah Bookstein: Creating communities and reaching distant Jews with innovation and love -- Please rate and review the Empowered Jewish Living podcast on whatever platform you stream it. Please follow Rabbi Shlomo Buxbaum and the Lev Experience on the following channels: Facebook: @shlomobuxbaum Instagram: @shlomobuxbaum YouTube: TheLevExperience Pick up a copy of Rabbi Shlomo Buxbaum's second book, "The Four Elements of Inner Freedom: The Exodus Story as a Model for Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Personal Breakthroughs". You can order a copy on Amazon, in your local Jewish bookstore, or right here: https://levx.org/event/the-four-elements-of-freedom
Katie is an entrepreneur in the sustainability and agricultural sectors, and an expert in the Gulf countries' society and economy. Her background is in academia, research, venture capital, and unique governance structures. She has spent years being active in different initiatives promoting justice for Palestinians here in the land and in other parts of the Middle East. . Check out our bonus episode on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3Hqv2Mv Support this podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Yehavit **** A few important disclaimers: This podcast is created and funded by me privately. I don't belong to any organization, nor does it represent anyone other than myself. Secondly, I don't intend this content to provide a justification or excuse for the actions people interviewed did in their past, but rather to learn from their personal experiences and gain insight as to what the process of transformation looks like. Certain parts of the episode could be triggering for you, and I advise taking into consideration that some of the events discussed are morally and ethically challenging (to say the least). . And lastly: I acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which I work as the indigenous people of this country, and pay my respects to their elders, past and emerging. **** Thank you Roy Geva for the soundtrack . You can contact me at @yehavit on Instagram (or write to yahavisinthezone@gmail.com if you're not on Instagram) . Stuff we mentioned: . Seeds of Peace: https://www.seedsofpeace.org/ Tikvah Fund: https://tikvahfund.org/ Moshe Dayan Center: https://dayan.org/ The Forum for Regional Thinking: https://www.regthink.org/en/ Dana Global (the company Katie is a co-founder of): https://www.dana-global.com/ ‘Barcheinu Avinu' by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach (starting from 02:28): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2MNKn_GkSY
First, Yishai and Malkah Fleisher wrap up Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and yearn to stay high! Then, Prime Minister's Netanyahu's speech at the UN and comments. Yishai is humbled by the Ari Fuld Lion of Zion Award. Ben Bresky interviews Reb Yankala Shemesh who paved the way for Moshav Mevo Modiin - the town inspired by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. And finally, Rabbi Shimshon Nadel on the roots of joy on the holiday of Sukkot.
SEASON 2023 EPISODE 38: First, Yishai and Malkah Fleisher wrap up Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur and yearn to stay high! Then, Prime Minister's Netanyahu's speech at the UN and comments. Yishai is humbled by the Ari Fuld Lion of Zion Award. Ben Bresky interviews Reb Yankala Shemesh who paved the way for Moshav Mevo Modiin - the town inspired by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. And finally, Rabbi Shimshon Nadel on the roots of joy on the holiday of Sukkot.SPONSOR LINKS:The Israel Bible https://theisraelbible.com/Prohibition Pickle https://www.facebook.com/Prohibitionpickle/Hebron Fund https://hebronfund.org/The Jewish Press https://www.jewishpress.com/JNS https://www.jns.org/Kosher Cycle Tours http://www.KosherCycleTours.comPODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://yishaifleisher.com/podcast/ Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3mIsdfU Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3oP2Reo4JYnfIJdDUrQS2c RSS: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1271258.rss YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/YishaiFleisherTV SUPPORT & CONNECT:Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcastSupport on Givecloud: https://kumah.givecloud.co/Twitter: https://twitter.com/YishaiFleisherInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/yishaifleisherLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yishaifleisher/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/YishaiFleisherSupport the show
Rabbi Mark Blazer is the President of the Jewish Life Foundation (JLF). The Foundation's mission is to promote Jewish culture; the majority of its educational programming airs on Jewish Life Television (JLTV). JLTV is the only national international TV network dedicated to uplifting and Jewish values programming.He has served as the spiritual leader of Temple Beth Ami in Santa Clarita, California since 2000. Mark is the founder of the Albert Einstein Academy (AEA), the first K-12 Hebrew Charter School in the western United States. Within three years of opening, AEA was in the top 1% of high schools in California. It now has schools in California, Ohio and coming soon to Arizona.Rabbi Blazer also serves as chaplain for the LA County Sheriff's Department and has served as chaplain for the California Department of Corrections. For eight years he ministered as the only prison rabbi serving statewide across California.Rabbi Blazer studied at Oxford University and is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego. He received his semichah (rabbinical ordination) from the Academy for Jewish Religion in New York. Mark and his wife, Tracy were married in 1993; they are the proud parents of Rachel, Dina and Shira.He continues the legacy of his father Phil, the founder of JLTV.We talk in-depth about the schools he founded, being a prison chaplain, having his Barmitzvah with Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach at the Western Wall, the birth and growth of JTLV and his vision for the future of this powerful network,Please Subscribe to our channel, it's FREE!For More info go to www.holysparks.tvto become a patron or support our channel go to www.patreon.com/saulkayethank you again to JLTV for helping to support our show!
This week on Unorthodox, we're marching together. Or are we? Our Jew of the Week is the comedian Modi. He joined us to talk about coming out to his mother about being a comedian, and why he's finding what he calls “moshiach energy” in being openly gay—and proudly Jewish. And returning to the show as our most gentilic gentile of the week is our friend and rabbi, Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and editor at large for America Magazine. He joined us to talk about his work on LGBTQ issues within the Church, as well as his last book, Learn to Pray and the upcoming Come Forth. Join us June 22 for a special Unorthodox night on Broadway! We have a block of orchestra tickets for Leopoldstadt, starring our new co-host Joshua Malina, and after the show Stephanie and Liel will do a Q&A on-stage with Joshua. Get your tickets at bit.ly/uobroadway. We love to hear from you! Send us emails at unorthodox@tabletmag.com, or leave a voicemail at our listener line: (914) 570-4869. Check out our Unorthodox tees, mugs, and hoodies at tabletstudios.com. Find out about our upcoming events at tabletmag.com/unorthodoxlive. To book us for a live show or event, email Tanya Singer at tsinger@tabletmag.com. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get new episodes, photos, and more. Join our Facebook group, and follow Unorthodox on Twitter and Instagram. Unorthodox is produced by Tablet Studios. Check out all of our podcasts at tabletmag.com/podcasts. SPONSORS: Soul Doctor - On June 13th, experience the untold story of the powerful friendship between high priestess of soul, Nina Simone, and Jewish music icon Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach on the big screen. For one day only, movie theaters nationwide will be screening "Soul Doctor," the smash-hit Broadway musical the New York Times called "inspiring and absorbing with beautiful music." Visit SoulDoctorMovie.com.
Abie Rotenberg is a prolific Orthodox Jewish musician, composer and entertainer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He has been producing music since the mid-1970s with a style which has been described as "soft and sweet" with a strong folk influence. Rotenberg has cited the musicians Rabbi Ben Zion Shenker and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach as strong influences. While his folk-inspired sound and inspirational lyrics are strongly reminiscent of Carlebach, Rotenberg's soft and sometimes melancholic voice, however, contrasts with Carlebach's ecstatic style. Rotenberg has collaborated with other Jewish musicians including Mordechai ben David, Avraham Fried, Yehuda Schechter, Yaakov Shwekey, Baruch Levine, Moshe Yess and Shlomo Simcha with whom he co-starred in Israel National Radio's Miracles 18 concert. In September 2015, Rotenberg published his first novel, The Season of Pepsi Meyers, a book about an 18-year old Jewish boy playing for the New York Yankees, set in the future (Feldheim Publishers). In November 2016, Rotenberg released Eliyahu Hanavi, under his full name Avraham Yom Tov Rotenberg, an in-depth analysis of the life of Elijah the Prophet (Mesorah Publishers). Notes:
In today's episode we will examine the origins of the concept of family trees and speak with the award-winning singer, songwriter and educator, Neshama Carlebach, about her artistry, inspirations, and the journey of understanding that she has taken as a direct result of her own family tree as the daughter of the renowned and musical Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Neshama Carlebach is an award-winning singer, songwriter and educator who has performed and taught in cities around the world. She is a winner and four-time nominee in the Independent Music Awards for her most current release, Believe, and winner of the Global Music Awards Silver Award for Outstanding Performance by a female vocalist for the album. Neshama began performing from a young age, having come from a musical Jewish orthodox family. She shifted from performing her father's music to writing her own, and now has her own presence in the Jewish and musical world, having sold over one million records, making her one of today's best-selling Jewish artists in the world. For more information: https://neshamacarlebach.com/ To learn more about Tree Speech, please visit treespeechpodcast.com. We're thrilled to be able to offer interviews, creative insights, and stories about the natural world we live in, and the trees who guide our way. Please consider supporting us through our Patreon - every contribution supports our production, and we'll be giving gifts of gratitude including an invitation to Tree House, our new virtual community for patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word to tree loving folks, and rate and review us on Apple podcasts. Every kind word helps. Visit us also on instagram @ treespeechpodcast. This week's episode was written and recorded in Massachusetts on the native lands of the Wabanaki Confederacy, Pennacook, Massa-adchu-es-et, and Pawtucket people, in New York on the land of the Lenapee tribes. Tree Speech's host, Dori Robinson, is a director, playwright, dramaturg, and educator who seeks and develops projects exploring social consciousness, personal heritage, and the impact one individual can have on their own community. More information at https://www.dorirobinson.com Logo design by Mill Riot. Special thanks to the Western Avenue Lofts and Studios for all their support. Tree Speech is produced and co-written by Jonathan Zautner, a NYC-based artist who believes in the power of story-telling and community to change lives. As a founder of Alight Theater Guild, he is committed to nurturing authentic and creative voices in order to utilize art to promote wellness, joy, and care for our earth and one another. More information at https://jonathanzautner.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/treespeech/message
Shlomo Katz (Hebrew: שלמה כץ) is a contemporary religious Jewish singer in Israel.Shlomo Katz was born in New Jersey, the son of Chazan Avsholom Katz. His father was an Argentine immigrant from Buenos Aires, and was named for his uncle Avshalom Haviv. His family moved to Israel when he was nine years old and he has subsequently moved back and forth between Los Angeles and Israel. While studying in a Raanana yeshiva, Katz was introduced to the music and teachings of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.Katz received his rabbinical ordination at Yeshivat HaMivtar in Efrat under Rosh HaYeshiva, Rav Chaim Brovender. Shlomo has been invited as scholar in residence to university campuses and synagogues to teach Torah and give concerts, lead melave malkas and kumsitzim. He was the lead Baal Tefilah and spiritual guide in the Carlebach Minyan of Beth Jacob of Beverly Hills.Today, Shlomo serves as the Rabbi and spiritual leader of Cong. Shirat David in Efrat, where he teaches several Torah classes weekly on various topics.His brother, Eitan, is also a well known performer and the two often perform together.Show Notes:From Harvest to Dum Dum (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU6BxgzNfMk)Niggun of the Birds (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nbKB0OEpdI) 00:00 - Intro16:02 - Interview1:09:27 - OutroRabbi Efrem Goldberg: Rabbi, Boca Raton Synagogue (BRS).Rabbi Philip Moskowitz: Associate Rabbi, BRS.Rabbi Josh Broide: Outreach Rabbi, BRS.
Jenna shares a personal story about a painting she discovered from her grandma, along with some ideas about the Hebrew month of Elul and the process of teshuva (repentance). Click here for all things Modern Jewish GirlReferences:· Lamed Vav, a collection of favorite stories of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach ztz”l, p. 123· The Psychology of Teshuvah by Rabbi Tzvi Rubin and Yosef Venokur To view the painting, visit @modernjewishgirl on Instagram
Rav Shlomo Katz is a renowned Torah teacher & Musician who has led hundreds of people on transformative journeys through Torah, Jewish history, Kivrei Tzadikim, and the foundations of Chassidus. His unique style empowers individuals to explore, grow, and form new connections to themselves, others, and Hashem. Shlomo was born in New Jersey before his family subsequently moved back and forth between Los Angeles and Israel. While studying in a Raanana yeshiva, Katz was introduced to the music and teachings of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, eventually becoming the lead Baal Tefilah and spiritual guide in the Carlebach Minyan of Beverly Hills. His brother Eitan is also a well-known musician, and the two often perform together. In between his teaching in Efrat, Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo, and Web Yeshiva, Shlomo continues to tour, teach, and perform worldwide. Rabbi Katz lives in Efrat with his wife Bina and family. ___________________ This episode is brought to you by Touro University! To learn more about how you can excel at Touro University, Visit Touro.edu/more ___________________ Take advantage of the FREE trial with Chayenu by heading to Chayenu.org/trial ___________________ This episode is also brought to you by Bridge Credit Solutions! If you're looking for a reputable credit repair company that can clean your credit within 6-60 days or your money back, Bridge Credit Solutions is your choice. Serious Inquiries Only https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=12126602991&text=Hi,%20Im%20interested%20in%20more%20information.%20Saw%20on%20MM%20 ___________________ Subscribe to Meaningful Minute on WhatsApp: https://wa.me/15166687800?text=Please%20subscribe%20me%20to%20Meaningful%20Minute Subscribe to our Podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2WALuE2 Spotify: https://spoti.fi/39bNGnO Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/MPPGooglePodcasts Or wherever Podcasts are available! Follow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/meaningfulpeoplepodcast Like us on Facebook: https://bit.ly/MPPonFB Follow us on Twitter:https://twitter.com/MeaningfuPplPod Editor: Sruly Saftlas Podcast created by: Meaningful Minute For more info and upcoming news check out: https://MeaningfulPeoplePodcast.com #jew #jewish #podcast #frum #rabbi #frumpodcast #meaningfulpeople #torah #mitzvah #hashem #jewishmusic #jewishpodcast #israel #kumzitz #nachigordon #jewishpod
An episode on the Yahrtzeit of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach with his teachings about Lot, Avraham, Moshiach, Reb Elimelech, The Seer of Lublin, Chief Rabbi of Iran, and Reb Tzadok HaKohen.
Rabbi Dunner uses the story of a chance encounter between the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach and a hunchbacked street sweeper in Tel Aviv to help us get our priorities right before Rosh Hashana.
Parshat Shelach - Geoffrey Stern with Rabbi Adam Mintz, visit with Rav Abraham Isaac Kook, Rabbi Yitz Greenberg and listen to a live recording or Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. We explore what the story of the Biblical Scouts teaches us about whining, Jewish Power, Jewish Nationalism, Zionism, Jewish Renewal, love and respect for authority? So gird your loins and take a deep breath as we Get Guts. Sefaria Source Sheet: www.sefaria.org/sheets/327812 Transcript: Geoffrey Welcome, everybody, to Madlik, our weekly disruptive Torah, four o'clock Eastern Time on clubhouse and later published as a podcast. If you do listen to this as a podcast and you want to like us or give us some stars, that would be well appreciated. Today, we are going to discuss, the following narrative. Picture the Jewish people in the desert coming out of Egypt. They're getting close to the border with the promised land, literally the land that was promised to them. And they sent out 12 either spies or scouts to scout the land. And there's one scout from each tribe and they're instructed to go to the country (Numbers, Chapter 13 and 14) to determine whether it's strong or weak, few or many. Are the people that dwell in there, good or bad are the towns they live in open or fortified. Is the soil rich or poor? Is it wooded or not? Really a total fact-finding mission. And the story recounts how they get there. And it's harvest festival and they harvest some grapes that have become almost iconic in terms of how large they were. And then they lodge their report "and ten of them say, we came to the land you sent to us. It does indeed flow with milk and honey. And this is its food." And they showed them the grapes. However, and here's the however, the people who inhabit the country are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large. Moreover, we saw anakites (giants) and they go on as they're talking. The other two was Joshua and a guy named Caleb, and he hushed the people before Moses and he said, let's just go up. We shall gain possession of it. So Joshua and Caleb were enthusiastic about going ahead to the Promised Land. But they continued speaking and they said we cannot attack that people for it is stronger than we. It is one that devours its settlers, Eretz ochelwet yoshveha... a land that literally eats its inhabitants and then they go back and they say the final punch line and it says, and we looked like grasshoppers to ourselves and so we must have looked to them. And ultimately the story ends with obviously God being extremely upset. Here is a people that he took the trouble of redeeming from slavery to freedom, and it ultimately is mired in a slavery; exile mentality. And can't make the switch. And they want to go back to Egypt. They would rather be taken care of and be slaves. And this story ends with God saying, let me get rid of them all, right, now and Moses, I will take you and Joshua and Caleb and the believers into the land. And Moses convinces him not to do that and God forgives them. And the language that he uses to forgive them is the penultimate forgiveness verses of the Torah that we use on Yom Kippur. And ultimately, that whole generation is to die out and a new generation is to come into the land. So I'm going to stop right here and ask you, Rabbi Adam and anyone else who wants to participate, what is the takeaway from this story at even the most superficial level? Adam There is so much. Thank you, Geoffrey, for the for the introduction and for just kind of the background of the story, You know, at least one piece of the take away is that you need to trust. You need to trust in God and you need to trust in ourselves that the mistake that the people, the Jews made the desert was you know, there were a lot of different ways to understand the report of the spies, but they chose the way that it was the most scary, the most intimidating. They didn't trust in themselves. They didn't trust in God. And that's what got them in trouble. So I think the first lesson is a lesson about trust. Geoffrey And faith and confidence Adam Trust and faith I'm putting together correct That's my first take away Geoffrey But of course, to move you forward, there is that kind of telling comment where they said they didn't say we'd looked like grasshoppers to them. They said we looked like grasshoppers to ourselves, and we must have looked like grasshoppers to them, too. What is that add? Adam That means that if you're insecure, then, you know, that's your downfall. If you think that your grasshoppers, then other people can pick that up in a minute. And they saw themselves as being weak. And the minute they saw themselves as being weak, they were weak and they'll be able to take advantage of them. Geoffrey So it's really as much about faith in God as it is about faith in oneself. Self-esteem. Adam Right. And I'm a big believer that this story is not only about faith in God, it's about faith in oneself. Geoffrey So to raise the bar a little bit, the midrash seems to have the consensus that this took place on a very perspicuous day in the Jewish calendar. It took place on Tisha B'Av and it's recounted Tisha B'av, as you probably all know, is the day the greatest calamity in the history of the Jewish people occurred. When the temple was destroyed. According to tradition, both temples were destroyed on the same day. And the midrash and the Mishnah gives a long list of other calamities that either foreshadowed or followed afterwards. But this took place on Tisha B'aV. And the Midrash says that when the people cried after hearing the report from the scouts, the Midrash says it was a Bechi Shel Chinam... It was an unjustified crying... a whining if you will. And because they cried, the Jewish people in the desert cried for no good reason. They would be destined to cry for good reason for the rest of the generations. And those of you who know Jewish tradition about Tisha B'av, cannot fail to hear in the bechi Shel Chinam... this crying for no reason, an echo of the traditional reason that the temple was destroyed. And that was because of sinat chinam.... of hatred that was unjustified .... person to person. So what do you make of this counterpoint between these two various reasons for the beginning of all the calamities of the Jewish people beginning at that moment and both using this unjustified emotion? Adam Let's take that midrash, that Midrash that you quote, Geoffrey, that you cried for no reason. Great phrase... you whine because you whine, I'm going to give you a reason to really cry. What does that mean? What that means is that we need to take a certain amount of responsibility. And if we're going to whine, God is going to give us a reason to whine. We can't whine, we need to be strong, and we need to have courage. We need to have faith in ourselves and in God. And if we can't do that, then God is going to punish us. He's going to give us a reason to cry. I think that's such a strong idea. Geoffrey And then all that is true. But I want to set it up as a counterpoint to "sinat Chinam". to blaming the destruction of the temple on the sins of the Jews. And what I'd love to do is to paint a picture that was inspired to me by Rav Abraham Yitzhak Kook, the first chief rabbi of the State of Israel, who actually took this midrash of baseless crying. And remember, this is an ultra-orthodox rabbi who breaks with the rest of the ultra-orthodox who believe that it is not up to man, it is not up to us to fabricate of faith and to take our land and to take the initiative. And he says, no, absolutely not that it is it is ours and it is our responsibility not to be small, but to be great. And this baseless whining, if you will, was the core of not only the narrative that we're reading about this Shabbat in this parsha, but is the core of the narrative of exile, of diminution, of oppression of the Jewish people through the ages. And I think if you add on to that context, part of that context is that the Jewish tradition for 2000 years of exile said that the Jewish people were exiled because they did something wrong. And this was something that was begun by the Jews, themselves in the prophets, Jeremiah and others, but clearly something that was literally embraced by the non-Jews who said if you are stateless, you must be deserving of this punishment. And so, in a sense, this baseless whining, this baseless diminution of yourself, I think is a counterpoint. And I don't want to focus less on the sin of hatred one against another and more on the fact of it's a sin that's keeping us away and that somehow or other we have to do something, maybe go to synagogue and pray, as opposed to taking our future into our hands and doing what Joshua and Caleb said, which is let's get up and go and take this land. Do you see that counterpoint Rabbi? Adam [That's a very interesting counterpoint. And I think that that's really the lesson of the whole scary counterpoint is the lesson. Right? Geoffrey I think so. I think so. It's one also of sadness and joy and so Rav Kook, when he describes this, he describes it in the context of we should be rejoicing on Tisha B'av, because one day Tisha B'av is going to be the happiest day. And that day will happen when we take our fate into our own hands. Adam I want to know what that means, taking fate into our own hands. What does that mean to you? Geoffrey So I'd like to move forward to answer that question to another theologian who's actually still alive, named Yitz Greenberg. And Yitz Greenberg talks about the Third Era of Judaism. And he actually describes that before the Holocaust, we lived in a world where we were waiting for divine redemption, and we were trying to make ourselves purer so that we would deserve divine redemption. And he says after the Holocaust, many people would want to talk about the "hester Panim", the fact that God's divine presence was hidden. And he says that's the wrong syntax. He talks about after the Holocaust we now have to talk about "was man missing" and that man now has to take into his or her own hands their future. That's his takeaway from the absence of God, which is the positive flip side of that, which is the ultimate responsibility for the presence of man. Adam What do you make of that? Let me turn it back to you, Geoffrey. What do you think about Yitz Greenberg's comment? Geoffrey Well, I agree with him very much. And when I kind of felt it in my gut because I truly believe that the renaissance of the Jewish people and the revival of the state of Israel is not simply like the meraglim, the scouts, a story, an episode. I think it is the essence of the culmination of Jewish history. And so I try to make sense of it in terms of the arc of Jewish history. And actually, Greenberg talks in terms of what happened after the Holocaust, in terms of the UN and human rights and national movements and all that. He makes the context even larger. But it really does speak to me and it speaks to me in a sense that is core to who I am as a proud Jew. So it really does resonate. Adam It's a great I think it's a fantastic argument by Itz Greenberg. And maybe what makes it the most powerful is it is kind of surprising you wouldn't have expected it. Geoffrey In terms of who Yitz Greenberg is as an Orthodox Jew, Adam correct, Geoffrey I mean, I think in a sense what we're talking about is not something that we're kind of creating out of nothing. The truth is that Ralph Kook and especially but also Yitz Greenberg coming out of an ultra-orthodox background, saw it. They saw the real tension between the Judaism of the galut... of the exile and a new Judaism born after the ashes, so to speak, and the revival of the Jewish nationalist dream. It lived itself out, in other words. And I also came from a very ultra-orthodox background. And these are things that you study, and you learn. They're very much alive. This this sense of you talk about trust. It's a different type of trust and faith. It's a faith that God will take care of us. God will provide the answer. And it's ultimately one that I think I really do. I feel like I have to reject. And it's not almost a nostalgic old faith as opposed to a new one. it's a new faith that has an emphasis and an imperative to it. Adam Yeah. That that idea of a new thing I think is very, very powerful. And that's really what Yitz Greenberg is talking about, is that we have to create for ourselves a new faith and that new faith is a faith that requires a tremendous amount of strength and courage. Can you imagine creating a new a new faith? Well, something that's so counter to everything that we were bought up with in our very orthodox backgrounds, isn't it? Geoffrey Well, I mean, you know, we listen to whether it's the song of the parting of the sea where we say lo b'bekochi, that it is not with our power, not with our might, that we will survive, but only through God. And Greenberg has an amazing quote that is a variation on something I believe Santayana said, and its "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. But absolute powerlessness corrupts the most". And I think what he was saying here is the powerlessness .... the lack of willingness to accept one's own fate, to accept power, to be a victim, to be a martyr, to play that role is really antithetical to the world and the renewal of Judaism and the state of Israel that we see. And I think it comes up in our discussions today, and I'm not preaching to anyone. I'm preaching to myself here. You know, as we see the discussion about Israel, especially in the last month, rive up and we feel, do we have to stand up for it or do we have to? What is the right balance between empathizing with the poor people in Gaza and the Palestinians and their national dream and ours? And I think that part of what this message told me this week as I studied it and as I read it, is you can care for other people, but you first have to care for yourself. You have to be in touch and understand your national dream before you can embrace someone else's national dream. You have to respect yourself. You can't be a grasshopper or a cockroach. That was the message I took away. And literally I was on the fence in terms of... Let this pass and do we really need to to stick up for ourselves and and make a scene and the take away from this parsha is that, you know, if not us, who then? Adam Do you think that we all have to share the same dream? Geoffrey No, no, absolutely not, and I think, if I hear you correctly, you know, would we ever want to totally lose the message of a Jeremiah who says if bad things happen to you, you need to be introspective and you need to look to see what you can do better with your life, both morally, ethically and spiritually? I hope we never lose that. But certainly when it goes to the extreme, when bad things happen to good people, it must be good people's fault. And we have to check on Mezuzahs. I think it is is a sickness. And I do believe we have to be comfortable in saying, damn it, we deserve a full life, too, and we deserve to live out our national and lifelong [national aspiration]. I was at a wedding earlier this week and I couldn't but stop to listen to all the words about one day we will be dancing in the streets of Jerusalem and the broken glass over Jerusalem. And I said to myself, we've been doing this for two thousand years. This is not a political statement. This is who we are. We are those scouts. We are that generation outside of the promised land. And we've got to fight for it. We'll be respected. I think this was one of the messages of the Zionists, and it's only partially borne out... We'll be respected when we respect ourselves and when we stand on our own two feet and when we have our own army and we have our own language. Adam Yeah, I mean, that was you know, that was the lesson of the state of Israel that we have to believe in ourselves if we're going to have our own state. If we don't believe in ourselves, then we don't have a chance. It's not that people have to believe in us. We have to believe in ourselves. I mean, that's really nice, Geoffrey because what you're really in this week of the elections and everything, in Israel and they make a government. And what you're really saying is that it's not about people believing in us. It's about us believing in ourselves. Geoffrey And then I think it's like they always say, "Ve'ahavta l"rayacha Kwemocha" , love your neighbor as yourself. I really do believe that we can we are better when we respect ourselves. And it's trite, but I think it's true. I'd like to go on to another thought leader who is not normally considered a thought leader. He's thought of more as the Singing Rabbi. His name is Shlomo Carlebach. And a few years ago, I came across a recording of him talking about just this parsha. So I'm going to try something new on Madlik Clubhouse. And since it is an audio only platform, I'm going to try to play Shlomo Carlebach... I'm going to invite him, so to speak, on to clubhouse. And I think you'll all be as excited as I am to see the personal direction that he takes this into, because we've been talking a lot about nationalism and movements and he goes in a different direction that I think relates more to Jewish renewal. So let's see if I can get this to work. Speaker Shlomo Carlebach I just want to give you a little vitamin pill and strength, everybody talking about the Meraglim so much and I'm sure it sunk into you. Anybody who comes back from Israel and tells anything bad about Israel, tell them, my dear brother, the spies destroyed Israel and they didn't lie it's true. Moshe Rabenu says to Yehoshua (Joshua) "God should give you strength not to listen to them. Now, listen to this. Who are the miraglim? The miraglim were the biggest Rebbes of the world 10 big Rebbes. Just imagine yourself, little schmendrick, like you and I. We're going on a mission ... 10 big rabbis. And Yeshua was mamash a pupil of Moshe Rabbenu. The most humble person in the world. Right. All the rabbis sit there, and they say, listen, I want you to know they tell each other it's a bad scene to go to Israel, forget it "A land that eats it's people" don't go there. Do you know, according to the Torah, the majority decides? The Torah! You ask a yid, Torah... right? I want you to know, friends, thousands of Jews would have stayed alive if they would have not listened to a lot of rabbis. I know a Yid in Williamsburg. He lived somewhere, had a wife and 12 children, 1937. He asked a Rebbe: "Should I go to Israel?" He says: "God forbid, Israel is not frum" . He would have had his wife and 12 children. You know why Yehusha is the one to conquer Israel? Because Moshe Rabbenu gave them strength not to listen to anybody. Have enough guts! if the Ribono shel olam shines something into me, that's it. I want you to know there is prophecy .. Eretz Yisrael is deeper than prophecy. Prophecy means I know what's happening. What will happen tomorrow. I know which gilgil (re-incarnation) I am in. It's all cute. It's not what I need to know? The greatest light of Eretz Yisrael is to have enough guts to listen to the deepest depths of my heart, the deepest, deepest depts of my heart. My friends, I bless you and me. If you and I want to conquer Israel, want to make our way to the Holy Land, make our way into Yiddishkite, let's have the guts not to listen to anybody. I want you to know something else. The saddest thing in the world is... I want you to know everybody when they get married, they built their Eretz Yisrael. The Huppah is their Jerusalem. I want you to know, you know, the walking to the Huppah, it's like Avraham Avenu, is walking in Eretz Yisrael. The standing under the Huppah is like Yerushalyim, As it says: Omdos Hayu Ragalenu Yerusalim..." I bless you, friends. Whenever you find your soulmate, please don't ask anybody. Conquer your Eretz Yisrael! Just listen to the inside of the inside. Listen to the great rabbi ... the Mraglim... you know what they said they felt like cockroaches and mamash a giant. Right? I thought you're the greatest rabbi in the world. You afraid? Yeah. To the truth. Jacob teitz, this is my Rebbe? I don't want a Rebbe who's afraid. I don't a Rebbe who's afraid of anything in the world. I need a rebbe who's not afraid. And you know something in exile. It's a cute Rebbe'la. He's afraid of this one. Afraid of this one .. in Exile you can make it. You can even make to receive manna from heaven. Eretz Yisrael, No! Friends, I Bless you to have guts. inside. Inside, inside, inside. When you find your soul mate, just do it. Friends, I tell you something. If you would have asked all the Rebbes. Should we make a little ruach here, a little get-together. They would have asked how big is the mechitza, where do you get the meat. And who is Gedalia, who is Noami? Who is Meyer? Forget me, I'm treif anyway. Hash V'shalom... you're not permitted to do it! and the meantime, Baruch HaShem, Gedalia had the privilege of bringing together 100's of thousands of people. OK friends, Good Shabbos Good Yontov and I bless you to make it to Eretz Yisrael this summer. Don't ask questions, just go Good Shabbos Good Yom tov. Geoffrey Yeah. So had you heard that before? Adam That was amazing. Geoffrey Thank you. I was I was blown away. And by the way, it's edited. He also talks about women learning Torah and he says, are we going to ask a rebbe if we can study Torah? Women can study Torah. It really bridges the divide to the personal, personal, spiritual growth, and it bridges the divide to renewal of Judaism. And I was just blown away by it. So I. I just today came from a funeral of a Holocaust survivor. And her name is Esther Pederseil, and she was ninety-five and she had guts. And if we're talking about guts, I think that we have to definitely reference people like her who are survivors, they're not victims, they're survivors. And when her children spoke, they talked about her love of fashion and style, and they said that was her. That was her not.... Not her revenge, but her way of living. She wanted to live her life to the fullest and as much as she could she, showed that she was in the camp of Joshua and Caleb. And I just think that the lesson is really universal at the end of the day, it's a lesson for us personally. It's a lesson for every people who want to renew their future and get to their promised land. But it's certainly a lesson for us. And I think we should never whine, and we should only choose to conquer what we can conquer and to think highly of ourselves Adam And to listen only to ourselves, not to listen to others. What a powerful idea. Geoffrey Yeah, I, I when he kept on saying over and over again, I don't need a rebbe who's afraid, I mean it was very powerful. And he touched thousands, tens of thousands of people with his music but also with the message of renewal and renewal Judaism. And as you said before, what our promised land is, is open to interpretation. But I think the message that one has to grab that and to actively aspire and engage. That is a universal truth. Adam Couldn't agree more. That was beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing that. Geoffrey OK, well, Shabbat shalom, everybody. Adam Shabbat Shalom everybody. Looking forward to next week.
Neshama Carlebach is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and educator who has performed and taught in cities around the world. A six-time entrant in the Grammy Awards and a winner and four-time nominee in the Independent Music Awards for her most current release, Believe, Neshama has sold over one million records, making her one of today's best-selling Jewish artists in the world. She collaborates with musicians of different faiths, and partners with organizations, synagogues, and churches. Neshama has been a cornerstone of major Jewish music festivals across the U.S. and globally, performing in front of thousands at an interfaith peace summit in Mt. Fuji, Japan, at the gates of Auschwitz on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), and at countless concerts and gatherings for audiences of all ages and backgrounds.As the first then-Orthodox woman of her generation to perform for a mixed-gender audience, Neshama is a strong advocate for religious pluralism and human rights. She has sparked public conversations with brave forays into the place of women in Judaism and today's world.Neshama began training as a singer and actress at the age of five. As a teenager, she performed alongside her father, the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Today she lives in New York with her husband Rabbi Menachem Creditor, and their five children.This episode is a very powerful one! Neshama shares her story and training to become a world-renowned singer, her past, forgiveness, and how one can grow and look past things that are out of their control. This is an episode I truly hope you enjoy!Connect with NeshamaSpotifySayMazelTov is where you can request personalized videos from your favorite Jewish creators and inspiring thought leaders. Our goal is that you have a personalized easy and professional experience all the while supporting a charity.Use promo code meirkay10 for 10% on your order!Don't forget to subscribe to The Great Day PodcastLove The Great Day Podcast? Want to find out how to support the show? Click the link below to join my new Patreon page.Become Patron on My Patreon Page HERE!Did I mention that I am now an author?! Check out my new book "A Kids Book About Optimism"And be sure to follow my Instagram page and Facebook page to stay up to date on everything I'm working on.I'm Meir Kay and Have A Great Day! Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
The Concert Crasher who attempted to punch Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, as told in the book Holy Brother
We are joined this week by Meir Glaser a long time resident of Tzfat who was inspired by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. In that style, Meir now gives tours of this amazing holy city through his company Bishvil HaLev (Path of the Heart). Hear about some of the amazing locations and Kabbalistic insights as we give you an audio tour of Tzfat. Soon there will be Virtual Video Tours available through Meir's company for all of you who cannot make it here in person. The Science of Kabbalah 24NOV2020 - PODCAST
What's the difference between a Rabbi and a Rebbe? A Rabbi teaches you something you don't know. A Rebbe puts you in touch with the deepest part of yourself. I learned this teaching from Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. In this week's talk, we lay out a series of teachings not so much to inform, but to show us how we can create an atmosphere in our lives and in our homes that will put us in touch with the deepest parts of ourselves and each other.
Jewish Matters Podcast with Rabbi Jonathan Feldman.We have all been inspired and touched by his music, but who was R’ Shomo? R’ Shlomo touched thousands of lives, and transformed a generation, and the endurance of his musical legacy is a testimony to the message of love and hope that he taught. Join us as we trace his journey from Greenwich Village to San Francisco in the 60’s and Russia in the 70’s. I will share my own personal stories with R’ Shlomo.
Mimi Feigelson—also known as Reb Mimi—is the Mashpiah Ruchanit—Spiritual Mentor—of the Schechter Rabbinical School in Jerusalem where she also teaches Talmud and Chassidic Thought. She served in the same position for 16 years at the Ziegler School of Rabbinic Studies in Los Angeles. Born in the United States, Mimi moved to Israel at age 8 and began studying with Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach at 15. In 1994, She was ordained by Rabbi Carlebach. In a secret ceremony, she became the first Orthodox Female Rabbi post Shoah. This was only made public in 2001. Still, 20 years later, the Orthodox Jewish community is challenged when it confronts the growing number of female Orthodox rabbis. She was also the Associate Director of the popular Yakar synagogue and Beit Midrash in Jerusalem and it’s Rosh Beit Midrash l’nashim – the women’s beit midrash. I sat down with Mimi in her apartment in Jerusalem to discuss her experience as a spiritual mentor for American and Israeli Jews, what it’s like to be the public figure “Reb Mimi”, her time with Reb Shlomo Carlebach, and many deep answers to simple questions.
Neshama Carlebach is an award-winning singer, songwriter and educator who has performed and taught in cities around the world. A six-time entrant in the Grammy Awards, Neshama has sold over one million records, making her one of today's best-selling Jewish artists in the world. She collaborates with musicians of different faiths, and partners with organizations, synagogues, and churches. Neshama has been a cornerstone of major Jewish music festivals across the U.S. and globally, performing in front of thousands at an interfaith peace summit in Mt. Fuji, Japan, at the gates of Auschwitz on Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and at countless concerts and gatherings for audiences of all ages and backgrounds. As the first then-Orthodox woman of her generation to perform for a mixed-gender audience, Neshama is a strong advocate for religious pluralism and human rights. She has sparked public conversations with brave forays into the place of women in Judaism and today's world. Neshama was one of the creators and performers of the musical Soul Doctor, which ran on Broadway. In November 2016, she was inducted into the Brooklyn Hall of Fame, where she received a Certificate of Congressional Recognition for her work. Since her debut album, Soul, in 1996, she has released 10 records, each showcasing her vocal range, power, versatility, and her unique blend of various genres including classic Hebrew folk songs, contemporary pop music, jazz, and gospel. Her most recent release, Believe, includes 12 all-original tracks and features her band and a new gospel choir led by Pastor Milton Vann. Neshama began training as a singer and actress at the age of five. As a teenager, she performed alongside her father, the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach. Today she lives in New York with her husband Rabbi Menachem Creditor, and their five children. Website iTunes Facebook Click here to fill out our Survey
This month on the podcast we’re talking about Jewish music, about prayer, and about what happens when these things come together. These three interrelated topics are an amalgam of various conversations we’ve been wanting to have with one another, spurred in part by renewed discussions about Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, famed composer of many Jewish liturgical […] The post Jewish music and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach’s music appeared first on Jewish Public Media.
Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach teaches, there are two kinds of secrets. One kind I tell you and then you know. The other kind is I tell you and you still don't know. The post The Day of Secrets first appeared on Spiritual Tools for an Outrageous World.
Is your prayer too selfish? Should you interrupt other peoples’ selfish prayer habits? What would it mean to pray for a warmer world? And what can Sukkot teach us about prayer? Join Rabbi Knopf as he and his students discuss Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach’s response to these important questions.
Rabbi Jeffrey Saks discusses the new collection of teaching and stories by R. Shlomo Carlebach on the Parsha with the book's editor, R. Shlomo Katz of the Carlebach Legacy trust (www.CarlebachLegacy.com)
Rabbi Jeffrey Saks discusses the new collection of teaching and stories by R. Shlomo Carlebach on the Parsha with the book's editor, R. Shlomo Katz of the Carlebach Legacy trust (www.CarlebachLegacy.com)
Dear Friends, There are certain moments in life when we receive a flash of clarity. What we do with these, and how much we hold on to them, can be the difference between achieving our potential or sadly, not quite making it. In honor of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach’s yartziet, I reflect on some of these… The post Flashes of Recognition first appeared on Spiritual Tools for an Outrageous World.
Rabbi Sammy Intrator in tribute to Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach with music by Jeremy Gaisin and Ratzon Orchestra
Raised on the Moshav Meor Modi'im, a musical village in the hills between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, the four young men who make up the Moshav Band - Yehuda (vocals, persussion), Dovid (vocals, guitar) Yosef (Bass) and Meir (Mandolin Guitar) have learned and played music since childhood. The American parents of Yehuda and Dovid had come to Israel in 1972 - right before the outbreak of the Yom Kippur war. They settled on a Moshav - a similar lifestyle to a kibbutz but with more autonomy and independence for the family - where their children were born and raised. "When we were growing up," explains Dovid, "the only electrical appliance in the house was a record player. So, while American kids might be growing up watching television and playing video games, we were growing up listening to music." The music they listened to were the records their parents had brought with them - Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Neil Young - and that music, combined with the beat poets they read and embraced continues to influence their songwriting. The particular Moshav that was home to the members of the band had been founded by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, himself a musician, and the young men performed with Rabbi Carelbach as well as on their own. Performing with Rabbi Carlebach at his concerts as well as playing their own music brought the Moshav Band popularity in both Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. "As far as the music we were taught," explains Yehuda, "it was primarily music of our homeland. But the music we fell in love with was the popular American music of the past 40 years, and so our music is a blend of both cultures." Eventually, American students traveling in Israel heard them play and befriended the members of the band. Taken not only with the beauty of their music, but the band members' charismatic stage presence, these young kids from the U.S. went back to the States and raised the money to bring the Moshav Band to America for a short college tour in 1998. By 2000, the band had moved to Los Angeles, determined to make it in the mainstream pop world the way they already have in the Judaica world.