Spring is such a special time of year, and a great reminder that everything is “Connected.” For me, there’s NOTHING like going for a walk or a hike to feel part of something bigger than myself — than all of us! That’s a HUGE lesson in Judaism and it really comes through in this sweet […]

I wanted to feature a very special Israeli artist this week — Gitit Shoval. Gitit started her career in Israel’s music industry at the VERY young age of 13, and has been an absolute star ever since! Gitit released this video singing “Ani Ma’amin Ba’Zman” by Ehud Manor and Ron Druayn (her amazing husband!) to […]

February is Jewish Disability Awareness and Inclusion Month, which immediately made me think of my buddy Charlie Kramer. Charlie is a super talented Jewish singer-songwriter who has shared his experience with blindness in a very powerful way, and has become an incredible coach and advocate for people with disabilities. Inclusion education pulses through Charlie’s veins, […]

If you were a tree, what kind of tree would YOU be? One great way for our kids to understand how important trees are is to pretend to be one! This Tu B’Shvat song from Jason Mesches is MAJORLY fun and interactive, and a great way to celebrate the holiday. Happy Birthday to the Trees! […]

Tu B’Shvat is almost here, and it’s a chance to celebrate the magnificence of nature! There’s a reason we call Torah a “Tree of Life” — because we understand just how important the role trees play in our natural world, and this is similar to the role Torah plays in our Jewish lives and communities. […]

Our physical, mental and emotional health is ALWAYS important, and it’s been a big focus ever since the start of the pandemic. Now that we’re in the middle of winter, I thought this would be a great time to share with you a song specifically about health from my friend Jay Rapoport. “La-bri’ut” means “to […]

One thing that has always been important to me is using music to create bridges between people of different backgrounds. In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I wanted to share this amazing collaboration between Laurie Akers, Cantor Rachel Goldman and Cantor Rachel Brook (a.k.a. Shul Sisters) and Tyrell Belle, Zuumah Gayeman and Ian […]

January is “New Year’s Resolution” season, another opportunity to dream in color about our lives and what we need to do to live them in the best way possible. Part of that is also dreaming in color about the whole world, and how we can make it a better place. Erica Rabner is a new […]

I’ve shared other covers of the Israeli folk song “Bashanah Haba’ah” for Song of the Week before — it’s a popular song at Rosh Hashanah and at Passover, reminding us to be optimistic about the year ahead. Well, 2023 is ahead of us and I’m feeling hopeful and I hope y’all are too! So here’s […]

You might be asking yourself, “Rick, why did you pick a song about synagogues at a time of year when most people are on vacation?” So glad you asked! It’s these times of year when the hustle and bustle of our special community gathering places slows down and we have the opportunity to see them […]