New CD brings rock and roll from the synagogue

January 20, 2010 - 5:18 PM by Brian Blum · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Israeliness, Music

The Jewish rock scene in Israel is thriving these days, with erstwhile Anglo performers like Yehuda Katz and pop crooner Aaron Razel to newly religious Israeli hit makers Ehud Banai, Etti Ankari and Erez Lev Ari (see our post here) all burning up Torah-inspired dance floors across the country. It’s rarer, though, to find a synagogue recording its own album of Jewish rock.

Jewish Renewal congregation Nava Tehila in Jerusalem has released just such a disc and the result admirably holds its own against its more established cousins.

“Dancing in the Glory” covers the Friday night Kabbalat Shabbat service, psalm by psalm. The music, written by local musicians Daphna Rosenberg and Yoel Sykes, moves seamlessly from Middle Eastern motifs to reggae with even a polka thrown in for good measure.

The opening track, “Creating the Sea” (Asher Lo Ha’yam – all of the songs have both Hebrew and English names) starts off with a delicate children’s choir, then builds as Rosenberg’s rich voice takes over before joining the kids in harmony.

Sykes’ “The God of Glory Thunders” (El HaKavod Hiri’im) has a gospel feel to it, while “Hear and Rejoice” (Shema v’Tismach) sports an Irish jig as its centerpiece. “Blaze” (Anan v’Arafel) is mixes reggae and klezmer, while “The Mountains are Singing” (Naharot Yimchau Kaf) ends with a percussion solo and call and respond chant that is vaguely reminiscent of Chicago’s early hit “Beginnings.”

Then there’s that polka. Sung by Rosenberg with a wisp of accordion accompaniment, it sets the words of “Lecha Dodi” to the Jewish standard “Tumbalalaika.”

The all acoustic disc includes 13 musicians who play a wide variety of instruments including flute, clarinet, oud, cello, violin and darbuka.

The producer of this album of Jewish music, surprisingly, is a Catholic monk. Oliver Darras (known now as Father Zachary) is a member of the Beautitudes monastic order located near Latrun that is interested in the Jewish roots of Christianity. Before becoming a monk, the Hebrew-speaking Zachary was a professional musician specializing in Irish music.

The CD comes with a 28-page booklet, allowing listeners to follow along in both Hebrew and English transliteration.

The Nava Tehila ensemble is currently in the U.S. performing songs from the album at Jewish community centers and synagogues.

The CD is available for NIS 60 in Israel, and for $18 a disc, $12 for an MP3 digital download at CD Baby. Individual MP3 tracks can be purchased at OySongs for $1.99 each.

You can listen to several full tracks at Nava Tehila’s MySpace page.

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