Since I think these songs are fun, and given the lack of time, it made sense to link to last year's post.
Hag Urim Sameach! Have a great festival of lights.
Rabbi Bruce
Showing posts with label chanukah. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chanukah. Show all posts
12/02/2010
8 + Songs for Chanukah
Like everyone else I know, I didn't figure out everything that needed to happen for Hanukah until getting back from Thanksgiving Break (which for Amherst was quite long).
12/09/2009
Music for Eight Nights of Chanukah-David Brooks
Chanukah Parties:
Smith, Thursday Dec. 10th 7pm in Campus Center Carroll Room (Klezamir, Noteables, homemade latkes, jelly donuts and more). Sorry if you missed it.
Amherst Friday, Dec 11, 6:30 pm in the Cadigan Center for Religious Life.
One of my plans for this snowy afternoon was to write a post about Chanukah traditions, songs, etc.
The most recent issue of the Western Mass. Jewish Ledger arrived today, so I read through it.
Luckily for me (and you because I wouldn't have found some of these sites), there was an article by Mark Mietkiewicz about Chanukah music ("8 Music Sites for 8 Chanukah Nights"). I will be using some of his sites. I hope you enjoy these. Please post links to other interesting songs in the comment section.
Happy Chanukah! Hag Urim Sameach!
1. For the first candle or if someone asks you: "How do you spell Chanukah." The LeeVees.
One of the best Chanukah CD's (at least for the 15-45 age group) is the debut CD of the LeeVees. Led by Adam Gardner from Guster and Dave Schneider from the Zambonis (if you have to ask about these groups, you may not be the intended demographic), these songs are fun, entertaining, and demonstrate Jewish knowledge. The first year, songs from the CD were used on Gray's Anatomy and in an NPR segment. Dave is also part of a new Jewish band, the Macaroons. Check the LeeVees website for links to download their music and connect to their other group sites.
2. First Matisyahu, Now Reggae Chanukah. If you are going to talk of Zion anyway, you might as well sing Jewish reggae music!
3. An Folk Classic: Peter, Paul, & Mary's "Light One Candle." Here is Peter Yarrow singing it with the lyrics and background information.
4. BareNaked Ladies (sorry-it is not the best video)
5. He's Not Sasha But He is Close: Erran Baron Cohen, Sasha's brother, released a great Chanukah compilation. Here is a link to an NPR interview and an article from Ha'aretz.
6. Instuments Not Required: There are lots of Jewish a capella groups (mainly on college campuses). Here is a list with links to 67 groups (I don't guarantee they all work). They should all have Chanukah songs. For Jewish a capella in the Five Colleges, check out Kolot (based at UMASS but including students from 4 of the Five Colleges)
7. Tom Lehrer: Zev's class is singing this song by the classic comedic musician, Tom Lehrer. You can also hear an Aca Pella version from JFA at Brandeis.
8. A Chanukah song written by Sen Orrin Hatch! Yes, the Morman Senator from Utah!
Since it is a Modern Classic, I am not listing Adam Sandler's Chanukah Song as part of the 8. There are lots additional versions. Here is Part 3. For a listing of the celebrities in version and other links, check out wikipedia.
Bonus: Harold & Kumar Chanukah memories (sort of).
--------------------------
Additional Items: Check out David Brooks on Chanukah in today's NYTIMES.
Smith, Thursday Dec. 10th 7pm in Campus Center Carroll Room (Klezamir, Noteables, homemade latkes, jelly donuts and more). Sorry if you missed it.
Amherst Friday, Dec 11, 6:30 pm in the Cadigan Center for Religious Life.
One of my plans for this snowy afternoon was to write a post about Chanukah traditions, songs, etc.
The most recent issue of the Western Mass. Jewish Ledger arrived today, so I read through it.
Luckily for me (and you because I wouldn't have found some of these sites), there was an article by Mark Mietkiewicz about Chanukah music ("8 Music Sites for 8 Chanukah Nights"). I will be using some of his sites. I hope you enjoy these. Please post links to other interesting songs in the comment section.
Happy Chanukah! Hag Urim Sameach!
1. For the first candle or if someone asks you: "How do you spell Chanukah." The LeeVees.
One of the best Chanukah CD's (at least for the 15-45 age group) is the debut CD of the LeeVees. Led by Adam Gardner from Guster and Dave Schneider from the Zambonis (if you have to ask about these groups, you may not be the intended demographic), these songs are fun, entertaining, and demonstrate Jewish knowledge. The first year, songs from the CD were used on Gray's Anatomy and in an NPR segment. Dave is also part of a new Jewish band, the Macaroons. Check the LeeVees website for links to download their music and connect to their other group sites.
2. First Matisyahu, Now Reggae Chanukah. If you are going to talk of Zion anyway, you might as well sing Jewish reggae music!
3. An Folk Classic: Peter, Paul, & Mary's "Light One Candle." Here is Peter Yarrow singing it with the lyrics and background information.
4. BareNaked Ladies (sorry-it is not the best video)
5. He's Not Sasha But He is Close: Erran Baron Cohen, Sasha's brother, released a great Chanukah compilation. Here is a link to an NPR interview and an article from Ha'aretz.
6. Instuments Not Required: There are lots of Jewish a capella groups (mainly on college campuses). Here is a list with links to 67 groups (I don't guarantee they all work). They should all have Chanukah songs. For Jewish a capella in the Five Colleges, check out Kolot (based at UMASS but including students from 4 of the Five Colleges)
7. Tom Lehrer: Zev's class is singing this song by the classic comedic musician, Tom Lehrer. You can also hear an Aca Pella version from JFA at Brandeis.
8. A Chanukah song written by Sen Orrin Hatch! Yes, the Morman Senator from Utah!
Since it is a Modern Classic, I am not listing Adam Sandler's Chanukah Song as part of the 8. There are lots additional versions. Here is Part 3. For a listing of the celebrities in version and other links, check out wikipedia.
Bonus: Harold & Kumar Chanukah memories (sort of).
--------------------------
Additional Items: Check out David Brooks on Chanukah in today's NYTIMES.
12/19/2005
Great Band-The LeeVees
I heard a great band play last night. They just returned from opening for Bare Naked Ladies' Holiday Tour and their song Latka Clan was featured on Gray's Anatomy. The LeeVees are a bunch of Jewish musicians (the leads are in Guster and Zambonis) and most of their songs are about Chanukah. Smart, great rock, wonderful energy, Jewish pride. Check out their MySpace page.
One of the musicians (bass player - Shawn LeeVee) lives in Noho and oftens performs around the area. I hope to have him get together with students soon.
Listen to their stuff for a study break and let me know,
B'shalom,
Rabbi Bruce
PS Like the Wilburies in Traveling Wilburies--they all use the last name LeeVee.
One of the musicians (bass player - Shawn LeeVee) lives in Noho and oftens performs around the area. I hope to have him get together with students soon.
Listen to their stuff for a study break and let me know,
B'shalom,
Rabbi Bruce
PS Like the Wilburies in Traveling Wilburies--they all use the last name LeeVee.
12/18/2005
Good Luck and Happy Chanukah
I am now at the Hillel Professional Staff conference in Stamford, CT. (Sunday-Wed).
Good luck with all of your end of the semester work.
If you will still be around this weekend, please email me to join us for Shabbat dinner.
B'shalom,
Rabbi Bruce
Good luck with all of your end of the semester work.
If you will still be around this weekend, please email me to join us for Shabbat dinner.
B'shalom,
Rabbi Bruce
12/12/2004
Hanukah & Hesed (previously emailed to Smith students)
With snow now falling on campus and the temperature consistently low, I realize the high prices of oil and gas may leave homes cold for the first time.
With our economy in shambles and the country divided into read and blue state, I realize that little is being done to alleve suffering.
With crises in Darfur and Iraq never seeming to go away, I realize that we can stand up and help save others.
These are just a few examples of the darkness that surrounds us.
At this time of darkness in the calendar, our tradition teaches us to dispel the darkness one candle at a time.
Now for a bit of text [note: you can skip the next two paragraphs and the email will still make sense].
The Talmud on Shabbat 21b brings the following disagreement on lighting nerot hanukah (Hanukah candles): "Our Rabbis taught: "The mitzvah of Hunukah--a light for each person and his/her household. Those who are particular--a light for each and every person. Those who are extremely particular--Beit Shammai says: 'On the first day light eight; from then on, continue to decrease.' Beit Hillel says: 'On the first day light one, front then on continue to
add.'" Ulla said: 'Two Amoraim in the West, Rabbi Yose bar Avin and Rabbi Yose bar Zavida disagreed. One said: the reasons of Beit Shammai is that it corresponds to the days that are left, and the reason of Beit Hillel is that it corresponds to the days that are past.' The other said: 'The reason of Beit Shammai is that it corresponds to the bulls [offered] on the festival of Sukkot (when the original Temple was dedicated), and the reason of Beit Hillel is that we raise up in manners of holiness not go down.'
Even though I want to focus on the last line (the second reason for Beit Hillel's statement), I thought it was worthy of looking at the entire passage.
There are four opinions on how Hanukah candles are lit. A. 1 light for each head of household. B. One light for each person. Presumably, each of these holds true for each night, so you would light a total of 8 candles in A and 8 X # of people in B. In C. and D., there is an understanding that the number of candles bears a relationship to either the number of days the oil lasted in the miracle of Hanukah or the number of days in the original dedication of the Temple (eight). C. Light 8 candles the first night, 7 the next, etc. (this would tell you how many days remained of the miracle) D. Light 1 candle the first night, 2 the second, etc. (This tells you what night you are on). In each of C and D, 36 candles are lit if lighting one per household and 36 X # of people if lighting per person. None of these opinions includes the shamash (or helper) candle--which is used to prevent us from deriving benefit from the Hanukah candles themselves (so if you want to do the math on the total candles used, add 8 candles to any method).
Hanukah candles are supposed to be displayed in a window (or better yet be outside). In the darkness of the winter, we start with one light and keep adding to it, slowing increasing the amount of light in the world. Each night, we increase the amount of light, dispeling darkness and dispair. So too, when we each help someone or better the world, our one action added to those of everyone else. Since we will already be dispeling the physical darkness in our surroundings, I think it is a great time to discuss doing it throughout the year through acts of loving-kindness.
This Hanukah, join me in discussing how the Jewish community at Smith can work together to better dispel the darkness. Together, we can make the world a better place--one light at a time.
As we light the remaining candles, I encourage you to think of how we can channel our spiritual energy to help others.
As always, I appreciate your email, phone or private responses.
With wishes of a hag urim sameach (a joyous festival of lights),
Rabbi Bruce
With our economy in shambles and the country divided into read and blue state, I realize that little is being done to alleve suffering.
With crises in Darfur and Iraq never seeming to go away, I realize that we can stand up and help save others.
These are just a few examples of the darkness that surrounds us.
At this time of darkness in the calendar, our tradition teaches us to dispel the darkness one candle at a time.
Now for a bit of text [note: you can skip the next two paragraphs and the email will still make sense].
The Talmud on Shabbat 21b brings the following disagreement on lighting nerot hanukah (Hanukah candles): "Our Rabbis taught: "The mitzvah of Hunukah--a light for each person and his/her household. Those who are particular--a light for each and every person. Those who are extremely particular--Beit Shammai says: 'On the first day light eight; from then on, continue to decrease.' Beit Hillel says: 'On the first day light one, front then on continue to
add.'" Ulla said: 'Two Amoraim in the West, Rabbi Yose bar Avin and Rabbi Yose bar Zavida disagreed. One said: the reasons of Beit Shammai is that it corresponds to the days that are left, and the reason of Beit Hillel is that it corresponds to the days that are past.' The other said: 'The reason of Beit Shammai is that it corresponds to the bulls [offered] on the festival of Sukkot (when the original Temple was dedicated), and the reason of Beit Hillel is that we raise up in manners of holiness not go down.'
Even though I want to focus on the last line (the second reason for Beit Hillel's statement), I thought it was worthy of looking at the entire passage.
There are four opinions on how Hanukah candles are lit. A. 1 light for each head of household. B. One light for each person. Presumably, each of these holds true for each night, so you would light a total of 8 candles in A and 8 X # of people in B. In C. and D., there is an understanding that the number of candles bears a relationship to either the number of days the oil lasted in the miracle of Hanukah or the number of days in the original dedication of the Temple (eight). C. Light 8 candles the first night, 7 the next, etc. (this would tell you how many days remained of the miracle) D. Light 1 candle the first night, 2 the second, etc. (This tells you what night you are on). In each of C and D, 36 candles are lit if lighting one per household and 36 X # of people if lighting per person. None of these opinions includes the shamash (or helper) candle--which is used to prevent us from deriving benefit from the Hanukah candles themselves (so if you want to do the math on the total candles used, add 8 candles to any method).
Hanukah candles are supposed to be displayed in a window (or better yet be outside). In the darkness of the winter, we start with one light and keep adding to it, slowing increasing the amount of light in the world. Each night, we increase the amount of light, dispeling darkness and dispair. So too, when we each help someone or better the world, our one action added to those of everyone else. Since we will already be dispeling the physical darkness in our surroundings, I think it is a great time to discuss doing it throughout the year through acts of loving-kindness.
This Hanukah, join me in discussing how the Jewish community at Smith can work together to better dispel the darkness. Together, we can make the world a better place--one light at a time.
As we light the remaining candles, I encourage you to think of how we can channel our spiritual energy to help others.
As always, I appreciate your email, phone or private responses.
With wishes of a hag urim sameach (a joyous festival of lights),
Rabbi Bruce
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