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2/2

2001

54

Shaarey Zedek premieres innovative
cantorial project on the "Sabbath of Song."

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
Staff Writer

I

n celebration of this year's
Shabbat Shirah (the Sabbath of
Song), Congregation Shaarey
Zedek in Southfield on Feb.10
will continue its tradition of observ-
in&this special musical Shabbat.
The Shabbat is named for the
time of song and joy described in the
week's Torah portion, Beshalach,
which includes the famous passage:
"Then Moses and the Israelites sang
this song to God." Its liturgy is filled
with words of gratitude and joy, con-
taining the "Song of the Sea," which
follows a statement in the Torah of
immense faith in God.
"The Sabbath of Song has its own
cantillation musically and has
become a symbol of Jewish creativity
and aesthetics," says Shaarey Zedek's
Cantor Chaim Najman. "Verses in
Shirah have become excerpted in dif-
ferent parts of the service."
Shaarey Zedek is one of a large
number of congregations worldwide, •
of various denominations, which pay
musical tribute to Shabbat Shirah.
It is, however, the only Michigan

congregation to also join other
American and Canadian synagogues
in making Shabbat Shirah a time to
launch the Shabbat Yachad (Shabbat
Together) program. The project,
which will continue for several
weeks, is the introduction in the syn-
agogue of the music of more than 40
Jewish cantor-composers worldwide,
commissioned to write new music
for the Shabbat morning service.
"It's a way to bring congregations
together for a common purpose
through a demonstration of our reli-
gious heritage," says Cantor Solomon
Mendelson, program chair for the
Cantors Assembly in New York and
creator of the project.
"Shabbat Shirah always has been
the day when Jewish synagogue
music is celebrated," says Cantor
Najman. "It is set aside to focus on
music of the synagogue. It is logical
to premiere Shabbat Yachad. on this
day."
Cantor Najman says the addition
of original, innovative music to the
Shabbat morning service is signifi-
cant. "The new music is inclusive,
on a high musical standard, with the
key word being eclectic," says the

cantor, who is the current national
president of the Cantor's Assembly.
"People don't attend Shabbat ser-
vices to hear repetitious services,
with no spontaneity and no musical
variety."
He says the current agenda of
American Conservative cantors is to
revitalize and give new impetus to
creating new music, while still
retaining the traditional melodic
structure of synagogue music.
"We see Shabbat Yachad as the
opportunity to bring that new music
into the synagogue to have the con-
gregation respond to it," Cantor
Najman says.
Shaarey Zedek, Shabbat Shirah
will be highlighted by the participa-
tion of Cantor Henry Rosenblum,
educator and dean of the Harvey L.
Miller Cantorial School of the Jewish
Theological Seminary in New York
City. He will deliver the sermon on
the topic of "The Shirah: A Song for
All Ages."
Cantor Rosenblum also will join
Cantor Najman and the synagogue
choir, directed by Eugene Zweig, and
the Youth Choir, directed by Audrey
Baker. They will sing new and tradi-