NOVEMBER 14 • 2019 | 53

With One Breath

Temple Israel’
s new CD explores the congregation’
s 
cohesiveness in prayer through music.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER
PHOTOS BY MAYA GRINBOIM 
I

n other circumstances, the event might 
be called a record release party.
This event comes in the form of a 
festive Shabbat service as Temple Israel 
introduces a new recording made by the 
religious staff in collaboration with musical 
talents based in the United States, Canada 
and Israel.
With One Breath, featuring traditional 
Hebrew prayers that are part of Temple 
Israel services and set to the music of 
today’
s composers, will be performed 
Friday evening, Nov. 22, 
just days after the recording 
is made available Nov. 18 
through free web distribu-
tion.
Twelve soundtracks are 
being accompanied by a 
video of the first track, 
“Hinei Ma Tov.
” Free CDs 
will be given out to those 
attending the formal intro-
duction, where vocalists 
and band members will 
present live renditions of 
what they have recorded.
“We have created a cel-
ebration of Jewish music 
that brings together the 
sounds of Ashkenazic and 
Sephardic Judaism,
” says 
Cantor Michael Smolash, 
at the helm of the five-
year project as funded by 
the Gottlieb family in memory of Stephen 
Gottlieb, who delighted in playing music as 
well as listening to others. 
“One goal was to present the music of 
Temple Israel and Reform Judaism in a way 
that would reach out to people’
s lives. The 
second was to introduce new congregants 
to our music so they can enjoy listening to 
it and be very comfortable having learned 
the melodies on their own. The third is to 
put up new music people haven’
t heard. 
“I think the few new pieces will be use-

ful to congregations all over the country 
and will add to the musical life of Reform 
Judaism,
” Smolash said. 
This Temple Israel recording, which fol-
lows the recordings Kavanat Haruach and 
We Are One, also will be available at 
temple-israel.org/album. The digital source 
also has transliterations, translations and 
credit listings of participants, who did not 
have to be together in a single studio to join 
in the music. 
Through technology, the base recording 
was enhanced with the sounds of distant 
add-ons, such as a Celtic whistle 
and oud in Toronto and a 
dumbek in Tel Aviv.
Ari Posner, who scores 
award-winning Canadian tele-
vision series and films, was 
the recording producer and 
arranger as well as composer of 
two pieces, “Barchu” and “Mi 
Chamocha.
”
“I think this recording is an 
eclectic musical journey, and I 
hope it will be uplifting to people 
in a spiritual way but also in an 
enjoying music kind of way,
” 
says Posner, who has worked on 
Anne, X Company and Flashpoint 
as they gained series popularity. 
“The text and lyrics come from 
prayers and liturgy, but I feel the 
songs stand on their own as just 
good songs enjoyable to listen to.
” 
Joining the local musicians is violist 
and violinist Sonia Lee, who has worked 
with Josh Groban and Billy Joel. Besides 
Smolash, vocals are performed by Cantor 
Neil Michaels, Rabbi Jennifer Lader, stage 
and recording artist Jacob “Spike” Kraus 
and Emma Trivax, who sings at services.
“Choneini,
” the third track, has to do 
with the theme of healing. With music 
composed by Smolash, it has a voiceover 
reading by Rabbi Paul Yedwab. 
The cantor explains the title of the 

recording has to do with the feeling of 
cohesiveness pervasive in the congregation 
as expressed, in part, through music.
“
At Temple Israel services, when we’
re 
singing and praying together, there’
s some-
thing about breath and singing and spirit 
that really unites us all,
” he says. “That was 
what the recording was getting at — getting 
everyone to meet together in active prayer, 
with one breath, as it were.
” 

details
With One Breath will 
be introduced during 
services at 7:30 p.m. 
Friday, Nov.22, at 
Temple Israel in West 
Bloomfield. (248) 661-
5700. temple-israel.org.

Cantors Michaels and Smolash with Rabbi Jennifer 
Lader and congregational soloist Emma Trivax

Cantor Neil Michaels, composer/producer Ari Posner, 
sound engineer Jacob Shives, bass player James 
Simonson, percussionist Danny Cox and Cantor 
Michael Smolash

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