46 | APRIL 28 • 2022 

ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC

feels resonant with the way 
the world looks now. During 
this tour, we are literally and 
spiritually wandering toward 
those answers,” says Halpert, 
who rediscovered Judaism 
as a young adult while at 
Oberlin College. “I believe 
we have a better chance of 
figuring it out if we can do it 
together, in joy and grief and 
song.” 

SUPPORT TO HEAL
Halpert and her family 
experienced unimaginable 
grief in 2017 when she lost 
her brother, Garrett, to 
suicide at age 23. In 2018, 
her parents, Julie and Scott 
Halpert, established Garrett’s 
Space. Their mission is to 
help prevent suicides and 
fill critical gaps in support-
ive care for young adults 
facing significant mental 
health challenges. Garrett’s 
Space currently offers an 
intensive wellness group 
that provides support and 
healing activities. Ultimately, 
they plan to create a holis-
tically focused residential 
space in Washtenaw County. 

One month after Garrett’s 
death, Halpert wrote the 
song “Loosen,” which serves 
as the title track of her new 
album.
“My songs share a similar 
goal as Garrett’s Space, which 
is providing people with sup-
port to heal in an oppressive 
world. The music certainly 
comes from the same well 
of grief, seeking the same 
liberation. Loosen explores the 
ache of what it is to be alive 
right now,” Halpert says. 
Her album is a collection 
of original music about 
healing, grounded in visions 
of social justice. Of the 10 
songs on the album, which 
was safely recorded during 
COVID with seven of her 
talented musician friends, 
Halpert says that many of 
her songs have been sung all 
over the world, in prayer and 
in protest.
“My song, ‘Ashrei’ is part 
of the daily prayer liturgy, so 
it has been sung as part of 
many everyday services as 
well as part of a faith gath-
ering at an abortion rally. 
I wrote ‘Beautiful People’ 

right after the Pittsburgh 
Tree of Life shooting to 
provide comfort to those in 
shock and mourning and to 
help us remember that our 
safety lies in solidarity,” says 
Halpert who now lives in 
Philadelphia and is a musical 
assistant and prayer leader at 
Kol Tzedek Synagogue.
Playing guitar, piano and 
mandolin on the album, 
Halpert wrote “Modah 
Ani’”and many other songs 
at Eden Village Camp in 
Putnam, New York, where 
she works in the summers, 
teaching and leading music 
and songwriting.
“My song ‘She Is On Her 
Way’ came out of watching 
us lose way too many Black 
lives in 2016. I wanted to see 
my Jewish community mobi-
lize behind the Black Lives 
Matter movement,” 
 Halpert adds. “The album 
is deeply relevant in this time 
of war and upheaval. We 
invite everyone to come to 
our concerts and sing along 
to our three-part 
harmonies.” 

DETAILS

Concert Dates for Aly 

Halpert, Batya Levine, And 

Arielle Rivera Korman

• Monday, May 2, 7 p.m., 
they will be playing an 
Outdoor Spring Campfire 
Concert at Temple Beth 
Emeth, 2309 Packard St., 
Ann Arbor. This concert is 
free to attendees, made 
possible by Rabbi Josh 
Whinston’s Discretionary 
Fund. More info at https://
tinyurl.com/2p9auw2d.

• Wednesday, May 4, 7 
p.m., in-person and live-
streamed at Congregation 
T’chiyah, 22331 Woodward 
Ave., Ferndale. Ticket prices 
are $18-$54. No one will 
be turned away for lack of 
funds. Info at https://tinyurl.
com/aj9kzwx7.

To order the album Loosen, 
go to: https://alyhalpert.
bandcamp.com/album/loos-
en. You can listen to Loosen 
anywhere you stream your 
music and purchase a digital 
copy for $10 online. CDs and 
merchandise will also be 
available to purchase at the 
concerts. 

Aly Halpert recorded her album, Loosen, 
safely during COVID with seven of her 
talented musician friends.

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