One of my favorite proverbs states: “The one who sings prays twice.” What about the one who sings, shouts, stomps her feet and dances in the aisles? Now that is truly a fervent kind of praying!
It’s that kind of praying, my friends, that we will experience once again, on July 17 at 7:30 PM, in the Meeting House, with the return of Boomer Shabbat. For the fifth time in six years we devote a Friday evening service to this unique worship experience, “swapping out” the prayers of the erev Shabbat liturgy for 1960's and ‘70's era songs that have some thematic connection to the prayers themselves.
Our Boomer Band (Ken Freedman, keyboard, Elias Lieberman, guitar and vocals, Pamela Rothstein, guitar and vocals, Bart Weisman, drums) throws itself into this effort with energy and glee, all in the service (you should excuse the pun) of demonstrating that there are many ways to celebrate and experience the joys of Shabbat and of community.
We pack the Meeting House each year for Boomer Shabbat and even those who are less-than-familiar with Boomer-era songs find the ruach (spirit) of the evening irresistible.
From A Guide to Boomer Shabbat:
“Music has played a conspicuously large role in the lives of the ‘Baby Boom’ generation. More than any generation before, Boomers grew up with a soundtrack to their lives. For many of us, hearing a popular song from the 1960's or ‘70's can release powerful memories and feelings that have helped shape who we are. Consequently, we tend to view the world through a Boomer lens.
However, regardless of our age, or the generational cohort to which we belong, we also view the world through a Jewish lens. This evening’s Shabbat service provides an opportunity to interweave these two strands, bringing fresh perspective and relevance to our experience of the world. Encountering our Shabbat liturgy through Boomer music affords us a different way to engage with the timeless core of Shabbat prayers, whose themes of love and redemption are shared in common with many Boomer lyrics. Encountering Boomer music within the context of Jewish worship opens possibilities for understanding the immediacy of Judaism in our broader life experience.”
Do plan to join us for this signature FJC experience. Bring your friends and feel free to enter into the spirit of the evening by hauling out your tie-dye clothes and love beads! In the words of the Beatles’ Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite!, “Having been some days in preparation, a splendid time is guaranteed for all”!
Reb Elias