Jewish Music workshop

In my workshop, I will take participants through a journey of migration, culture and music, and demonstrate with a variety of wind instruments the enchanting Jewish melodies, some sacred and some from everyday life.

Playing on the clarinet (Europe/ Kleizmer), or the ancient Arabic cane flute called Nay, and the festive Kurdish Zurna as well as others, attendees in this workshop will be able to experience, hear and learn about these cultures through music and sound.

In this workshop I exposed participants to a variety of unconventional sounds, such as the shofar, which became another instrument in my repertoire, completely distinct from its original purpose in the synagogue and part of the prayers during the high holidays. Could a shofar produce a melodic sound? This workshop is a great introductory to anyone who is curious about Jewish music, where it comes from and how religious melodies became part of everyday life and popular culture.

My personal traditon story: east meets west

Growing up in Jerusalem to immigrant parents shaped my musical identity and inspired me to dig deeper into my Jewish heritage, from the perspectives of two very distinct cultures. My mother was born in Brooklyn NY to a family of immigrants who originated from Boryslaw, Poland, while my father was persecuted, like many other Jews from Bagdad Iraq, and immigrated to Israel as a young child, leaving behind a place he could no longer go back to.

As a young adult myself, I found that my musical experiences were driven from these two parts of the world, Middle East (mizrahi) and Eastern Europe (ashkenaz), which later on in life became a major component in my musical orientation and development. My musical journey both in Israel and abroad showed me the depth and nuance in Jewish music, which I often explore and incorporate in my compositions: ranging from the sacred Nigun’s of the Karlin Hassidic’s to the soulfulness rich Piyut’s of the Jews of Babylon, and more.