Dear Friends,
I have spent many Shabbats in Israel over the years - mostly in Jerusalem, never in Yaffo (Jaffa).
North Yaffo is where my daughter Chana lives with her husband Ariel and their newborn son Eliam Lev, whose bris last Sunday (Tisha B’av) was the reason for my trip to Israel. The neighborhood is a mash of art galleries (in fact, my daughter lives in a converted art gallery), cafes, apartments, and little boutique stores and businesses of every stripe, all spilling over onto narrow cobblestone streets with names like “Hillel”, “Shamai”, and “Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa”. My daughter lives on “Shimon Hatzadik” street - all named for Talmudic sages.
As cool as it was to walk and vibe with the streets with such illustrious and holy names, the street names seemed more fitting for Mea Shearim (the ultra-orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem) than for hipster Jaffa. So, while I was looking forward to spending Shabbos with Ahuva, Chana, Ariel, our new grandson, and mechutanim David and Chana Walles, I was a little apprehensive about spending Shabbos in Yaffo where, street names aside, they didn’t seem to promise the Shabbos vibe you feel when you are in Jerusalem.
My apprehension turned out to be short-lived and quickly abated as Ariel and I entered the Chabad “Hamaor” Shul in Yaffo. Led by the charismatic Shliach, Rabbi Shmaya Hecht, who is also blessed with a beautiful voice, I experienced something unforgettable. As the sun set over the Mediterranean, Jews of every background - Ashkenazi and Sephardi, Chassidic and self-described secular hipsters - gathered to welcome Shabbat with spirited and song-infused services. There was no need for translation or labels; the song did the work. It elevated the prayers, transformed the cultural differences into a harmonious symphony of spirit, and wove us into a single communal voice. The melodies became the common language of our souls.
The songful/soulful experience continued after services at the “Kulam” center, where dozens came together for Shabbat dinner and later the “Shalom Zachor” - traditional first Friday night welcoming of a baby boy before his Bris.
Let's just say that while perhaps Jerusalem vibes with Shabbos organically, in places like Yaffo, it’s places like the Chabad House that bring the Shabbos vibe to the streets.
The bris ceremony itself, which took place on Sunday at the shul after Mincha (afternoon services) on Tisha B’av, was infused with song, as the packed shul of family friends and community members, all of whom were on the tail end of 24 hours of fasting, joined together as the Mohel was “doing his thing”, in singing: “V’zakeini L’gadail Banim Uvnai Vanim Chachamim Unvoinim….” - (trans. May I merit to raise generations of children wise, knowing, lovers of Hashem in awe of Hashem, connected to Hashem. And who light up the world with Torah good deeds and service of Hashem). The singing of that particular song was deeply moving and uplifting and captured the sacredness and hopefulness of the moment - a new Jewish child entering the covenant of Abraham, his forefather, continuing a chain thousands of years old. The first of the two names given to the baby - “Eliam Lev” - “El” is one of the names of G-d, Am” means people.. Together, it means the people of G-d, and speaks to the agency of every Jew, as an ambassador of light to the world.
The Shabbat and Bris experiences brought to mind a story from the early years of Chabad. The third Chabad Rebbe, the Tzemach Tzedek, as a young boy, was deeply gifted in music. Concerned that it might distract from his Torah study, he asked his grandfather, the Alter Rebbe, to take the talent away. The Alter Rebbe refused. “Neginah,” he explained, “is 50% of understanding Torah.” Song isn't a distraction - it's a channel. It opens the heart, softens the ego, and allows Torah to be not just understood but internalized. It transforms knowledge into connection.
This is the essence of this Shabbat - Tu B’Av (the 15th of Av), a day that also speaks in the language of music and unity. In ancient times, the daughters of Jerusalem would go out into the vineyards dressed in white, and they would dance in a circle. The circle was intentional: no top or bottom, no beginning or end - just oneness. Rich and poor, noble and simple - all distinctions were set aside. The dance was accompanied by music and joy, and in that moment, class and status dissolved. What remained was the shared rhythm of the Jewish soul.
There is a message here that resonates with our community today. In a recent survey, one response stood out: we want more music. Not just entertainment, but spiritual experience—something that opens the heart and connects us to each other and to G-d.
We heard you. And that’s why, beginning this year, we’re launching new music-infused programming - anchored by Soul Vibes, a monthly gathering where live music meets Torah, melody meets meaning. Imagine a kumzitz meets masterclass. A circle where ideas and melodies move freely, and no one stands above another. It’s about more than programming. It’s about creating spiritual spaces where the soul can sing.
Just like the girls in the vineyards, just like the circle of song around a Shabbat table in Yaffo, we’re reclaiming music as a sacred connector. Whether you know the words or not, whether you’re deeply observant or just beginning to explore—when the music begins, we’re all in the same circle.
This Tu B’Av, and this year ahead, let’s not just study Torah - let’s dance with it. Let’s sing it. Let’s create spaces where hearts open, souls rise, and everyone belongs.
Mark your calendar now for Thursday, September 25 and join us for the Soul Vibes High Holidays experience as we explore deeper meanings of the Rosh Hashanah prayers and sing songs from the liturgy that are bound to take your High Holiday experience higher and higher……
Good Shabbos and Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Ruvi New
