From the Cantor - February 1999

Welcome to all new members of HaShirah, Congregation Albert’s Junior Choir! Last month’s invitation has resulted in HaShirah’s almost doubling itself in size. Zamir Chorale is also constantly welcoming new members, particularly tenors and sopranos. Our middle-aged (post-6th-grade) group, M’Shorerim, is still in its early stages, but as you read this I hope to have premiered some of its members at our Shabbat Shirah service.

Anyone in our community who sees "The Prince of Egypt" on the silver screen will probably echo the review of one of my colleague’s students: "It’s about time we saw ourselves up there!" I agree with this sentiment, but from my own purview I recommend you see this film for the musical experience. First of all, it contains nusach, which literally means "style" but is most often used to describe music for a specific holy day or time. This particular nusach is known as Magein Avot, after the Shabbat prayer that it typically adorns. Our Western ears hear Magein Avot as minor key, but only in the central octave. For two well-known examples of Magein Avot, think of Hatikvah or of the Chatzi Kaddish on Shabbat morning. The first solo voice in "Prince of Egypt" belongs to Ofra Haza. This world-renown Yemenite-Israeli singer is both the voice and physical model for Yocheved, mother of Moses. As she carries her baby son to the river in order to save his life, she sings the first of two songs on the soundtrack that contain Hebrew lyrics. As there are no subtitles, the words she sings translate as, "Don’t be afraid." As the Israelites cross the sea into safety, you hear the second set of Hebrew lyrics. For a translation, see Exodus Chapter 15. Not only do we get to see ourselves onscreen, we get to hear ourselves as well!

For those who enjoyed our Purim Service and Spiel last year, you won’t be disappointed this year either. We want to see everyone in costume on Monday evening, March 1 for a brown-bag dinner at 5:30 and our family Service, Spiel and Megillah Reading at 6:30. Our staff and choirs are sworn to secrecy – even down to the littlest kid! However, we promise a good time will be had by all, with many tasteful (?) laughs. I’ll see you at the Purim Carnival on February 28 as well.

B'Shalom u-v'shir,
Cantor Jacqueline Shuchat-Marx

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