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Arba'im Shanah

by The Near And Far

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1.
עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ וְתמְכֶיהָ מְאֻשָּׁר דְּרָכֶיהָ דַרְכֵי נעַם וְכָל נְתִיבותֶיהָ שָׁלום הֲשִׁיבֵנוּ ה' אֵלֶיךָ וְנָשׁוּבָה חַדֵּשׁ יָמֵינוּ כְּקֶדֶם Etz chayim hi lamachazikim bah v'tom'cheha m'ushar. D'racheha darchei noam v'chol n'tivoteha shalom. Hashivenu Adonai eilecha v'nashuva chadesh yameinu k'kedem She is a tree of life To those who grasp her And all who uphold her are happy (Prov 3:18) Her ways are ways of pleasantness and all her paths are peace (Prov 3:17) Return us, O God, to You, and we shall return. Renew our days as of old. (Lam 5:22)
2.
וָאוֹלֵךְ אֶתְכֶם אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה בַּמִּדְבָּר וְלֹא נָתַן לָכֶם לֵב לָדַעַת וְעֵינַיִם לִרְאוֹת וְאָזְנַיִם לִשְׁמֹעַ עַד הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה: Va-olech etchem arbaim shana bamidbar v’lo natan lachem lev l’da’at, eynaiyim lirot, oznayim lishmoah, ad hayom hazeh I led you through the desert for forty years (Deut 29:4). And did not give you a heart to understand, eyes to see or ears to hear until this very day (Deut 29:3).
3.
יִהְיוּ לְרָצוֹן אִמְרֵי פִי וְהֶגְיוֹן לִבִּי לְפָנֶיךָ ה' צוּרִי וְגֹאֲלִי Yhi’yu l'ratzon imrey fee v'hegyon libi l'fanecha Adonai tzuri v'goali May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart Be acceptable to You, O God, my Rock and my Redeemer (Amidah)
4.
בראשית ברא אלוהים המחדש בטובו בכל יום תמיד מעשח בראשית כאמור B'reishit bara Elohim Hamichadesh b'tuvo b'chol yom tamid ma'aseh v'reishit ka'amoor In the beginning God created (Genesis 1:1) In God’s goodness, God renews the works of creation continually, as it is written... (morning service)
5.
יה אנא אמצאך ואנא לא אמצאך דרשתי קרבתך בכל-לב' קראתיך ובצתי לקראתך לקראתי מצאתיך יה אנא אמצאך מקומך נעלה ונעלם ואנא לא אמצאך כבודך מלה עולם Yah ana emtza-achah V’ana lo emtza’acha Darashti kirvat’cha B’chol libi k’ra-t’cha U-v’tzeiti li-k’rat’cha Li-k’rati m’tzaticha Yah ana emtza-akcah M’kom’cha na’aleh v’ne’elam V’ana lo emtza’acha K’vod’cha malei olam Yah, where shall I find you? And where shall I not find you? I sought Your closeness I called to You with all my heart And going out to meet You I found you coming toward me Yah, where shall I find you? High and hidden is your place And where shall I not find you? The world is full of Your glory (Yehudah Halevi [1075-1141] Spanish poet)
6.
לֶךְ לְךָ מֵאַרְצְךָ וּמִמּוֹלַדְתְּךָ וּמִבֵּית אָבִיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַרְאֶךָּ Lech l’cha m’artzechah, u’mi’moladetechah, U’mi’beit avichah El ha aretz asher arekah Go forth From your land, from your birthplace, From your father’s house To a land that I will show you (Genesis 12:1)
7.
אלו דברים שאין להם שעור גמילות חסדים Eilu d’varim she’ain lahem shiur G’milut Chasadim These are the things without measure... Acts of loving kindness
8.
לְכָה דוֹדִי לִקְרַאת כַּלָּה פְּנֵי שַׁבָּת נְקַבְּלָה שָׁמוֹר וְזָכוֹר בְּדִבּוּר אֶחָד הִשְמִיעָֽנוּ אֵל הַמְּיֻחָד יְיָ אֶחָד וּשְמוֹ אֶחָד לְשֵׁם וּלְתִפְאֶֽרֶת וְלִתְהִלָּה לְכָה דוֹדִי... לִקְרַאת שַׁבָּת לְכוּ וְנֵלְכָה כִּי הִיא מְקוֹר הַבְּרָכָה מֵרֹאשׁ מִקֶּֽדֶם נְסוּכָה סוֹף מַעֲשֶׂה בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה תְּחִלָּה לְכָה דוֹדִי... הִתְעוֹרְרִי הִתְעוֹרְרִי כִּי בָא אוֹרֵךְ קֽֽוּמִי אֽוֹרִי עֽוּרִי עֽוּרִי שִׁיר דַבֵּֽרִי כְּבוֹד יְיָ עָלַֽיִךְ נִגְלָה לְכָה דוֹדִי... בּֽוֹאִי בְשָׁלוֹם עֲטֶרֶת בַּעְלָהּ גַּם בְּשִׂמְחָה וּבְצָהֳלָה תּוֹךְ אֱמוּנֵי עַם סְגֻּלָּה בּֽוֹאִי כַלָּה, בּֽוֹאִי כַלָּה לְכָה דוֹדִי... Lecha dodi likrat kala, p’nei Shabbat n’kabelah! Shamor v’zachor b’dibur echad, Hishmi’anu el ha’meyuchad. Adonai echad u’shmo echad; L’shem ul’tiferet v’l’tehila. Lecha dodi... Likrat Shabbat l’chu v’nelcha, Ki hi m’kor ha’bracha. Me’rosh mi’kedem n’sucha; Sof ma’aseh b’mach’shava t’chila. Lecha dodi... Hit’oreri, hit’oreri, Ki va orech, kumi uri. Uri, uri, shir daberi; K’vod Adonai alai’yich nigla. Lecha dodi…. Bo’i v’shalom, ateret ba’ala, Gam b’simcha uv’ tzhala. Toch emunei am segula; Bo’i chala, bo’i chala. Lecha dodi... Come, by Beloved, to greet the bride; let us welcome the Sabbath “Observe” and “Remember” in one act of speech, The One and Only God made us hear. The Lord is One is God’s name is One, For renown, for splendor, and for praise. To greet the Sabbath, come let us go, for blessing, she is the source. From the outset, as of old, ordained: Last in deed, first in thought. Wake up, wake up, for your light has come: rise, shine! Awake, awake, break out in song, for God’s glory is revealed on you. Come in peace, O crown of her partner; Come with joy and jubilation, among the faithful of the treasured people. Enter, O bride! Enter, O bride! (Kabbalat Shabbat service // translation: Koren Siddur)
9.
וכל החיים יודוך סלה ויהללו את שמך באמת V’chol ha chayim yoducha selah V’hallelu et shimchah b’emet May all that lives thank You always And praise Your name faithfully (Amidah).
10.
גולל אור מפני חשך וחשך מפני אור יוצר אור ובורא חשך עשה שלום ובורא את הכל Golel or mipney choshech v’choshech mipney or Yotzer or uvoray chosech Oseh shalom uvoray et ha-kol Rolling away light before darkness And darkness before light (evening prayer) Forms light and creates darkness Makes peace and creates all (morning service)
11.
'השכיבנו ה אלהינו לשלום והעמידנו מלכנו לחיים Hashkivenu Adonai Eloheinu l’shalom V’ha-amideinu malkeinu l’chaim Lay us down, God, Our God of peace, And cause us to rise, our king, to life again (Evening prayer)

about

Arba’im Shanah (40 Years) is a musical exploration into self, relationship and faith; a collection of interpretations through melody and arrangement; and a creative experiment fueled by collaborative inquiry and connection across difference. My deepest wish is that this music provides hope, healing and inspiration during this time of great uncertainty. Perhaps more than ever, the world needs our creative energy and imagination.

credits

released December 15, 2016

Dedication: This album is dedicated to Remy, my little muse, whose creative companionship helped bring these melodies into existence.

Acknowledgments:

I am forever grateful to Adina, for being the driving force behind this project and an unending source of support. Thank you for sharing your wisdom of our tradition, for helping identify the texts used in the album and for lending your beautiful artwork for the cover.

Thank you to my generous family for all of your support along the way. To my Dad and sister (Andrea) for singing on the album. To Pat and John for diving in and being a huge part of this journey in every conceivable way.

Thank you to my dear friend, Ben Wilkinson, for designing the album's cover art and for sharing your wisdom so generously.

Thank you to all of the amazing musicians from near and far for offering your talent and craft to make this music come alive. To Becca for your friendship and angelic voice. To John for your commitment, leadership and creative energy. To Tim for your musicianship and for being an unexpected learning partner. To Myles for your steady hand in bringing the album over the finish line.

Musicians:
Jeff Kasowitz (acoustic guitar, vocals)
Rebecca Bloomfield (vocals)
John Lacques (drums, percussion, flute)
Tim Frantz (guitars, mandolin, bass, organ, string pad)
Dan Rothchild (electric and upright bass - tracks 2,4,5 & 7)

Also featuring: Noah Thomas (trumpet, theremin), Clarissa Bitar (oud),
Andrea Kasowitz (vocals), Lee Rollag (fiddle), Laura Mihalka (cello), Adina Allen (vocals), Mark Kasowitz (vocals), Myles Boisen (bass, percussion), Paul Fitzgerald (upright bass) & Jim Rankin (bass).

I am grateful to the Jewish Federation of the East Bay for financial support which allowed this project to be bolder and more ambitious than it would have otherwise been.

Arba'im Shanah was recorded at Mountain Dog Musicworks (Oak View, CA), mixed and mastered by Myles Boisen, Guerilla Recording (Oakland, CA), and co-produced by John Lacques and Tim Frantz.

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Jeffrey Kasowitz Berkeley, California

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