Explore the role of the Meshoirerim, the singers who created a musical backdrop or chariot to lift up the melodies of the prayer leader in old Ashkenazi shuls. Part Torah study, part history lesson and part listening session, this class will dive into the past to spark curiosity about the musical tools we use to express our communal yearnings and find spiritual resonance through prayer. Whether you are interested in learning about Ashkenazi music and cultural inheritances or are interested in thinking about how to connect to prayer in your contemporary communities, this class will offer a new perspective on where we have been and where we could be going.

Sam Tygiel is an alumnus of Hadar’s Rising Song Residency and a fourth year Rabbinical student at Hebrew College. In his teaching and prayer leadership, Sam draws on the treasure trove of ancestral Jewish music and the rich imaginative world of Jewish mythology to create emotional openings for people to discover connection, curiosity and healing. Sam prioritizes music and teachings from unusual and forgotten sources in order to expand notions of what is normative, permissible, and possible within contemporary Judaism. Sam also composes original Jewish music inspired by these inheritances, which can be heard on his website.