Calamities of All Types

That Rage in the World: Tefilat HaDerech, The Traveler's Prayer, asks for a safe journey. My Jewish Learning tells us that the prayer is said at the onset of a journey - when one embarks on a long trip, regardless of the mode of transport. 

The prayer asks God to deliver the traveler safely;
to protect the traveler from any dangers or perils
the traveler may encounter along the way;
and to return the traveler in peace.

Here is the text of Tefilat HaDerech: 

יְהִי רָצוֹן מִלְּפָנֶיךָ ה' אֱ-לֹהֵינוּ וֵא-לֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ
 שֶׁתּוֹלִיכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם וְתַצְעִידֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם
וְתִסְמְכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם. וְתַדְרִיכֵנוּ לְשָׁלוֹם
 וְתַגִּיעֵנוּ לִמְחוֹז חֶפְצֵנוּ לְחַיִּים וּלְשִֹמְחָה וּלְשָׁלוֹם
 וְתַצִּילֵנוּ מִכַּף כָּל אוֹיֵב וְאוֹרֵב
 וְלִסְטִים וְחַיּוֹת רָעוֹת בַּדֶּרֶךְ
 וּמִכָּל מִינֵי פֻּרְעָנִיּוֹת הַמִּתְרַגְּשׁוֹת לָבוֹא לָעוֹלָם
 וְתִשְׁלַח בְּרָכָה בְּכָל מַעֲשֵֹה יָדֵינוּ
וְתִתְּנֵנוּ לְחֵן וּלְחֶסֶד וּלְרַחֲמִים
 בְעֵינֶיךָ וּבְעֵינֵי כָל רוֹאֵינוּ וְתִשְׁמַע קוֹל תַּחֲנוּנֵינוּ
 כִּי אֵ-ל שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּן אָתָּה
בָּרוּךְ אַתָּה ה', שׁוֹמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה

Or, in English: 

May it be Your will, Lord, our God and the God of our ancestors,
that You lead us toward peace, guide our footsteps toward peace,
and make us reach our desired destination
for life, gladness, and peace.
May You rescue us from the hand of every foe,
ambush, and wild beast along the way,
and from all types of calamities that rage in the world.
May You send blessing in our handiwork, and grant us grace, kindness,
and mercy in Your eyes and in the eyes of all who see us.
May You hear the sound of our humble request because
You are God Who hears prayer requests.
Blessed are You, Lord, Who hears prayer.

Abq Jew has always found that this phrase holds an especially poignant appeal:

וּמִכָּל מִינֵי פֻּרְעָנִיּוֹת הַמִּתְרַגְּשׁוֹת לָבוֹא לָעוֹלָם
and from all types of calamities that rage in the world

For all types of calamities certainly do rage in the world. And this past week. as we all know, has been one of rage: calamity after calamity, tragedy after tragedy.

First, the building collapse in Surfside. Wikipedia reports:

On June 24, 2021, at approximately 1:30 a.m. EDT, Champlain Towers South, a 12-story beachfront condominium building in the Miami suburb of Surfside, Florida, partially collapsed. At least 11 dead have been identified and 11 others were injured. 

About 35 people were rescued from the uncollapsed portion of the building, two people have been rescued from the rubble, and 150 people remain missing as rescue operations continue. 

This calamity, Abq Jew hopes, did not affect any of us directly. And yet - the suddenness, the warninglessness, the middle-of-the-nightness. People just like us going to bed at night and expecting to wake up in the morning. Tefilat HaDerech? No one knew they were going on a journey; certainly not the final one. 

Instead, the Bedtime Shema:

May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my ancestors,
that I lie down in peace and that I arise in peace.
Let my sleep be undisturbed by troubling thoughts, bad dreams,
and wicked schemes. May I have a night of tranquil slumber.
May I awaken to the light of a new day,
that my eyes may behold the splendor of Your light. 

God is a faithful King.
שׁמע ישׂראל ה׳ אלקינו ה׳ אחד
Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
Praised be His glorious sovereignty throughout all time.

Then, the hot-air balloon crash in Albuquerque. Wikipedia reports:

On June 26, 2021, a hot-air balloon crashed in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States, near the intersection of Central Avenue and Unser Boulevard after it touched a power line, killing five people.

The balloon was carrying three men (including pilot) and two women. The balloon made contact with a power line, causing the basket to detach from the balloon and fall about 100 feet (30 meters) before crashing and catching fire. All five people on board died as a result of the accident.

This calamity too, Abq Jew hopes, did not affect any of us directly. And yet - the suddenness, the warninglessness, the middle-of-joyness. People just like us going to experience excitement in the morning and expecting to celebrate the day in the evening. Tefilat HaDerech? All knew they were going on a journey; none knew it would be the final one.  

And finally (please God!), the observance of the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz all over the Jewish world. Wikipedia reports:

The Seventeenth of Tammuz (Hebrew: שבעה עשר בתמוז‎ Shivah Asar b'Tammuz) is a Jewish fast day commemorating the breach of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Second Temple.

The Seventeenth of Tammuz (Hebrew: שבעה עשר בתמוז‎ Shivah Asar b'Tammuz) is a Jewish fast day commemorating the breach of the walls of Jerusalem before the destruction of the Second Temple.

It falls on the 17th day of the 4th Hebrew month of Tammuz and marks the beginning of the three-week mourning period leading up to Tisha b'Av.

The day also traditionally commemorates the destruction of the two tablets of the Ten Commandments and other historical calamities that befell the Jewish people on the same date.

This calamity, Abq Jew knows, has affected us all directly. And yet - the distance in time and place allows us to forget. Unless we purposefully remember, through fasting or in other ways. People just like us experiencing sorrow, and mourning the day through the evening. 

Despite our prayers - over many centuries, in many different lands - our journey has indeed been long. May this be the last time we need mourn for Jerusalem and what might have been.

And thus began The Three Weeks.

Shalom Aleichem 4 Times

Before The Three Weeks: Sunday is the Fast of Shiva-Asar (17) b'Tammuz, the beginning of the Three Weeks leading up to the Fast of Tisha (9) b'Av, the saddest day in the Jewish year, a fast day that commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples, as well as other disasters that have befallen the Jewish people.

It is no secret that Abq Jew is a fan neither of fast days nor of fasting. There is nothing that focuses Abq Jew's mind on food more quickly or steadily than telling him he can't have any.  In Abq Jew's view, if the purpose of fasting is to remind ourselves of the insignificance of food - fasting fails.

But today is Erev Shabbat, so Abq Jew firmly believes that we can - no, we must - laugh and sing. So please allow Abq Jew to wish you, his loyal readers - Shalom Aleichem. Wikipedia tells us (as if we don't already know):

Shalom Aleichem (Hebrew: שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם‎, 'Peace be upon you') is a traditional song sung by Jews every Friday night upon returning home from synagogue prayer. 

It signals the arrival of the Shabbat, welcoming the angels who accompany a person home on the eve of the Shabbat. 

The custom of singing "Shalom Aleichem" on Friday night before Eshes Chayil and Kiddush is now nearly universal among religious Jews.

This liturgical poem was written by the kabbalists of Safed in the late 16th or early 17th century. The traditional tune, which we all know, was written by Israel Goldfarb in 1918. Which we may not all know. In fact:

The slow, well-known melody for the song was composed by the American composer and conductor Rabbi Israel Goldfarb on May 10, 1918 while sitting near the Alma Mater statue in front of Low Memorial Library at Columbia University, and first published later that year as "Sholom Aleichem—שָׁלוֹם עֲלֵיכֶם" in Friday Evening Melodies by Israel and his brother Samuel. 

The famous Goldfarb song is often presumed to be a traditional Hasidic melody. 

 I. Goldfarb wrote in 1963, "The popularity of the melody traveled not only throughout this country but throughout the world, so that many people came to believe that the song was handed down from Mt. Sinai by Moses."

But times change.

Abq Jew is delighted to bring you four (4) different musical interpretations of the Shalom Aleichem prayer - one for each of the four upcoming Shabbatot - for your own observance and enjoyment.

1. The Ruach

The Ruach is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to spread the joy of Judaism through new Jewish musical experiences that are meant to create and maintain personal connections and, inspire and engage people to embrace the religion and all that it has to offer.

This Shabbat, The Ruach will present The Shabbat Experience - No Evil Eye, Knock on Wood. Kinehora! About which The Ruach says:

The Shabbat Experience provides a break from the daily stresses of your life. Feel the renewal, beauty and joy of Shabbat through the inspirational words of Rabbi Rachel Smookler and the uplifting music of The Ruach. It is a Shabbat service unlike any other.

Here is The Ruach's interpretation of Shalom Aleichem, which is certainly not your grandfather's. Or Israel Goldfarb's, for that matter.

2. The Jerry W

Yes, Jerry Wicentowski a) sings and plays bluegrass; and b) is an observant Jew who proudly wears his kippa on stage. 

Note: That a Jew plays bluegrass is not especially remarkable; but that a Shomer-Shabbos Jew plays bluegrass is. As far as Abq Jew can tell, there are only two (see below) in the business.

Did you miss Third Coast Bluegrass's concert last week? Well, you can listen here! Abq Jew was hoping for some Jewgrass, but was happy to 'settle' for an hour and more of really fine bluegrass.

But Abq Jew was able to find this fine recording of Jerry Wicentowski and the Wiseman Institute (Chad Manning - fiddle; Paul Knight - bass; Jody Stecher - mandolin/vocals; Jerry Wicentowski -guitar/vocals; and Keith Little - banjo/vocals) performing Jerry's interpretation of Shalom Aleichem at the 2019 Sonoma County Bluegrass & Folk Festival.

3. The Maayan Band

The Maayan Band is a group of friends from Toronto who share the sense that the ancient sources, writings of the Jewish sages, are the highest expression of the art of being human. They draw inspiration and musical force from those sources. 

Here is The Maayan Band's interpretation of Shalom Aleichem. Yes, it's Israel Goldfarb's 'traditional' melody - but the instrumentation and vocalization make this version especially beautiful.

4. The Statman / Grisman

Andy Statman also a) sings and plays bluegrass; and b) is an observant, Shomer-Shabbos Jew who proudly wears his kippa on stage. As far as Abq Jew can tell, Andy was the first in the business.

For more background, here is what Wikipedia says about Andy Statman:

Andy Statman (born 1950) is a noted American klezmer clarinetist and bluegrass/newgrass mandolinist.

Statman was born in New York City and grew up in the borough of Queens. Beginning at age 12, he learned to play banjo and guitar, following the example of his older brother Jimmy, and then switched to mandolin, which he studied briefly under lifelong-friend David Grisman.

He first gained acclaim as a mandolinist as a sideman with David Bromberg and Russ Barenberg, as well as in the pioneering bluegrass bands Country Cookin' and Breakfast Special.

During the course of exploring a wide range of roots and ethnic music, Statman turned to klezmer music, traditional Eastern European Jewish instrumental music. This led Statman, who grew up in a traditional but secular Jewish home, to reconnect with his Jewish roots.

Statman studied klezmer clarinet during the 1970s with legendary klezmer clarinetist Dave Tarras, who bequeathed several of his clarinets to him. Statman also produced Dave Tarras's last recording. 

As a clarinetist, he recorded several albums that were highly influential in the Klezmer revival of those years. Still forging ahead musically, he began playing Chassidic melodies, fusing bluegrass, klezmer, and jazz along the way. 

Given his apprenticeship with Tarras and his subsequent master classes at workshops such as KlezKamp as well as privately, Statman became a renowned exponent of traditional Jewish and avant-garde clarinet styles. 

And then there's Wikipedia on David Grisman:

David Grisman (born March 23, 1945) is an American mandolinist. His music combines bluegrass, folk, and jazz in a genre he calls "Dawg music".

Grisman grew up in a Conservative Jewish household in Passaic, New Jersey. His father was a professional trombonist who gave him piano lessons when he was seven years old. As a teenager, he played piano, mandolin, and saxophone.

In the early 1960s, he attended New York University. He belonged to the Even Dozen Jug Band with Maria Muldaur and John Sebastian. He moved to San Francisco, met Jerry Garcia, and appeared on the Grateful Dead album American Beauty. He played in Garcia's bluegrass band Old & In the Way.

Garcia named him "Dawg" after a dog that was following him while they were driving in Stinson Beach, California. "Dawg Music" is what Grisman calls his mixture of bluegrass and Django Reinhardt/Stéphane Grappelli-influenced jazz.

And finally, there's Wikipedia on their masterpiece album, Songs of Our Fathers:

Songs of Our Fathers is an album by American musicians David Grisman and Andy Statman, released in 1995. 

It's a collection of Jewish songs, many of which are more than 100 years old. Much of the music is influenced by the Jewish instrumental folk music of Eastern Europe known as Klezmer.

Andy Statman Trio and Jerry Wicentowski perform in January 2010 at NYC's Charles Street (Darech Amuno) Greenwich Village Synagogue (where Mr & Mrs Abq Jew used to daven)

Here is Andy Statman's and David Grisman's live interpretation of Shalom Aleichem. Yes, it's Israel Goldfarb's 'traditional' melody - but this is the sweetest rendition of Shalom Aleichem. Ever. This will have you crying in your kiddush cup.

If you haven't listened to Songs of Our Fathers recently - well, you really should. Here is the album's long version of Shalom Aleichem.

Fare The Well, HaMaqom

Lehrhaus Judaica Closes Shop After 47 Years: It is with great sorrow that Abq Jew shares the news that HaMaqom | The Place, founded in 1974 as Lehrhaus Judaica by Abq Jew's dear friend and mentor Fred Rosenbaum, will be ending operations after its summer 2021 term. 

HaMaqom | The Place has deep roots in the San Francisco Bay Area. For 47 years, the institution has provided inclusive and accessible adult Jewish education to students from all backgrounds. Abq Jew finds it extraordinarily difficult to see this phenomenal venture come to an end.

Abq Jew will (Billy Nader) post more about Fred Rosenbaum, Lehrhaus Judaica, and what they have meant to him over the years. For now, Abq Jew pays tribute with Dink's Song: Fare Thee Well.

Here is one of the sweetest recordings Abq Jew has found. It's from Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday Concert (The Clearwater Concert), held at Madison Square Garden on May 3, 2009.

NEW: From Sing Me The Songs:

Celebrating the Works of Kate McGarrigle

Dink's Song (sometimes known as "Fare Thee Well") is an American folk song played by many folk revival musicians such as Pete Seeger, Fred Neil, Bob Dylan and Dave Van Ronk, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Cisco Houston as well as more recent musicians like Jeff Buckley ... 

The first historical record of the song was by ethnomusicologist John Lomax in 1909, who recorded it as sung by an African American woman called Dink, as she washed her man's clothes in a tent camp of migratory levee-builders on the bank of the Greater Calhoun Bayou River, a few miles from Houston, Texas ....