Dear fellow music lovers,
It is a pleasure to worship together with Rabbi Robinson and our illustrious accompanist, Dennis Stewart, and most of all a singing congregation. Throughout my life I have learned that the choir functions as the heart and backbone of the musical worship experience. The cantor might offer a song, but those in the choir become the receivers and, ultimately, the musical teachers to those around them wherever they are. What a blessing. Who hasn’t been moved when all in a congregation sing together with one voice?
Many people have heard me talk about people’s ability to sing. Yes, I do believe that everyone-yes-everyone can sing. Whether they choose to do so in the shower, the car, an empty hallway or anywhere of their choosing, everyone has the ability to open up and let loose what is in their heart. I hope that everyone that is even remotely considering joining the adult choir will give it a chance and see how wonderful it can be to bond with another, breath by breath. BRING A FRIEND! No better way than to strengthen a friendship or to make new friends.
I am very excited to continue the adult choir and hope that the times arranged from 7:15-9:00 pm. Work for everyone’s schedule. There will be an “intermezzo” where we can enjoy some refreshments and just “shmooze” for a short while. Enclosed you will find a schedule of rehearsals through the end of May. There may be additions for a concert or a service which will be announced asap.
We are fortunate to have been invited again to participate in a joint concert of the Wilmington Music School’s Cultural Series concert on December 6th in the afternoon. It was a very successful concert last time and we hope to have the entire community to participate once again.
In addition, we are looking into presenting a short program for the Kutz home on Mitzvah day and coordinated by the Jewish Federation, along with all Delaware synagogues.
Cantor Joseph Levine, in his book Synagogue Song In America says “Prayers, after all, remain fixed; even the most updated ones are a devotional equivalent of Written law [the Torah]. But their performance…should never be predictable. Synagogue song—chanted prayer—is Judaism’s prime means of touching the infinite.” I hope that in the course of time, possibly through a song, that each of us can have at least one moment of touching the infinite and divine presence.
B’shalom,
Cantor Mark Stanton
