I am a singer and songwriter, cantor, prayer leader and celebrant. I strive to integrate Torah and Jewish wisdom teachings with my love for the earth and a sense of reverence and stewardship for our glorious planet, the garden that sustains, nourishes and provides us with so much. How can we better understand ourselves as the creatures we are, interdependent, in relationship with the land and all living things? As a songwriter and prayer leader, I’m always exploring and striving to express my own sense of wonder and connection to the natural world, in hopes that it inspires others to do the same. I love Shabbat, especially because it’s all about getting back to the garden. Shabbat is the sacred instruction to cease from our creating and rest in the creation of the world, as Rabbi Heschel teaches. Shabbat is all about coming home, and letting go of our doing long enough to tap into the awareness of our own true nature. Shabbat is about tending the garden of our souls. Shabbat is time out to ponder on eternal things, like where we come from and where we are going, time out to say, wow, and thank you, thank you for this gift of life.

Our liturgy and wisdom teachings have inspired many songs. It is time to record them. One of them I am trying to submit here was inspired by our morning prayer, Yotzeir Or, and I call it Earth Chant. Like many of my songs, it expresses gratitude for the gift of life, for learning and growing, and what it means to be in relationship.