Singer Songwriter
Therapist
Educator
Harnessing the power of music to create change
in individuals, communities and across cultures
Ya Ribon Alam: A 500 year-old testament to resilience Ya Ribon Alam is a sacred poem, or piyut, written in the 16th century. It focuses on awe and gratitude to G-d and demonstrates the Jewish value of Hakarat ha tov, or noticing the good. The poet, Rabbi Israel Najara, faced many hardships in his lifetime, including fleeing his home due to an epidemic. We may imagine that, like us, Najara struggled with the challenges of his time, yet he found inspiration in the blessings of the natural world. With an Iraqi tune and many of the words dating back over 2000 years to writings in Aramaic from the Book of Daniel, the song can also serve as a thread connecting us across space and time. The project is a collaboration between musician and recording artist, Vanya Green Assuied, and filmmaker, Nitzan Saar. It also features the vocals of Eytan, Noah and Lev Assuied. The project was generously funded by a grant from the Institute for Jewish Creativity of American Jewish University.
Dedicated to Jewish anti-apartheid activists.... Nelson Mandela came to my grandparents home dressed as a chauffeur when he was on the run from authorities and while in prison, he wrote a letter to grandfather. Unfortunately, my grandfather never saw the letter in his lifetime. This project, Ubuntu B’yachad, celebrates the Southern African and Jewish values of shared humanity. Ubuntu means ‘I am because we are’ in several Bantu languages and B’yachad means together in Hebrew. I composed the melodies to the traditional texts of 'If I Am Not for Myself, Who Will be for Me' and 'Hinei MaTov U'manaim.'
