Music is a central element of Hadar’s mission to create and sustain vibrant Jewish communities. As a larger community, we cultivate a spiritual practice of song, prayer, and connection.
Singing and music are core components of the Shabbaton. We will find ourselves lost in the comfort of traditional melodies and also open our hearts to new music to explore the intersection of of music, spirituality, and prayer.
Hadar is committed to inclusive, egalitarian prayer spaces that allow for every voice to be heard. We will come together in intentional prayer filled with introspection, joy, and connection.
When we sing and pray together, we forge connections through deep listening and creative expression. Throughout the Shabbaton, we will creatr transcendent musical experiences that bring us together.
Since people come to events at Hadar from a range of communities and personal prayer practices, our aim is to welcome everyone in while modeling Hadar’s deeply-held values and aspirations around prayer. All davening is egalitarian, with everyone, irrespective of gender, being invited to participate and lead.
Our liturgy is traditional and guided by accountability to Halakhah. We use Nusah Ashkenaz to determine the order of the service, but leaders may use other traditions for specific parts of the davening, in keeping with their ancestral practices.
It’s not always easy to strike a balance between tradition and innovation, considering the range of personal prayer practices within our community. We strive to unite in prayer while still honoring individual customs. We hope that you find meaning in our communal davening throughout the Shabbaton, both in moments of familiarity and when encountering something new.
Hadar’s Rising Song Institute cultivates Jewish spiritual life through song. It is a meeting place and incubator for creative musicians and prayer leaders who hope to reinvent the future of music as a communal Jewish spiritual practice.
Music will play a crucial role over Shabbat, which will culminate in a communal song gathering on Saturday night with Joey Weisenberg and Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz. Our voices will come together to create a unique musical and spiritual experience.
