Shabbat Shirah Concert

Meeting this Moment with Music

Melodies and meaning intertwine at this year’s Shabbat Shirah event, a communal havdalah and concert thoughtfully curated by Music Director Rebekka Goldsmith, and Chorus Director Will Robertson, in partnership with Rabbi Mike Rothbaum.  This special evening will feature the CBH Chorus and Band, and other special guests from CBH and the Atlanta Jewish community. Join us for a multi-layered tapestry of voices, instruments, visual art and spoken word, stitched together through song.

Our Vision

Shirat haYam, the “Song at the Sea,” is the name given to the triumphant burst of gratitude sung by the Israelites after escaping Pharaoh’s Egypt.  Today, it is a high point on any Jewish liturgical calendar.  At our current moment of tension and heartbreak, it might be tempting to shield our eyes from the pain outside our windows, and simply cheer on the Israelites passing through the sea. But at CBH, we believe this song of liberation provides an opportunity to grapple as a community with the challenges of this moment:  where we’re coming from, where we’re going, and the enduring values that can anchor us. Like the Israelites, we march forward on muddy ground toward liberation. Though we feel destabilized and untethered, we plant ourselves on the earth that supports us, daring to dream, striving toward the heavenly blessings of peace, purpose, and love.

Our musical mosaic explores various facets of the current experience. You’ll hear new arrangements of songs by Rabbi Ariel Root Wolpe, Koach Baruch Frazier, Eitan Kantor, and James Taylor, as well as old favorites such as “Tree of Life,” “Min Hameitzar,” and “Lo Yisa Goy,” in this collective communal reflection, guest speakers will add depth through words, and an art gallery will present congregants’ visual offerings.

Some parts may resonate with you more, others less. No single perspective or message can speak for all of us, or even any one of us. There will be no tidy answers, no slogans — just a hope of remaining human in the pain, authentically expressing some of what we’re wrestling with in this moment, grounding ourselves in community, and allowing the mysteries of music to lift our souls toward new understandings.

Keep an eye out throughout January for additional events offering opportunities to grapple with the current moment, utilizing timeless Jewish pathways and modern modalities, culminating in a powerful Shabbat Shirah.

Time: 6:00 pm – CBH Art Gallery | 7:00 pm – Havdalah and Concert

Location: Oakhurst Baptist Church or Zoom link to be provided following registration

(The Art Gallery experience is an in-person-only event)