"If only we could live in peace … if only a new day would come."

This song expresses a longing for true peace such that the next generation will no longer know the pain of war. It is offered for the safety of IDF soldiers and those held captive, with the heartfelt wish that they may return hom...

This month we mark the 92nd Yahrzeit of Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt (1882–1933), the most revered cantor of his day. This piece, the most famous duet he composed, takes for its text an ancient description of the actions of the Cohen Gadol, the High Priest, which we recall on Yom Kippur. We commissi...

As we approach Shavuot, we think about the strength, beauty, and peace of our tradition. Bidding farewell to Cantor Sierra Fox as she leaves our internship, we offer this musical illustration of that tradition which she and Cantor Schwartz sang earlier this month. We have passed this piece, and m...

Jerusalem, Yerushalayim, is a place from which peace should flow, a city full of different meanings, both historical and spiritual. For Cantor Schwartz, it is a city of memories. For the young Israeli composer we commissioned to write this song, Yonit Spiegelman, it is a city of visions and power...

When you think of Mediterranean movie-making, you might think of the Cannes Film Festival, which begins this coming week, but what do you know about the film industry in Israel? Last year, we created a medley of songs from Israeli film. Some scenes you might recognize, if only Chaim Topol’s famou...

During this week’s commemoration of Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut, all eyes are on Israel. Whether you are thinking of the wildfires near Jerusalem, meditating on the war and the hostage situation, or just trying to make sense of things in a shattered world, the poetry in this song will uplift...

At the 2015 Multireligious Meeting for Peace, Pope Francis and other religious leaders, including Rabbi Cosgrove, remembered those who perished on 9/11 and prayed for peace. Cantor Schwartz closed the ceremony with Oseh Shalom. May this song bring comfort to those mourning his loss.

The Magen Avot prayer speaks of awe, rest, Shabbat, peace, and remembering creation. Seeking a summary of keeping Shabbat, it’s hard to think of a better one! As we keep Shabbat in the midst of Passover, this classic style of Hazzanut singing evokes the world of Jewish music and tradition like no...

Park Avenue Synagogue has a history of building bridges between the Jewish and African American communities, such as through the Music Center’s gospel album, Be the Light (2021), and a recent performance of Dave Brubeck’s The Gates of Justice, written in 1969. Especially at Passover, we recognize...

In 2022, Cantor Jacqueline Rafii was commissioned by Cantor Schwartz to compose a new melody for “V'hi Sheamdah.” It took the form of a lullaby for her infant daughter, a promise of strength, hope, and resilience. Since October 7, it has become an anthem dedicated to all the hostages, a reminder ...

This setting for springtime by David Nowakowsky (1848–1921), part of the Song of Songs, is all about arrivals, expectation, and allegories of love. This passage is read during Passover, which we will celebrate during the upcoming month of Nisan. Nowakowsky flourished with other Jewish musical gre...

West Side Story brought two geniuses to bear on a tale as old as humanity: lovers from warring tribes. Stephen Sondheim, z”l, whose 95th birthday would be this week, penned some immortal lines about people whose place is not here, whose time is not now, but who long for the place and time that is...

There is a rich treasury of music that’s been written for Israeli children. Here are some whimsical and beautiful children’s songs in Hebrew. Enjoy solos by Cantor Schwartz’s children and let your heart be light! Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and a Happy Purim.

The L’kha Dodi prayer is central to Kabbalat Shabbat. For this reason, we have commissioned several settings of the prayer to new melodies. Featuring Cantor Kidron in duet with Cantor Schwartz, this dancing melody by Oran Eldor is filled with youthful joy in welcoming the Sabbath.

Featuring Cant...

We build something stronger when we build it together. Whether building the mishkan (tabernacle) in this week’s parashah, or the kehilla kedoshah, the sacred community that we all aim to create, having a friend to share the work with can mean everything. We are grateful to our food pantry teen vo...

If Debbie Friedman z”l was a modern-day Miriam, with prophetic singing and leadership of Jewish music, then it is fitting to celebrate one of her most famous compositions as we approach Shabbat Shirah, marking the birth of the Song of the Sea.

In Psalm 150, all kinds of instruments are being ...

On the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, let’s pause and reflect. In the Yiddish words of this song, “Mend the torn pieces of my heart, and grant me a little relief.”

In many corners of the world today, hearts are torn. We may find common ground in praying for relief; let us als...

On Hanukkah, and in life’s darker moments, we turn to light to remember and to hope. The flames we kindle bring back memories of Hanukkah celebrations and cherished days gone by, both bitter and sweet. As the song expresses, “Light rises in the morning . . . do you remember? Yes, I remember. And ...

Celebrate the spirit of Hanukkah with this new arrangement of "Tomorrow" from ANNIE. Featuring Broadway star Julie Benko, internationally renowned cantor Azi Schwartz, and a choir of over 50 voices from the Jewish Broadway community, this one-of-a-kind music video captures the themes of hope, res...

This holiday season, the Wicked movie is captivating audiences and capturing the popular imagination. Many social commentators have noted the Wicked story mirrors the Jewish experience. Written by Jewish authors, the story features themes of discrimination, resilience and standing up for what is ...

Prayer is universal. It transcends language, culture, and creed, uniting us in our deepest hopes and aspirations. This rendition of "The Prayer" blends its original message with the Hebrew translation by Rabbi Moshe Pomerantz z”l (1935–2024).

We honor the memory of Rabbi Pomerantz, the late fa...

How should we be thankful in times of stress and public discord? Rather than just being thankful for what we have, we might consider being thankful for the gift of hope for the future, to be grateful in advance for things that might be in the future. Wishing you a Shabbat Shalom and a Happy Thank...

Somewhere between the grand hopes for being inscribed in the Book of Life expressed on the High Holidays and daily prayers, this prayer, welcoming a new month, also has its own expression of hopes for life, joy, blessings, and physical vitality. Here is a vintage setting by Israel Alter (1901–197...

“Way up above the towers The dove spreads her wings, gliding afar, her eyes longing.

High above, like the tongues of bells At daybreak she coos, and at nightfall is silent, her wings are light.

Onward, onward, above the water she hovers, still waiting. Way up above the Hills of Gilboa, above th...