Shabbat songs in the Eastern Ashkenazi rite

A selection of Shabbat songs from Eastern Europe including historical recordings by Yossele Rosenblatt, Gershon Sirota, Leibele Waldmann, Pierre Pinchick, Zawel Kwartin, Moshe Koussevitzky, Richard Tucker ou encore Abraham Adler

The Shabbat, the day of rest, is a very important event of Jewish life. And the songs that rhythm this particular day hold a major place, at the synagogue with the five services from Kabbalat shabbat to Motsei shabbat, as well as at home with the rituals of lighting the candles, the Friday night Kiddush (blessing of the wine), the Birkat hamazone (prayers at the end of a meal), or the Havdala (last Kiddush which closes Shabbat).It is also a custom to sing, during the four Shabbat meals, several religious poems called Zemirot (or Tish nigunim by the Chasidim).
The Shabbat allows thus to find our inner route by the means of our outer voice.

The following playlist features a selection of Shabbat songs performed by great voices of East European chazanut : Yossele Rosenblatt, Gershon Sirota, Leibele Waldmann, Pierre Pinchick, Zawel Kwartin, Moshe Koussevitzky, Richard Tucker or Abraham Adler. Voices that weep and move us. Note that most of the songs of this playlist are accompanied by music instruments, which was not the case during Shabbat in most of East European synagogues.

Read the article about Shabbat songs

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