Welcome to forum 360.

This show is a global outlook but a local view.

Today we will get into the power of music, especially the profound impact of music and Jewish education, highlighting the transformative role that Jewish music has and engages in hands on educational programs.

From the earliest preschool age.

We're going to be speaking with our guests today about both their local and global messages, and how the dynamic approaches that they take to Jewish learning instills values of sharing, caring and charity, and for children to learn not just as children, but throughout life.

And this happens both locally and internationally.

We're honored to have as our special guests to world class educators, people with international experience and impact in the world of Jewish education.

their work has taken them to Australia, Nepal, Israel, Japan, etc.

we'll talk to them more about that.

So we welcome to Forum 360 Rabbi Chayim Alevsky and his wife Sarah Alevsky.

Welcome to Ohio and welcome to Forum 360.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

So a little bit about our guests who have only recently, moved to Northeast Ohio.

Mrs. Alevsky Sarah, is involved as the executive director of the Cleveland Kosher Pantry, but she's also been involved with curriculum, writing, curriculum, and kids programing.

And, at the Cleveland Kosher Pantry.

They provide kosher food for over 6000 people every month.

Rabbi Alevsky is a rabbi, a teacher, program director for all types of demographic groups, not children.

Musician.

Composer.

Author of a number of books and CDs of Jewish education.

Holiday guides, workbooks, as well as prayer and books.

It's said that his prayer books are the Jewish prayer.

What drivers education is to driving.

So welcome again to Forum 360 -thank you and tell us right off the bat what is the significance of music for especially for children?

What is the power of music?

Music is the pen of the soul.

It expresses the depths of the composer, and it reaches deep into the one who sings it, or the one who plays it or hears it.

And because of that, and because of the power that music has, we employ and channel music's energy throughout our lives, in our daily prayers and our daily study.

traditionally.

And I'll have my wife talk more about, start and end of music, from childbirth.

On, on.

Yeah.

So, actually, even from when the children are in the womb, it's accustomed to just play music that is uplifting, soothing.

people play classical music to their children.

So within the Jewish community, they'll play Jewish music, prayers, things like that.

and what's really fascinating about Jewish education is that we profoundly believe that it starts at a very, very early age, almost like in the womb as soon as they're born.

so right away we're praying with our babies.

So we wake up, and when a child wakes up in the morning, the first thing they hear is the Modeh Ani prayer, which is basically, you're thanking God for giving you another day, for believing in you and trusting you, that you can do a great job.

And we're also expressing our gratitude.

So you start the day with gratitude, and we do it in a saint and a song that just it just sits inside those kids forever.

and it just becomes like the first thing they say and the first thing they think when they wake up in the morning.

-So how do you use music to teach people about the existence of, of a creator of higher power?

What are some of the songs that you use for that purpose?

So I was just thinking, in addition, well, my husband has a couple songs that he actually, sings, and now he'll talk a little bit more about that.

But, you know, just instilling in the children this belief that, there is a higher power is part of that first prayer that you say at Modeh Ani when you wake up.

And then Shema prayer, which is basically an affirmation of Jewish faith.

And again, it's sung.

Both of these things are not chanted, they're sung.

And it's the first songs the kids really, really learn within the Jewish community.

and in general, there's Jewish music throughout the day that you're, that you're listening to, whether it's prayers or blessings, they're all sung.

And then you go to synagogue and you hear the Torah chanted in a very specific, very beautiful, ancient way.

obviously different Jewish communities have different melodies for these things, but we're immersed in what?

Maybe it's not traditional music the way you perceive music to be, but you're you're completely surrounded in Jewish life by some form of music, whether it's blessings or prayers or songs or popular is, you know, Israeli music, whatever it is that your children are listening to.

So it's definitely all a part of it.

And then in terms of, specific songs, I'm going to let my husband talk about it because he's he's the real musician here.

I'm, I'm I'm not.

You are.

But, in different in a different way.

So, some music, research, research shows that music engages various parts of the brain as the kids grow and grows up and includes, it's language, it's creativity, it's memory, it's play.

It's all it's is all encompassing.

And and we really employ the power of music to deliver messages which we want our children to grow up with.

And we want ourselves to also be involved in.

So our songs throughout the day and throughout the Jewish tradition are songs mostly biblical and some current, but they're songs of faith that they're songs of hope, of trust, of kindness, that we use words from the Bible to tell us to love your fellow as yourself.

That's one of the famous songs.

another song would be, how wonderful it is for us to be sitting together when someone is constantly singing about love and about peace and about kindness, and about, you know, giving of oneself, of selflessness, reinforce it reinforces the message constantly.

And it's coming from all sides.

And music is a very powerful way to deliver a beautiful message that can remain with ourselves and with our children forever.

So some of the songs that you sing about the presence of the creator and the great in children's lives.

-Right.

So some of the songs that we sing, I sang here today and our, our songs that are helping us, bring a, God, God's consciousness into our being and our is here, -Hashem is here.

Hashem is there is truly every are our, the Jewish perspective is that we are created by God with a purpose and the purpose is, generally speaking, to make this world a better place than we found it and to refine ourselves in the process.

So all of our songs represent that Hashem is here tells us that God is here, God is watching over us, and God is caring for us and loving us.

And another idea is that also, you know, in in the world there, there are various ways to encourage, children and, and people to, to do well and to and to do the right thing.

we can't police ourselves or the world really, effectively.

But if a person realizes that God is everywhere and God loves you and cares about you and wants you to do well, and there's an I that here I that sees and an ear that hears, and God and you bring that God consciousness into your life, then you automatically you want to do the right thing because God is with you and God is supporting you.

And so those are songs that we sing.

Hashem is here is one of them.

Hashem is here, Hashem is there.

Hashem is truly everywhere.

Hashem is here.

Hashem is there.

Hashem is truly everywhere.

Up, up, down, down, right, left, all around here, there, everywhere.

That's where Hashem is found up, up, down, down, right, left and all around here, there and everywhere.

That's where Hashem is found.

Hashem is here.

Hashem is there.

I am is truly everywhere.

I am is here.

Hashem is there.

Hashem is truly everywhere.

Up, up, down, down, right, left, all around here.

There, everywhere.

That's where Hashem is found up, up, down, down, right, left.

All around here.

there, everywhere.

That's where I am.

Is found.

You've been involved with a lot of writing, lots of books as well as CDs and performance.

How did you get involved in all of this?

What?

What was the mechanism that brought you here?

Very good question.

I began with, with I always loved music.

I always saying as a child of my earliest memories is recording with, with old tape recorder, like, recording songs that I would learn in camp.

So I was always playing with music.

I was in choirs.

so music was like, I would play piano a little bit, and then, later in life, I, I admired a friend of mine who played guitar, and it was actually, it was 19 years old when I first picked up my first guitar, and I started, learning some Jewish music.

And then it struck a chord pun intended within me that it's really a way to connect, to connect with children or humans and deliver messages through it.

And ever since then, I was a teacher for many years in, different various state schools.

And I still teach, and I always for the last 30 or so years, I've always started the day with, with the song with a guitar music.

You have a great story about that, actually.

let's, let's play for the story.

Where might the audience that they're tuned into?

Forum 360 are our special guest today.

The Jewish Mister Rogers rabbi Alevsky and his wife Sarah, and you were just about to tell us about this.

Oh, so I remember one time he got an email from a former student of him.

This was of his maybe it was like 15 years later after he taught him and the student was going through a really rough time.

If I'm not mistaken, I think he was in rehab.

He was battling with a drug addiction and some other issues he had, and he said that out of nowhere the song came to him, and he couldn't get it out of his head.

And it was a song that my husband taught him.

What was the song he wrote?

I think it was that, yeah, I will sing to God in my life.

Yeah, a positive, uplifting song.

And every day he started his class with song.

Like even in fourth or fifth grade, whatever he was teaching, he would start off with a song.

So it's beautiful that this boy took the time to write an email to him saying, like, this is a song that meant something to me at the time, but suddenly it came back to me as like with a message.

So what was the origin of the Shamash Angel song?

Angel eyes?

That's a good question.

So I borrow songs from others.

They're not my originals.

Most of them are not.

-You didnt Come up with the angel eyes either.

the angel eyes, I do, I, I just mimic, I bring, I maybe add some life or fun to it, but, there is a song service angel song.

It's a pretty much it's a classic, song.

And I just tell the kids, go ahead and take out your angel eyes.

You know, I try to make it fun and say what the bean bomb is.

You know, add some, add some hand motions.

The, Shamash angels are peeking through my window.

As Ema lights, the candles, and we all go to show.

The Shamash angels are peeking through my window.

As Ema lights, the candles.

And we all go to show Shabbat shalom, Shabbat shalom, Shabbat shalom to everyone of you.

Shabbat shalom, Shabbat shalom.

Shabbat shalom to everyone of you.

Shabbat shalom, Shabbat shalom.

Shabbat shalom to everyone of you.

Shabbat shalom.

Shabbat shalom.

Shabbat shalom to everyone of you.

Beam.

Bam!

Bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bam bing bing bing bong bing bing bing bing bing bong.

Shabbat shalom.

Hey.

Shabbat shalom.

Hey, But, But.

Shabbat, Shabbat shalom.

Hey.

Shabbat shalom.

Hey.

Shabbat shalom.

Hey.

And that is Shabbat.

But shalom.

Shabbat shalom by Shabbat.

Yeah, but I love, I love, I try, but Shabbat your.

But shalom.

Shabbat shalom.

Hey.

Shabbat shalom.

Hey, Shabbat shabbat shabbat Shabbat shalom.

Hey.

Shabbat shalom.

Hey.

Shabbat.

Shabbat Shabbat Shabbat Shalom Hey.

When we lived in New York City, he used to play in Central Park.

We used to go to Central Park during Covid.

It was really, But he was singing in the preschool for very long time, and he had a very we used to joke had a very specific fan, fan group.

It was anyone from the ages of 2 to 5, and they absolutely were obsessed with him, and they had to have gone to the preschool.

So but they were core.

They were hardcore.

They were like they would see him on the street and they would start screaming, Rabbi Chayim, Rabbi Chayim.

So they had these little groupies.

It was very cute.

So, during Covid, he had to go to the we couldn't keep the preschools closed and we decided to bring it to the park.

So we would go on Friday afternoon to Central Park.

Everyone be socially distanced on their blankets.

and we would bring ice pops and he would play the music in the park and, that's like it became like such a highlight for kids during that time because it was the music that was the connect, it was joy.

It was a time when people weren't feeling joy.

They're feeling a lot of uncertainty, especially small children.

So, they're picking up on it.

Yeah.

And, and these songs are just joyful.

Hopeful.

connect you to practice like that.

You go home, you sing the song Shabbat Shalom, but then you're going home.

In your experience, sing it in your own home.

And we're also inspired by.

Yes, about the origins.

inspired by.

We are, part of the Hasidic group called Chabad Lubavitch, led by the Lubavitcher rabbi, who passed away about 30 years ago.

the rabbi.

You can see more about that on Chabad.org.

I want to put in a plug for for you.

You want to learn anything about Judaism or the Jewish Jews, the Jewish Jewish message to the world.

It's there and Chabad.org the Rabbi himself at at gatherings he would sing solo and teach songs.

He taught really 15 songs to the to the community, to to all his followers that we sing today.

They're all uplifting, meaningful, soulful, powerful songs.

And I grew up with that, and I grew up with the power of that music rings, and I wanted to share that with others, and a hasidic song is called a nigun.

It's could be either a wordless song, like Without Words, where you just sing like this, like sort of haunting, very minor key kind of melody, Yeah.

And then there's sometimes put to words, but like you're you're both free (inaudiable).

How many countries have you, have you been in.

I'm not counting, but I've been in while wherever I went, I always went with my guitar.

I can tell you that much.

Including Tasmania, in Tasmania.

Nepal.

It was in Tasmania eight times, mainly to visit the Jewish community there.

And I always brought my guitar with me and we always playing songs.

We had (inaudible) sing alongs universal.

This is the beauty of it.

It's like that when you sing or says shalom in Tasmania, it's the same shalom that we sing here with our preschool.

And I have a friend who grew up in Brazil and, in a small tiny town called Belém, which is the middle of the Amazon, like it's there's 400 Jews in the whole city.

There's a Shelia, there's a Chabad Rabbi, which, by the way, they have a chabad in Twinsburg here, not far from Hudson.

So if you want to visit your local chabad, it's in Twinsburg.

But, so my friend, she grew up in Belém and we met her.

She was in Finance and Manhattan.

Beautiful, tall, wonderful young woman.

And she started coming to our house for Friday night dinner.

And she had really removed, like moved away from, like, her Jewish roots.

But then she heard us singing a certain songs and she's like, I learned that at my chabad in Belém.

And she was like, telling us how she was a part of in the Amazon.

And she told me she was a part of this Jewish organization called (inaudible) where they taught these 12 passages, where they sang them like in unison, like exactly what we do, you know, at the different little preschools and day schools that are, you know, under the chabad movement because it's specifically chabad thing, but it's these Torah passages.

And she knew them.

She knew them from there.

And she was listening to me sing them with my little girl.

And she was like, I grew up with that.

And she was able to just join in.

And you can see the children react to the music and it's.

Yeah.

And that that universal universality of it, the like the idea that every that you're Jewish, you know this song and it doesn't matter where you live I love that that's like really important message about it.

And it's music -that's a beautiful thing.

What what's next for you in the future?

we're we're continuing to work with, in the world of education, but also, you see, I right here in Ohio, I do mitzvah workshops, which I bring hands on immersive educational programs and workshops to Jewish day schools or Hebrew schools or any school that would take me and group.

And I always, I always bring my kids how to make a subject show first.

That's right.

So we actually, we had exactly.

We made a for a rosh hashanah the High Holidays.

We, we make chauffeurs.

We make chauffeurs that are horns.

We sell the horns and drill them, animal horns.

Real, real horns and, masa for masa, we we ground, wheat kernels and into flour mixed with water and baked masa for Passover.

So wherever I go, I always bring my guitar with me.

And we start with the song.

And what advice do you might have for children who might want to get into music or education with children?

I think I would like to say that music is a natural expression that children already have within it.

And our parents, the parents, need to not, not not ups obstruct it and and let it flow and provide children the opportunity to opportunities to have music with positive messages of joy, of love, of unity, of brotherly love, of of hope, uplifting music that can yeah, that can really help the child in any, situation that they might be in.

I believe in Hashem and I trust in Hashem.

There never is a moment when I am alone or I'm on my own.

I believe, and I trust in Hashem because I understand that he's holding my hand and every step is perfectly planned.

He's holding me tight, so I'll be all right, I believe, and I trust in Hashem.

I believe in Hashem and I trust.

And I said, there never is a moment when I am alone or I'm on my own.

I believe, and I trust in Hashem because I understand that he's holding my hand and every step is perfectly planned.

He's holding me tight, so I'll be all right, I believe, and I trust in Hashem.

(Hebrew song) (Hebrew song) (Hebrew song) (Hebrew song) And I think just in general, sing around your kids.

Like so much of.

So I think society has like some.

We started with listening more than we've done the singing.

So even if you have a bad voice sing.

It's important.

It's important for your kids to hear your voice, to see that you love and enjoy singing.

Well, the funny thing is, if a lot of people are talking, you can't hear them.

But if a lot of people are singing, there's harmony.

Beautiful.

You've been tuned into Forum 360 today.

Our very special guests, theAlevsky’s, Rabbi Chayim and Sara Alevsky, who have come to talk about the power of music and the inspiration that it has for people's lives.

On behalf of Forum.

360 I'm Sally Henning.

Thank you for tuning in today.

Forum 360 is brought to you by John S and James L Knight Foundation, the Akron Community Foundation, Hudson Community Television, the Rubber City Radio Group, Cha Jewish Community Center of Akron, Blue Green, Electric Impulse Communications, and Forum 360 supporters.