By Mekor Haim Choir
The family is the centre of Jewish life and music expresses its heart and soul. From the lively songs of the Sabbath evening dinner table, to the moving story of the Exodus at the Passover meal, and the heroic songs sung at Hanukkah candle lighting, Jewish homes are filled with music. In honor of the European Day of Jewish Culture, whose theme this year is the Family, the Mekor Haim Choir, under the direction of Maestro Leonardo Mendonça, is proud to present a special concert devoted to Jewish songs about the family on Sunday September 1, 2024 at 12:00 noon in the Kadoorie Mekor Haim Synagogue in Porto.
We will open the concert with ‘Lecha Dodi’ and ‘Shalom Aleichem’, two traditional songs that welcome the Sabbath into the home on Friday night. These are followed by two Psalms set to music by the 17 th century Italian composer Salomone Rossi. Psalm 146 tells us how less fortunate families require special care. Psalm 128 compares the mother of a family to a fruitful vine and the children around the dinner table to olive saplings.
The next songs are sung in Ladino, the language of the Jews of Iberia. They reflect the roots of community dating back before the expulsion from Spain and Portugal over 500 years ago. ‘Avraham Avinu’ speaks of Abraham as the father of his people. ‘Mama yo no tengo visto’ is a song about love, sung by a daughter to her mother. It has been adapted into a modern Hebrew song ‘Contentment’ in which a grandmother sings a lullaby to her granddaughter, with images of a peaceful oasis. The melody of ‘La Rosa Enflorece’, another Ladino love song, was used for a hymn of thanks, ‘Tzur Mishelo Achalnu’, sung by many families after the Sabbath evening dinner.
The song ‘Hizki Hishki’ (Strengthen my Desire) also has special meaning for our Community. It was written in 1675 for the opening of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue in Amsterdam. It tells of coming from darkness to light and reflects the hope of exiles to be free in a new country. The closing song of the program is ‘Raisins and Almonds’ is in Yiddish, the language of the Jews of Eastern Europe. It is a lullaby sung by a mother to her son with the hope that he will find his way in the world.
All are welcome for this concert. Please contact yonahyaphe@hotmail.com for more information about the concert or if you would like in join the choir.
