Shira B'Tsibur—Creating Community Through Song

This custom mashup features four songs (see below). With full orchestration, this experience fills halls with ruach (spirit).

Ani Ve’ata by Arik Einstein
Perhaps Einstein's most famous song is "Ani Ve’ata" (Me and You), which is a simple tune that talks about changing the world.

Salaam (Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu) by Sheva Band
"Salaam" (Hebrew: סלאם) or Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu (Hebrew: עוד יבוא שלום עלינו) is a song of Mosh Ben-Ari composed while in the band Sheva (seven). This song, sung in Hebrew and Arabic, has gained popularity in Israeli folk music. Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu means "Peace will come upon us, yet." It is an upbeat song that became an anthem associated with efforts to create a peaceful end to Arab–Israeli conflict.

One Day by Matisyahu
"One Day" is a song sung by American reggae singer Matisyahu. The song expresses a hope for an end to violence and a prayer for a new era of peace and understanding. "One Day" was sung at a vigil for the victims of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in the Jewish community of Squirrel Hill.

Hatikvah (The Hope)
The national anthem of Israel.

We are always creating new experiences, and would love to create communities with you! Contact us today for your very own shira b'tsibur.

With the Schwartz/Reisman Centre in Toronto, Ontario, we brought together hundreds of community members to premiere a special Chanukkah edition of shira b'tsibur. Local shinshinim shared their ruach (spirit) and experience while families joined in celebrating the Festival of Lights.

In addition the songs above, we added both classic and modern Chanukkah songs:

Chanukkah, Oh Chanukkah

Sevivon Sov, Sov, Sov

Adam Sandler's Chanukkah Song

and, of course, the traditional Ma'oz Tzur

We will be sharing the video of the evening soon, as well as lyrics sheets for you to bring this experience into anywhere you want to create or deepen community.

Need it sooner? Contact us today.

The word dreidel is a yiddish word, originating from ‘drei,’ meaning ‘turn’.

The Hebrew word for dreidel, sevivon (סְבִיבוֹן), follows the same logic and comes from the Hebrew root, סבב, meaning "to turn". And another fun fact: the word was created by the adolescent son of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, the founder of Modern Hebrew.

In the same way there are some variations on the word, there are also variations of the letters on the sevivon. The Hebrew letters on a North American dreidel – Nun (נ), Gimel (ג), Hey (ה), Shin (שׁ) – are an acronym for the phrase "Nes Gadol Haya Sham" (נֵס גָּדוֹל הָיָה שָׁם, "a great miracle happened there"). But in Israel, where the Chanukkah miracle happened, the sevivon replaces Shin with a Pey (in place for the word "Po") – "Nes Gadol Haya Po" (נֵס גָּדוֹל הָיָה פֹּה, "great miracle happened here").

^{(Above, one of several Chanukkah anecdotes from our Humans of #IsraelEd 5776 resource and publication)}