Imagine that long after inviting a musical artist to your Jewish center or synagogue, your community had much more to show for the visit than memories of a nice concert from a distant musician. When Linda Hirschhorn concludes her weekend with your community, she leaves your chorus with an expanded repertoire of inspiring and original Jewish music. And communities previously without a chorus now have one in the wake of her visit.

Here is a description of three different programs that I offer. I can custom-tailor any of these programs to suit your community and you can mix and match the various offerings.

Program 1

WEEK-LONG RESIDENCY

In this program I spend about 12-15 hours in your community working with people who love to sing (ages 10 and up). At the end of the week this intergenerational choir will sing at Friday night services with me and share in a final concert program with me on a Saturday night or Sunday.
(This program can be shortened to a 2- or 3 day residency)

Many communities invite members of other choirs or other faith communities to be part of this week

I often send the music several months in advance of my visit so that singers who wish can begin to learn some of the music before I arrive.

The music is accessible to beginning singers and yet sufficiently complex and interesting to appeal to more experienced singers. (The younger singers can participate for just an hour or two as it suits them)

As the singers learn the songs they also study the meaning of the texts we sing (Torah and Prayers) and examine how these texts can be personally meaningful and relevant to our lives.

Here is a sample of a choir song I teach:

Or Zarua

A FUNDRAISER AND A FUNRAISER

One of the ways some communities have been covering expenses for the longer residency is by asking the (adult) volunteer singers to pay some affordable amount to work with me in the way that many people pay for seminars/workshops or master classes. (Usually $50-$100) At the end of the week the singers are motivated to sell tickets to their final concert. Often Hebrew school children join us for an hour or so and learn a couple of the easier songs- this will bring in many family members to the concert as well

Program 2: SHABBATON

A Shabbaton could include:

    1. A creative service on Friday night, with Kabblat Shabbat music (I send some easy-to-learn pieces in advance (with lots of harmony!) that you and some of your singers might want to learn and sing with me).
    2. A dvar Torah on Friday night.
    3. An open singing workshop for the entire community on Saturday afternoon- lots of lovely rounds and simple settings to prayers.
    4. A Havdallah or Sunday afternoon concert featuring me in my original solo stories and songs.

Program 3: SOLO CONCERT for FRIDAY/ SATURDAY NIGHT OR SUNDAY AFTERNOON

My solo concerts combine original songs, some traditional songs (in Hebrew Yiddish and Ladino), and some original theatrical story-telling pieces.

Here is a sample of one my original stories: (They are a form of what I call funny feminist midrash)

This first one is called “Standing At Sinai”

Here is a performance of my story called “Hineni”

FEES (“BallPark” Fees”: I AM FLEXIBLE)

For the long residency (Option 1) : $3850 plus all expenses (airfare, lodging and all ground transportation).

For a Shabbaton (Friday- Saturday): $3250 plus all expenses (airfare, lodging and all ground transportation).

For A Solo Concert: $2850 plus expenses (which might be shared if I can book other non-competitive gigs in the region).

Feel free to custom-tailor any of these options and let me know if these fees are affordable.

For Recommendations:

Here are communities you might want to contact who have brought me in in the past:

Beth Schine
Temple Beth El Sudbury
(978) 443-9622, ext. 102
templeadmin@bethelsudbury.org

Cantor Alicia Stillman
Temple Israel Boston
561-598-9022
astillman@tisrael.org

Cantor Marcia Tilcin
Congregation Beth Israel
211 Bryan Ave
Tustin CA 92782
(714) 730-9693

Cantor David Reinwald
Temple Beth Sholom
2625 N. Tustin Ave
Santa Ana CA 92705
(714) 628-4600

Temple Israel
200 State St. N.H.
603-436-5301
Fran Berman: f.berman@comcast.net

Rabbi Laurie Zimmerman
Shaarei Shamayim, Madison WI
608-257-2944
rabbi@shamayim.org

Rabbi Seth Goldstein
Beth Hatfiloh- Olympia Washington
360-754-8519
rabbisethgoldstein@hotmail.com
& Lydia Beth Leimbach-
music director
greenacts@earthlink.net

Rabbie Andie Cosnowsky
Congregation Etz Chaim, Lombard Illinois
630-627-3912
rabbicosnowsky@gmail.com

Adath-Israel- Cincinnati- Mitch Cohen
Music Program Chair
513-315-6141
mitch@snow.net

Rabbi Deborah Zecher
Hevreh of Southern Berkshire
Great Barrington, MA 01240
413-528-6378
nachson@aol.com

Cantor Julie Yugend- Green
Oak Park Temple, Illinois
708-386-3937

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