Shalom Shiraniks!
Welcome to the brand new 2016-17 school year! Woot woot! Today, we had a lot of fun getting to know each other, and learning our names. The students and their parents all gathered in the Social Hall for a beginning of the year pancake breakfast (and to collect their cool new JQuest t-shirts!) Erin and Alyssa, who will be co-teaching on Sundays, introduced themselves, and Erin gave a quick overview of what Shira will be doing over the next couple of weeks. Then, the students shared their own interests and personalities by creating personal name plates and participating in a name game. Our TA's for each session, Nathan and Daniel, participated in the fun, helping the students come up with fun ways to remember everyone's names. In Tefillah, Cantor Korn and Rabbis Greninger, Miller, Shanks and Levine (how lucky are we to have so many awesome clergy members!) led us all in prayer, which was topped off with a singalong featuring a JQuest-i-cized version of Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling." Fun was had by all! I can't wait to see everyone on Tuesday and Wednesday! Until then, think about this question: "What makes Jewish Music Jewish?"
- Erin
Well, it looks like another year has come and gone! We had a very musical, merry journey in 2015-16, and everyone gained some insight into our Jewish history and culture through the lens of Jewish music. Of course, the crowning jewel of the year is the Shira Music video! So, without further ado, I present "Light Song" (a parody of Rachel Platten's "Fight Song") for your enjoyment. (Sorry, there may be ads, which I seem to have no control over. YouTube is the only format that would accept such a large file). Just a note: The blooper reel is soon to follow - look for it, and additional photos and videos of the Shiraniks performing with Billy Jonas at the Spring Fling end of year celebration. Enjoy!
It's mid-April, and the production of the music video for the kids' parody song, "Light Song" is coming along nicely! Here are a few shots of the cast and crew in production.
The Purim Carnival was so much fun! And the fun continues this week! On Tuesday and Wednesday, please remember to bring a white sheet and a belt for your costume as a Greco-Persian soldier, or as a Maccabee.
Also, I hope to see you all at the Purimsphpiel on Wednesday after class at 6pm in the Sanctuary. It's gonna be an Elvis extravaganza!
A big THANK YOU to Cantor Korn and the parents who shlepped in the rain for the Junior Choir performance at the Reutlinger Home last weekend! The Junior choir did a beautiful job of entertaining the residents there, and all enjoyed chatting with the seniors over donuts and juice after the concert.
Today, the Shiraniks created beautiful music with our favorite recording engineer, Nick H. from Red House Studios. The lyrics that they wrote for "Light Song" (a parody of Fight Song by Rachel Platten) filled the air in our recording session right here in Room 204. The kids had a great time, and it went so smoothly that we were able to spend some extra time working on harmonies!
Nick and the Shiraniks
"This is our light song! Take back our rights song!..."
Setting levels
Listening to the playback
The mixing board
Working on last minute harmonies
"We'll keep our faith strong! Changing our beliefs is wrong!..."
Erin conducts
"Dropping in" part of the chorus
"Hey! That sounds pretty good!" Listening to the rough mix
After Nick sends us the final mix, we will use it to "lip sync" the lyrics when we begin shooting our video on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Please be sure to attend as many of the upcoming (weekday AND Sunday) sessions as possible in order to be in the video scenes! (We may be needing costumes and props, so check your inbox for requests!)
On Sunday, February 21 (this Sunday), we will be recording their parody song here in Studio Shira (our classroom) with a professional recording engineer. In the meantime, we all should be learning the lyrics, and singing along with the karaoke version of the song. Shiraniks, please practice at home as often as possible before Sunday!!
Also, please mark your calendars for the Junior Choir performance at the Reutlinger Home for Jewish Living in Danville on March 13th. Please go directly to the Reutlinger home by 9:30, where we will perform and have a reception afterword. Parents are welcome to attend, and we will be finished by 11:30 a.m. Dress code is clean, nice casual (please no jeans and t-shirts). Thanks! See you Sunday!
“LIGHT SONG” (Sung to the tune of “Fight Song”)
VERSE (sung by students in the present day)
Like a candle
In the window
Lighting the way
Into the past
Like a single band
Can break a great army
I might only have one match
But I can light the menorah
CHORUS PART A- (Sung by the Maccabees in the past)
And all those things we couldn’t save
A drop of oil lasts for eight days
We will arm ourselves tonight
So you’ll hear our voice this time!
PART B -
This is our light song
Take back our rights song
Prove we can fight song
We’ll keep our faith strong
Changing our beliefs is wrong
We’ll play our light song
And we won’t give up till the Greeks leave and let us be,
And we still believe ‘cause we are the Maccabees
VERSE 2 (present day)
Spin the dreidel and win the game
Eating latkes by the flame
Left to right
Light em left to right
(Maccabees)
And it's been three years
The oil’s gone
But there's a fire burning in my soul
I still believe
Yeah, I still believe
CHORUS - (Maccabees)
And all those things we couldn’t save
A drop of oil lasts for eight days
We will arm ourselves tonight
So you’ll hear our voice this time!
This is our light song
Take back our rights song
Prove we can fight song
We’ll keep our faith strong
Changing our beliefs is wrong
We’ll play our light song
And we won’t give up till the Greeks leave and let us be,
And we still believe ‘cause we are the Maccabees
(both Maccabees and present day):A lot of light left in me
BRIDGE (past and present together)
Like a candle
In the window
Lighting the way
Into the future
Like a single band broke a great army
I might only have one match (pause)
But I can light the menorah
CHORUS (PART B ONLY) - (everyone)
This is our light song
Take back our rights song
Prove we can fight song
We’ll keep our faith strong
Changing our beliefs is wrong
We’ll play our light song
And we didn’t give up till the Greeks left and let us be
And we still believe, because now we are all free
And we still believe because we had the Maccabees!
