Shabat Shabaton Yihye lachem -- A Sabbath of Sabbaths it will be to you. This is a reference to Yom Kippur, part of the upcoming High Holidays. For me, it is also a Shabaton having just completed six years at Congregation B’nai Moshe and beginning my Shabaton, seventh Rosh Hashanah and year as your Hazzan. Just as on Yom Kippur it is a time of reflection over the past and a chance to look for improvements in the future it has been an opportune time to reflect on our musical programs.

We have had many musical activities and programs over the last six years and a chance to see what works and what does not. What the congregation comes out to see and hear and what they do not as well as what kind of musical activities gives as much joy to the participants as to the audience and visa versa. This year for the first time, under my request, we have added a standing music committee for the congregation to oversee, plan, help bring to fruition and evaluate the many performance-related programs of the congregation. If you are interested in participating in this new committee, contact our president, Dennis Deutch.

In the plans for this year for our annual Cabaret night is Goys and Dolls a musical whose title speaks for itself. Also under discussion is a youth-oriented Sunday afternoon Cabaret of Disney Songs. We are also planning two Karaoke nights, so warm up your voices and choose your songs. This year’s free annual concert in March will bring us the voices of the Zamir Choral of Detroit, with me as the featured soloist. We will be having a few sing a long and learn some new music evenings through out the year. Last year the High Holiday Choir participated in two Shabbatot and were well received. Therefore look to see and hear them more often during the coming year on Shabbat.

Our biggest hit over the last few years for young and old has been our award-winning Shabbat Odyssey service during the summer months. This Shabbat evening service will continue and this Kol Nidre night, we will include some Odyssey-style prayers including instrumental accompaniment and the voices of our L.I.F.E. and Hillel Day School students at the preliminary portion of the service prior to the actual onset of Yom Tov. The L.I.F.E. program will have a Zimriyah, song festival, prepared by Education Director Daniella HarPaz-Mechnikov and me near the end of the school year that will entertain all members of the synagogue. There also will be classes for learning to read Torah and Megilot this year. It really doesn’t fall under our new Music committee, but I thought I would take the opportunity to put in a plug for new Torah readers.