Hi everybody! Sorry this week’s installment is a couple of days late, but things got a little hectic the end of last week. Anyway, here is this week’s post. Hope you enjoy it!

SLICHOS RECORDINGS-CAVEAT EMPTOR (LET THE BUYER BEWARE)

The Slichos service (or Slichot, as they call it nowadays) is a very beautiful and interesting service. It really marks the opening of the High Holiday season. The first hearing of the special prayers and the nusach associated with it evokes powerful feelings within all who participate in it.  I remember the first Slichos I ever sang back in 1979 in the old Beth Sholom Congregation, located at that time in Washington, DC. There were probably about 600 people there at 1:00 in the morning! People came from all over to hear the chazzan and choir. One of the most unique things about Slichos is the fact that several things are allowed for this service that are not allowed at most other times because it is neither Shabbos or Yomtov.  You can drive and more importantly for our purposes, you can make recordings!  Therefore there are countless recordings of various Slichot services offered for sale in various venues.  Sounds great, no? But here’s where it gets tricky.  Many are recorded under substandard conditions. Either the microphone is too far away or the sound is muffled or what we call in collecting old radio shows “muggy”. Sometimes the volume is too low, rendering the whole thing unlistenable. There is nothing more disappointing than buying a recording of a Slichos and not being able to enjoy it all. It has happened to me many times! So when buying Slichos tapes or CD’s the old Latin adage certainly applies “Caveat Emptor”-Let the buyer beware! Try to ascertain how the recording was made before you buy it!

ON THIS WEEK’S PROGRAM

The program for Sunday September 4 features some nice Chassidic music by the Neshoma orchestra and Singers (very big back in the 80’s), a great song by Safam based on this week’s sedrah, “Tzedek, Tzedek Tirdof (Justice, Justice shall you pursue). Also a modern version of part of the famous Pierre Pinchik composition of “Rozo D’Shabbos” (The Mystery of Shabbos) recited on Friday night in the Nusach Sfard davvening sung by Jacqui Sussholtz of Antwerp, Belgium. Great comedy by the ageless Fyvush Finkel in a very rare 1958 recording called “Fyvush On The Phone”.  The cantorial feature will have two great selections by the late Samuel Taube (1912-2008) dedicated to the late Max Ellenbogen (1918-2011) a connosieur of the Cantorial art and a good friend for many years who passed away recently.

Ben’s selections will include: Pei Daled with a great “Yeshivish Mix”, more from the Idan Rachel Project. Also the title song from Hello, Sid’s album “Soul Dividing” and a great song from Mattisyahu called “Miracles” as well as more from the Yeshiva Boys Choir and the group 613.

Matt’s song of the week brings us more of the late Ofra Haza (1957-2000) a star of international proportions before her untimely passing. From the 1980 Israeli Song Festival “Al Ahavot Shelanu” (About Our Love).

Lots and lots of great Jewish music for you to enjoy. Don’t forget to pass the website along to your friends and spread the word about Washington Jewish Radio. Thanks for your support and enjoy!!