Since 2005, I’ve been preparing for summer by attending the Hava Nashira Jewish Songleading Conference hosted by Sing Unto God (SUG), which for 30 years was held at URJ Camp OSRUI in Oconomowoc, WI before moving to URJ Greene Family Camp in Bruceville, TX. We learned last year that our sacred singing community was as portable as the ancient ark our ancestors carried, and this year another tradition was revived – URJ Camp Songleaders from all over North America joined the conference for the first time since COVID. They bring a youthful energy and exuberance, as well as wisdom beyond their age, to help create one of the best intergenerational learning environments I’ve ever experienced.

I truly learned my own spirituality from the URJ Camp Songleaders at Hava Nashira when I first attended nearly 20 years ago, and I saw them singing and dancing with such joy that I had to jump right in. That was the same year that a NFTY teen introduced me to “Kehilah Kedosha ,” an inspiring song about the power of community by the legendary Dan Nichols, whom I had never heard of before. This year, as the URJ Camp Songleaders sang that song, I was moved to tears by the power of their presence, and it felt like a true homecoming, even in a place we had never all been together before.

I was thrilled to spend time at the conference with several of our Summer 2023 CAA Songleaders, as well as CAA faculty members, alumni and two of our Songleading Arts Mentors, Rosalie Will (2023) and Debra Winter (2024) , SUG founder and staff member (respectively). There were many alumni of the URJ Kutz Camp Songleading training program present at the conference, and as CAA is now building the songleading pipeline in partnership with SUG, I’m excited for the day when we will have alumni of our CAA Songleading Major leading us into the future of Jewish music! As Debbie Friedman sang (quoting our text) – “The Youth Shall See Visions .” That song was my confirmation song and one of the first Jewish songs I learned to play and sing, and I have experienced personally the power of songleading in the development of future Jewish leadership.

This year’s conference culminated for me during our closing night open mic, which I have a tradition of hosting with some of my closest friends from Hava Nashira. A first-time participant did an amazing rendition of “When You Believe” from “Prince of Egypt,” and had people of all ages dancing and singing together in the aisles during the Hebrew section of the song when the Israelites sing “Mi Chamocha ” and cross the Sea of Reeds from slavery to freedom. For me, it perfectly captured the feeling of living in such a narrow place this past year, and the power of song to move us joyfully into a celebratory summer.

CAA is a creative and inclusive Jewish community where one connects to their people, artistic voice, and authentic self. Do you know someone who would thrive in our creative community? Please let them know about our upcoming prospective camper info sessions

Shabbat Shalom with all our heARTs,
Jay Rapoport, RJE – Director
Samantha Eichert – Senior Assistant Director

P.S. Don’t forget to check out our “And there was light!” playlist to get inspired for summer 2024!