Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:30:49 -0400 From: Rabbi Toba Spitzer To: John Chambers , terry traub Subject: Re: Simchat Torah Hi John and Terry - sorry I didn't get this to you earlier! Here are my thoughts for Simchat Torah: *I think we'll do 4 or 5 hakkafot/circlings with the Torah. Each hakkafah will being with the traditional "Aneynu" chant, in C (I'll sing it, if you-all can accompany me - it's a pretty simple tune). Following a few rounds of that, here are suggestions for songs for each of the hakkafot (the ones where I have a key indicated means I'll sing it, and that that key, or something in that general area, are a good range): 1) Lo Yisa Goy el Goy Cherev, and then Yismechu Hashamayim (in Cm) 2) Am Yisrael Chai and then "U'shavtem Mayim" (the Israeli dance tune) - Am 3) Some Scottish dance tunes? Could we start with Hava Nagila and then segue into Scottish tunes, for the fun of it? Singing wise, I think Dm is a good key for Hava Nagila. 4) Klezmer tunes (your choice, something freylikh and danceable) 5) We may not have a 5th hakkafah, but if we do, how about a Shlomo niggun or two - a good is "Nugun No. 2" in the Shlomo Carlebach Anthology by Velvel Pasternak, if you have that (p. 80) - the key they have there is a little high, I'd say do it in E or F rather than in G. Those are my thoughts, I hope that's helpful! Also, assuming we unroll the whole Torah, I might ask you-all to play while we re-roll it - in the past, a good tune for that has been "It Is A Tree of Life For those Who Hold Fast To It". We begin at 7:00 pm next Thursday, and I'll definitely be there early, if you-all want to come a little early to set up and go over anything. Thanks so much, Toba