New York, NY (Top40 Charts) JOSH NELSON, one of the most popular performers and composers in modern Jewish music, has released a haunting, electric guitar-driven take on the classic High Holy Day "Avinu Malkeinu" melody.
One of the most hallowed texts in Jewish liturgy, "Avinu Malkeinu,"
Nelson explains, "is essentially an acknowledgement of our flawed humanity. Whether you think of God as an active participant in your daily life, or you simply sense that you are part of something bigger than yourself, the message of the ancient text remains the same. Each of us is destined to fail at times. And each of us can grow if we reflect deeply on our actions and choices." The creative process of putting prayer to music comes naturally to Nelson. "For me, music is the most powerful form of prayer," he says. "Interpreting 'Avinu Malkeinu' in this way connects me to the essence of the prayer more than the actual text itself ever did." Nelson's interpretation of "Avinu Malkeinu" has drawn high praise from some of the most respected figures in the improvisation and jam band community.
The updated "Avinu Malkeinu" is just a teaser of more to come from Nelson, as his weekly Shabbat@Home TV series debuts on Jewish Life Television on the eve of the Jewish New Year,
September 18, 2020. A joint project of jDoes and Positive Jewish Living, Shabbat@Home will give viewers a chance to gather together as a global community even as we deal with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic from our own homes. Shabbat@Home "will offer
a new kind of prayer experience,"
Nelson says, "including a live band, multi-media and spoken word sequences."
Nelson's work has been celebrated and lauded by the New York Times, Time Magazine, Broadway World and HuffPost among others.
"Unwritten," the Rosh HaShanah edition of Shabbat@Home will broadcast on Jewish Life Television as follows:
"Unwritten," the Yom Kippur edition of Shabbat@Home will broadcast on Jewish Life Television as follows:
Shabbat@Home will also be simulcast at shabbatathome.net and positivejewishliving.com.
