Musician in Residence

Rena Branson is a Jewish composer, prayer leader, and educator who uplifts personal and collective healing through song. An alum of the Rising Song Institute Residency, Rena has recorded music with many collaborators including Joey Weisenberg, Rabbi Deborah Sacks-Mintz, and Chana Raskin’s Raza ensemble. Rena offers heart-opening song circles in diverse Jewish communities, supporting people to transform feelings of alienation, grief, and rage into greater connection and hope.  Rena’s original album, Love Is the Ground, is available on all streaming platforms. Learn more and connect at renabranson.com!

Rising Song Circle with Rena • Thursday, Feb 27

Dinner 6:15pm  | Program 7:30pm
Join us to kick off the month of Adar with song! Our ancestors have been singing off-key with ruach (spirit) for a long time, so please come honor this sacred tradition. TBE’s Musician-in-Residence, Rena Branson, will share Hasidic tunes for Purim and Rosh Chodesh as well as original music with themes of joy and healing. There will be a mix of English, Hebrew, and wordless nigunim to savor. All voices are welcome! 

Kabbalat Shabbat with Rena • Friday, Feb 28

Pre-neg 5:30pm  | Services 6:00pm
During this Kabbalat Shabbat service, we will sing traditional liturgy and wordless nigunim: spiritual melodies that allow us to express emotions, experiences, and prayers that words can't capture. We will slow down and invite in all the parts of ourselves, practicing self-compassion as a foundation for showing up with love in our lives and the broader world. Whether you know the words and melodies already or not, this is a space for you—a chance to reconnect with yourself at the end of the week in a nourishing atmosphere.

Shabbat Morning Services with Rena • Saturday, March 1

Services 10:00am  | Kiddush 12:30pm 
Dive into a soulful davening (prayer) that breathes new life into the traditional Ashkenazi liturgy.  We'll learn contemporary Jewish tunes and deepen our practice with familiar melodies. Amidst the ritual, there will be moments of silence to allow our prayers to rise up and to take root in us, inviting transformation. This service will include the joyous singing of Hallel (special psalms of praise) in honor of Rosh Chodesh Adar. 

This event was dade possible by a generous donation from the Doniger Family.