Singer-songwriterDebbie Friedmanhas an impressive catalog of essential Jewish songs. That’s probably not too surprising, considering that Friedman, whodied in 2011at age 59, transformed the face of modern Jewish music.
As hard as it is to pick a favorite song by Friedman, the best of the bunch may just be “Miriam’s Song.” This passionate, upbeat tune commemorates an essential juncture in thePassover story: The moment that the Israelites, fleeing slavery in Egypt, safely crossed the Sea of Reeds, and Miriam, Moses’ sister, leads the Israelites in song and dance. But the song’s catchy quality isn’t just about the lyrics; “Miriam’s Song,” as our colleague Molly Tolsky wrotein Alma, is “a downright banger.”
While nothing can compare to the infectious energy of the original version — particularly the experience of dancing to the song at a Jewish camp’s song session — there’s a new, moving cover of “Miriam’s Song” that was released just in timefor Passover. It’s sung by the Project Kesher Chorus, an initiative of the Jewish feminist nonprofit Project Kesher.
Project Kesheris an international organization that focuses on building Jewish community and empowering women leaders in countries like Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, and Georgia, as well as withinRussian-speakingcommunities in Israel. Its mission, according to their web site, is to “advocate on behalf of women and girls, the Jewish community, and underserved populations in their region.”
The organization focuses on the values of Judaism,feminism, and pluralism through programs like leadership training and Jewish learning. They also advocate for causes like ending gender violence andbreast cancer awareness.
In other words, we can’t think of a better group to honor the message of “Miriam’s Song” — a tune that centerswomen’s empowermentand leading with joy.
The heartwarming video includes groups of women in places like Jerusalem, Moscow, Kyiv, Minsk, New York City, all singing and dancing with timbrels (as Miriam did, of course!). They also pose in front of landmarks, including theStatue of Liberty和无所畏惧的吉尔l statue, which was erected in 2017 in honor of International Women’s Day.
The video also includes scenes from Women’s Marches across the world, reminding us that gender inequality is yet another plague in our society from which we need an exodus. The video is dedicated to Friedman and the Ma’yan Seders, a type of feministsederfounded by Ma’yan: The Jewish Women’s Project of the JCC in Manhattan.
The song is a timely reminder of our responsibility to stand with those all around the world who are fighting injustice, as well as the hugepower of womenworking together to combat it. Happy Passover to all, and we hope you enjoy this video as much as we did!
Header image by Project Kesher/Youtube
