Dear brothers and sisters, I was very knocked over and grieved by Yoram Getzler's intense illness and swift passing, Olov HaShalom. He was a dear and feisty man, and someone I always looked forward to seeing at each Kallah. I also was the beneficiary, like many of us in Renewal, of his generous time and guided tours to cool, unique, musical, culinary and holy places in Jerusalem. I remember him taking me to the Breslover Shul in Meah Shearim, for a memorable Kabbalat Shabbat, us in our all white Renewal clothes, happily singing Lecha Dodi in a sea of black hats. I remember sharing Jerusalem Tofu, which he had helped make, in Simcha's kitchen at Moshav Aminadav. I remember his love of music, his disdain for corruption in politics, his easy laughter, and his insider's sense of what could bring Peace to Israel. His e-mail address was "RenewJew", and for a long time, he was the the main kesher and lightening rod for all of us in Eretz Yisrael. I miss him deeply, and hope we can add our efforts and Kavanot to what he began, as a rebel messenger of harmony and playfulness, in an often dark Israeli landscape. May his family and friends be comforted by each other, and by very wonderful memories, of Yoram as a "comrade in arms", a father, a gadfly and a true mensch. With Blessings and Tears..."

Reb Ya'acov Gabriel (click here to see and listen to some of Jack's work on Youtube)

May his memory be a blessing, and may the work of his hands and heart and the aspirations of his neshamah for Israel and the Jewish people see fulfillment. Here are the tracks from Yoram:

LISTEN to Nigun HaAri:    The first is what some people call "The Ari’s Nigun". Yoram writes: "I first heard this melody at the Shabbat table of my friend Yossi. It was said to be the melody used by master of Kabbalah Rabbi Isaac Luria, The Ari, in singing the Shabbat traditional welcoming song 'Shalom Aleikhem'." (Learn about the modern origin of this song, which was probably composed by Dovid Din, here.)

LISTEN to Kedoshim:    The second is Yoram's extended imrpovisation on the traditional (Ashkenazi) chant or trop for section of Parashat K’doshim (Leviticus 19) that includes the verse "Love your neighbor/friend like yourself". Yoram writes: "K'doshim (sacred) contains many profound ideas concerning the sacred. What it is, and how we are to peruse, create and enhance that quality in our lives."

LISTEN to Piyut Marokai:    The third is labeled by Yoram "Piyut Marokai" (Moroccan hymn) and he writes that it is inspired by the liturgical poem "Et Ruhi Tifdeh" ("You will redeem my soul"). He adds: "I first heard this sung by Shuli Natan on her album Songs of Praise."