November 9, 2025 | Rabbi Ben Spratt & Cantor Shayna De Lowe
Through every era, through every challenge, Judaism always reimagined what’s possible. Time and again we have met moments of upheaval with transformative creativity, turning heartbreak into harmony.
Today, we find ourselves in another one of those moments. Stories of division and fear fill our newsfeeds. Antisemitism rises from both the left and the right. Israel, once a unifying refrain for American Jews, now sparks heated debate. Too often, our children encounter a Judaism that sounds more like a lament than a song of pride.
Yet the story of the Jewish people has never been one of remaining in despair. Even when our Jewish community has felt most torn apart, we have come together to find our rhythm renewed.
In the 1950’s and 1960’s, as America wrestled with civil rights, war, and profound generational change, music became a source of connection and hope. Jewish singers and songwriters were amongst those at the forefront of the folk revival that gave voice to a restless nation. Artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul, and Mary, helped shape the nation’s soundtrack of justice and change. From synagogues to symphonies and summer camps to concert halls, their music became part of the enduring soundtrack of America.
Folk music was radical in its simplicity: the notion that anyone could lead, and everyone could sing. Pete Seeger, the legendary folk singer and activist, said, “Put songs on people’s lips instead of just in their ears.” At hootenannies, informal gatherings of musicians and friends, people came together not just to watch, but to join in.
That spirit of communal song struck a deep chord within American Judaism. In the 1960s, inspired by the folk revival, a new generation of Jewish musicians began transforming Reform Jewish worship. Debbie Friedman, Rabbi Dan Freelander, Cantor Jeff Klepper, Julie Silver, and others picked up their guitars and invited congregations to sing along. What emerged was a movement of participatory Jewish music that spread through summer camps, sanctuaries, and song sessions across the country. Young people learned not just to sing melodies, but how to become songleaders, rooted in the belief that every voice matters and that music can build a bridge to deeper spiritual connection. This genre of music flourished and grew for decades, taking root across the Reform Movement.
In recent years, new challenges arose that threatened the continued growth of Jewish folk music. When COVID hit, gatherings of Jewish music and prayer were suddenly gone. In those silent days, we all learned how much singing together as a community mattered and how desperately we missed it.
Our of that silence, a new idea was born: Hootenanny: Celebrating Jewish Music, Camp, and Community.
Inspired by Seeger’s original vision, we at Congregation Rodeph Sholom in New York City, together with URJ Eisner and Crane Lake Camps, decided to bring back the Hootenanny—not out of nostalgia, but as a way to reunite our community and raise funds for camp scholarships.
In 2022, nearly one thousand people filled our sanctuary with hundreds more online. Beloved Jewish artists volunteered their time and voices, and the crowd didn’t just listen; they sang. It was powerful, cathartic, and a reminder of how much we needed one another. That night, our community once again experienced the power and joy of communal music.
This year, the Hootenanny returns bigger and better than ever on Thursday, November 13. We’re thrilled to welcome an extraordinary lineup of Jewish musical leaders: Elana Arian, Noah Aronson, Michelle Citrin, Rabbi Dan Freelander, Alan Goodis, Cantor Jeff Klepper, Jacob Spike Krauss, Joanie Leeds, Naomi Less, Dan Nichols, and Julie Silver. Having this remarkable group share one stage is a rare and beautiful thing.
This year, we’re taking it a step further with the launch of the new Hootenanny Teen Songleader Master Class, investing in the next generation of songleaders and cantors. On the night before the concert, teens from across the New York area, nominated by their cantors, will learn from expert songleaders, nurturing the next generation. During the Hootenanny, those teens will put their learning into practice and lead alongside the artists who inspired them.
So come join us—in person or online. Bring your friends, your family, your voices. The Hootenanny isn’t about performance; it’s about participation. Let this night inspire you to bring more song, spirit, and togetherness to your own community.
We promise it’s going to be a hoot!
