Hasidic music and stories provide soundtrack for life

The Jewish Learning Institute of South Africa (JLI) presented “Judaism: The Soundtrack” at Africa’s tallest skyscraper, The Leonardo, on Purim Katan, on 15 February.

The elegant event of fine food, wine, and music was held in celebration of this festive date in the Jewish calendar, which occurs only in leap years.

Participants discovered the enthralling world of Hasidic melody and the deep spiritual meaning behind its tunes. An instrumental quintet of cello, flute, guitar, piano, and violin performed unique Hasidic melodies, conducted by Evelyn Green and sung by Raphael Perkel. Organiser Rabbi Ari Kievman shared narratives and motivational messages between songs.

“These Hasidic melodies are like no other,” Kievman said. “They tell a soul-stirring story about life’s purpose and what truly matters in this world. There’s so much that can be learned from these moving tunes.”