Values

Singing transforms people and builds communities. Music is a beautiful and powerful tool that opens our hearts and teaches us to listen to one another and to the sacred whispers of the world around us.

Hadar’s Rising Song Institute strives to operate according to the following values:

Artistic and Communal. We emphasize the intricate interdependence between the work of advanced musical-spiritual artists and the powerful grassroots energy of people gathered in community to sing.

Particular and Pluralistic. Our singing includes many different styles of music, and our particular synthesis of these styles will find wide applications that transcend established genres and denominations.

Rooted and Radical. Our music is deeply rooted in ancient Jewish traditions, but we will also invent entirely new musical modalities.

Inclusive and Egalitarian. Our music gathers people close together and facilitates careful listening, transcending dogmatic social categories. People of all gender identities and expressions, and from all cultural backgrounds and streams of Judaism, are invited to participate and lead.

Joyous and Tearful. Our music unlocks heavy hearts and encourages therapeutic expressions of a wide emotional spectrum.

Prayerful and Torah-Centered. Music is a form of prayer, a language for opening up people’s largest questions. Music speaks most powerfully when it reflects our collective ancient-new wisdom (“Torah”).

Beautiful and Imaginative. Music reminds us of humankind’s capacity for beauty and curiosity.