I attended the Shirat HaShirim choir concert at the Villa Hermosa retirement home on Dec. 10. The choir, directed by Israeli Rina Paz, performed Israeli and Yiddish songs with a Chanukah theme. The concert’s popularity was apparent by the need to bring in more chairs. Paz lit an electric menorah and the blessings were recited before the concert began.
Shirat HaShirim means “Song of Songs” and is poetry of an allegorical nature, with HaShem likened to a groom and Israel to a bride. It was written by King Solomon and is part of the Old Testament.
The choir consists of seven women and five men, one whose long white hair and beard made him look like he might have stepped out of the pages of Prophets in the Old Testament.
The feeling and beauty of the Shirat HaShirim voices filled the room. We in Tucson look forward to hearing them perform again. The concert at Villa Hermosa was a beautiful way to usher in the Festival of Lights.
– Steven Freedman
