In three months, many Jews in Israel and around the world will begin to say Selichot on Elul ahead of Yom Kippur. Until then, a new project hopes to make piyutim and prayers accessible to the general public, and to provide a place for all communities in the Israeli canon.
The Selichot project includes an elegant book-album presenting the Selichot poems, along with explanatory notes, commentaries and translations of each poem, as well as 130 photographs of manuscripts and ancient books. The book contains the main liturgical verses and prayers of the High Holy Days from all communities of Israel. The manuscripts, some of which are more than a thousand years old, have been collected from libraries and Judaica collectors all over the world, and some are being published for the first time.
The editor of the book is Mishael Vaknin, who initiated the Selichot Tour, out of love for Selichot poetry and the prayers of the High Holy Days. "It all started with a couple of secular friends who were curious to know what a Selichot tour was. I suggested that they join me for Selichot prayers at the Adas synagogue in the Nachlaot neighborhood, and in order to facilitate their first encounter with the ancient custom, I wrote some explanatory notes and commentaries on the world of Selichot.
A modern version of an ancient tradition. Netta Elkayam in the Selichot Tour, Photo: Amos Grundog
"The book is intended for everyone: those who are curious to get a first glimpse into the world of Selichot, and those for whom Selichot is a meaningful and ongoing life experience, a formative childhood experience, which includes words, sounds, smells and tastes. Selichot are an all-Israeli asset, and the Selichot Tour project gives them their place in the Israeli cultural canon."
The Selichot Tour project includes two music albums: one in the synagogue version, with performances of Selichot poetry and prayers in traditional melodies, in collaboration with the "Invitation to Piyut" project of Israel's greatest poet, Rabbi Chaim Locke, together with members of the Piyut Ensemble. The second album was prepared in a modern version with arrangements performed by the Piyut Ensemble with guests Rabbi Chaim Locke, Shai Sabri and Neta Elkayam. The piyutim are available to listen to on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube by scanning a QR code that appears next to each piyut.
"We were privileged to sing the Selichot poems with Rabbi Chaim Locke – a combination of a prayer master and a tremendous artist, who manages to express a deep and original interpretation in his poetry, while at the same time performing contemporary versions of the beloved Selichot and prayer poems," says Yair Harel, the project's music editor and director of the Piyut Ensemble.
Alongside the piyyutim in the book and the ancient manuscripts, commentaries and personal experiences on the world of Selichot and prayer by prominent authors are incorporated: Rabbi Ilai Ofran, Prof. Haviva Pedia, Prof. Avigdor Shanan, Prof. Shulamit Elitzur, Prof. Yosef Yuval Tovi, Shai Sabri, Jackie Levy, Chen Artzi Srour, Yair Harel, Amichai Hasson, Avi Balali, Dr. Meir Nizri, Yael Gidanian, Dr. Eitan Reich, Dr. Itai Marinberg-Milikovsky, Livnat Ben Hamo and Yair Asulin.
So how did we get to the design of the cover?
The talented designer of the cover @adler_avishay saw the 1900 Kol Nidre manuscript from Morocco that appears in our book and suggested the direction of an "entrance gate". And here are some sketches that rolled until the final result pic.twitter.com/0TpbuOzIYF
— Selichot Journey Tour (@SelichotJourney) May 13, 2023
As stated, the book presents photographs of manuscripts and ancient books from all Jewish communities, which constitute hidden testimony to the richness of the Selichot tradition throughout the generations. Among the manuscripts are piyyutim from the 11th-century Siddur of Rabbi Saadia Gaon, Kaddish from 1350 in Italy, the Cairo Geniza, and authentic items from all Jewish communities – Morocco, Iran, Germany, Egypt, Austria, Ukraine, Yemen, Romania, Holland, Italy, Lebanon, Kurdistan, Iraq, Tunisia, Spain and more.
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