Connecticut Public Radio To Feature Programs Celebrating High Holy Days

Connecticut Public Radio will air The Birthday of the World on Saturday, September 23, from 8 to 10 pm.

The two-part series, narrated by Leonard Nimoy and highlighting music performed by The Western Wind Vocal Ensemble along with four guest cantors, several other noted singers, and a shofar player, will illuminate the important prayers of the High Holy Days and will feature some of the most inspiring music in the Jewish liturgical tradition.

“Part I – Rosh Hashanah” will air at 8 pm. The High Holy Days begin with Rosh Hashanah, literally “the head of the year” or “new year.” The program will present the major prayers of Rosh Hashanah, revealing the deeper structure of the liturgy.

Music will be drawn from the widest possible variety of Jewish traditions, including ancient chants and folk melodies, 19th century compositions of Lewandowski and Kaminsky, and contemporary compositions and arrangements by Helfman, Secunda, and Levine.

“Part II – Yom Kippur” will be heard at 9 pm. The program will open with the most famous prayer in the Jewish liturgy, Kol Nidre, and includes Avinu malkeynu, Sh’ma Koleinu, and Unesane Tokef. It will also feature narration written by Rabbi Gerald C. Skolnik.

Traditionally on Yom Kippur (“The Day of Atonement”), Jewish people fast from sunset to sunset and spend the entire day in prayer in the synagogue. The liturgy, which is enormously rich, contains some of the most profound and moving music in the Jewish spiritual tradition. Yom Kippur brings the penitential period of the Jewish new year, which begins ten days earlier with Rosh Hashanah, to its fulfillment. Connecticut Public Radio can be heard on WPKT/90.5 FM, WPNR/89.1 FM, WEDW/88.5 FM, W258AC/99.5 FM and WRLI/91.3 FM.