Shemot Shelah is a Jewish kirtan band offering Hebrew call-and-response chanting with feminine and non-binary names for the Divine.
We employ names for G!d that are feminine, or gender-neutral, and non-hierarchical. The true pronunciation of G!d's name is unknown. For generations, we have pronounced that name as My Lord, or My King, in Hebrew, reflecting a patriarchal, hierarchical worldview. Shemot Shelah introduces names from the Zohar, names from the Song of Songs, and new names that allow us to see the Divine as mother, as lover, as light, and many more...
Call-and-response chants allow for anyone to participate, regardless of background or familiarity with Hebrew. We prepare chant sheets in advance with Hebrew, transliterated Hebrew, and English translations to ensure that all feel empowered to sing.
Storytelling plays a part in each event, as we bring to light historical women's practices that relate to our form of chanting. Every time we sing together, we highlight a specific woman from Jewish history, tell her story, and invite her in.
Kirtan is a devotional practice that opens the heart and paves the way for states of bliss and peace. At the peak of each chant, our style of kirtan closely resembles the long-lost Jewish women's practice of aynraysn, crying out, or literally, tearing down, and gives participants the opportunity to call out to the Divine from the depths of their hearts.