Archive for category Press
LA Jewish Journal: Phish, Shabbat Mingle in Coachella
Posted by Rabbi Yonah in Press on November 13th, 2009
November 11, 2009
Phish, Shabbat Mingle in Coachella
By Ryan Torok
For three days over Halloween weekend, between 30,000 to 40,000 fans of the eclectic, free-form rock band Phish gathered on the Empire Polo Fields in Indio, site of the annual Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, for Phish Festival 8. RVs and thousands of small camping tents staked out territory throughout eight campgrounds. And in one of those tents, on Friday night, Rabbi Yonah Bookstein led 35 people in a Kabbalat Shabbat service. This was the Shabbat Tent.
Starting at around 5 p.m., timed so people wouldn’t miss the first Phish set, a group of Jews and non-Jews crossed the campground dancing and singing “Lecha Dodi,” then, beneath a huge Israeli flag, they recited Kiddush, said the Motzi and ate a vegetarian Shabbat meal. Read the rest of this entry »
Chatanoogan.com: Don’t Feed The Alligators Part 1
Friday Afternoon at the last Langerado Festival 2008 - Photo Fil Manley
Excerpts from Langerado – Part 1. – Please Don’t Feed the Alligators
by fil manley for Chatanoogan.com
posted March 14, 2008
Matisyahu is a phenomenon unto himself. When I first saw him play at Bonnaroo in 2006, his music struck me with its sincerity and unusual nature. He brought his infant son out onto the stage that year, held him in his arms with the pounding bass all around and the small boy wearing ear protection like an airport lineman. Matisyahu is an observant Jew who practices and sings of his faith in a way which no other Jewish performer, to my knowledge, ever has. His mixture of reggae, rock and traditional Jewish story telling is fantastic.
As a practicing Jew, Matisyahu observes “Shabbos” or the Sabbath. This means that from sunset Friday night until sunset on Saturday night, they don’t use any technology, don’t do any work and they dedicate this time to God, prayer and family. Matisyahu, or “Matis” as they call him, set up a 1600 square foot “Shabbos tent” at Langerado, and opened it up to anyone and everyone, sharing his faith, prayers, observances and food. Read the rest of this entry »