Congregation Kehilath Jeshurun - Nusach Recordings

Dear KJ Family:

I received an email last week from a gentleman by the name of Michael Perl, originally from Australia but now living in Scarsdale.  He wrote as follows:  "In preparation for davening shacharit on Rosh HaShanah, I have made great use of your nusach recordings online and I wanted to let you know how much I have enjoyed them, as well as finding them tremendously helpful in filling in some gaps in my knowledge.  Davening with the proper nusach is clearly something you value, and the details and richness in your rendition brought me a lot of pleasure.  Just a short email to make you aware and thank you for providing this resource to the public."

I share this email with you because it is similar to a number of messages I have been receiving over the past few months.  The emailers are referring to my ten CD's of nusach designed to help people learn how to be a shaliach tzibbur at daily services, shabbatot, holidays, Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and selichot around the year.  They are available on the Ramaz website at www.Ramaz.org/nusach    

Some people just like to listen to them for pleasure; others use them to learn how to daven with a proper nusach in a manner that I learned from my two teachers: Mr. Joseph E. Adler, of blessed memory, and my father, Rabbi Joseph H. Lookstein, of blessed memory.  Mr. Adler taught me the proper nusach; my father taught me how to interpret words. 

I was also blessed to have a musical grandfather, Mr. Isadore Schlang, whose 45th yahrzeit I will observe this coming Shabbat.  He loved to daven before the amud and he gave me the yetzer ha-ra to be passionate about it, too.  I think a little bit was passed on to my son, Rabbi Joshua Lookstein, and to many of my grandchildren.  I plan to speak about my late grandfather at the Seudah Shlishit this coming Shabbat, following 7:00 p.m. evening services in the Gottesman Center.

The nusach recordings are all available online for your use, gratis.  Enjoy them and learn from them as you wish.  I feel privileged to be able to share what I learned with a wide public, thanks to the wonderful Ramaz website. 

Haskel Lookstein