Let’s sing! Shuls invited to sign up for festival of music - The Jewish Chronicle

Synagogues across the UK are being invited to take part in a celebration of Jewish liturgical music, launching at the end of the month.

From Our Lips, organised by the European Cantors Association, will run for five months from January 30 to the end of June, encouraging congregants and their guests to enjoy musical Shabbat services at synagogues spanning the different denominations.

The festival will open on Shabbat Shirah with an inaugural concert at a north-west London synagogue, including prayer music from composers including Lewandowski and Sulzer. The concerts, performed by three choirs, will be conducted by Sofia Wright and Benjamin Wolf.

The current line-up of synagogues includes Richmond Synagogue, Mill Hill United Synagogue, the United Hebrew Congregation of Leeds, Belmont Synagogue and Birmingham Singers Hill Synagogue. Among other shuls taking part are Central Synagogue in London, New London Synagogue and the Finchley Reform Synagogue.

Coordinator Geraldine Auerbach said: “The whole purpose is to encourage synagogue leaders to think about and celebrate their music. There are no special requirements other than that you present what your community loves best for its music of Jewish prayer. Every synagogue can take part, large or small.”

Cantor Robert Brody and Rabbi Geoffrey Shisler reciting Havdalah together after the From Our Lips festival service at Kenton Synagogue, at which they both officiated (Photo: the European Cantors Association)[Missing Credit]

Reflecting on the inaugural From Our Lips festival in 2024 – which then took a break in 2025 – Auerbach said: “What was a revelation to congregants was that, often for the very first time, synagogue managements and prayer leaders told their members which tunes were being sung, either in emails in advance, or with a helpful handout for each congregant on the day.

“Or they actually told them from the bimah who composed the music for a particular prayer and when. [The congregants] had been ignorant [about this] before that, and they found this information engaging.”

She said that when congregants were invited to make musical requests beforehand, they were “sitting on the edge of their seats hoping that their choice had made the cut”.

What was revelatory, Auerbach said, was the similarity of repertoire amidst different strands of Jewish worship, and how synagogue music could transcend denominations.

“The music in Orthodox, Masorti, independent and Reform synagogues all embraced the big-name 19th century liturgical composers of Lewandowski, Sulzer and Mombach.

The influence of the ubiquitous ‘Blue Book’, a compendium of choral and cantorial music from 1899, was still paramount in all strands, creating a strong sense of belonging and satisfaction.”

But she said each synagogue had showcased innovation, including particular favourites, many of which had been composed by the in-house choirmaster or composer.

Overall, what was “striking was how a good strong and confident voice from the bimah galvanised the congregation and created a real buzz in the synagogue”, said Auerbach.

To sign up your synagogue, email: Geraldine@cantors.eu

For more information or to book the inaugural concerts on January 30 and 31, go to: europeancantors.org/from-our-lips-2026

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Topics:

synagogue music

European Cantors Association