Sh’ma Elohai //When the Heart Cries
Sung by Noémie Fitoussi and piano by Ricardo Garbatzky, in Paris
Many of us are grappling with an overwhelming surge of grief and terror. I had intended to share this video at a later time, but last night, the online video depicting a mob in the southern Russian republic of Dagestan, scouring runways in search of a flight with Jewish passengers, shattered my emotional and mental equilibrium completely.
In moments like these music can be particularly powerful because it carries emotional content and can express feelings that are difficult to put into words.
Today I am sharing the song Sh’ma Elohai //When the Heart Cries sung by Noémie Fitoussi accompanied by pianist Ricardo Garbatzky. They recorded this song last week at one of the liberal synagogues in Paris.
When I first moved to Paris in 2021, it was the height of COVID-19 and all synagogue services were online. I first heard Noémie sing during online Shabbat services and her voice connected me with Judaism during a lonely time. I reached out to her and asked her if she would record a song for us now during this dark time. May hearing her sing this beautiful lament transport you to a different emotional space and provide a sense of comfort and solace.
Here is the translation (by Noémie Fitoussi) of this Hebrew song
When the heart cries,
only God hears
Pain rises from the soul
A person falls before he sinks
A small prayer cuts through the silence
Hear, O Israel, My God,
You are all-powerful
You gave me my life,
You gave me everything
With tears in my eyes, my heart cries quietly
And when the heart is silent, the soul cries out
Hear, O Israel, My God, now I am alone
Strengthen me, my God, make me not afraid
The pain is great and there is no place to run
Make it end because I have no strength left
When the heart cries, time stands still
The person sees all their life suddenly
He does not want to go to the unknown
He calls out to his God on the edge of the abyss.
If this song comforts you, please share it with family and friends.
Keep safe and stay strong: Am Chai Israel
Kenden
Biographies:
Singer:
Noémie Fitoussi is student hazzan at the Rabbinic School of Paris.
She is a member of Kehilat Gesher, the french-american community in Paris, led by Rabbi Tom Cohen.
For ten years she has been singing in several choirs as alto and solo mezzo-soprano voice. She serves - as hazzan in training - in several communities in Paris, Lyon and Geneva. She is also teaching cantilation and liturgy for bat and bat mitzvah.
Contact her here on instagram.
The pianist :
Ricardo Garbatzky, born in Argentina, began studying music at the age of seven in his native Rosario. His teachers were Julio Conti - director of the Conservatory - for trumpet, and Jose Acotto - pianist and accordionist with orchestras specializing in the tango repertoire - for keyboard accordion.
At the early age of ten, he began playing accordion in various local ballroom orchestras. Later, he joined jazz ensembles on trumpet. He also specialized in the Kletzmer repertoire as a performer and composer.
Later, in Israel Beer-Sheva region, he became a member of a variety orchestra that performed in hotels and accompanied weddings. He played piano, electronic organ and trumpet.
In Paris, he began giving piano recitals. His programs include his own compositions, Kletzmer music and arrangements of film music.
In the 21st century, he met Rabbi Pauline Bebe. At her request, he writes music to prayer texts for services at the Communauté Juive Libérale d'Ile de France (CJL).
Contact him via email: ricardogarbatz@hotmail.com
Videographer:
Jordan was born from a Cameroonian mother and an Algerian father in the mid 80's. Ever since he can remember, he was always fascinated by the movies and videoclips he would watch on TV along the rest of his family through his few cosy childhood memories of that time. No wonder he ended up picking videomaking courses in highschool, then cinema art studies while growing up. There, he discovered the rich and varied cinema landscape from all over the world, and was mesmerized by the works of masters such as Kurosawa, Tarkovski and Truffaut.
Today he runs his own production company and works mostly for corporate and educational businesses. Whenever he gets a chance, he happily dips his toes into musical videos, branding or even political coverage. He sees his craft as a great human adventure and is always willing to meet and work with enthusiastic people of all kinds and cultures, for there is always a tale to tell, and a lesson to learn.
Find his company : www.easylifeprod.com
And get in touch directly : jordan.b@easylifeprod.com