This evening brings together artists whose music already lives in this community — in our prayers, our Shabbat, our gatherings. They are not strangers to this sanctuary. They are part of our song.
01 ·
Aly Halpert
she / her
Aly Halpert is a queer Jewish musician, educator, and activist based in Philadelphia. A singer, pianist, drummer, and guitarist, Aly writes songs that build community and imagine new worlds. Her music moves between raw and celebratory, grounded in Jewish prayer, movements for justice, and the power of collective voice.
Aly is not a stranger to this sanctuary. She served as our shlichat tzibbur — our prayer leader — for Shabbat Shira 2026, leading a service that she described as an Avodat HaLev, a service of the heart. The songs she brought into our sanctuary that morning have stayed with us.
02 ·
Batya Levine
they / them
Batya Levine is a communal song leader, musician, and shaliach tzibur whose work centers the healing and liberatory power of Jewish song. Co-Founder and Co-Director of Let My People Sing, Batya composes music rooted in Ashkenazi yearning, queer heart-medicine, and emunah — faith made audible.
Many of Batya's melodies are already woven into the musical life of HBT — songs we sing together in our sanctuary, without performance or pretense.
03 ·
Richie Barshay
Percussionist
Richie Barshay is an internationally acclaimed percussionist whose work spans jazz, world music, and Jewish musical traditions. A longtime collaborator of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Esperanza Spalding, and The Klezmatics, Richie has performed on five continents and appears on more than 100 recordings. Based in Massachusetts, he brings global rhythmic depth and musical imagination to every stage he occupies.
04 ·
Levyosn
Boston Ensemble
Founded in 2021, Levyosn is a Boston-based ensemble specializing in Yiddish song and klezmer. Blending traditional repertoire with original compositions in Yiddish, Hebrew, English, and Hungarian, they are known for intricate arrangements, rich vocal harmonies, and performances that invite the whole room in.
Levyosn performed at HBT during Sukkot, supported by CJP's Arts and Culture Community Impact Grant — an evening of Yiddish song and communal joy in our shared space.
Adah Hetko
Yiddish singer, songwriter, and dance leader with deep roots in the international Yiddish cultural world.
Lysander Jaffe
Vocalist, violinist, and community music leader. Co-artistic director of Palaver Strings.
Lexi Ugelow
Vocalist, songwriter, and expressive arts facilitator devoted to intergenerational community singing.
Raffi Boden
NYC-based cellist, composer, and improviser who has performed internationally.
These are artists you already know. This is your community. An intimate evening in our sanctuary — there is no better place to hear them.
Batya Levine, Aly Halpert, and Richie Barshay — together on one recording, together on one stage.
Why This Matters
Music Is How We Find Each Other
"Music is not separate from our life together. It carries our worship, deepens our study, strengthens our activism, and binds us across generations."
This evening is HBT's major annual fundraiser — and a celebration of what we are together. Some come through worship, some through learning, some through justice work, some through school or friendship. And many through song. When we invest in this night, we invest in the community we are shaping together.
Worship
Learning
Justice
Music
Belonging
Reserve Your Place
Join Us on Lag B'Omer
This is an evening in our sanctuary — an intimate gathering of community and song that won't be replicated. Tickets and full program details coming soon.
