Cantor Perry Fine to present free online series exploring the niggun in Jewish tradition
LIVINGSTON, N.J. (Essex County) — Cantor Perry Fine of Temple Beth Shalom in Livingston will lead a free, two-part online series titled “Wordless Ecstasy: The Niggun in Jewish Tradition” on Thursdays, Nov. 6 and 13, at 1 p.m. via Zoom.
The program, coordinated by the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW), West Morris Section’s Our Jewish World initiative, is co-chaired by Ilene Dorf Manahan and Melanie Levitan, both of Morristown.
The series will explore the niggun — a form of wordless, melodic chanting traditionally sung in group settings to deepen prayer or study. “From sadness to ecstasy, the niggun has connected Jews for centuries with the many facets and emotions of Jewish prayer,” Fine said.
The first session on Nov. 6 will trace the origins of the niggun to its Hasidic roots in the 18th century during the rise of the Baal Shem Tov. “We will explore the importance of niggunim (plural of niggun) as a spiritual tool for its practitioners and devotees to connect beyond the intellectual to the emotional, wordless ecstasy,” Fine said. “Through recorded examples and demonstration, together we will experience the niggun as a form of communal bonding and spiritual elevation, and its profound influence in the development of Jewish liturgical music.”
During the second session, participants will examine how the niggun has evolved over the centuries and adapted to diverse musical traditions. “We will look at examples by modern Hasidic and Jewish artists, including Shlomo Carlebach and Joey Weissenberg, and the niggun’s appeal as a contemporary expression of Jewish outreach,” Fine said. “We will also explore the influence of the niggun on secular Jewish music and even broader musical genres.”
Fine has given numerous concerts and lectures on Jewish music, including many years as part of the NCJW West Morris clergy series. He co-founded and conducts Voices in Harmony, an interfaith choral ensemble serving Essex County for 27 years. His honors include the Conservative Movement’s Nathan H. Winter Award for Professional Excellence and lifetime achievement recognition from the South Orange/Maplewood Interfaith Holocaust Remembrance Service and Seton Hall’s Sister Rose Thering Jewish/Christian Studies Program.
For 28 years, Fine has also served on the faculty of the Jewish Theological Seminary, teaching Biblical Cantillation to future cantors.
Preregistration is required for the series. To register, email iadpr@aol.com.
