Rabbi David Mevorach Seidenberg – composer

Rabbi David Mevorach Seidenberg began composing at the beginning of COVID, and has focused on developing his skills in new varieties of music over the past few years. This includes liturgical music for the synagogue, classical instrumental music, and some jazz. Some of those liturgical songs have already become staples in local synagogue and Jewish life. David’s strongest musical influences include Bach, Yes, and the Sefardic melodies of his family. 

When David is not exploring music, he researches and publishes on the intersections between Jewish thought and human rights, animal rights, and ecology, and is the author of the highly-regarded book “Kabbalah and Ecology: God’s Image in the More-Than-Human World” (Cambridge, 2015). He is also the creator of the website neohasid.org, which teaches old world nigunim (Hasidic songs) to new generations, and publishes a wealth of eco-Torah and Earth-centered and feminist liturgy. David is also a rabbi ordained by both the Jewish Theological Seminary and Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi z”l, and he is affiliated with the Conservative and Jewish Renewal movements. Locally, David runs Prayground Minyan and Torah Warriors (so-called because during lockdown the group continued weekly Torah study in 20° weather). David has lived in the Pioneer Valley for 16 years, and came here from California with his family, Riqi Kosovske, the rabbi of Beit Ahavah Reform synagogue, and their son Chanina.