Kabbalat Shabbat Services with Spike Kraus, our musical guest and our lay service leaders. The evening will include a Chanukah Musical Program: A mix of original Spike Kraus Chanukah songs and some old favorites. Coffee and dessert will follow services.
Shabbat morning services will begin with Birchot HaShachar — the morning blessings — and then segue directly into the Torah Service while Spike joins our Limmud Students. He’ll return to the bimah and lead us in additional morning prayers and then his featured presentation, “The Spirituality of Secular Music”. This sing-a-long program uses popular music from a variety of genres to explore Jewish middot (values) and texts from a lens outside the Jewish tradition. The presentation is set up as a page of Talmud, with song lyrics being tied directly to quotations from Jewish text.
After kiddush, motzi and our communal oneg lunch, all are welcome to return to the Sanctuary at 1:00 PM, for a post-oneg program, Music as Midrash: A text-based workshop using Spike’s music to explore the concept of midrash–why it’s important, and how contemporary Jewish songwriting is a modern practice of midrash – answering questions and re-framing these ancient words for the 21st century.
With gratitude and appreciation to Rabbi Sid and Sandy Perlstein for their underwriting of this program in memory of Rabbi Sid’s father, Allan Schwarz.
Boston based Jacob ‘Spike’ Kraus is a 32-year old singer-songwriter, educator, and innovator. Spike’s music has been included in the cantorial curriculum of Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion, and is featured by Jewish Rock Radio & PJ Library. Spike has been performing for two decades at synagogues, Jewish day schools, and summer camps. Having just finished a three-year stint as the Artist-In-Residence at Temple Israel of West Bloomfield (the largest synagogue in North America), Spike now tours Jewish communities across the country as a performer, teacher, composer, consultant, and energetically joyful individual.
Spike graduated from Muhlenberg College in the spring of 2013 with a degree in music. He released his first album “Shake Off the Dust” (2014) one year later, featuring the smash hit “What Makes You Glow,” known endearingly in most circles as “Fish Swim”. His sophomore release “Cornerstones” (2017) introduced a contemporary style to Spike’s sound, catapulting his music into the 21st century. With the release of his genre-defining project “Light Up the Night” (2019), Spike changed the sound of Chanukah music forever. His music is inspired by prominent pop, rock, and folk artists of the last 60 years, but also heavily influenced by jazz and classical traditions. Spike can pivot from crafting an electronic, rock and roll dance song, to composing a four-part choral arrangement with accompanying instrumental score— truly a “jack of all trades”. Yet it’s in knowing which approach is right for which community that his mastery truly shines.
The son of a rabbi, and the product of Jewish school and summer camp, Spike brings more than musicality to his work. His intimate knowledge of the Hebrew language, Jewish texts, and culture adds depth to his songs and real authenticity to his role as a music educator. Al shlosha d’varim…the three things that Spike stands on: deep understanding of Jewish content; musicianship of the highest caliber; and an infectious energy and joy for his work. You can hear Spike’s music anywhere music is streamed or sold, and find out more about him at www.jacobspikekraus.com
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