Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; the whole world is filled with His glory. —Isaiah 6:3

Familiar to Jews as the heart of the Kedusha prayer within the Amidah, this verse has long been an integral part of the Catholic Mass as well. Known as the Sanctus, the Catholic version is sung in Latin. In June, Koleinu, the Jewish Community Chorus of Boston, will present different settings of this shared text by composers ranging from Mozart to Milhaud. Concerts are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on June 12 at Temple Sinai in Sharon and for 8:00 p.m. on June 16 at Temple Isaiah in Lexington.

Affiliated with the Jewish Music Institute at Hebrew College, Koleinu has performed Jewish choral music for diverse audiences since its inception in 2002. Open to adults of all ages, religions and musical backgrounds, this non-audition, 50-voice chorus rehearses at Berenson Hall on Thursday evenings.

"I joined the chorus to reconnect with my Jewish heritage and upbringing in a non-religious context, and to learn more about music and singing," says alto Ilona Fried P'83. "Learning about and singing Jewish music, in addition to being a lot of fun, has also been a very joyful and spiritual experience."

Along with the Kedusha and Sanctus, Koleinu's June concerts will feature arrangements of Hasidic, Ladino and liturgical works, and songs of Naomi Shemer. For more information, see koleinu.org.

back to top