The various niggunin for “Vechol Ma’aminim.”
Growing up, I davened at the Vialypoler shtibel in Flatbush, where the mara d’asra, Rav Yosef Frankel, was the baal tefillah. His davening was filled with deep emotion, projecting a feeling of awe and reverence for Hashem, and filled the kehillah — people of all ages — with hope and fortitude for the coming year. Very wisely, he had the young boys — under the direction of Reb Davie Farber —stand up front during many parts of the tefillah, including “Vechol Ma’aminim,” and “assist” the Rav with davening. In this way, we were able to join and feel part of the Rav’s warm davening. To this day, some 35 to 40 years later, those stirring niggunim still resonate with me. During these special days, when I meet people who attended the same shul, we sometimes take a minute to chant those beautiful, stirring niggunim which were instilled in our youth.
I’m waiting for the exquisite “Haben Yakir Li” composed by Louis Lewandowski. I remember hearing that sung for the first time back in 1989, when I walked into the Moscow Choral Synagogue during the chazzan and choir rehearsals.
I would say “Ki Anu Amecha.” To me, that’s the essence of Yamim Noraim, to sing about the fact that we are Hashem’s nation. To feel safe and secure in His hands. To feel proud that He is our King.
For me personally, the nusach used in Yeshiva Torah Vodaath for the Unesaneh Tokef tefillah has always been the biggest source of hisorerus. The nusach itself is very melodic, and for the “Kevakoras” section I use either the Regesh composition or the well-known niggun for “Habeit miShamayim.” Another special part is the Modzhitzer tune for “Ein Kitzvah”— a very fitting introduction to Kedushah.
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