December 12, 2022 • 38 mins
In today’s episode we will examine the origins of the concept of family trees and speak with the award-winning singer, songwriter and educator, Neshama Carlebach, about her artistry, inspirations, and the journey of understanding that she has taken as a direct result of her own family tree as the daughter of the renowned and musical Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach.
Neshama Carlebach is an award-winning singer, songwriter and educator who has performed and taught in cities around the world. She is a winner and four-time nominee in the Independent Music Awards for her most current release, Believe, and winner of the Global Music Awards Silver Award for Outstanding Performance by a female vocalist for the album. Neshama began performing from a young age, having come from a musical Jewish orthodox family. She shifted from performing her father’s music to writing her own, and now has her own presence in the Jewish and musical world, having sold over one million records, making her one of today’s best-selling Jewish artists in the world. For more information: https://neshamacarlebach.com/
To learn more about Tree Speech, please visit treespeechpodcast.com. We’re thrilled to be able to offer interviews, creative insights, and stories about the natural world we live in, and the trees who guide our way. Please consider supporting us through our Patreon - every contribution supports our production, and we’ll be giving gifts of gratitude including an invitation to Tree House, our new virtual community for patrons of all levels. Please also consider passing the word to tree loving folks, and rate and review us on Apple podcasts. Every kind word helps. Visit us also on instagram @ treespeechpodcast.
This week’s episode was written and recorded in Massachusetts on the native lands of the Wabanaki Confederacy, Pennacook, Massa-adchu-es-et, and Pawtucket people, in New York on the land of the Lenapee tribes.
Tree Speech’s host, Dori Robinson, is a director, playwright, dramaturg, and educator who seeks and develops projects exploring social consciousness, personal heritage, and the impact one individual can have on their own community. More information at https://www.dorirobinson.com
Logo design by Mill Riot. Special thanks to the Western Avenue Lofts and Studios for all their support.
Tree Speech is produced and co-written by Jonathan Zautner, a NYC-based artist who believes in the power of story-telling and community to change lives. As a founder of Alight Theater Guild, he is committed to nurturing authentic and creative voices in order to utilize art to promote wellness, joy, and care for our earth and one another. More information at https://jonathanzautner.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:09):
Author, Philip, Carr gomm. Once wrote the songs of our
ancestors are, also the songs ofour children family ancestry,
whether it is motivated by curiosity or striving to find
connection has created a multi-billion dollar industry as
more than 26 million people havetaken.
(00:30):
An ancestry tests in the last 10years, it's not difficult to see
why we are rooted in our ancestors, including their
physical and genetic traits. Yes.
But even more. So their lives and stories in
mod Newton's latest autobiographical book.
Ancestor trouble Newton, observes the stories, we tell
(00:54):
ourselves about our ancestors have the power to shape us.
It is Further interesting to note how our family lineages are
often called our family trees. But how did this tradition of
looking at our family lineage, as a tree begin?
And what happens if we don't find the answers that we seek
(01:15):
were guarding those trees? Or even find things that disrupt
our understanding, of our families and ourselves, In
today's episode, we will examinethe origins of the concept of
family trees and speak with award-winning singer song,
writer, and educator neshama carlebach about her Artistry
(01:37):
Inspirations and the journey of understanding that she has taken
as a direct result of her own family tree as the daughter of
the renowned and musical Rabbi Shlomo carlebach.
I am Dori Robinson. And this is tree speech.
A cast where we strive to listento the forest through the trees.
(01:58):
This week's episode was written and recorded in Massachusetts on
the native lands of the wabanakiConfederacy, Penacook
massachusett and Pawtucket people and in New York and the
land of the Lenape tribes. Tree speech is co-written and
produced by Jonathan's out, Nur with a light theater, Guild Some
people believe that the visual depiction of family trees with
(02:21):
family members on various branches and leaves began in
medieval art with the tree of Jesse and artistic depiction of
the ancestors of Jesus, of Nazareth.
The text on the image includes apassage from Isaiah, but a shoot
shell grow out of the stump of Jesse, a spring shall Sprout
(02:42):
from his stock. Jesse father of King David was
depicted as the Patrol route from which the ancestors of
Jesus. Sprung in the later medieval
period, the nobility adopted thetree as a symbol of lineage and
by the 18th century, family pedigrees were commonly referred
to as family trees, although thefoliage had disappeared and The
(03:06):
Roots appeared at the top ratherthan the base of the diagrams.
Genealogy comes from the ancientGreek, gonna Loggia, meaning the
making of a pedigree the and is the study of families family,
history and the tracing of theirlineages using among other
things. Oral interviews, historical
(03:27):
records and genetic analysis. People strive to demonstrate
kinship and pedigrees for many. The goal is to trace the
descendants of one person for others, it's to learn all sorts
of information. Genetic traits, DNA legal next
of kin or preserving family, traditions even More people
(03:49):
often want to figure out where the story of their family fits
in the larger story of the world, today's guest has had to
do this examination and personalways, but also on the public
stage, there are a few rare, wonderful things that came out
of the first year of the pandemic and for me meeting the
(04:12):
shama was one of them. An individual with an abundance
of generosity. She participated in over 300,
Zoom events from fundraisers to galavan's and life cycle moments
all to provide Solace comfort and uplifting music to
communities around the world. During a time when we all needed
(04:34):
it. So very much.
I met her working on one of these events and immediately
felt a sense of kinship Neshama began performing from a young
age, having come from a musical,Jewish Orthodox family later.
She sees practicing as an orthodox Jew.
Instead sparking public conversations about the place of
(04:55):
women in Judaism, even more. She shifted from performing her
father's music to writing her own.
All the while collaborating withperformers of various faiths and
music Styles neshama, now has her own presence in the Jewish
and Musical. Old having sold over 1 million
records. Making her one of today's best
(05:16):
selling Jewish artists in the world neshama and I spoke about
how her unique family tree has shaped her life.
Let's listen. Michela, it's so good to speak
with you. I was just saying to before
(05:38):
every time we speak, even if it's just for a few minutes, it
feels so wonderful and nourishing.
So thank you for making the timetoday.
It's my honor, truly, thanks forinviting me to be part of this
odd. This is gorgeous.
The theme of this episode is Family Tree, and I could think
of no better person to speak with the new because you have
such a rich story. Re and you come from a musical
(06:02):
family, your father, being the late Shlomo carlebach known
throughout the world as the singing Rabbi, what were some of
your earlier memories of music in your household.
So, I want you to also know thatmy mother side is also a very
musical family. My grandfather was a Cantor and
(06:22):
he hits a whole string of amazing stories about how my
grandparents escaped from Russiaand the 1900.
It's but one of the ways in which he escaped very bad fate,
as a Jew, was to sing. And from when he was 13 years
old, they would put him up on the table and he would sing my
grandfather died. I think he was 93 or 94 and he
(06:44):
sang all the time. He had an incredible Rich voice
and my one of my mom had four older brothers.
One of them played clarinet in an orchestra like in a very big
Orchestra and another one of my uncle's name was Sir Cyril
Irving. Glick.
He was a composer who won like incredible.
We grew up in Canada and he won the governor general award for
(07:09):
his compositions. But I definitely feel like my
music comes from both sides of my lineage from all sides of my
tree, and it's definitely very much alive in my children.
Both of my children are prodigious musicians and I feel,
I feel very much like it's the, it's the breath.
It's the air. In my life, it's not that.
(07:32):
Oh, I had music in my home, as Ithink my home was music growing
up. It was filling every space.
Every corner it is. It is the fabric of our breath.
It's who we are. That's just so beautiful.
What a beautiful image and it seems so true of you.
Thank you. I just came to me must be
because of you I was going to say it's because you're a
(07:55):
songwriter, that's something I think about especially at Will
speak as a Jew. Is that the people who sang are
also very much keepers of stories, your descendant of a
cancer. I mean you.
So you have that extra layer of being the keeper of stories.
Thank you. I love that.
(08:15):
My father used to say, as long as we tell stories, we never get
old. Mmm, because our stories are
what gives us life and I think that's actually really true.
And, you know, it is as we're thinking about the analogy or
The connection to the Earth and to trees.
It's true. Because it's our truth, it's Our
Roots, it's where we've come from.
(08:37):
And when we can plug into it, italways gives us life.
You know, when we're proud of our Journeys, whether the
stories are painful or extravagantly.
Gorgeous. We have so many stories, each of
us so many Journeys. So many intersecting branches.
And when we can connect to ourselves, we do have life.
(08:57):
I believe it. I absolutely believe that
stories and music are a life force for us.
Yeah, keep us growing. Yes, I wanted to share this with
you. I'm just going to, you know, you
didn't ask me, but about this. But when we first started to
speak about your love of trees and this podcast, I wanted to
share this little word of Torah with you.
(09:19):
You know, from my jewy self because, you know, I can't help
it. My father used to say you have
to have a cash Torah on you, like It's like going out with a
five, you know, like you just just in case you need to pick
something up, you just have likesomething in your pocket.
So there are few Torres that I've held my whole life, kind of
(09:39):
like the cash Torah in my pocketin case of need.
So this is one of those tours. That's really kept me going.
The amazing thing about to be Schwarz which is the anniversary
of the tree that the birthday ofthe earth is that in most places
in the world, the trees are deadin most places, when that hot
that I'm of year when it comes around, there are no leaves,
(10:03):
it's cold outside. The the tree.
Look sad, you know? And then we learn that.
That is the trees birthday. So why is that?
Why is it that the birthday is celebrated not in the depth of
Summer? Why is the tree celebrated in
time where that's cold? So, the Kabbalah says, which is
(10:23):
actually very interesting and I think there's probably
dissertations to be written about this concept actually.
That onto bishvat on that day. Something extraordinary happens
from the inside of the earth andthe sap from the bottom, and the
inside of the earth comes up through the ground to nourish
the tree. And so the tree may have been
(10:44):
sad at the tree may have thought.
Everything is over. I'm done now.
There's nothing left for me. And then suddenly on that day of
the birthday, the sap starts to come in to see pin from the
inside and it's a secret. It's not not for the world to
see, it's not big branches, it'snot cherry blossoms, it's not
flowers, it's from the inside ofthe world, to the inside of the
(11:06):
tree and that's that's the birthday.
Because I think we sometimes putso much emphasis on what happens
on the outside and the external affirmation what everyone
reflects back to us about something meaningful.
And we learn, it's like, it's not about anything else, it's
not about what happens on the outside.
(11:26):
It really is about the story. It's about the roots, it's about
the sap. It's about what you're receiving
on the inside that nourishes. You, and I love that.
I love thinking that. That's, that's the anniversary
to acknowledge and celebrate. Eight.
And so I give that, that little thought that Holy, Holy
intention over to you, we have to learn from the trees on every
(11:48):
single level but that that always that sustains me that
thought. That is such a beautiful thought
and it's so true. Even while dormant that there's
nourishment happening, That You Don't See on the outside, easy
on the inside, want to treasure,yes, but you have to receive it
(12:11):
right? The job to receive if you don't
receive it, you know, you don't receive but it's always coming
up for you and I really believe.Also, it's in those moments
where it's the most dark or it'sthe most cold, that's like when
we're at the end when we think, you know, no one remembers us
that's when the love comes in. If you receive You think we all
(12:33):
have a lot to learn from that thought, actually, well and you
hit on a good point that it comes from the roots, we think
of trees in their biggest Bloom and of course I'm in New
England. So we often think of trees in
the fall. So we're always looking at sort
of the top and the extension, but not the roots.
Yes. Yeah.
(12:53):
So how did you start to receive neshama?
How did you start to what when you are receiving this music?
What made you take it from the roots and branches?
Branch out with it in your own way as your own music maker.
So only a few years ago, did I, did I begin to receive from the
inside? Took me a really long time.
(13:14):
I was in a very sad place and could I have received earlier
possibly, but I wasn't, I wasn'topen to it, for whatever reason,
everyone has their journey. I had to like really go through
incredible loss and pain for my spirit to open and to see my own
worth and to begin to sing from a place that was really me as
(13:35):
opposed to just trying to reflect the outside.
I think I spent too much of my life trying to emulate my
father. Resuscitate, my father, you
know, bring him back, honor him.I don't know why I had that
compulsion actually, but I thinkit if I had a debt to him, I
(13:55):
think I've paid it and I'm really, I'm very, very grateful
that I was able to to wake up one day and to decide that I
wanted to, you know I kind of make the joke like to leave my
parents basement. And move out on my own.
And when that happened, when I was, I think I was able to be a
human, and a mom and a partner and an artist but that only just
(14:19):
happened just a few years ago. So I'm all brand new, you're a
sapling, I'm selling, like you're still the sapling, I love
that as a fellow rabbi's daughter.
I do think that we see both in the household and in our
spirituality. Tea and in our religious
community how how it is done by someone else leading and then to
(14:45):
it takes a lot of Bravery to go on your own, and make it your
own, and to find your own voice.And to keep growing from that
agreed. Agreed.
We're all we got very caught up in what we think people want to
hear or like to hear or what? We wish we sounded like or look
like. And I think it takes a
(15:06):
tremendous Amount of inner work and perseverance to push all of
that aside. And I think that's my, I mean,
besides my children, my greatestaccomplishment has been my
ability to to surpass my own expectation of myself and and
wake up to who I was meant to bebefore.
I was 90, you have stated that you believe that music is our
(15:33):
connection to the Divine, every blade of grass, Every bit of
creation had its own Melody. Every part of creation was a
symphony that was how they spoketo one another.
And on this podcast, we do a lotof examining.
How trees communicate with each other and with us.
Can you expand on this melody ofNature and can we hear This
(15:58):
Magnificent symphony today? I hope we can.
I hope I think that the greatestsadness is that we Not attuned
to the songs of nature, because if every blade of grass is
singing, then how much is every human being singing?
We Miss, we miss it so much, butI think that if you go outside
(16:22):
and you close your eyes, you canabsolutely choose to tune in and
you'll feel it. It might take some time, it's
not immediate but it is there. I promise that's also a cupola
that that amazing concept that when God created the world,
World, he created, he, she created the world with some and
I definitely feel it when I go outside.
(16:43):
Sometimes I just, if I'm having a hard day, I just have to walk
outside and breathe. And I don't know if that happens
for you. It's really, really special and
precious. So I think I think people people
can do anything if they choose, but you have to be open to it.
You have to decide, you have to receive exactly.
I think that there's a world of to-do lists out there that I am.
(17:07):
He was so being outside can really make the difference,
really I'm going inward. So let's talk more about your
journey, family trees are complicated and you had to meet
these challenges in a public waywith such Grace, and compassion
and integrity. How were you able to hold such
(17:27):
space for your own? Needs your own faith and the
legacy of your family. So my father Rabbi Shlomo was is
is an extraordinary human being who had a whole lot of stuff,
gorgeous stuff and painful stuff.
And when he passed away in 1994,I took over his work in order to
(17:51):
support my family because if I had not gone to work, we would
not have had our home. It's very recently that I've
started to be honest about that when people would ask me why are
you singing I tell folks to remember my father and I love
him so much and I want to keep him here.
And that was definitely true. I think Tim also to my
detriment, but we were impoverished and had I not gone
(18:16):
to work, we would not have have survived my family, we would
have lost our home. And so I went to work to sustain
him and hold him, singing his music all over the world and
several years after he passed several women wrote an article
in Lilith magazine Dean talking about how he had abused them
(18:40):
sexually in his life. And when that happened, when
that came out, I was Orthodox atthe time.
And so when I say I was singing my father's music and I speak
about the community of my childhood.
There is, it's very complicated.So, when the allegations came
out, it was 1998, everyone around me, declared that these
women were Liars, they're lying,and they're only doing so now
(19:05):
for their own and I don't know what what anyone gains speaking
about pain, and they're liars. And you're my father was
perfect. He was, he was the Messiah.
And so God forbid, and at that time, I was very Orthodox, and I
had accepted my space. As an orthodox woman, is being
(19:27):
less than I am. I'm not strong because I'm a
woman, I'm deficient because I'ma woman.
I said, Shalom Sonny shot. There was a there was a blessing
that you say, thank you God, youknow, sorry I didn't say it.
I acknowledge that men around mewould say she lost on E Esha.
The thank you. God, for not making me a woman
(19:48):
and that didn't offend me, I'm offended.
Now, as I look back that I was not offended but that was my
world. Like God, you made me as you
made me and there's no choice inthat and then everyone around me
was like, well, you're too bad. Someone didn't have a son
because you Could have been something and I apologized for
my existence all the time. And I was a woman who had been
(20:11):
hurt as well and no one believedme and I didn't know how to hold
my own pain. So when the people in my life
told me that the women who came forward to reveal their stories
about my father and they were Liars, I believe them.
And I've had the opportunity publicly to apologize for that
(20:33):
because I'm ashamed that I wasn't stronger at the time,
because I would have I have had a very different reaction then I
had, if I had been stronger and I was not so we go through our
lives. 1998, he's not here. There's no trial, there's no,
(20:54):
you know, I mean, there's, he's not here anymore to present any
kind of story or two to receive whatever Justice he would have
received. And I, as his daughter continue
to hold this everyday, people would talk to me about.
It asked me about it and I wouldnever comment in 2017 and here I
(21:14):
am going through my whole cycle of life and, you know, my my
seasonal change, my shedding of Leaves and fall.
I'm taking this analogy way too far for you.
During when I got divorced in 2012, I stopped being Orthodox.
So when I stopping Orthodox, I began to spend time with, with
(21:36):
Jews who were not Orthodox, which meant that women could
sing before 2012. Before I decided I wanted a
different kind of community. I never knew any women who sang?
I didn't have any sisters who did this, I was The only woman
in a room full of very aggressive men, that was how I
felt pretty much all the time inmy career, having to navigate
(22:00):
having to you know, bring my father in almost like a like an
indivisible bodyguard. You know, my father said, my
father said, you know, because Icouldn't I knew I wasn't enough
on my own but when I met women who could sing I began to
appreciate the value of being a woman, It took me a really long
(22:21):
time and when I began to appreciate who I was and
appreciate them, my world shifted completely, and my
relationship with God shifted, my relationship with my with my
Artistry shifted and then when the me to moment began in 2017.
And the allegations against my father resurfaced, I had a very
(22:45):
different reaction. And I think it was mostly
because of the inner work that Ihad done and because I was no
longer afraid to see that women don't lie.
What does it mean to receive? Someone's truth?
You know, it means. You have to see things that
hurt. You means that you need to, you
need to breathe through your ownreaction, to their truth, to
(23:08):
hold them to be present for themand hearing that.
My father had done these things.Before I couldn't.
I couldn't hear it at all. It was.
And it was About their pain was about mine.
You know when you're when you'rein pain is really hard to hold
other people and that was me fora very long time and when the
allegations resurfaced it was like it was a massive Epiphany
(23:32):
for me. My I just saw my whole life, I
saw my whole world, I saw my father, I saw myself.
And I heard I heard them. I knew it was true.
I knew it. that must have been very
(23:59):
difficult to acknowledge and sitin and hold space for What did
you do next? I decided I wanted to dedicate
my life to hearing and to being an activist.
So I began to respond. I began to write and wrote
(24:20):
several articles speaking, very specifically to how it felt to
hold the truth about someone. I love so much and didn't love
very much at the same time once I started to have to hold all of
that and And even as I was goingthrough, all of these revelatory
(24:40):
moments, that did not stop, my family, my music, my father, and
me from being canceled. And I think, actually, I'm still
canceled. I don't, I don't know.
What am I supposed to feel differently to be uncanceled
versus canceled? I don't know.
It's hard to say, sometimes I think I'm no longer canceled,
but I didn't really understand what that was in the first
(25:00):
place. I really, I have I have respect
for the concept of cancellation because it would Be really
lovely to go back in time and, you know, and just fast-forward
and Rewind as needed, and take out the sad parts and I, you
know, I grew up in a Land of Fairytales.
So I would love to have that mechanism.
That would allow me to cancel the things that are hard.
(25:23):
But even taking my family aside,and my own cancellation, which
has many ramifications on my spirit, I really think that
holding all of the parts of our Journeys.
I really believe that that's what makes us the best us that
we can be the best version of ourselves.
And if I could go back and uncanceled myself and change the
(25:47):
pain, that brought me here, I don't think I would do it.
I think I would rather. I would rather have lived
through what I've lived through and be strong.
I would rather have had my journey and burned up
completely, and found something new then stayed where I was.
Was without the pain and that's a very large thing to say and I
realized that that's not for everyone.
(26:08):
There were a lot of people who need to avoid and I understand
why I respect the fear of pain, the fear of Truth.
And I really feel very proud of myself that I was able to to
just hold it to just stand in itand be in it.
And so when you asked me about my journey and about my
complicated family tree, I guesseveryone knows why you're
(26:32):
asking. Asking me that question.
There's a why according to otherpeople and why your own Journey
throughout. It, I mean, being in the family
is so different from reading about the family.
Again I just have to double downwith my appreciation of you.
You are Carl buff, your name is Carl back as well but you are
(26:55):
you who you are, how you've grown.
I'm sure you've heard this in, some way, shape, or form, but
it's something teachers, say allthe time that the flower isn't
growing You don't yell at the flower.
You examine the environment and say it's a getting too much,
sun, too much shade, not the right soil.
What's you did that? Work of looking at your
(27:15):
environment and saying how am I going to shift this?
And you could have absolutely left Judaism.
All together you could have, youcould have shut it all down and
he sat in the discomfort. That is something that we're
struggling with as a nation to sit with the discomfort as we
speak about all sorts of things.The I'm in crisis, race isn't
(27:36):
like how we sit in discomfort and that's, that's your journey,
that's specific to you. Well, I think it's all of our
Journeys in one way or another and by the way.
So much of, you know, the systemic issues that we are
facing now, come from an avoidance of this issue, you
spoke before about the internal work, you did along during your
(27:59):
journey and it makes me think ofyour story about the tree
receiving sap receiving. There's there's been a lot of
internal work done. You have so much richness from
your whole family and from whatever family means to you.
Now how does that continue to influence you?
I think it influences me just that I feel open and grateful
(28:22):
right now. I hope that there will be more
recording ahead. The pandemic began just as my
10th recording dropped and so wewere about to tour our recording
called believe which was huge. A huge, amazing accomplishment
was my first recording of original music and I had taken
so much time to really figure out what I wanted to say and I
(28:45):
feel like I haven't yet begun tooffer those those songs to the
world, because everything changed everything stopped.
I'm working on my Memoir. I just signed with an agent
which is very exciting. Congratulations, thank you.
I feel very blessed and gratefulthat I'm able to share my story
and I hope that when the Becausereleased that my story helps to
(29:08):
empower and Inspire women, especially as we continue on
this on this road, you know, there's a tremendous work ahead
and we need to empower and love each other.
And so, I hope very much that mystory will be a part of the
fabric of that work and that's where my heart is these days.
I think your Memoir will probably be incredibly impactful
(29:32):
and I'm looking forward to reading it.
Thank you, chef. ER so much wisdom and just in a
few minutes sitting with you. I can't even imagine a whole
book so if that's what's next for you story telling lies, is
there anything musically that you haven't yet done?
Because I know you collaborate with people of all different
backgrounds, you found your own voice, you have this song called
(29:55):
believe of all things. What's next for you?
Musically? I don't know.
That's my truth, I don't know. And when you say I found my own
voice, that's it's very gracious.
I don't know that I have, I'm still, I'm very much a work in
progress. I'm very much searching and
seeking, I'll tell you what I'm very, very inspired by though.
(30:15):
At this particular moment, the musical Hades town.
Have you seen it? I have seen it and I absolutely
love it. I am obsessed, I'm obsessed.
I listen to it all the time, andI'm gaining such depth and
Truth. From the story from the
brilliant composition and I don't know yet what's next for
(30:36):
me but I am feeling inspiration from this body of work and I
feel like if there's going to bea portal to just to knowledge.
And next steps I feel like it's going to come to me while I'm
listening to these songs. It's just it's going to happen.
I don't know what it is. No no pressure to the musical.
A musical that really really does shed light on people's
(30:59):
flaws, what people's needs and their hurt and with with a
fusion of jazz and folk all these elements.
Yes. Well to tell you in particular,
like the part that has just likeshattered me and opened me.
And then shattered me again, when you're talking about the
road to Hell, nothing works out.Sometimes things don't work out
(31:22):
at all and you still you sing the songs, still you sing.
Anyway, still you try to bring the spring with your song
because you can't control the wind.
You can only pray that if you are touched by Holiness and
divine energy that someone out there will hear you and that
your voice will bring some kind of healing and even if it
(31:43):
doesn't, you're going to keep singing.
Anyway, we're going to keep trying anyway, we're going to
raise a glass to those who fall apart and then stand up again.
I really encourage all of you who haven't seen it.
Just at least Out the music. It's just Divine.
It's really. It's holy stuff.
Holy holy. Neshama.
Thank you so much for joining ustoday.
(32:05):
And I know I keep saying this, but your wisdom is such a
treasure. I so appreciate your time and
everything that you share from Torah to music to just the
humility. As a person to say, I don't
know. I'm a work in progress.
It's so special to have you. Thank you love.
Thank you, Jonathan. Thank you.
(32:27):
This was a delight. Thank you so much.
There is a Chinese proverb stating that to forget.
One's ancestors, is to be a brook without a source a tree
without a root. Remembering is valuable yes.
(32:50):
But what one does with that information is even more
important. In fact, the metaphor of the
family tree may need to be examined as well as we
acknowledge the widening definition of what constitutes a
family. An example of this work includes
Ohio historical. Three connections 2021 Workshop
series, which focused on researching single ancestors to
(33:13):
create a more inclusive family tree and exploring methods for
researching the lineage of non-dominant groups, including
women, people of color, and lgbtq plus people likewise the
educational Community has begun to focus on how to teach
inclusive genealogy and family history, to students teachers
(33:34):
are rethinking. Family, tree, assignments, that
That don't include non nuclear family structures.
Don't consider access to information or are not
trauma-informed. What makes real family is
different for all of us. If our family and even more our
ancestors and our family tree ismeant to guide and support us,
(33:56):
then, I can look around my community and see far more
familial relationships and branches in my world.
This is all reflected in nature as well.
Professor of forest ecology. Dr. Suzanne simmered has written
extensively on mycorrhizal fungior networks the symbiotic
association between fungus and plant which links the roots of
(34:20):
trees and forests. Her research has demonstrated
that the oldest trees and forests connect to all others.
These Hub, trees are also known as mother trees, and they share
carbon and nitrogen. Arjun with the hundreds of young
seedlings around them. What if we took a cue from
(34:40):
nature and instead of only considering a family tree
invited in a family forest, how am I shifting our perspective on
family structures shift, our paths, where might we put our
energy and resources? I often return to my family home
during the winter holidays. There's a small table filled
(35:02):
with photos of the family. Each frame specially chosen to
proudly hold the precious, snapshot memory.
I've taken to scrutinizing each image, perhaps looking for
answers or guidance. Do I walk in their footsteps?
Am I accomplishing as much or furthering?
Their causes do? I make them proud.
(35:25):
Perhaps I'm asking The wrong questions instead of asking how
my family lineage should guide. My next steps, I could Ponder
how I create a branch or even a sapling one that is fully my own
unique to me and the life. I live in our first episode of
this podcast season. We examined the Greek myth of
(35:48):
Persephone this Tale. The story of Seasons changing of
people trying to grow and becomebetter versions.
Of themselves of experiencing loss and hardship yet somehow
finding the motivation and love to keep moving forward.
This tale continues to resonate with so many including the
(36:10):
shama. She mentioned, the Broadway
musical Hades town, which is a modern retelling of this myth.
That's the thing about myths, be, they, the Greek variety or
the stories of our families. We passed down through
generations. Neshama shows us that while our
family trees May inform the pastevents that have led us into
(36:33):
being. We also have the power to
reroute the course with our own lives.
She speaks of being her own sapling, as when she was finally
able to fully be a mom, a partner and an artist and
reminds me that we can sit at the foot of our family trees.
And also create a new Branch, a new story, a new song.
(36:57):
Haiti's Town ends with a musicaltoast, a blessing for the actors
and also the audience who have all shared their time together,
and we'll now go away on their own into their separate lives
outside of the theater. Persephone sings some flowers.
(37:25):
But the ones who blew in the bitter snow, we raise our cups.
We raise our cups to them. Our deep gratitude for neshama
for joining us today and for hervulnerability and inspiring
(37:46):
truth. Thank you for joining tree
speech today To learn more aboutour podcast and episodes.
Please visit tree speech. Podcast.com we're thrilled to be
able to offer interviews, creative insights and stories
(38:07):
about the natural world we live in and the trees who guide our
way. Please also consider supporting
us through our patreon. Every contribution supports our
production and will be given Gifts of gratitude including an
invitation to Treehouse our new virtual community for patrons of
all levels. Please also consider passing the
(38:28):
word to tree-loving, folks, and rate and review us on Apple
podcasts. Every kind word helps.
Author, Philip, Carr gomm. Once wrote the songs of our
ancestors are, also the songs ofour children family ancestry,
whether it is motivated by curiosity or striving to find
connection has created a multi-billion dollar industry as
more than 26 million people havetaken.
(00:30):
An ancestry tests in the last 10years, it's not difficult to see
why we are rooted in our ancestors, including their
physical and genetic traits. Yes.
But even more. So their lives and stories in
mod Newton's latest autobiographical book.
Ancestor trouble Newton, observes the stories, we tell
(00:54):
ourselves about our ancestors have the power to shape us.
It is Further interesting to note how our family lineages are
often called our family trees. But how did this tradition of
looking at our family lineage, as a tree begin?
And what happens if we don't find the answers that we seek
(01:15):
were guarding those trees? Or even find things that disrupt
our understanding, of our families and ourselves, In
today's episode, we will examinethe origins of the concept of
family trees and speak with award-winning singer song,
writer, and educator neshama carlebach about her Artistry
(01:37):
Inspirations and the journey of understanding that she has taken
as a direct result of her own family tree as the daughter of
the renowned and musical Rabbi Shlomo carlebach.
I am Dori Robinson. And this is tree speech.
A cast where we strive to listento the forest through the trees.
(01:58):
This week's episode was written and recorded in Massachusetts on
the native lands of the wabanakiConfederacy, Penacook
massachusett and Pawtucket people and in New York and the
land of the Lenape tribes. Tree speech is co-written and
produced by Jonathan's out, Nur with a light theater, Guild Some
people believe that the visual depiction of family trees with
(02:21):
family members on various branches and leaves began in
medieval art with the tree of Jesse and artistic depiction of
the ancestors of Jesus, of Nazareth.
The text on the image includes apassage from Isaiah, but a shoot
shell grow out of the stump of Jesse, a spring shall Sprout
(02:42):
from his stock. Jesse father of King David was
depicted as the Patrol route from which the ancestors of
Jesus. Sprung in the later medieval
period, the nobility adopted thetree as a symbol of lineage and
by the 18th century, family pedigrees were commonly referred
to as family trees, although thefoliage had disappeared and The
(03:06):
Roots appeared at the top ratherthan the base of the diagrams.
Genealogy comes from the ancientGreek, gonna Loggia, meaning the
making of a pedigree the and is the study of families family,
history and the tracing of theirlineages using among other
things. Oral interviews, historical
(03:27):
records and genetic analysis. People strive to demonstrate
kinship and pedigrees for many. The goal is to trace the
descendants of one person for others, it's to learn all sorts
of information. Genetic traits, DNA legal next
of kin or preserving family, traditions even More people
(03:49):
often want to figure out where the story of their family fits
in the larger story of the world, today's guest has had to
do this examination and personalways, but also on the public
stage, there are a few rare, wonderful things that came out
of the first year of the pandemic and for me meeting the
(04:12):
shama was one of them. An individual with an abundance
of generosity. She participated in over 300,
Zoom events from fundraisers to galavan's and life cycle moments
all to provide Solace comfort and uplifting music to
communities around the world. During a time when we all needed
(04:34):
it. So very much.
I met her working on one of these events and immediately
felt a sense of kinship Neshama began performing from a young
age, having come from a musical,Jewish Orthodox family later.
She sees practicing as an orthodox Jew.
Instead sparking public conversations about the place of
(04:55):
women in Judaism, even more. She shifted from performing her
father's music to writing her own.
All the while collaborating withperformers of various faiths and
music Styles neshama, now has her own presence in the Jewish
and Musical. Old having sold over 1 million
records. Making her one of today's best
(05:16):
selling Jewish artists in the world neshama and I spoke about
how her unique family tree has shaped her life.
Let's listen. Michela, it's so good to speak
with you. I was just saying to before
(05:38):
every time we speak, even if it's just for a few minutes, it
feels so wonderful and nourishing.
So thank you for making the timetoday.
It's my honor, truly, thanks forinviting me to be part of this
odd. This is gorgeous.
The theme of this episode is Family Tree, and I could think
of no better person to speak with the new because you have
such a rich story. Re and you come from a musical
(06:02):
family, your father, being the late Shlomo carlebach known
throughout the world as the singing Rabbi, what were some of
your earlier memories of music in your household.
So, I want you to also know thatmy mother side is also a very
musical family. My grandfather was a Cantor and
(06:22):
he hits a whole string of amazing stories about how my
grandparents escaped from Russiaand the 1900.
It's but one of the ways in which he escaped very bad fate,
as a Jew, was to sing. And from when he was 13 years
old, they would put him up on the table and he would sing my
grandfather died. I think he was 93 or 94 and he
(06:44):
sang all the time. He had an incredible Rich voice
and my one of my mom had four older brothers.
One of them played clarinet in an orchestra like in a very big
Orchestra and another one of my uncle's name was Sir Cyril
Irving. Glick.
He was a composer who won like incredible.
We grew up in Canada and he won the governor general award for
(07:09):
his compositions. But I definitely feel like my
music comes from both sides of my lineage from all sides of my
tree, and it's definitely very much alive in my children.
Both of my children are prodigious musicians and I feel,
I feel very much like it's the, it's the breath.
It's the air. In my life, it's not that.
(07:32):
Oh, I had music in my home, as Ithink my home was music growing
up. It was filling every space.
Every corner it is. It is the fabric of our breath.
It's who we are. That's just so beautiful.
What a beautiful image and it seems so true of you.
Thank you. I just came to me must be
because of you I was going to say it's because you're a
(07:55):
songwriter, that's something I think about especially at Will
speak as a Jew. Is that the people who sang are
also very much keepers of stories, your descendant of a
cancer. I mean you.
So you have that extra layer of being the keeper of stories.
Thank you. I love that.
(08:15):
My father used to say, as long as we tell stories, we never get
old. Mmm, because our stories are
what gives us life and I think that's actually really true.
And, you know, it is as we're thinking about the analogy or
The connection to the Earth and to trees.
It's true. Because it's our truth, it's Our
Roots, it's where we've come from.
(08:37):
And when we can plug into it, italways gives us life.
You know, when we're proud of our Journeys, whether the
stories are painful or extravagantly.
Gorgeous. We have so many stories, each of
us so many Journeys. So many intersecting branches.
And when we can connect to ourselves, we do have life.
(08:57):
I believe it. I absolutely believe that
stories and music are a life force for us.
Yeah, keep us growing. Yes, I wanted to share this with
you. I'm just going to, you know, you
didn't ask me, but about this. But when we first started to
speak about your love of trees and this podcast, I wanted to
share this little word of Torah with you.
(09:19):
You know, from my jewy self because, you know, I can't help
it. My father used to say you have
to have a cash Torah on you, like It's like going out with a
five, you know, like you just just in case you need to pick
something up, you just have likesomething in your pocket.
So there are few Torres that I've held my whole life, kind of
(09:39):
like the cash Torah in my pocketin case of need.
So this is one of those tours. That's really kept me going.
The amazing thing about to be Schwarz which is the anniversary
of the tree that the birthday ofthe earth is that in most places
in the world, the trees are deadin most places, when that hot
that I'm of year when it comes around, there are no leaves,
(10:03):
it's cold outside. The the tree.
Look sad, you know? And then we learn that.
That is the trees birthday. So why is that?
Why is it that the birthday is celebrated not in the depth of
Summer? Why is the tree celebrated in
time where that's cold? So, the Kabbalah says, which is
(10:23):
actually very interesting and I think there's probably
dissertations to be written about this concept actually.
That onto bishvat on that day. Something extraordinary happens
from the inside of the earth andthe sap from the bottom, and the
inside of the earth comes up through the ground to nourish
the tree. And so the tree may have been
(10:44):
sad at the tree may have thought.
Everything is over. I'm done now.
There's nothing left for me. And then suddenly on that day of
the birthday, the sap starts to come in to see pin from the
inside and it's a secret. It's not not for the world to
see, it's not big branches, it'snot cherry blossoms, it's not
flowers, it's from the inside ofthe world, to the inside of the
(11:06):
tree and that's that's the birthday.
Because I think we sometimes putso much emphasis on what happens
on the outside and the external affirmation what everyone
reflects back to us about something meaningful.
And we learn, it's like, it's not about anything else, it's
not about what happens on the outside.
(11:26):
It really is about the story. It's about the roots, it's about
the sap. It's about what you're receiving
on the inside that nourishes. You, and I love that.
I love thinking that. That's, that's the anniversary
to acknowledge and celebrate. Eight.
And so I give that, that little thought that Holy, Holy
intention over to you, we have to learn from the trees on every
(11:48):
single level but that that always that sustains me that
thought. That is such a beautiful thought
and it's so true. Even while dormant that there's
nourishment happening, That You Don't See on the outside, easy
on the inside, want to treasure,yes, but you have to receive it
(12:11):
right? The job to receive if you don't
receive it, you know, you don't receive but it's always coming
up for you and I really believe.Also, it's in those moments
where it's the most dark or it'sthe most cold, that's like when
we're at the end when we think, you know, no one remembers us
that's when the love comes in. If you receive You think we all
(12:33):
have a lot to learn from that thought, actually, well and you
hit on a good point that it comes from the roots, we think
of trees in their biggest Bloom and of course I'm in New
England. So we often think of trees in
the fall. So we're always looking at sort
of the top and the extension, but not the roots.
Yes. Yeah.
(12:53):
So how did you start to receive neshama?
How did you start to what when you are receiving this music?
What made you take it from the roots and branches?
Branch out with it in your own way as your own music maker.
So only a few years ago, did I, did I begin to receive from the
inside? Took me a really long time.
(13:14):
I was in a very sad place and could I have received earlier
possibly, but I wasn't, I wasn'topen to it, for whatever reason,
everyone has their journey. I had to like really go through
incredible loss and pain for my spirit to open and to see my own
worth and to begin to sing from a place that was really me as
(13:35):
opposed to just trying to reflect the outside.
I think I spent too much of my life trying to emulate my
father. Resuscitate, my father, you
know, bring him back, honor him.I don't know why I had that
compulsion actually, but I thinkit if I had a debt to him, I
(13:55):
think I've paid it and I'm really, I'm very, very grateful
that I was able to to wake up one day and to decide that I
wanted to, you know I kind of make the joke like to leave my
parents basement. And move out on my own.
And when that happened, when I was, I think I was able to be a
human, and a mom and a partner and an artist but that only just
(14:19):
happened just a few years ago. So I'm all brand new, you're a
sapling, I'm selling, like you're still the sapling, I love
that as a fellow rabbi's daughter.
I do think that we see both in the household and in our
spirituality. Tea and in our religious
community how how it is done by someone else leading and then to
(14:45):
it takes a lot of Bravery to go on your own, and make it your
own, and to find your own voice.And to keep growing from that
agreed. Agreed.
We're all we got very caught up in what we think people want to
hear or like to hear or what? We wish we sounded like or look
like. And I think it takes a
(15:06):
tremendous Amount of inner work and perseverance to push all of
that aside. And I think that's my, I mean,
besides my children, my greatestaccomplishment has been my
ability to to surpass my own expectation of myself and and
wake up to who I was meant to bebefore.
I was 90, you have stated that you believe that music is our
(15:33):
connection to the Divine, every blade of grass, Every bit of
creation had its own Melody. Every part of creation was a
symphony that was how they spoketo one another.
And on this podcast, we do a lotof examining.
How trees communicate with each other and with us.
Can you expand on this melody ofNature and can we hear This
(15:58):
Magnificent symphony today? I hope we can.
I hope I think that the greatestsadness is that we Not attuned
to the songs of nature, because if every blade of grass is
singing, then how much is every human being singing?
We Miss, we miss it so much, butI think that if you go outside
(16:22):
and you close your eyes, you canabsolutely choose to tune in and
you'll feel it. It might take some time, it's
not immediate but it is there. I promise that's also a cupola
that that amazing concept that when God created the world,
World, he created, he, she created the world with some and
I definitely feel it when I go outside.
(16:43):
Sometimes I just, if I'm having a hard day, I just have to walk
outside and breathe. And I don't know if that happens
for you. It's really, really special and
precious. So I think I think people people
can do anything if they choose, but you have to be open to it.
You have to decide, you have to receive exactly.
I think that there's a world of to-do lists out there that I am.
(17:07):
He was so being outside can really make the difference,
really I'm going inward. So let's talk more about your
journey, family trees are complicated and you had to meet
these challenges in a public waywith such Grace, and compassion
and integrity. How were you able to hold such
(17:27):
space for your own? Needs your own faith and the
legacy of your family. So my father Rabbi Shlomo was is
is an extraordinary human being who had a whole lot of stuff,
gorgeous stuff and painful stuff.
And when he passed away in 1994,I took over his work in order to
(17:51):
support my family because if I had not gone to work, we would
not have had our home. It's very recently that I've
started to be honest about that when people would ask me why are
you singing I tell folks to remember my father and I love
him so much and I want to keep him here.
And that was definitely true. I think Tim also to my
detriment, but we were impoverished and had I not gone
(18:16):
to work, we would not have have survived my family, we would
have lost our home. And so I went to work to sustain
him and hold him, singing his music all over the world and
several years after he passed several women wrote an article
in Lilith magazine Dean talking about how he had abused them
(18:40):
sexually in his life. And when that happened, when
that came out, I was Orthodox atthe time.
And so when I say I was singing my father's music and I speak
about the community of my childhood.
There is, it's very complicated.So, when the allegations came
out, it was 1998, everyone around me, declared that these
women were Liars, they're lying,and they're only doing so now
(19:05):
for their own and I don't know what what anyone gains speaking
about pain, and they're liars. And you're my father was
perfect. He was, he was the Messiah.
And so God forbid, and at that time, I was very Orthodox, and I
had accepted my space. As an orthodox woman, is being
(19:27):
less than I am. I'm not strong because I'm a
woman, I'm deficient because I'ma woman.
I said, Shalom Sonny shot. There was a there was a blessing
that you say, thank you God, youknow, sorry I didn't say it.
I acknowledge that men around mewould say she lost on E Esha.
The thank you. God, for not making me a woman
(19:48):
and that didn't offend me, I'm offended.
Now, as I look back that I was not offended but that was my
world. Like God, you made me as you
made me and there's no choice inthat and then everyone around me
was like, well, you're too bad. Someone didn't have a son
because you Could have been something and I apologized for
my existence all the time. And I was a woman who had been
(20:11):
hurt as well and no one believedme and I didn't know how to hold
my own pain. So when the people in my life
told me that the women who came forward to reveal their stories
about my father and they were Liars, I believe them.
And I've had the opportunity publicly to apologize for that
(20:33):
because I'm ashamed that I wasn't stronger at the time,
because I would have I have had a very different reaction then I
had, if I had been stronger and I was not so we go through our
lives. 1998, he's not here. There's no trial, there's no,
(20:54):
you know, I mean, there's, he's not here anymore to present any
kind of story or two to receive whatever Justice he would have
received. And I, as his daughter continue
to hold this everyday, people would talk to me about.
It asked me about it and I wouldnever comment in 2017 and here I
(21:14):
am going through my whole cycle of life and, you know, my my
seasonal change, my shedding of Leaves and fall.
I'm taking this analogy way too far for you.
During when I got divorced in 2012, I stopped being Orthodox.
So when I stopping Orthodox, I began to spend time with, with
(21:36):
Jews who were not Orthodox, which meant that women could
sing before 2012. Before I decided I wanted a
different kind of community. I never knew any women who sang?
I didn't have any sisters who did this, I was The only woman
in a room full of very aggressive men, that was how I
felt pretty much all the time inmy career, having to navigate
(22:00):
having to you know, bring my father in almost like a like an
indivisible bodyguard. You know, my father said, my
father said, you know, because Icouldn't I knew I wasn't enough
on my own but when I met women who could sing I began to
appreciate the value of being a woman, It took me a really long
(22:21):
time and when I began to appreciate who I was and
appreciate them, my world shifted completely, and my
relationship with God shifted, my relationship with my with my
Artistry shifted and then when the me to moment began in 2017.
And the allegations against my father resurfaced, I had a very
(22:45):
different reaction. And I think it was mostly
because of the inner work that Ihad done and because I was no
longer afraid to see that women don't lie.
What does it mean to receive? Someone's truth?
You know, it means. You have to see things that
hurt. You means that you need to, you
need to breathe through your ownreaction, to their truth, to
(23:08):
hold them to be present for themand hearing that.
My father had done these things.Before I couldn't.
I couldn't hear it at all. It was.
And it was About their pain was about mine.
You know when you're when you'rein pain is really hard to hold
other people and that was me fora very long time and when the
allegations resurfaced it was like it was a massive Epiphany
(23:32):
for me. My I just saw my whole life, I
saw my whole world, I saw my father, I saw myself.
And I heard I heard them. I knew it was true.
I knew it. that must have been very
(23:59):
difficult to acknowledge and sitin and hold space for What did
you do next? I decided I wanted to dedicate
my life to hearing and to being an activist.
So I began to respond. I began to write and wrote
(24:20):
several articles speaking, very specifically to how it felt to
hold the truth about someone. I love so much and didn't love
very much at the same time once I started to have to hold all of
that and And even as I was goingthrough, all of these revelatory
(24:40):
moments, that did not stop, my family, my music, my father, and
me from being canceled. And I think, actually, I'm still
canceled. I don't, I don't know.
What am I supposed to feel differently to be uncanceled
versus canceled? I don't know.
It's hard to say, sometimes I think I'm no longer canceled,
but I didn't really understand what that was in the first
(25:00):
place. I really, I have I have respect
for the concept of cancellation because it would Be really
lovely to go back in time and, you know, and just fast-forward
and Rewind as needed, and take out the sad parts and I, you
know, I grew up in a Land of Fairytales.
So I would love to have that mechanism.
That would allow me to cancel the things that are hard.
(25:23):
But even taking my family aside,and my own cancellation, which
has many ramifications on my spirit, I really think that
holding all of the parts of our Journeys.
I really believe that that's what makes us the best us that
we can be the best version of ourselves.
And if I could go back and uncanceled myself and change the
(25:47):
pain, that brought me here, I don't think I would do it.
I think I would rather. I would rather have lived
through what I've lived through and be strong.
I would rather have had my journey and burned up
completely, and found something new then stayed where I was.
Was without the pain and that's a very large thing to say and I
realized that that's not for everyone.
(26:08):
There were a lot of people who need to avoid and I understand
why I respect the fear of pain, the fear of Truth.
And I really feel very proud of myself that I was able to to
just hold it to just stand in itand be in it.
And so when you asked me about my journey and about my
complicated family tree, I guesseveryone knows why you're
(26:32):
asking. Asking me that question.
There's a why according to otherpeople and why your own Journey
throughout. It, I mean, being in the family
is so different from reading about the family.
Again I just have to double downwith my appreciation of you.
You are Carl buff, your name is Carl back as well but you are
(26:55):
you who you are, how you've grown.
I'm sure you've heard this in, some way, shape, or form, but
it's something teachers, say allthe time that the flower isn't
growing You don't yell at the flower.
You examine the environment and say it's a getting too much,
sun, too much shade, not the right soil.
What's you did that? Work of looking at your
(27:15):
environment and saying how am I going to shift this?
And you could have absolutely left Judaism.
All together you could have, youcould have shut it all down and
he sat in the discomfort. That is something that we're
struggling with as a nation to sit with the discomfort as we
speak about all sorts of things.The I'm in crisis, race isn't
(27:36):
like how we sit in discomfort and that's, that's your journey,
that's specific to you. Well, I think it's all of our
Journeys in one way or another and by the way.
So much of, you know, the systemic issues that we are
facing now, come from an avoidance of this issue, you
spoke before about the internal work, you did along during your
(27:59):
journey and it makes me think ofyour story about the tree
receiving sap receiving. There's there's been a lot of
internal work done. You have so much richness from
your whole family and from whatever family means to you.
Now how does that continue to influence you?
I think it influences me just that I feel open and grateful
(28:22):
right now. I hope that there will be more
recording ahead. The pandemic began just as my
10th recording dropped and so wewere about to tour our recording
called believe which was huge. A huge, amazing accomplishment
was my first recording of original music and I had taken
so much time to really figure out what I wanted to say and I
(28:45):
feel like I haven't yet begun tooffer those those songs to the
world, because everything changed everything stopped.
I'm working on my Memoir. I just signed with an agent
which is very exciting. Congratulations, thank you.
I feel very blessed and gratefulthat I'm able to share my story
and I hope that when the Becausereleased that my story helps to
(29:08):
empower and Inspire women, especially as we continue on
this on this road, you know, there's a tremendous work ahead
and we need to empower and love each other.
And so, I hope very much that mystory will be a part of the
fabric of that work and that's where my heart is these days.
I think your Memoir will probably be incredibly impactful
(29:32):
and I'm looking forward to reading it.
Thank you, chef. ER so much wisdom and just in a
few minutes sitting with you. I can't even imagine a whole
book so if that's what's next for you story telling lies, is
there anything musically that you haven't yet done?
Because I know you collaborate with people of all different
backgrounds, you found your own voice, you have this song called
(29:55):
believe of all things. What's next for you?
Musically? I don't know.
That's my truth, I don't know. And when you say I found my own
voice, that's it's very gracious.
I don't know that I have, I'm still, I'm very much a work in
progress. I'm very much searching and
seeking, I'll tell you what I'm very, very inspired by though.
(30:15):
At this particular moment, the musical Hades town.
Have you seen it? I have seen it and I absolutely
love it. I am obsessed, I'm obsessed.
I listen to it all the time, andI'm gaining such depth and
Truth. From the story from the
brilliant composition and I don't know yet what's next for
(30:36):
me but I am feeling inspiration from this body of work and I
feel like if there's going to bea portal to just to knowledge.
And next steps I feel like it's going to come to me while I'm
listening to these songs. It's just it's going to happen.
I don't know what it is. No no pressure to the musical.
A musical that really really does shed light on people's
(30:59):
flaws, what people's needs and their hurt and with with a
fusion of jazz and folk all these elements.
Yes. Well to tell you in particular,
like the part that has just likeshattered me and opened me.
And then shattered me again, when you're talking about the
road to Hell, nothing works out.Sometimes things don't work out
(31:22):
at all and you still you sing the songs, still you sing.
Anyway, still you try to bring the spring with your song
because you can't control the wind.
You can only pray that if you are touched by Holiness and
divine energy that someone out there will hear you and that
your voice will bring some kind of healing and even if it
(31:43):
doesn't, you're going to keep singing.
Anyway, we're going to keep trying anyway, we're going to
raise a glass to those who fall apart and then stand up again.
I really encourage all of you who haven't seen it.
Just at least Out the music. It's just Divine.
It's really. It's holy stuff.
Holy holy. Neshama.
Thank you so much for joining ustoday.
(32:05):
And I know I keep saying this, but your wisdom is such a
treasure. I so appreciate your time and
everything that you share from Torah to music to just the
humility. As a person to say, I don't
know. I'm a work in progress.
It's so special to have you. Thank you love.
Thank you, Jonathan. Thank you.
(32:27):
This was a delight. Thank you so much.
There is a Chinese proverb stating that to forget.
One's ancestors, is to be a brook without a source a tree
without a root. Remembering is valuable yes.
(32:50):
But what one does with that information is even more
important. In fact, the metaphor of the
family tree may need to be examined as well as we
acknowledge the widening definition of what constitutes a
family. An example of this work includes
Ohio historical. Three connections 2021 Workshop
series, which focused on researching single ancestors to
(33:13):
create a more inclusive family tree and exploring methods for
researching the lineage of non-dominant groups, including
women, people of color, and lgbtq plus people likewise the
educational Community has begun to focus on how to teach
inclusive genealogy and family history, to students teachers
(33:34):
are rethinking. Family, tree, assignments, that
That don't include non nuclear family structures.
Don't consider access to information or are not
trauma-informed. What makes real family is
different for all of us. If our family and even more our
ancestors and our family tree ismeant to guide and support us,
(33:56):
then, I can look around my community and see far more
familial relationships and branches in my world.
This is all reflected in nature as well.
Professor of forest ecology. Dr. Suzanne simmered has written
extensively on mycorrhizal fungior networks the symbiotic
association between fungus and plant which links the roots of
(34:20):
trees and forests. Her research has demonstrated
that the oldest trees and forests connect to all others.
These Hub, trees are also known as mother trees, and they share
carbon and nitrogen. Arjun with the hundreds of young
seedlings around them. What if we took a cue from
(34:40):
nature and instead of only considering a family tree
invited in a family forest, how am I shifting our perspective on
family structures shift, our paths, where might we put our
energy and resources? I often return to my family home
during the winter holidays. There's a small table filled
(35:02):
with photos of the family. Each frame specially chosen to
proudly hold the precious, snapshot memory.
I've taken to scrutinizing each image, perhaps looking for
answers or guidance. Do I walk in their footsteps?
Am I accomplishing as much or furthering?
Their causes do? I make them proud.
(35:25):
Perhaps I'm asking The wrong questions instead of asking how
my family lineage should guide. My next steps, I could Ponder
how I create a branch or even a sapling one that is fully my own
unique to me and the life. I live in our first episode of
this podcast season. We examined the Greek myth of
(35:48):
Persephone this Tale. The story of Seasons changing of
people trying to grow and becomebetter versions.
Of themselves of experiencing loss and hardship yet somehow
finding the motivation and love to keep moving forward.
This tale continues to resonate with so many including the
(36:10):
shama. She mentioned, the Broadway
musical Hades town, which is a modern retelling of this myth.
That's the thing about myths, be, they, the Greek variety or
the stories of our families. We passed down through
generations. Neshama shows us that while our
family trees May inform the pastevents that have led us into
(36:33):
being. We also have the power to
reroute the course with our own lives.
She speaks of being her own sapling, as when she was finally
able to fully be a mom, a partner and an artist and
reminds me that we can sit at the foot of our family trees.
And also create a new Branch, a new story, a new song.
(36:57):
Haiti's Town ends with a musicaltoast, a blessing for the actors
and also the audience who have all shared their time together,
and we'll now go away on their own into their separate lives
outside of the theater. Persephone sings some flowers.
(37:25):
But the ones who blew in the bitter snow, we raise our cups.
We raise our cups to them. Our deep gratitude for neshama
for joining us today and for hervulnerability and inspiring
(37:46):
truth. Thank you for joining tree
speech today To learn more aboutour podcast and episodes.
Please visit tree speech. Podcast.com we're thrilled to be
able to offer interviews, creative insights and stories
(38:07):
about the natural world we live in and the trees who guide our
way. Please also consider supporting
us through our patreon. Every contribution supports our
production and will be given Gifts of gratitude including an
invitation to Treehouse our new virtual community for patrons of
all levels. Please also consider passing the
(38:28):
word to tree-loving, folks, and rate and review us on Apple
podcasts. Every kind word helps.
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