Cantor Juval Porat

Connected (J. Porat)

Connected even if i don’t see your face
Connected with every choice we make
Impacted by every little thing we do
Can we take care of each other?
Can we follow through?

You say:
Let us reach out, let us connect
don’t detach, tell me what you need
Don’t be afraid, I’ll be here
I’m not gonna walk away

You’re not alone
Keep hanging on
We all belong
we’re all connected

Even if you feel alone
Connected, no, you’re not on your own
Impacted by every little thing we say
Are we really in this together at the end of the day?

You say:
You can share what’s on your mind or be still
I won’t judge if you need a space to be held
Please don’t walk away

We share a common destiny
Be conscious of our responsibility
To care for one another

Quarantine (J. Porat & J. Promis)

I had this year all planned
I had this year prepared
Adventures and affairs
to fly us here and there
Together celebrating
Memories we’d be creating
Somewhere we’d make a toast
To this life built on love

Then suddenly without any why or because
We found ourselves locked down in this great pause

I can’t wait to see you with no screens between us
Put the mask aside now
tell me how we’ve changed

I can’t wait to step out these precious walls that kept me
Sheltered for too long
I hope we get to try
a brand new routine
Out of quarantine

I know to count my blessings
But blessings disappear
Under shadows made of fear
Born from uncertainties

I’d trade my soul to go back for just a moment
To that final starry night
When we laughed until we cried

Remember how it felt to be save in your arms?
Will this go by the wayside?
What will life be made of?

Did God run out of mercy?
Since we burnt all of the gifts that were bestowed upon
But this is another chance
An opportunity for us to try

Zochreinu / זכרינו (J. Porat)

זכרנו לחיים
מלך חפץ בחיים
וכתבנו בספר החיים
למענך אלוהים חיים

Remember us, remember us, remember us for life
And write us in the book of life

Rest (J. Porat & J. Promis)

Despite trouble in the world today
You keep showing up anyway
Open up your eyes
storms brewing in the skies
How can one dare to look away?

You insist we have to live our lives
Despite the dark, hatred and rampant lies
We are still people with passions and with love
we want to feel the sun, the light and love
Happy and carefree again

Just rest, chill
We’re all human beings, so let’s just be free
From worries of the future
Live in the here and now
Baby, let’s just rest

It’s much easier to say, it’s true
When life seems too much to get through
Every day’s a chore
I used to dream of more than just a list of things to do

Pause and think perhaps you have a point
Even if your argument’s a little bit disjointed
But I see, we could try to stop and breathe
‘Cause nothing’s guaranteed
Nothing’s guaranteed at all

Just rest, chill
We’re all human beings so let’s just be free
From regrets of the past
Live in the here and now
Baby, let’s just rest

Have you gotten tired of the strive?
Return to yourself
Won’t you choose life and
Rest in awareness, rest in awareness

Despite constant bombardment
Our soul is what we’re armed with
Of that let’s be aware
Or it’ll burn up in a towering flare
Then waste away, be thrown away, rot away
For something temporary

Hashkiveinu / השכיבנו (J. Porat)

השכיבנו יי אלוהינו לשלום
והעמידנו שומרינו לחיים
ופרוס עלינו סוכת שלומך
ותקננו בעצה טובה מלפניך
והושיענו למען שמך
והגן בעדינו
והסר מעלינו
אויב, דבר וחרב ורעב ויגון
והרחק ממנו עוון ופשע
ובצל כנפיך תסתירנו
כי אל שומרנו ומצילנו אתה
כי אל רחום וחנון אתה
ושמור צאתנו ובואינו לחיים ולשלום
מעתה ועד עולם
ברוך אתה יי הפורש סוכת שלום
עלינו ועל כל עמו ישראל ועל ירושלים

Mi Chamocha / מי כמכה (J. Porat)

מי כמכה באלים יי
מי כמכה נאדר בקדש
נורא תהילות
עושה פלא
מלכותך ראו בניך
בוקע ים לפני משה ומרים
זה אלי ענו ואמרו
יי ימלוך לעולם ועד

Who is like you?

Who is like you
Majestic in holiness
Awesome in splendor
Working wonders

Hamechadesh / המחדש (J. Porat)

Renew me (when I’m running on empty)
Renew me (when I’m drowning in uncertainty)
Renew me (when blessings are hard to see)
Renew me (when I’m paralyzed)

פּועֵל גְּבוּרות. עושה חֲדָשׁות. בַּעַל מִלְחָמות. זורֵעַ צְדָקות

הַמְחַדֵּשׁ בְּטוּבו בְּכָל יום תָּמִיד, הַמְחַדֵּשׁ

Renew me (when I’m walking in darkness)
Renew me (when I’m in need of guidance)

מַצְמִיחַ יְשׁוּעות. בּורֵא רְפוּאות. נורָא תְהִלּות. אֲדון הַנִּפְלָאות

Every day we’re renewed again

Renew me, renew my days
Renew my faith

In the End (J, Porat)

In the end
You’ll emerge from this experience
Stronger than before, stronger than before

In the end
You’ll emerge from this experience
Gentler than before, gentler than before

In the end
You’ll emerge from this experience
Wiser than before, wiser than before

I surely hope so

In the end
You’ll emerge from this
With so much more love than before, so much more love than before

Love Again (J. Porat)

You’ve built a wall
A wall so tall
So you’d never get hurt again
There used to be freedom in a melody
Now you think you’ll never dance again

They said you were too sensitive and you took it to heart
But it was never about you, it was never about you
I know you want to shield yourself but
Not everyone’s out to get you
Not everyone’s out to get you

You’re gonna love again
For all of your dreams
They’re all within reach
Like light through the trees
You will shine again
You will love again

That magical thing that lets the hope in
Will happen to you
You’ll give love a chance
You will love again

You hide your light behind your fear
You’re so sure you’ll never trust again
And you believe almost everything you think you know
You think you’ll never belong again
They said you were too insecure as you watched them move on
But it was never about you
It was never about you

You look above there’s only clouds
Oh, how you’ve missed the clear blue skies
I promise you, this too shall pass
And once you’re ready

Maybe not quite as you imagined
Maybe not exactly as you envisioned
You will love again

Buy the album as a physical copy

All songs written by Juval Porat

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 7, 8 produced, mixed and engineered by Robb Torres;
Guitar & Shruti box by Robb Torres

Track 4 produced, mixed and engineered by Dean Palya

Tracks 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12 produced, mixed and engineered by Daniel Feels;
Upright bass & keys on Hamechadesh by Dan Lutz
Percussion on Hamechadesh by Jeff Hooker

Strings on Hashkiveinu performed by the JAC Trio; String arrangement by Juval Porat

Track 9 produced, mixed and engineered by Max Berlin
String arrangement and keys by Max Berlin

Tracks 2, 4 written by Juval Porat and Jose Promis; 

Tracks 3, 5, 6, 8, 10 – Hebrew lyrics from the liturgy

Executively produced by Juval Porat

© ℗ 2022 Juval Porat
Published by JAYPO-MUSIC

All tracks mastered by Hans DeKline

Artwork by Oshri HakakGraphic Design by Rüdiger Schlömer

Thank you to my family and friends for your love and support. Thank you to my collaborators for your care, creativity and intuition in producing my music and creating beautiful art for the visuals of my album. Thank you to all my generous Indiegogo Campaign supporters. Thank you Sandy Joseph & Michele Madrigal, Margaret Targove, Rabbi Lisa Edwards & Tracy Moore, Dr. Moshe & Haya Porat, Robert Kunst, Les Zendle & Jerry Hanson, Gerald Noriega, and Cantor Natalie Young – I’m so appreciative of your support!
I hope you enjoy the music as much as I did making it!