TORAH IN COLOR MUSIC PLAYLIST
The Torah in Color Music Playlist is available on Spotify and Youtube and will be updated weekly to coincide with the release of each new episode. Have an idea of a song I should share for a particular Torah portion? Let me know here and if I use it, I’ll be sure to give you a shout out!
The playlist will be eclectic, but will also likely showcase hip hop artists (mostly, but not exclusively, of Color) and other musicians who are people of the global majority more frequently. This is one more way I’m endeavoring to directly contradict the ways white supremacy culture has become intertwined with central elements of Jewish life. And, since I’m multiracial and had exposure to all kinds of music, I will also likely include what some might classify as “super white” music. What can I say? It’s all part of my Torah in Color. What’s part of yours? Stay tuned!
Lightworks by J Dilla - Episode 1 - Bereishit
When I envision the story of God creating Earth and the Universe, I’d like to imagine he/she/they were jamming to something hot like this. ;)
The Future by De La Soul - Episode 1 - Bereshit
Since the first time I heard this in 2006, it has been one of my Jews of Color anthems. “We are your past, we are your present, and we are your future…..”
I associated it with the truth that Jews of Color have always been and always will be central to the Jewish people, and, as the songs says, “we all that.” ;)
For a number of years, almost nothing official in Jewish life validated my existence as a Jew of Color. With the notable exceptions of Yavilah McCoy’s trailblazing work, and Shahanna McKinney’s and Jen Chau’s empowering and insightful scholarship. While I regularly experienced racism as a Jewish young professional that isn’t as acceptable today, I used this song, among others, to validate what I knew to be true about Jews of Color, Sephardim & Mizrahim enduring existence and value. It helped me envision a triumphant future in which we would be seen in all our multi-hued dimensions and cherished for our importance in Jewish life, our social justice movements, and the world. “Hearts with feeling. Rightful thinking. People listening…is what’s needed. It can happen (yes it can), it can happen (yes it can), it can happen (yes it can)…The Future.”