May 29, 2026
The Hebrew Bible offers two possibilities when translating the word “song” into Hebrew. One option is shira, as in “shiru ladonai shir chadash” – “Sing a new song unto God” (Psalm 95). Another example of this is when the Israelites reached the other side of the parted sea the book of Exodus reads “az yashir moshe uv’nei Yisrael et hashira hazot” – “And Moses and the Israelites sang this song…” (Exodus 15:1).
The second option is zimra as in Psalm 98:5 which reads “zamru l’Adonai b’chinor b’chinor v’kol zimra” – “Sing praise to God with the lyre and melodious song” or “Mizmor shir l’yom hashabbat” – “Sing a song of Shabbat” (Psalm 92:1).
Why would there be two options for a word we express singularly in English? The two options seem to indicate slightly different meanings, though the translations of the verses I cited above make that difficult to recognize. The Hebrew Academy suggests that it is only in modern Hebrew that we realize a distinction between the two. As we can see in Biblical translations, shira and zimra appear to be used interchangeably. In modern Hebrew the word shir or shira might suggest the actual text of a song or poem; whereas zimra, indicates the art or act of singing or playing an instrument. The verses above reveal that shira could accompany an expression of joy upon witnessing something new. Zimra, on the other hand, might suggest a more regular occurrence of singing that includes an expression of gratitude.
Perhaps a modern distinction can help us capture the meaning of tonight’s celebration honoring Julie Sapper’s retirement as our longtime Director of Musical Programming. On countless occasions, Julie brought deeper meaning to the shirim—the songs and sacred texts of our tradition—through zimra, the act of singing, whether through our voices or through instruments. Her love of music harmonized these two biblical expressions, bringing joy to our Shabbat, reflection to the High Holy Days, and her heart and soul to both the music and the people.
Julie has a deep passion for all music, and especially for Jewish music, as well as a profound love of teaching. She began her career as a music teacher long before she ever walked through the doors of Beth Tikvah. When she joined our community 19 years ago, she began as a music teacher in our Religious School. It was years later, through her own vision and creativity, that she envisioned the role she has held for more than a decade. We have all been blessed by her passion, skill, and wisdom. I hope you will join us for Shabbat tonight as we honor Julie for her 19 years of devoted service to Beth Tikvah. Come prepared to sing, whether you call it shira or zimra, our voices will help us celebrate such a special milestone.
Mazel tov to Julie and her family!
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Rick Kellner