In 2023, dozens of women gathered in a backyard in East Denver for a Rahmana singing immersive in the sukkah. This video shows a bit of what it felt like and sounded like to be in the sukkah that evening.
We sang for our foremothers, and sang with each other. It was a beautiful, resonant, celebratory, deep experience. And we will continue to build this communal experience together.
We sang for our foremothers, and sang with each other. It was a beautiful, resonant, celebratory, deep experience. And we will continue to build this communal experience together.
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Frequently Asked Questions about our Singing Immersives
what is a singing immersive like?
Each singing event with Rahmana is a little different, but they're all about being absorbed in song together. A deep dive into the world of old and new niggunim (Jewish melodies). These gatherings are not a performance, and they're not an act. It's a joining of our voices together for the purpose of elevating our connection to ourselves and to each other.
This immersive singing experience is designed to allow us to feel in our bodies the resonance of collective song, to be inspired by ancient wisdom, and to envision powerful feminine spiritual capacities.
This immersive singing experience is designed to allow us to feel in our bodies the resonance of collective song, to be inspired by ancient wisdom, and to envision powerful feminine spiritual capacities.
What kind of singing do you do?
We'll sing some traditional Jewish songs, or niggunim, and some new. We want everyone in the circle to join in. Songs will often last for many many minutes, and the power is in the natural ebb and flow, the swell and collapse of so many joined voices. Singing at a Rahmana gathering is largely improvisational. Some of the melodies include Hebrew, but you're welcome to sing just the melodies without knowing the words. We are a come-as-you-are kind of community, and we absolutely value your voice, whether or not you've heard the melody before, or know the words.
Do I have to be a "good" singer to join?
Rahmana singing is not a performance at all -- you don't have to be a skilled singer to sing with us. You just have to want to join your voices together with other women. The power of singing together will overcome any botched notes or out-of-tune-ness.
Do I have to commit to joining the group regularly?
As with all Rahmana events, singing with us is completely flexible. You're welcome to join any singing event or immersive, and you're also welcome to decline. The group will be different each time, and that's part of the beauty of it.
What if I don't speak or read Hebrew?
Most of our singing events don't involve any kind of text to follow, and if we're singing a song with Hebrew words and you don't know the Hebrew, you're invited to sing along wordlessly!
How long do the singing events last?
Each event is a little different, but singing events range from 1.5 hours to about 3 hours.
How many singing events do you do per year?
We have Evenings of Song on Rosh Hodesh some months and at our three Immersives each year, during Elul or Sukkot, Tu b'Shvat, and Passover or the Omer. We often invite a guest for our immersives. So far, we have welcomed Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz, Chana Raskin of Raza, and Cantor Basya Schechter as special guests with Rahmana Evenings of Song or prayer gatherings.