Meet Rena
I am a Jewish composer, ritual leader, and educator who uplifts personal and collective healing through song.
I write melodies for prayer and action that accompany people through vulnerable moments.
My work invites us to slow down, listen more deeply to ourselves and each other, explore our voices along with our fear and shame, and replenish our energy for transformation. I offer workshops, concerts, prayer services, singing circles, and song commissions. I am also a devoted student and teacher of Chassidishe nigunim (traditional Hasidic melodies), which provide a musical language for expressing the ineffable.
I’ll be touring in summer 2024, b”H. Let’s plan an event!
Listen to “Healer of the Brokenhearted”
This grief song features Rebekka Goldsmith, Batya Levine, Joey Weisenberg, and Sam Weisenberg, filmed by Shmulie Lowenstein, mixed and mastered by Will Robertson.
Watch Concert Livestream
Hosted by the Weitzman Museum & Hadar’s Rising Song Institute
This concert features my album as well as original performances by other queer Jewish musicians: Rachel Chang, Dr. Koach Baruch Frazier, Aly Halpert, Marques Hollie, Joni Sidarta Leibovic, and Marni Loffman, emceed by Rabbi Mónica Gomery.
Hear my debut album, “Love Is the Ground”
This original album was recorded in collaboration with over 30 artists. The songs integrate ancient Jewish liturgy and melodic modes with contemporary sounds and lyrics.
Hear my voice on other records
Learn More About רינּה / Rena
I am named after my great-grandmother. In Hebrew, Rena means a ringing cry of joy.
Joy is not only happiness; it is aliveness and דבקות (dveikut/s, or seamless merging) with the present moment, whatever it may hold. While children often access this experience more easily, adults can also feel profound aliveness through crying out in song. We can create safety for each other to try.
I’ve facilitated this exploration through A Queer Nigun Project, the Rising Song Residency, Linke Fligl, Let My People Sing, Mitsui Collective Kollel, the Dorot Fellowship, Hava Nashira, Keshet, Dayenu, and many other organizations and synagogues.
Let’s connect about how I can help bring joy to your community!
Support Music As Spiritual Care
My music is a public offering of spiritual care, and money should never be an obstacle to people enjoying it. However, I appreciate receiving compensation for my work whenever possible. Please consider supporting me on Patreon or making a one-time contribution below!
Photos by Jess Benjamin