Awaken - Cantor Ellen Dreskin; arr. Mayta Cohen

This summer I was working as a songleader at Camp Young Judaea Sprout Lake when Dan Nichols stopped by on his summer tour, introduced this song to a group of campers in our Beit Knesset, and I - trying to be fly on the wall shadowing his songleading session - hysterically cried in the back.

Written by the one and only Cantor Ellen Dreskin (who I had the privilege of meeting at Hava Nashira 2022!), Awaken really moved me and kept playing on repeat in my mind for the rest of the summer. I kept getting distracted imagining a bunch of little voices making Dan’s fingerpicking pattern happen while trying to get my 8-year old campers to eat vegetables at meals. I knew this would have to be my first project when I got home.

It feels so fitting to sing this song to bring in Yom Kippur - this is the time to awaken our souls to all their potential! To recognize the uniqueness of each and every of us, know that we are made imperfect, but that we are given a chance to reflect and start fresh in this new year. Have a meaningful fast to anyone fasting, and G'Mar Chatimah Tovah!