A PASSOVER / EASTER / LIBERATION / SPRINGTIME OFFERING FROM AND FOR THE CAMEL JOCKEYS AMONG US

A PASSOVER / EASTER / LIBERATION / SPRINGTIME OFFERING

 FROM AND FOR THE CAMEL JOCKEYS AMONG US

“BEHIND PAIN THERE IS LOVE”

For the last 3 decades or so, I’ve been blessed to host or attend Seders co-created at the table (sometimes the couch and/or floor!) by the participants gathered for the annual re-telling of the story of the Exodus from Egypt. In the spirit of acknowledging the shared role and value of teachings about liberation in probably every wisdom tradition, people attending these Seders are asked to bring or prepare readings, poetry, songs, stories, meditations, movement and other experiential activities from any tradition to share and to advance the Passover themes of moving from slavery/oppression to ‘freedom from” and ultimately “freedom to,” transitioning energetically from fear to love, bringing light to darkness, and celebrating springtime and renewal.

In preparing my offering for this year’s event, I found myself thinking about how we can hold onto the idea of and manifest happiness, the theme of my New Year’s 2018 focus, while at the same time being painfully aware that in the age of Trumpism we are, as a mid 20s young person trying to find his way starkly described it to me, living in a post dystopian world. How can we find and hold hope for liberation with all the madness, anger and disfunction spinning around us? And with our internal struggles, how do we walk the sometimes fine line between well-being and denial, between healthy optimism and despair. Plus, can we somehow cajole the internal with the external to conspire in ways that will make a difference in both the world and ourselves?

A most poignant teaching appeared out of the blue recently as I was contemplating how to move these issues forward for discussion at the upcoming Seder. I want to share it as my offering here, in advance of the Seder, both because it is electronic and also because it is longer than what I would otherwise contribute.

It is a modern slavery story that shocks the senses, from a surprising source, profoundly sad because it involves children (and boys in particular), but also beautiful in how it unlocks the type of courage, heart, energy, wisdom and love that we all have within us to use towards liberating others, and in so doing, freeing ourselves and being truly happy. Whether it is through this story or the other all too many harrowing slavery practices still existing on the planet, may we all find our way to some of that experience in the coming year.

The story comes from the world of sports. It is a chilling real tale about young boys terribly mistreated after being kidnapped or sold into slavery (and forced to become camel jockeys), and their eventual liberation, made possible by activism and reporting that made middle eastern Sheikhs (the modern day Pharaohs in this retelling) take unexpected corrective action. It is a reminder that we can all, each in our own way, identify and shed light on profound injustice.

At a chance meeting with the chief activist who later returned to view the profound changes, one of the liberated camel jockeys offered this poem of thanks about going from slavery to freedom:

Behind pain there is love

And every dark night has a beautiful morning

It comes morning now

We are happy

Thank you

If you would like to watch the video, you can find it here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CSBo-QcefI. (Consistent with the camel jockey’s poem of thanks, it feels to me like a strangely wonderful companion piece to the much lighter playlist about happiness that I put together at the start of the year, so I’ll share that too. https://www.youtube.com/watch…)

So that is my offering, in advance of the Seder table. I’m hopeful that it spurs on your thinking as you prepare your contributions.

Love and blessings,

Mark

Jesus on the Mainline

The excerpt that follows is from a response sent to a Jewish friend who also loves Krishna Das, and was finding great joy and meaning in her entry into the world of kirtan, which she had hoped to be able to share with family and friends.  She had asked for input on how she might respond to her sister’s very negative reaction to KD’s playful and powerful chanting of “Jesus on the Mainline” at his kirtans, which promotes the notion that God is always present/available, you just have to "tell him what you want."  Many Jewish folks are very reactive to this experience, especially when encountering it for the first time.  They often confront KD with protestations along the lines of “How can you sing about Jesus?  You’re Jewish.”  His stock, well-honed response is often “Yes, but only on my parents’ side.” This response infuriated my friend's sister, and my friend wanted it not to be a barrier from opening up to the practice of "non Jewish" chant.

______

Sent 9-30-15

Now, as for “on my parents side.”  Like probably most Jews, I too was offended when I first heard that from KD...and that was at I time when I had been away from the tribe for a few years.  I gradually started thinking of it as his schtick...you can take the boy out of Long Island, etc.  Later I began thinking of it as a wonderful if jarring teaching tool, helping people into accepting that we are more than where we came from on this earth plane.  It dawned on me too that when he sings Jesus On The Main Line, he is probably offending many Christians as well.  As a frame for this, it reminds me of a time long ago when Rabbi Tirzah Firestone stayed at my place when on a book tour in Chicago.  We chatted, ate, and later went to sit...meditating face to face with a candle between us in my study.  I was awestruck and couldn’t settle in.  I peeked and she was deep in meditation.  All I could think about was the amazing, energizing exchange we had had about various mystical traditions...Hindu, Hebrew, Christian and more...and I was meditating with fucking Tirzah Firestone in my study.  Major chatter, monkey mind. Then suddenly the Light went big time ON.  I started (internally) repeating, again and again, the Shema...emphasizing over and over the last two words, Adonai Echod.  It poured through with joy and appreciation in every cell of my being.  So powerful, this gift of Oneness.  Different paths, but All One.  KD tells a beautiful story about how his guru, Neem Karoli Baba, taught his flock to meditate like Jesus.  You probably know the teaching:  He (Jesus) lost himself in love, that is how Jesus meditated.  Love makes the boundaries and the divides unnecessary, superfluous even.  We simply need to listen to the many reminders that thankfully, blessedly, come our way.  One that I love is Shyamdas’ blending of one of the great Jewish chants with an also great Hindu mantra.  As you know, Shyam was one of KD’s beloved peers, also originally (in this incarnation) a nice Jewish boy from the East Coast (CT), who spent much of his life in India.  Yet watch and listen to the interplay of the harmonium and clarinet here.  By midway through they are entirely intertwined, dancing together, with One mantra coursing through ecstatically.  Shyamdas loses himself to it in total.  He is vibrating with love.  We all have our roots, and their wealth takes to a higher and more connected place...to our Oneness with All That Is.  Whatever helps us open to that possibility/reality is good.  At least that’s my stream of consciousness interpretation of the teaching.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MtTRRhPLkg

Enjoy!
_____
Addendum 2017: two more hidden gems I found very moving this year:
Nahko (in Israel); https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_kCWeMGOWA
Laura Berman:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvy8wRq4YnY

A PASSOVER PRESCRIPTION (2017)

A PASSOVER PRESCRIPTION (2017)

Courtesy of Donald Trump, Jude Law, Saint Juana Fernandez and Me

With Music By Charlie Chaplin

[To like or comment on this post, please go here:  https://www.facebook.com/marksrubin]

At last year’s Seder, I read from an article by David Duke — the white supremacist, Holocaust denying, former Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan — who was then running for Congress and invoking anti-semitic diatribe in support of Donald Trump’s candidacy.  Since the election, we have gone through a dark winter.  Fortunately, as the poet says in The Song of Songs, the rains are over and gone.  Passover this year seems like an especially good opportunity to turn to another source to help find a cure to what seems to ail us.

These are hard times.  Previously disguised, sinister and insidious ideologies have been normalized, mainstreamed and emboldened.  Fear and even hate of “the other” has become a dominant motivator in shaping horrific and hurtful policies.  Me, me, me has taken precedence over we.  Institutions that have sustained our core beliefs for hundreds of years seem to be crumbling around us.   There is the prospect of the real nuclear option, not just the one invoked to fill our highest court with extreme justices.

We are flooded with numerous calls to action each day.  We are told to resist.  We hope to rise to the challenge…to maybe co-create or participate in the next Women’s March…to contact our representatives each day.  But we are human.  We get weary.  And anxious.  And afraid.  We may go into fight or flight mode.  Our bodies may tighten.  Our breath may shorten.  Our adrenals may overload.

Passover is exactly the right and wrong holiday to teach us how to cope.  The story of liberation from slavery, yet also of a wrathful God who strikes down the oppressors.  What could be a better example of the horror of the abuse of power…by anyone, or by any “other” side?  Or of the madness that can ensue when fear freezes us and tries to Trump what connects us — the power of love?  Black lives matter.  So do the first borns of all traditions.  I take no pride or comfort that Egyptians drowned in the sea.  The holiday this year seems at best especially bittersweet.

This is a time when we must free our hearts, bodies, minds and spirits, so that we can remember what we know, who we are, and who at our best we can be.  So that we can stay grounded in a place of love, compassion and connection.  And so we can use the tools in the sacred toolbox that Hashem (God) has given to help us cope and thrive.  Simple though some of the tools may seem, they can be more powerful than we know…powerful enough to help steady us through the dark times.

I recently encountered the story of Saint Juana Fernandez, a miracle healer from Guatemala, who supposedly lived not very long ago, from 1962-1980.  Herself a child, Juana would tell the sick and dying children stories about the Madonna, and the children would heal by the next day.  The children were asked why they were cured and they said it was because the Madonna made them laugh.   

Consider these words, not mine, about Juana’s teachings,*** and how they uncover a hopeful foundation for getting to a better place.

When they asked her: "Who is God?”, "God is a line that opens” replied the Blessed Juana.  

"God is a line that opens.”   She was just fourteen years old, and no one understood what it was she was trying to say. 

And then, all the children asked the dying Blessed Juana dozens of questions: Are we dead or are we alive? Are we tired or are we vigorous? Are we healthy or are we sick? Are we good or are we bad? Do we still have time or has it run out? Are we young or are we old? Are we clean or are we dirty? Are we fools or are we smart? Are we true or are we false? Are we rich or are we poor? Are we kings or are we servants? Are we good or are we beautiful? Are we warm or are we cold? Are we happy or are we blind? Are we disappointed or are we joyful? Are we lost or are we found? Are we men or are we women?

"It doesn't matter", replied the Blessed Juana as she lay dying at the age of just eighteen. And she added, on the verge of death, with tears in her eyes: "God does not allow Himself to be seen. God does not shout. God does not whisper. God does not write. God does not hear. God does not chat. God does not comfort us." 

And all the children asked her (again): "Who is God?"   

And Juana replied: "God smiles".  “God smiles.”  

And only then did everyone understand.

Taking my cue from the source of this story,*** I’d like to ask all of you to smile. Smile. Smile. Find the happiness, hope, connection and love in this present moment — and smile.  Look at the person to your left and smile.  And to the person on your right and smile.  And across from you and smile.  And everyone in the room, one by one, and smile.  Yes, smile.  Not in and of itself a solution to the madness of the day.  But one of many important gifts we’ve been given, and can freely share, that can help us get across the sea and safely to the other side.

I’d like to close this piece by joining together in song, with a Passover Niggun (chant) by a great teacher, Reb Charlie Chaplin (Smile).  Here are the lyrics (below).  

Mark Rubin

April 10, 2017

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though it's breaking.
When there are clouds in the sky
you'll get by.

If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through
For you.

Light up your face with gladness,
Hide every trace of sadness.
Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying.
You'll find that life is still worthwhile-
If you just smile...

By:  Charlie Chaplin (yes, that Charlie Chaplin) et al

*** From the riveting television series The Young Pope, staring Jude Law.  As best I can tell, Juana is a fictional character based on Chile’s first saint, Juana Enriqueta Josefina Fernandez Solar, who lived from 1900 until dying of typhoid fever in 1920.  According to another source, ‘Teresa possessed an enormous capacity to love and to be loved, joined with extraordinary intelligence. God allowed her to experience his presence. Knowing him, she loved him; and loving him, she bound herself totally to him, even through many interior trials. The Church holds her up as a preeminent model for children and young adults: a real person to whom they can relate.”

Birthday Karaoke

Dear Ones

Just a quick update about my 60th Birthday Karaoke on Sunday, February 26 at 6:00 PM at Jaguar Karaoke 2516 Durant Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704. Here is the invitation just in case.  Please rsvp if you haven't already.

I’m hoping everyone will want to take on at least one song. Here are links to the promised links to songs:

-- Click here for Jaguar's English songbook and here for the February update.  Simply search any song you have in mind to see if it is available.  There will also be Spanish and Indian song options.

-- Click here for the lyrics to Krishna Funk (based on Uptown Funk), my ode to the inimitable Shyamdas.  I hope some of you take a crack at it! 

Food will be Indian.  Drinks will be mostly non-alcoholic.  Feel free to supplement if you wish, including with something deserty if so inclined.

And please remember, in lieu of gifts, for those able, I would instead encourage a donation of any kind to a progressive charity of your choice.

Love and cya soon, Mark

KRISHNA FUNK

KRISHNA FUNK

AN ODE TO SHYAMDAS

(To the tune of Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” ft Bruno Mars)

Feel free to change “God” to any name/word that for you is the Divine

Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram, Sita Ram

Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram, Sita Ram

Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram, Sita Ram

Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram, Sita Ram

And what, is your wealth?  

And what, is your wealth?  

To remember, that the highest thing

the highest thing, 

that you have

Is the, awareness 

of who you really are

the awareness of 

who you, really are

Gopala (Hari Bol)

Find the Beloved, ram

Gopala (Hari Bol)

Remember the Beloved, ram

Gopala (Hari Bol)

Say my name, you know who i am

Gopala (Hari Bol)

Devakinandana (Gopala)

Break it down

Radhe Radhe Shyam

Radhe Radhe Shyam

Radhe Radhe Shyam

Krsna eva gatir mama

Krsna eva gatir mama

Krsna eva gatir mama

Any time and we’re in the Bhav

Every thing is God (come on)

(Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram, Sita Ram...) 

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Hare, hare, hare, om!

Stop

Wait a minute

The world is non different than, the abode of liberation

This is! the abode of liberation!

That formless divine realm is just another mani-festation

of this, or this is another

mani-festation of that

Gopala (Hari Bol)

Find the Beloved, ram

Gopala (Hari Bol)

Remember the Beloved, ram

Gopala (Hari Bol)

Say my name, you know who i am

Gopala (Hari Bol)

Devakinandana (Gopala)

Break it down

Radhe Radhe Shyam

Radhe Radhe Shyam

Radhe Radhe Shyam

Krsna eva gatir mama

Krsna eva gatir mama

Krsna eva gatir mama

Any time and we’re in the Bhav

Every thing is God (come on)

(Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram, Sita Ram...) 

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Hare, hare, hare, om!

(Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram, Sita Rama...)

Before we leave

Lemme tell y’all a lil’ something

Krsna eva, eva gatir mama

Krsna eva, eva gatir mama

Krishna is my refuge and (my) destination

Krishna is my refuge and (my) destination

Life is Ananda, that’s the basic thing

Life is Ananda, that’s the basic thing

Life is Ananda, that’s the basic thing

Any time and we’re in the Bhav

Every thing is God

(Ram Ram, Sita Ram Ram, Sita Ram...) 

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Every thing is God

Hare, hare, hare, om!

Krsna eva, eva gatir mama (say whaa?)

Krishna is my refuge and (my) destination

Krsna eva, eva gatir mama (say whaa?)

Krishna is my refuge and (my) destination

Krsna eva, eva gatir mama (say whaa?)

Krishna is my refuge and (my) destination

Krsna eva, eva gatir mama (say whaa?)

Krsna eva, eva gatir mama 

1. 2015 Mark Rubin, with thanks, blessings and apologies to Shyamdas, Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

Thank you Shyam-ji for embodying the teachings so fully, deeply, joyously and exuberantly, and for your wisdom, leadership, passion and most of all love. Krsna eva gatir mama.

February 1, 2015

GREAT SPIRIT: A Tribute To The Beloved Ibrahim Baba

GREAT SPIRIT

A most precious gift, the constant reminders

to remember to remember, what is real…and important.

Some quiet, some vibrant, some warm to touch…others not.

But always available to us, 

to arouse one or more or our senses

and to remind us, to remind us, to remind us

in ways and at times that allow us to notice

and if lucky to embody, those blessed reminders

reminders that inform us again and again, and as often as necessary,

that we have perhaps strayed from our awareness of,

or are failing to fully embrace, 

the perfection, the divine, 

reminders that invite and welcome us to do so

and bring us in touch with our own divinity

and our connection with All That Is

Sometimes we are especially blessed,

Sometimes Spirit gifts us a beacon, 

a beacon so bright, constant and clear, Inshallah

that it not only reminds us, reminds us, reminds us,

it trains our sight on what we cannot often see in our daily lives, 

perhaps even on how we may be living in ways to divert 

from seeing what we are afraid to see…in ourselves and beyond.

A friend of a friend, this beacon, so pure

one who sees deeply, hears deeply, touches deeply

who seemingly by nature tries earnestly, lovingly, gracefully, playfully 

to look fully, and into, each and every unique one of us

and by giving us this attention, reminds us that we are worthy, 

perfect in our imperfections, because like him we too are human,

making us feel special, connected, loved 

for however long or short the moment or moments of connection

and if we are lucky opening us to a new but old and perhaps better way

A secret, Dear Ones…(shush)!  

Therein lies the magic of the beacon we call:  

  …Ibrahim, Khalvat, Elias…Sheikh, Teacher, Provost…Baba…and more.

By whatever names or incarnations we each know and love him

this wise, dear, full of life, passionate, involved, life changing soul activist,

whose larger than life presence,

from his tall powerful frame, to his comfortable and often colorful garb, 

this effervescent, brilliant and graceful spark that seems to scream out: I Am Unique, 

yet whose seeming uniqueness somehow resonates with each of us, one and all,

and whose world view and convictions, so clearly and genuinely revealed

in his practice, teaching, and big hearted life,

not only help us to challenge ourselves to better see our true natures

but also pour so much light that we could not, and never again, Inshallah

help but better perceive our sameness, and who we are together

and what we can accomplish together, honoring our sameness

That we are All One, All Love…Adonai Echod.

Look around mother, father…sister. brother.  

Experience the blessing.  Feel it.  Taste it.  Breath it.  

Pray it,  Dance it.  Sing it.  Be the blessing.

Even if I try to hide from me…I can no longer escape from you.

Well then, perhaps no longer from me, after all.

A special blessing indeed to know…by looking, sensing and experiencing You…

that we are All One, in this together.

How can I do anything but Love You from here?

Thank you, Maker of All and Giver of Blessings, 

for the blessing of this most wondrous beacon.

May his soul find abundant peace and love in its return to his friend.  

Thank you, dear friend of friend, Great Spirit.  May your memory continue to be a blessing, 

as it already has been, perhaps even moreso since you left us in body.  

May your transition free us, empower us, compel us

to more fully embrace and implement the teachings of sameness and oneness.

May we move forward together as best we can from a place of love,

helping us all to find our way home (no inner child left behind)

to who and where we already are and always have been, Inshallah

and from that blessed point, invite abundance 

as we do our best to raise the vibration on the planet, one spirit at a time.                               

Mark Rubin
February 2016

CHOCHMAT HALEV: A History and A Legacy

This was written to the Internationally Acclaimed Sufi Qawwali Band Fanna-Fi-Allah in Anticipation of Their 2016 Father's Day Concert at Chochmat Halev in Berkeley, California

May 30, 2016

Hi and blessings Tahir.  This is about Fanna Fi Allah’s upcoming performance at Chochmat Halev (Wisdom of the Heart) in Berkeley, which I’ve been trying to help Bhavani help you make a terrific success.  I’m hoping some of the background in this note will be useful to you, and facilitate the goal of moving forward the core message of Divine Love shared by mystics of many traditions. I apologize in advance if what I offer here is not news to you, but I felt a responsibility to convey why I am so excited about the evening.

My sense and prayer is that the event will not only be a success on its own, but also serve to open the door to opportunity for beautiful connection(s) both now and in the future for you not only with Chochmat, but also with a number of wonderful musicians/teachers who play, lead prayer and teach there, and also lead and perform in other bands — and share the universal themes and values found in Qawwali.

For starters, a bit of background.  As you may know, Chochmat began as a Center for Jewish Spirituality emphasizing Jewish meditation.  It has since grown into what its website describes as “a welcoming, progressive, Jewish Renewal synagogue and meditation center in Berkeley, CA, renowned for our music! We're a community of people focused on renewing Judaism as a relevant, meaningful and joyful spiritual path.”   Wikipedia describes Jewish Renewal as seeking to “reintroduce the ‘ancient Judaic traditions of mysticism and meditation, gender equality and ecstatic prayer’ to synagogue service.”  Chochmat has been at the forefront of this effort.

The principle founder of Jewish Renewal, Zalman Meshullam Schachter-Shalomi, commonly called "Reb Zalman” (per Wikipedia) was“an innovator in ecumenical dialogue.”  And indeed, Zalman himself embodied an interfaith life:  not only was he originally ordained as an orthodox Jewish Rabbi within the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic community, he was also a Sufi Sheykh. The internet has beautiful, heart warming photos of Zalman with leaders of many spiritual traditions — Ram Das and the Dalai Lama to name a few.  It is no accident that many Jews who identify as Renewal also have long term practices and affiliations with Hindu, Buddhist and other mystical traditions — for example, I share a passion for kirtan, as do many.  Nor is it surprising that Renewal services incorporate chant and other musical elements from those traditions — apropos of the upcoming event,  harmonium became an important part of Chochmat’s music years ago.

Chochmat is beloved by many for its powerful musical offerings, which range from contemplative to ecstatic, and often seamlessly weave world music influences into the mix.  A number of original shapers of that approach to music are at the forefront of Chochmat’s offerings now, decades later.  Among them is Maggid Jhos Singer, who contributed in many ways in the early days of Chochmat.  A self-described ‘rogue scholar” with the skill of being able “to translate experience (from the terrible to the sublime) into a fantastic story,” Jhos recently returned to serve as Congregational Leader with his spouse, Julie Batz, who has a unique ability to translate the spiritual essence of Jewish liturgy through her soulful musical interpretation.

The last many years, Chochmat’s high energy musical services have been largely conceived and developed by Brian Yosef Schachter-Brooks, a young musician in the early days, who grew into being ordained by Reb Zalman as a Minister of Sacred Music.  Brian’s harmonium driven services are cutting edge, and as a lover of kirtan, my favorites.  The in-house Chochmat Band that Brian leads is amazing.  As you can see from the Chochmat website at https://chochmat.org/music/, musicians who have been part of the band are accomplished in their own rights.  Many are well known for their own bands or projects, including:  Eliyahu Sills of Bolo, who I saw open for you a few years ago at La Pena; Bon Singer, one of Chochmat’s original and most beautiful voices, also a founder of Ya Elah; cantorial soloist Jeannette Ferber, who sings with Bon in Ya Elah and also with rock legend Phil Lesh at his annual Grateful Dead Passover Seders; and Lior Tsarfaty, now working on his 2nd interfaith CD, whose Prayer Songs Project brings together prayers and sacred music from different cultures — including a version of “Oseh Shalom” credited to Jhos Singer and celebrating the connection of Salaam and Shalom.

Hopefully this description of Chochmat — a humble but musically blessed community — feels more than comfortable so far.  And now here’s an important piece of the puzzle, which helps explain why I feel this is a particularly good time to make the connection between Fanna and Chochmat.  Over the past many years, Chochmat was blessed by having Sufism imbued in the community through the love and teachings of the beautiful, recently passed soul Dr. Ibrahim Farajaje (aka Khalvat Dar Anjuman), past Provost of Starr King for the Ministry, and the sweet energy and profound vocals of his son, Nessim Isa Enver, among others.  A spiritual teacher and guide (Pir/Shaykh) in the Ajmeri Chishti tradition, Ibrahim developed Starr King’s Andalusia Project, whereby Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist, Muslim students and others study their interconnected histories and traditions together. 

Ibrahim’s presence was palpable, his sermons and teachings often magnificent, always thought provoking, invariably revealing the already pre-woven ties between Sufism and Judaism.  His son, Issa, beautifully brought those teachings to Chochmat musically.  Together they would regularly lead Zikrs as part of services.  They taught and led Sufi chants and conveyed how the teachings had counterparts in Jewish prayer.  Brian wove this approach into the essence of the band, a natural extension of what he had been developing all along.  All in all, a beautiful thing — All One.  Add to that an extraordinary array of teachers, a few in particular who led beautiful contemplative services with Ibrahim on major holidays, amazing interpretive dance and other exquisite practices…perhaps even a miracle.  I know for sure I am at Chochmat high holiday services each year when Gary Lapow sets the tone by leading the congregation in chanting “We Are The Love,” which sparks the ecstatic expression of the fire of divine love also central to Qawwali.

Zalman and Ibrahim were close, teaching together on at least one occasion that I know of with Issa.  Both are now recently gone in body.  Their shoes can never be filled.  Others will continue and evolve the work in their own ways…including I am sure by Issa, who was recently installed as Shaykh in his father’s lineage, and also by Brian, who I know has been interested in possible uses of the Qawwali form in Jewish prayer…perhaps by others already involved in Chochmat…perhaps by other beautiful, innovative and/or non-dual oriented musicians from the Bay area — Jewish and non — who I hope will come to the event (Cantor Richard Kaplan comes to mind)…perhaps by other leaders doing powerful, things at the cutting edge of Jewish-Sufi community, such as Taya Ma, co-founder of The Kohenet Hebrew Priestess Institute, who chanted a profound and evocative chant of “Allah, Allah” at the overcrowded memorial service held for Ibrahim at Chochmat.  And many others, including folks in the Sufi tradition wanting to explore points of connection.

When Bhavani asked if Chochmat’s sacred space would be a good fit for a Fanna Fi Allah Qawwali concert, my thought was yes, if it met your technical requirements.  What excited me even more was the sense that beyond just a concert, this could be a wonderful opportunity to build and/or deepen connection(s) among a number of beautiful, positive and powerful devotional musical forces.  And the idea that you needed space on Fathers Day seemed to reinforce that this might be a perfect time to honor and build upon the efforts of a great spirit, known by many as Ibrahim Baba.  

I hope you agree this could be a win-win on many levels, and that the background in this note helps to uncover points of connection you may wish to explore.

See you soon!  And if I can help you in any way, please let me know.

Love and blessings

Mark Rubin

P.S.  These are my personal views after praying at Chochmat for more than a decade, becoming increasingly devotional via kirtan for an even longer time, and loving and learning more and more about Qawwali, thanks in large part to Fanna Fi Allah!