Rabbi Yaakov Klein calls himself an “old soul” — he is an author, a lecturer, and a musician

He’s just 29, but RABBI YAAKOV KLEIN calls himself an “old soul” — he is an author (Sparks from Berditchov, which he wrote at age 19, The Story of Our Lives, and Sunlight of Redemption on the teachings of Rebbe Nachman of Breslov), a lecturer, and a musician. Originally from Far Rockaway, Reb Yaakov moved from Jerusalem to London with his young family as founding director of Eilecha — a UK-based organization that creates opportunities for spiritual growth and experiential education — where he continues to share the inner light of Torah and chassidus through his books, classes, and music.

THE BEST SONG TO BREAK THE ICE

An obvious choice is a classic with a theme of connection, like “L’maan Achai” or “Acheinu,” which most people know. But it really depends on the crowd. If it’s a kumzitz for a frum audience, I often begin with Eitan Katz’s “Ki Karov” (a nice bonus is that it prominently features the word “Eilecha,” the name of our organization). His “L’maancha” also works very nicely.

A PASUK AND TUNE THAT MATCH PERFECTLY

“Od Yeishvu,” by Yossi Green. The tune so wonderfully reflects the prophetic vision of Eretz Yisrael in a state of Geulah described in the words. MBD’s inimitable soaring vocal on the words “u’rechovos ha’ir yimalu” gives you the sense of tranquil expansiveness that all of us will b’ezras Hashem soon experience.

SONGS THAT STRIKE A CHORD AMONG UNAFFILIATED JEWS

In a kumzitz setting, you want to get them involved, so it’s important to choose songs they’ll know. But I also think there’s no reason we have to stay within the very limited genre of “kiruv songs” — if they learned those songs, they can surely learn so many others! So I’ll usually try to teach a new song as well. There’s also value in asking people to close their eyes and listen for a meaningful song with English lyrics they can appreciate even without singing along. If I’m taking that route, I sing songs from the Only You album that we put together in 2019 in honor of Rav Moshe Weinberger, featuring the compositions of Michael Shapiro — songs like, “An Everlasting Love,” “Only You,” or the English lyrics from “Memaleh Kol Almin.”

A PERFORMANCE I’LL NEVER FORGET

In January, I participated in an Aish UK volunteering mission to Israel with university students. Sitting on one side of me was Reb Yosef Lefkovitch, a 98-year-old Holocaust survivor who suffered through seven concentration camps, rescued 600 children from monasteries, and went on to become a Nazi hunter. On the other side of me were the parents and siblings of Binyamin Airley Hy”d, a rare and shining soul who was murdered in Gaza in the early months of the war. I don’t have words to describe the power in that room that night — the way that, after all they’ve endured, these heroes could surrender to Hashem’s love and continue singing “Tov Lehodos” with joy, was simply incredible to behold.

A SONG THAT GETS ME INTO THE SHABBOS MOOD

There’s a song called “Shabat Shalom” by Yehuda Glantz. The second I hear that accordion, I just know Shabbos is coming!

A SONG THAT GIVES ME CHIZUK

One that immediately comes to mind is the vintage “Becha Batchu” by Shlomo Carlebach. The words recount our grandparents’ staunch faith and connection to Hashem and the courage it took to maintain their commitment to Yiddishkeit in the most unimaginable circumstances. There is something about Reb Shlomo’s melodies in general that stirs the deepest part of the Jewish neshamah. He himself was always striving, yearning, always trying to soar beyond the limitations of the human experience with which he grappled in his own way.

MY FAVORITE YIDDISH SONG

There is an old Yiddish song composed by the first Kaliver Rebbe, Reb Eizik Kaliver, called “Gevaltche Brider.” The lyrics urge the Jew to wake up from his slumber, to learn some Torah, to daven, to say some Tehillim. “If there is no Torah, no davening, no Tehillim, for what have you come to This World? With what will you come to the Next World?” There is a certain old-school simplicity in the matter-of-fact view that reminds us how precious life is, why we are alive in the first place, and the very relatable struggle with getting out of bed.

A SONG I NEVER SKIP AT THE SHABBOS SEUDAH

Baruch Hashem, I’ve composed original tunes for most of the zemiros, and we often sing those. But if I have guests who aren’t familiar with those niggunim, I like Yitzchak Fuchs’ “Menuchah V’Simchah”.

AN ALBUM I’D TAKE ON A LONG ROAD TRIP

Anything by my dear yedid Reb Joey Newcomb is enormously satisfying and nourishing for the whole family. He’s got it all — beautiful vocals, quality production, memorable melodies, a broad range of styles, and deep messages.

LYRICS I’LL ALWAYS REMEMBER

There’s a shining soul named Binyamin Werner who I was zocheh to learn with in Yeshivat Mevaseret Tzion where I taught for a few years. His music is very original, a deeply creative form of rap (his stage name is “Werntatty”). Binyamin has a song called “I Need a Rebbe,” which he recorded together with another rebbe in the yeshivah, Rabbi Daniel Glanz. He sings, “A rebbe who will see me drowning and drag me out to dry land. A rebbe who will speak to me before he even speaks to me, I need him so bad….” These words cut to the core of what today’s youth so desperately seek. Then real learning can happen.

A SONG THAT TAKES ME TO A DIFFERENT TIME AND PLACE

I was privileged to sing with Baruch Levine on the song “Ki Hu” from his album Baruch Levine 2 as a child soloist when I was around 11. I’ll never forget going down the stairs into Yochi Briskman’s famous “Studio X” and singing into the microphone I imagined had been used by Shwekey and so many other Jewish music greats. When the album came out, I must have listened to that track a thousand times. So that song definitely brings me back to my childhood.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1018)