Shbahoth – Songs of Praise in the Babylonian Jewish Tradition

Sara Manasseh brings a significant but less widely-known Jewish repertoire and tradition to the attention of both the Jewish community (Ashkenazi Sephardi Oriental) and the wider global community. The book showcases thirty-one songs and includes English translations complete Hebrew texts transliterations and the music notation for each song. The accompanying downloadable resources include eighteen of the thirty-one songs sung by Manasseh accompanied by 'ud and percussion. The remaining thirteen songs are available separately on the album Treasures performed by Rivers of Babylon directed by Manasseh - : www.riversofbabylon.com. While in the past a book of songs with Hebrew text only was sufficient for bearers of the tradition the present package represents a song collection for the twenty-first century with greater resources to support the learning and maintenance of the tradition. Manasseh argues that the strong inter-relationship of Jewish and Arab traditions in this repertoire - linguistically and musically - is significant and provides an intercultural tool to promote communication tolerance understanding harmony and respect. The singing of the Shbahoth (the Baghdadian Jewish term for 'Songs of Praise') has been a significant aspect of Jewish life in Iraq and continues to be valued by those in the Babylonian Jewish diaspora.