“One! Two! Three!” counts singer-songwriter Elana Jagoda. As she does, three stars appear in a twilight sky. The music kicks in–and thus begins “Havdalah,” one video in a new three-part series depicting Jewish rituals.
The three videos–one for Friday night blessings, one for Shabbat’s conclusion, and one teaching how to build a sukkah–are friendly, funny, and easy to follow. Each has its own personality: Jagoda’s Havdalah blessings are mellow and sing-alongy like a Saturday night campfire; Sukkot is performed by Joshua Walters, a vocal beatboxer, and flows like a step-by-step instructional manual, with backing “music” provided by Walters’ own voice.
The videos were created by G-dcast, a Jewish animation studio, and Moishe House, an organization which provides “meaningful Jewish experiences to young adults in their twenties.” But they’re not just for twentysomethings; anyone can karaoke to them. And anyone can make the Shabbat blessings, too–these videos make sure of that.
