About the creation

The cycle Festivals (Mo'adim) was written in 1964 and first performed the same year by the Tel Aviv Chamber Choir conducted by Eytan Lustig. The work is based on traditional motives of Babylonian Jewry. The first movement, "Lord, my rock art thou" (Tsur yeshuati) - for the Succoth holidays - is written for double choir. The second movement, "How poor was the bread" (Ha lachma anya) - for Passover - is antiphonal, i.e. a small choir against the large choir. The third moevement - "Come let us sing joyfully" (Kol tsahala v'rina) - for Sabbath -is for a choir of eight voices.