Testimonials

From our very first meeting, Lior helped us understand the ways in which music could be a source of connection and community-building for our students and faculty. Over our many months of working together, Lior has continually brought us back to our original goals so that, as we build our program, we do not lose sight of what first inspired us.

Lior has made important practical recommendations as well, sharing Music by Heart’s curricular ideas, helping us develop a school repertoire tailored to our unique character as a school, and sharing logistical recommendations as needed. We are so grateful for Lior’s inspired and passionate support in service of music and community at our school.

We turned to Music by Heart’s artist in residence program to help us form our first-ever Hillel band. Drawing on Lior’s depth of experience, he guided our staff and students through the logistics of attracting members, setting a rehearsal and performance schedule, picking and
arranging repertoire, instilling a collaborative and open “vibe,” and performing outstanding Jewish music for our entire campus.

Over this past pilot year, Music by Heart and Hillel together created a Jewish student community of talented musicians who loved to learn and perform Jewish music for their peers. Whether it was pre-shabbat musical gatherings, playing at community food festivals, or culminating in beautifying our unique musical High Holiday services at Stanford’s Frost Amphitheater, our whole community experienced great music together. Our students expressed a new, dynamic, creative, and musical side of their Jewish selves, shining as performers, growing as Jews, and having lots of fun. I am grateful to Music by Heart for making this dream a reality.

For the past two years, we have been designing and leading Kabbalat Shabbat and the Havdalah with Music by Heart under the leadership of Lior Ben-Hur. Lior creates these two peak events for us: planning and connecting the community in every detail during the event, all under a deep and meaningful and rich dialogue with the IAC Gvanim team and the production.

More than 400 community members participated in the Kabbalat Shabbat thanks to Lior. They did not come for a performance but for a community event: their presence at the Shabbat reception and the Havdalah was significant, and they experienced it. It was fascinating to see hundreds of community members experience Israel through Lior. At the same time, American Jews who participated in the event also felt that they had a “home”, had a “voice” and a presence. Lior and Music by Heart use music as a tool to create a community that experiences the fullness of Jewish life while connecting authentically to everyone in the community.

Cousins Like Us takes some of the most universal, relatable experiences  – visiting with cousins, playing in backyards, sharing family meals, going for a day trip with a friend – and weaves them into a charming, musical tale that is both unmistakably Jewish, and which has been easy for students from diverse backgrounds to find themselves reflected in. The storyline, art, and above all the music, is rich, so there are many paths to take through the program. Our classroom has been able to shift focus between various linguistic, cultural, and social-emotional dimensions relevant to the learners. At the program’s center is a huge heart, steeped in Jewish text and values, and made accessible through song, story, and art. Students from different backgrounds build relationships with Jewish and Hebrew culture at their own level, and most critically, build relationships with one-another through the process.

Our whole family has loved interacting with the book, and our daughter has played the songs over and over. She insisted on playing the songs for friends over the weekend. She has loved hearing the stories through two different voices. It’s brilliantly done and beautifully created. Also, we really enjoyed sharing gratitude with our class during the family workshop – it was such a beautiful way to connect.

I particularly appreciated the approach of giving the teachers tools and confidence to work with the curriculum as an integrated part of day-to-day experiences. I also look forward to seeing how this will mesh with the Jewish calendar/monthly values framework that we hope to introduce this year.

Music By Heart has completely transformed the music program at our school. As the music teacher at Gideon Hausner Jewish Day School, I’ve seen firsthand how Lior’s curriculum brings Jewish music to life in a way that is joyful, accessible, and deeply meaningful for students. Since implementing Music By Heart, our program has grown by leaps and bounds. Students are more engaged, our repertoire is richer, and our community gatherings feel more alive and connected through song.

Beyond the curriculum itself, working with Lior has been a true gift. He has been an invaluable resource to me, becoming not just a mentor but a true friend. He helped guide me through the curriculum, lesson planning, organizing and planning performances, as well as navigating classroom dynamics. He has a unique gift for being able to see the big picture, as well as the minute details. He helped me with what I needed immediately in the moment, and to plan for the future both near and more distant. I’ve learned so much from him, not only about Jewish music and songleading, but about how to teach with spirit, empathy, and intention.

Every conversation with Lior leaves me feeling inspired and grateful. His presence is uplifting, and his generosity of time and soul is rare. I’m a better teacher because of him, and our school is better for having Music By Heart at its core.