Pathways to Prayer

Pathways to Prayer explores the diverse musical tapestry of Jewish prayer and hear both traditional and contemporary music from composers who are helping define spiritual connection in the 21st Century.

About the Host

Laurie Akers is a celebrated Chicago-based artist and cantorial soloist. Her songs appear in numerous Jewish liturgical anthologies including Chazak V’Ematz: Jewish Songs of Hope and Protest, Shabbat Anthology IX, Nigun Anthology Volume III and High Holiday Anthology Volume I. Laurie is the host of the Cantors Assembly’s Shir Chadash program and the Jewish Rock Radio Chicago Sings concert series. She recently launched cantorial trio, Shul Sisters, whose performances include a 2020 debut concert at Park Avenue Synagogue in NYC, the 2020 International Lion of Judah Conference, the 2021 Women 4 Joe Inauguration celebration with Mayim Bialik, the 2021 Hamptons Synagogue Thanksgiving Day Concert and the Holocaust Museum’s 2022 annual gala. Laurie serves as the cantorial soloist at Congregation Or Shalom in Vernon Hills and she is currently in her final year of cantorial studies through the Cantors Assembly. Laurie’s album, The Key of We, can be found on all major music platforms.

Playlists

Episode 7: Songs of Freedom

1. Shir Yaakov “Rishikesh (Mi Chamocha)”
2. The Spirituals “Wade In the Water “
3. Matisyahu “Fire of Freedom”
4. Batya Levine “We Rise”
5. Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz “Min Hameitzar”

Episode 6: Simchat Torah

1. Naomi Less “Eitz Chayim”
2. Nava Tehila “L’cha Adonai – Rom’mu – Taking out the Torah”
3. Natalie Young “V’Haeir Eineinu”
4. Rick Recht “Al Shlosha”
5. Kitchen Sink “Romemu”
6. Dan Nichols “Sweet as Honey”

Episode 5: Tu B’Shvat

1. Abbie Strauss “Tree of Life”
2. Yosef Karduner “Tzadik Katamar”
3. Billy Jonas “To Be One”
4. Beth Hamon “Cedar Tree”
5. Nava Tehila “Ya’aloz Sadai”
6. Roman & Alaina “Ma Gadlu”
7. Jay Rapoport “Today is the Best Day”
8. Naomi Less and Matt Check “Eitz Chayim”

Episode 4: Joy

1. Yonatan Razel “Hallelu”
2. Micah Shapiro “Mah Gadlu/Mikolot Mayim”
3. Shani Ben Or & Boaz Dorot “Shiru L’adonai”
4. Todd Kessler “Hallelujah”
5. Elana Jagoda “This Light Tonight”
6. Jacob Sandler “El Adon (Nigun Cholov Yisroel)”
7. Soul Aviv “L’chu N’ranena”
8. Laurie Akers and Kenneth Lyonswright “Mah Gadlu”

Episode 3: Resilience

1. Chava Mirel “Stand Up”
2. Achinoam Nini & Mira Awad “There Must Be Another Way”
3. Kenneth Lyonswright “Seek It Out”
4. Moshav ft. Matisyahu “World on Fire”
5. Ma Muse (arr. Mayta Cohen) “We Shall Be Known”
6. Josh Warshawsky “Arise”
7. Batya Levine “We Rise”
8. Laurie Akers “Stand Strong”

Episode 2: Peace

1. Abraham Jam “Song of Peace”
2. Alex Blue “Shalom Rav”
3. Meta Cohen “Sim Shalom”
4. Benjie Ellen Schiller “Oseh Shalom”
5. Nefesh Mountain “Evermore (Hashkiveinu)”
6. Laurie Akers & Kenneth Lyonswright “Shalom Aleichem”
7. Beth Styles “Just Peace”
8. Nava Tehila “Sim Shalom”

Episode 1: Comfort and Healing

1. Shir Yaakov Feit “We Are Loved”
2. Nefesh Mountain “Somewhere On This Mountain”
3. Abbie Strauss “Looking For You”
4. Jaffa Road “Ana El Na”
5. Neshama Carlebach & Beth Styles “May We Be Blessed”
6. Jay Rapoport “I Need A Moment”
7. Shira Lissek “El Na R’fanah La”
8. Shul Sisters “Tomorrow”

Check out the Showtimes page for details and showtimes for all of JRR’s celebrity-hosted shows!