Way back when I launched this newsletter, I snuck this into the very first email: “I compose, sing, and record music; you folks will be the first to hear it.” One year later, I’m ready to make good on that promise—and to ask you to partner with me in the process.
Most of you know me for my words as a journalist, whether it’s covering national elections, anti-Semitism, baseball, or the translation of Harry Potter into Yiddish. But for the last five years, I’ve been working on something very different: an album of original Jewish music.
I’ve composed an entire collection of new songs for Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, in the hopes of enlivening Jewish gatherings and homes around the world. Today, I released the first single, and many more songs are in the works. But to make them a reality, I need your support.
Here’s how you can help:
Back the album’s Indiegogo campaign! Any contribution helps, and there are lots of fun perks to go along with your contribution. (You can even get a shout out from me on Twitter!)
Share the campaign on your social media accounts, so that others who might enjoy the music and/or contribute towards it can find it.
Subscribe to my YouTube channel and like the video of the debut song, to raise the visibility of both in YouTube’s algorithm.
As you know, unlike many newsletters, this one is free. I intend to keep it that way, because I want you all to be able to access what I write without barriers. But I’m often asked by folks how they can support me and my work. Well, this is it!
If you like my writing, support the album. And if you don’t like my writing, support the album so that I make it big and give up journalism for pop stardom. It’s a win-win!
One final word: This might seem like a strange time to launch a music project. I actually considered postponing this release until some months in the future, hoping for the coronavirus pandemic to pass, especially as members of my own family—not to mention my entire former elementary school and high school—are currently under quarantine. But I decided that now, of all times, we desperately need ways to inject joy into our lives. Hopefully, this music can be of some relief to those anxiously waiting in their homes. I know it has been for me.
Again, here’s the link: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/az-yashir-an-original-jewish-music-album
If you appreciate my work, I could really use your support. Thank you!