You’re Never Alone: a Piyut for Yom Kippur

A piyyut is a Jewish liturgical poem, designated to be sung, chanted, or recited during religious services. Piyyut first appeared in Eretz Israel around the 6th century A.D. and later spread all across the Jewish world. In this session, learn about piyyutim in general, and hear a short introduction to the medieval Hebrew poetry of al-Andalus. Most of the lecture will be dedicated to a joint reading of one poem by Moses Ibn Ezra, written for the Mincha of Yom Kippur. In the poem, we will see how the poet seeks company and comfort, even in days of sin and anguish. The English version of the poem will be distributed to the audience during the online lecture.