The inaugural CRC Week of Music begins Saturday, Feb. 14, launching a seven-day celebration of Jewish music and prayer at Central Reform Congregation that is free and open to the entire community. Designed as a participatory experience rather than a traditional concert series, CRC Week of Music brings together local talent and nationally recognized artists to explore how Jewish sound, song and melody function as spiritual entry points.
The week will feature some of the area’s most accomplished musicians, including the Kantor siblings, Eitan and Nava Kantor, native St. Louisans who will play prominent roles in several events. Registration is required and is now available online for these and other programs throughout the week.
CRC Week of Music highlights
Programming during CRC Week of Music centers on hands-on learning, communal singing and accessible exploration of Jewish musical traditions. No prior musical experience is required for any event.
On Wednesday, Feb. 18, at noon, Eitan Kantor will lead a lunch-and-learn session focused on Ashkenazi music. The program will explore how musical traditions shape Jewish prayer and song, offering participants an opportunity to engage with melody as both history and lived practice. A boxed deli lunch from Ben Poremba’s Bengelina Hospitality Group is included.
That evening, at 7:30 p.m., Nava Kantor will introduce participants to nigun, the wordless melodies commonly used in Ashkenazi group vocal settings. The session will emphasize emotional and spiritual expression through communal singing. Dessert and tea will be served.
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Closing the week in song
CRC Week of Music concludes Saturday, Feb. 21, at 7 p.m., with a closing celebration that brings together Eitan Kantor and the CRC house band. The final evening will feature song, prayer, appetizers and dessert in a communal setting designed to reflect the spirit of the week.
The CRC house band is composed of congregation members who regularly contribute to the synagogue’s musical life, reinforcing the goal of sharing an established culture of Jewish music with the broader community.
About the Kantor siblings
Nava Kantor is a social worker and graduate of Washington University and a founding member of MaTovu. She is known for her work with nigun and for facilitating spiritual and emotional connection through music.
Eitan Kantor, now based in Denver, Colo., is a fiddle-playing musician, educator and composer. He serves as music director of the Hebrew Educational Alliance and works nationally in Jewish music education and community engagement.
Additional information, full schedules and registration instructions for CRC Week of Music are available through the CRC website.
