Kedmah
Mizrahi Melodies Reimagined
Kedmah is a musical ensemble and educational initiative that celebrates Middle Eastern Jewish expression through piyyutim — ancient poems and songs that have infused spirit and meaning into both sacred and ordinary moments of human experience for generations.
Led by Rabbi Yosef Ya’ish Goldman and Yoni Avi Battat, Kedmah boldly interprets these Arab, North African, and Ottoman melodies with a range of emotion, from quiet devotion to full-throated celebration, holding memory, longing, and joy.
Immersive Live Performances
Kedmah has performed at synagogues and concert halls across the United States, including performances at prestigious venues such as the Kennedy Center (Washington D.C.), The Weitzman Museum (Philadelphia), and Third Space (Baltimore).
At each performance, the artists share stories of their ancestries and musical journeys, while inviting audiences to join their voices, and their humanity, with the echoes of past generations.
The six-piece ensemble also includes vocalists Anat Halevy Hochberg and Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyer, alongside percussionist Fabio Pirozzolo and bassist James Heazlewood-Dale.
Simu Lev
Kedmah’s debut album, Simu Lev, was released on Rising Song Records in April of 2024. Led by Battat and Goldman, the album was was incubated by the Rising Song Institute and was co-produced by Joey Weisenberg, who also played bass on the album. The album features guest vocalist Yahala Lachmish, and guest percussionist April Centrone, together with ensemble singers Anat Halevy Hochberg and Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyer. The album was released with videos for each track, capturing the magical, prayerful experience of recording in live takes. The audio is available on all streaming platforms.
Educational Initiative
Besides their work performing and recording, Kedmah also prioritizes the transmission of piyyutim through educational initiatives. They offer classes and workshops in connection with their performances, and also host local monthly song circles in Boston and Philadelphia.
Rabbi Yosef Ya’ish Goldman, Kedmah’s Rabbinic and literary director, demystifies the complex intertextual poetry, offering interpretations that make centuries-old texts spiritually meaningful today. Meanwhile, musical director Yoni Avi Battat explains the musical content and aesthetic in a way that allows participants to gain a newfound appreciation for Arab expression and it’s overlap with Jewish culture.
Kedmah’s educational initiatives bring ancient texts and melodies into diologue with our modern lives, often in connection to the Jewish calendar. Some examples of their class and workshop topics include:
Shir Hashirim in Piyyut
Healing songs
Maqam building blocks:
Aleph-Baa: Arabizing our Hebrew Pronunciation