Martin Luther King Jr. Day Readings • the Open Siddur Project ✍ פְּרוֺיֶּקט הַסִּדּוּר הַפָּתוּחַ

Four excerpts from a “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1963), cantillated by Rabbi David Evan Markus (Tu biShvat 5782)

Contributor(s):

David Evan Markus and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Categories:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Readings, Modern Miscellany

Tags:

United States, social justice, civil rights, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Hafatarot, Cantillated readings in English, צדק צדק תרדוף tsedeq tsedeq tirdof

This is a haftarah comprised of excerpts from a “letter from a Birmingham jail” by Martin Luther King Jr. (16 April 1963). The haftarah was cantillated by Rabbi David Evan Markus for a public reading on MLK Shabbat (the sabbath preceding MLK Day). . . .

“I have a Dream” by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1963), cantillated by Rabbi David Evan Markus

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (transcription), David Evan Markus and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Categories:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Readings, Modern Miscellany

Tags:

צדק צדק תרדוף tsedeq tsedeq tirdof, United States, social justice, civil rights, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Hafatarot, Cantillated readings in English

In 2017, Rabbi David Evan Markus prepared the end of Dr. King’s famous speech read at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom (August 28, 1963) with trope (t’amim, cantillation). The following year on Facebook he shared a recording of the reading hosted on Soundcloud. Rabbi Markus writes, “This weekend at Temple Beth El of City Island, I offered the end of Dr. King’s 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, which I set to haftarah trope because I hold Dr. King to be a prophet. When my community applauded, I offered President Obama’s response, ‘Don’t clap: vote.’ And do more than vote: organize, donate, volunteer, help, heal, advocate. Only then, in Dr. King’s words quoting Isaiah 40:5, will ‘all flesh see it together.'” . . .

Excerpts from the Speeches and Letters of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1958-1968) from an ecumenical MLK Day service by Temple Emanu-El & Abyssinian Baptist Church

Contributor(s):

Aharon N. Varady (transcription) and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Categories:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Readings, Modern Miscellany

Tags:

צדק צדק תרדוף tsedeq tsedeq tirdof, 20th century C.E., United States, social justice, civil rights, 58th century A.M., Btselem Elohim

Selections from speeches and letters by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. read in ecumenical services for Martin Luther King Day in the United States. . . .

Excerpts from speeches by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (1956-1968) selected by Rabbi Marcia Prager, cantillated by Ḥazzan Jack Kessler

Contributor(s):

Jack Kessler (trōpification), Marcia Prager and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Categories:

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Readings, Modern Miscellany

Tags:

United States, social justice, civil rights, 21st century C.E., 58th century A.M., Hafatarot, Cantillated readings in English, צדק צדק תרדוף tsedeq tsedeq tirdof

These quotations from Dr. King’s speeches were edited by Rabbi Marcia Prager and set to Haftarah Trop by Hazzan Jack Kessler. This adaptation was first published in Kerem (Fall 2014), in Jack Kessler’s article, “English Leyning: Bringing New Meaning to the Torah Service.” . . .