The HipHopShabbat Experience

"'The psalmist wrote, 'Shiru L’Adonai shir chadash – Sing unto God a new song.'
Hip Hop Shabbat does just that."
-Rabbi Karen Citrin, Temple Beth-El, San Mateo, CA

The HipHopShabbat Crew is the only Jewish hip-hop group that combines traditional Jewish song, prayer and liturgy with contemporary hip-hop beats and rhythms. Group members Yo-Natan and Lion of Judah lead Jewish hip-hop prayer services and workshops at synagogues, day schools, summer camps, Hillels, and Jewish Community Centers across the country. Families, college students, teens, grandparents and children have all discovered a renewed enthusiasm for Shabbat prayer through the "HipHopShabbat" experience.

Lion of Judah and Yo-Natan

Independently, the "HipHopShabbat" Crew is led by rapper/producer Yo-Natan (aka Jonathan Gutstadt) who wrote and produced the "HipHopShabbat" CD in 2004. His right hand man is Lion of Judah (aka Judah Ritterman), who is a constant source of inspiration for the project. Despite being released independently, the "HipHopShabbat" CD has found audiences as far away as Israel, Germany, Sweden, and Brazil. Certainly it's popularity is growing as Jewish people search for music they can relate to beyond gimmicky shtick rap. Though their lyrics may be humorous, the "HipHopShabbat" Crew is serious about embracing the music of the Jewish people and using it to transform the soul.

"This is so suprising because with hip-hop, I often have to cringe at the words. But this is a group of young people with a totally positive, exciting perspective about their Judaism."
-Cantor Brian Reich, Congregation Beth-El, Berkeley, CA

HipHopShabbat Biography

Born and raised in Oakland, CA, Yonatan and Judah became friends as members of the Original Jewish Gangsters, a group of Oakland Jews who grew up together attending the Oakland Jewish Community Center and Temple Sinai. The group bonded during their teenage years and spent countless hours driving around, listening to hip-hop, and hanging out at school. This time had a profound effect on the identities of Jonathan and Judah because they developed a unique cultural perspective which intregrated hip-hop values such as social justice into their "Jewish" ethnicity.

Yonatan went to the University of Oregon where he regularly attended Shabbat services at Hillel. Judah attended school at Boston University where he also regularly attended Shabbat services at Hillel and Chabad. After a year in Jerusalem, Judah returned to the Bay Area in 2003, around the time that Yonatan was developing his skills as a hip-hop producer. They recorded a Jewish hip-hop demo of "Let My People Flow" and it's underground success prompted Yonatan to produce an entire Jewish hip-hop CD.

During his time at Hillel, Yonatan had the idea to mix hip-hop into the traditional Shabbat service, an idea he called "HipHopShabbat." In February 2004, while he was in Mexico visiting the Mayan pyramids, he read a book called "Secrets of the Talking Jaguar," written by a Mayan shaman who exclaims in the book's prologue that, "When people sing the songs of their ancestors, there will be peace." Yonatan returned home almost immediately to begin working on his new CD "HipHopShabbat." He called his relatives and asked for suggestions about which songs/prayers to include and ultimately decided to create a hip-hop version of the traditional, reform Shabbat service. He made a song list and divided parts amongst his crew, the Original Jewish Gangsters. Judah suggested that they bring in vocalist Elana Jagoda, who was the final touch in creating what has become a classic in contemporary Jewish music.

Since the 2004 Chanukkah release of "HipHopShabbat", the Jewish community has been calling for more and more "HipHopShabbat" services. In synagogues, Hillel's, JCC's and summer camps, the "HipHopShabbat" Crew has answered the call, reaching out to share the "HipHopShabbat" experience with communities from East-to-West Coast. When Yo-Natan and Lion of Judah lead "HipHopShabbat" services, they not only sing and rap the traditional Jewish liturgy, they lead a community in heart-felt prayer and celebration. The result is a new genre of Jewish music which is both spiritually alive and entertaining.

The first HipHopShabbat - Temple Beth El, Berkeley CA, Dec. 10, 2004

Highlights over the last 3 years include performances at the BBYO International Convention, Regional BBYO Convention (St. Louis), Craig Taubman & Friday Night Live (at Sinai Temple in LA), Stephen S. Wise Synagogue (LA), USC and UCLA Hillels, the To Life Festival (2005-2007) (Palo Alto, CA), Jewish Music Festival (2005, 2006) (Berkeley, CA) and the San Francisco JCC. The "HipHopShabbat" crew has made headlines in the Jerusalem Post, San Francisco Chronicle, the Jewish Journal (LA), the J-Weekly (Bay Area), Daily Jews Online Magazine and the National Hillel Website.

Vision for the Future

Yo-Natan and Lion of Judah share the vision of uniting people through Jewish song and prayer. With the upcoming release of "Modeh Ani" (to be released Passover 2009), the "HipHopShabbat" Crew will come one step closer to reaching the goal of leading Morning, Afternoon and Evening Services for both Weekdays and Shabbat in their innovational hip-hop format.

Because of the universal appeal of hip-hop to the next generation, the HipHopShabbat Crew has the privilege of inspiring Jewish youth across the country. Yo-Natan and Judah believe that worship through music provides a meaningful channel for connection with G-d among people of all backgrounds. Their vision is to inspire a sense of humanity's interconnectedness through modern Jewish music and prayer.