A Sliver in the Sky: A Song for Rosh Hodesh

I wrote this song last year when I was preparing to teach a group of Jewish campers and staff about Rosh ChodeshThe new moon, which marks the beginning of the Jewish month. According to tradition, because women did not participate in the sin of the golden calf, they were given the holiday of Rosh Chodesh. It is customary for women not to work on Rosh Chodesh., and discovered that there didn’t seem to be a lot of music written for the holiday. I wanted a song that could be sung by any gender of any age. So I came up with this.

Sliver in the Sky (a song for the new moon)

The world turns round and around
While the sun climbs up and falls down
And the days and nights roll by
‘Til we notice the moon’s just a sliver in the sky

Each night it glows with possibility
And we dream of all the good there could be
As the moon grows big and round
Heaven’s blessings of peace find us here upon the ground

Time is the measuring rod
Given to us by God up above
Like lines we mark on the door
We grow older and wiser
As our hearts grow stronger with love

The world turns round and around
And the moon fades without a sound
As the nights and days roll by
And we come back around to that sliver in the sky.