More specifically, I want to talk about a gathering that took place this year in the narrow stone alleys of Nachlaot, Jerusalem, on the last night of Chanukah.
I don’t know exactly how it started. One moment there were a few dozen people gathered in the winding lanes of that ancient neighbourhood, my father’s (z”l) neighbourhood, and the next moment there were many hundreds, packed like sardines (with cellphones). And then someone began to play, and someone began to sing, and within seconds the whole crowd was singing together, their voices rising up into the cold Jerusalem night air, the glow of Chanukah menorahs flickering in the windows of the stone buildings above their heads.
לית יחודא בעלאי עלאי ותתאי בר מנך
“leit yichuda bila’a ila’a u’tata’a bar minach”
I can’t, can’t do this without you
We’re in this together
Don’t leave me on my own
The song was Zusha’s “Don’t Leave Me On My Own” – and I want to tell you that I have been to many concerts and farbrengens, to hakafot and chasunas, to the most inspiring shuls around the world, and to the highest dancing on Simchat Torah and Purim. And I have never felt anything quite like what I felt watching that holy gathering in Nachlaot.
Why? What was it about that moment?
I keep coming back to the pasuk from tehillim in Kabbalat Shabbat:
“Shiru l’Hashem shir chadash” – “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.”
What does it mean to sing a new song? The Psalm issues the directive but gives no instructions. We can be taught what to sing, when to sing, how to sing. But a new song – one that is truly ours, that rises from somewhere deep and real – that cannot be taught. It has to be found.
The band Zusha – Shlomo Gaisin and Zach Goldschmiedt – has spent their career doing exactly that. They take the ancient words of our tefillot and our niggunim, the melodies of the Chassidic masters, the davening and teachings of Jews from around the world, and they breathe something startling and alive into them. It is not a Judaism of nostalgia. It is a Yiddishkeit of right now – of searching and finding, of a people that refuses to let its songs go stale.
“Don’t Leave Me On My Own” was written in the aftermath of October 7. Its lyrics draw on the words of Reb Baruch of Mezibuz, who taught that every single Jewish soul is an irreplaceable thread in the fabric of klal Yisrael. “Without you,” the teaching goes, “there is something missing in the unity of the upper and lower worlds.” Says Goldschmiedt: “Don’t think that Klal Yisroel can continue without you. If you were created, you play an integral role, so get active, get involved.'”
That is what I heard those hundreds of Jews singing together in Nachlaot on the last night of Chanukah. Not a song. A call to action.
And it strikes me that this is precisely what DAT is about.
A school can teach children the notes, the sheet music, the musical theory of Judaism. We can introduce them to the melodies, suggest which songs to sing, fill their days with tefillah and Torah and mitzvot. We can do it with love and care and creativity. And we try to, every single day. But at the end of the day, every one of our students has to find their own song – claim it as their own, sing it in their own voice, bring something new and alive to the Jewish conversation. It’s my only real, enduring wish for all of our children and students.
That is what we are building here. That is what 33 years of DAT have been building.
Come. Bring someone who needs to be there. Bring someone who didn’t know they needed to be there. Be a part of this. Help support this special school.
There are so many ways to get involved and help make May 19 an incredible moment for our community. You can register and learn more at https://datcampus.org/2026-annual-event/.
Shiru l’Hashem shir chadash. Let’s sing a new song together.
Denver Academy of Torah Annual Event 2026 FAQ
Event Guide
Annual Event FAQ
Denver Academy of Torah Annual Event 2026
Q1
Will this annual event be like previous years?
Yes and no! This year, we are excited to have a theater-style seated concert, featuring the acclaimed band Zusha, instead of a typical banquet-style dinner. Before the concert, there will still be ample food and beverage stations throughout the reception area! Ahead of the feature performance, we will begin the program with inspiring updates about DAT and our incredible students, like we usually do at our annual event.
We are excited for the new format to create a warmer, family-friendly atmosphere, while maintaining the elevated feel of an annual event. Attire will be Colorado Cocktail.
Q2
Is this event for the whole family?
Typically, DAT's Annual Event is primarily for adults, however due to the exciting nature of this year's concert, we are also welcoming students to attend (limited student tickets are available for purchase).
Q3
Are students going to be in the same space as the adults?
During the reception, the students will be in a separate room with supervision and their own food and activities. They must be accompanied by an adult to attend the event, but all adults can enjoy the reception while students have their own programming. Everyone will come together for the program and concert.
Q4
When and where exactly is the annual event?
Exact details are being withheld for security purposes. We have started sending the time and location out to those who have registered and been vetted, and will continue to do so on a regular basis until the day of the event.
Q5
Why should I attend the annual event?
The annual event is one of the only times that parents, grandparents, alumni, alumni parents, staff, friends, and supporters come together to celebrate and show appreciation for the school community and all DAT provides its students, the future of our Jewish community. This event is open to the entire Denver Jewish community.
Q6
Is the annual event a fundraiser?
Yes! All funds raised from the Annual Event go toward DAT's annual campaign, which is a critical component of DAT's annual operating budget. Tuition dollars alone do not cover the cost of a high-quality general and Judaic studies education rooted in Torah values.
This funding helps provide our students opportunities in STEM, sports, the arts, community engagement, leadership initiatives, service projects, real-world internships, and engaging Israel programming. Funds raised also help ensure that a DAT education is accessible to the broader Jewish community of Denver.
It takes the generosity and commitment of a strong and united community - including parents, grandparents, alumni, alumni families, and community members - to ensure DAT's ability to provide students a foundation for Jewish life and prepare our alumni to be the next generation of Jewish leaders.
