"I Have Decided" and "Oseh Shalom"

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s profound and visionary words continue to inspire us. They urge successive generations to champion the ongoing battle for equality and justice.

Every year on the Shabbat nearest to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, CBST honors the enduring legacy of this extraordinary civil rights leader with special musical settings. To commemorate this anniversary, we choose music that resonates with the themes that defined Dr. King’s life.

Last Shabbat, we featured the powerful composition “I Have Decided” by Dave Rowe. This poignant piece, set to Dr. King’s timeless words, “I have decided to stick with love; hate is too great a burden to bear,” seamlessly weaves these sentiments together with a soulful and expressive melody.

We follow this song with words from our daily liturgy: “May the one who makes peace in the Heavens, make peace for us, for all Israel, and for the entire earth.” Keyn y’hi ratson…

Music: “I Have Decided” by Dave Rowe (b. 1973) and “Oseh Shalom” by Yoel Sykes (b. 1986), arr. Joyce Rosenzweig.

Performed by: The CBST Community Chorus

Piano: CBST Music Director Joyce Rosenzweig

For more wonderful settings, be in community with CBST at Kabbalat Shabbat services, Fridays at 6:30 p.m. ET, in person or livestreaming on CBST’s website at cbst.org/livestream. All are welcome.