Hey Detroit!!! Tonight I will be performing at the Berman Center For The Performing Arts for The JCC Steven Gottleib Music Festival. At 3pm we are inviting any youth to come learn one of our songs so you can join us during our show. If you know of anyone who wants to perform with us, then come on out!!!!

Tonight Erez ‘diwon’ Safar, Josh Goldberg and I perform at 7pm sharp. Doors are at 6:30pm.. get your tickets soon as I hear it is going to be a packed night.

The Berman Performing Arts Center is located at 6600 West West Maple Rd, Bloomfield, MI 48322

See you there!!!!

blessings,
mikey

Today I woke up in Detroit, Michigan. I have never been here before. Today we will jump in our rental and head downtown, go with the flow and find a community to eat with. We will not use Yelp. Only our intuitions… Josh doesn’t know this yet. We will then take time for meditation and then head out to Tammarack Camp for the BBYO Convention. There is nothing like spending Shabbos with the youth. On Sunday, Diwon, Josh Goldberg and I will headline the Steven Gottleib Jewish Music Festival. We are beyond excited. Our set is going to be one of a kind. Blesssss.

This morning I walked from old Jaffa in Tel Aviv to the Beach and had my pre shabbos mikveh. Purifying my soul for the first Shabbos I have ever spent with my parents in Israel. They are arriving soon.

I am now safely in Jerusalem and heading out to meet them. Tonight I will spend Shabbos with them at Rabbi Shalom Brodt’s House in Nahloat. I am overflowing with excitement.

A couple of days ago I moved from Emik Refayim to Katomon. I arrived and my friend asked if I wanted to join her in meditation. Instead of joining her, I wrapped teffilin and caught up on shachris and mincha. As soon as I arrived at the Shoemona Esrei, I felt a pop in my heart. I started crying. Memories of the past week rushed through my head of spending powerful experiences in Jerusalem. Faces of friends. Teachers. People on the street. I took three steps back and 3 steps forward, and had to sit down embracing myself. I was feeling tears of gratitude being able to be here again. I was feeling grateful to perform 18.. plus one one personal prayer. I was feeling gratitude to getting present with the miracles in my life. I stood back up and cried my way though the Amidah. By the end of my practice I felt completely transformed.

I then went to a class ay Yeshiva Simchat Shlomo where Shlomo Katz was giving a shir on Pesach Shemeni. His shir literally about the having the type of prayer where you can’t even utter a word because you crying so deeply. He spoke about how to ask for a second chance and that with the right intention and coming from your heart’s center and speaking into the “yes” that g-d can’t possibly say no to us. We are not giving “no” an option. At the same time knowing whatever happens we are unattached and just committed to the results. I was so touched by the class that I almost started crying right in that moment. How could he possibly be talking about what I just went through 30 minutes before? How can that work? It makes sense.

Shlomo Katz and I connected after the class. We both gave each other blessings and he went on his way to LA to perform. We have very similar careers and we are going to keep in contact. I have been trying to see him speak for years now and I am so grateful for his Shir and blessings.

These miracles happen everyday and they will get stronger until Shavuos. We have three more weeks of miracles and tears before we receive the divines ultimate gift to us, the Torah.

On this Shabbos may you be blessed with Mumashhh miracles and feel truly connected to the divine source. Post shabbos connect to the fire of Lag B’omer!

Come see me at Jacobs Ladder Festival Next thursday and friday:

http://www.jlfestival.com/207883/Artists%2D1%2D1

Good Shabbossss from Jerusalem!! Shabbooos Kodesh!!!!
MIkey Pauker

I had the most wonderful day. Davened at the kotel, bumped into the rabbi who basically gifted me my teffilin last year. His step farther is a well known Chabad Rabbi. After speaking with him he asked if I was a Levy, especially because Levy were the musicians of the temple and all had red hair.. as do I. I told him I am a Yisrael, and he urged me to reconsider…

I went on my day to meet up with a close friend of mine who works for the organization “Thank Israeli Soldiers” in the old city. I somehow found my way there after walking through the narrow streets of the Jewish quarter. I walked into the house and was amazed by the spectacular architecture. Was I in a palace? My friend walked me up to the roof and told me to not look at the view until we were at the top. The view was overlooking the temple mount and we could see the actual space around the monument. This is the same place Abraham was sent to sacrifice Issac, where our temples stood, where our tabernacle is barried, the muslims say it’s way muhamed ascent to heaven. My friend and I caught up and then she left me to meditate and do yoga over looking tis beautiful view of the temple mount, arab quarter and mount of olives. I asked the divine to allow me to give back in a major way. All of a sudden the Muslim call to prayer blasted all over the old city as I was in heart center position. I felt this surge of energy, and tears started to rush.

I started to leave the the palace to meet with a new friend where the “king” of the palace invited me to sing for soldiers and his organization at an army base in the gush. I always have wanted to sing to the troops and accepted his invitation. I went to a feast with my friend, then picked up my minstrel instrument (guitar) and rushed to the old city for our ride. As we were leaving Jerusalem for the east, I realized we were crossing the green line. We were on the road towards hebron.

We arrived on the base. Bases are private.. we had a special permit. I was able to facilitate a Shira with the world famous Yitzhak Mayer. (Idan Raichel used to and still does sing to the Israeli soldiers). We sang to Israeli soldiers from all over the world. Some were from Ethiopia, Russia, Spain, France, South Africa. Some were born in Israel, however it was a diverse group of soldiers united by serving to protect the citizens of Israel. We were welcomed with hugs, smiles, high fives, and powerful singing. A general spoke, we sang, a rabbi blessed them, we danced, singing Matisayhu, Bob Marley, Yachad, Shlomo Carlebach, Rabbi Nachman songs.

I was soldier tonight serving the young soldiers who live in a country where everyone must serve. For the very first time in my life, it was touching to give back to the soldiers . After the event many soldiers came up to us and thanked us, they were transformed. They were fully in joy I was in simcha (joy) with all of them. They felt connected. Music has the power to elevate our existence in ways speech cannot. Tonight I really saw that.

I am blown away. We ALL have voices regardless of what you may say or think. Use it to generate and recreate melodies that inspire you. When you are inspired the word shifts. Tonight the world shifted. Did you feel it?!?

Take time everyday to get present with what you are grateful for. If that’s through meditation, journaling, meditation, yoga, or even devotional prayer. We all have our technology for this. Our words and intentions become our actions. My life looks exactly how I speak about it! You have that power in you too! I bless you and your communities that you are a participant in to have abundant love and power.

Blessings
Mikey