For The Educator, a note from the songwriter:

Or Chadash comes from the morning prayers, right before Ahava Rabah. The prayer itself is a plea to God for a new light to shine on Israel. This “new light” can be seen as peace, or the messianic age, which also involve “light” imagery. I’ve taken this line a bit out of context, however, and imagined it as a plea to each one of us. We each have a light to shine upon Zion, to add ourselves to the light of the Jewish people. Taking on tradition while simultaneously making it our own is the only we’ve been able to survive for this long. It’s your book, it’s your tradition, and it has so much to offer. First you’ve got to open the book. Then shine your light!

Consider and discuss:
How will you “add your spark”?
What “new light” will you shine on Judaism?

Lyrics:
The dusty pages of a worn in book
don’t mean a thing unless you take a look
it may seem faded, it may seem square
but hidden inside, it has so much to share
Passed on down, all through the line
given different meanings in each space and time
There is a spark it can ignite
and all you gotta do is bring the light

Chorus:
Cause a new light to shine
Cause a new light to shine
Time to get on up and say tradition is mine
cause a new light to shine
cause a new light to shine
Once you’ve taken the time there’s much you can find

In the Torah you will see
The laws and stories of our history
But it’s just words, no matter how true,
until you find the fire inside of you
L’dor v’dor the tradition is passed
we make it our own so we make it last
(They say there’s) 70 faces of the Torah to share
just look in the mirror and you’ll see one there

Chorus
Bridge
(you gotta) Add your spark to the fire of our nation
(you gotta) light the dark; add your voice to God’s creation
(you gotta) Be yourself and shine with all your might
Add your own small light, keep the fire burning bright!

Shine, shine, shine a new light
Shine, shine, keep it burning bright

Or chadash, al tzion tair, v’nizkeh kulanu mheira l’oro x2
Chorus