F.E.L. S-242 STEREO

playable on stereo and most mono phonographs

Women of the Old estament ESTHER- DEBORAH - JUDITH -LEAK & RUTH: RACHEL @ SARAH? HANNAH - NAOM)

SARAH HERSHBERG AY] EXCLUSIVE FEL. RECORDING ARTIST

omen of the F. E. L. S-242 STEREO playable on stereo and most mono phonographs

Ol £estament Sarah Hershberg is a housewife and mother of three children, who has been playing and singing her own beautiful, haunting songs since her days in music school. Many of her works have been in- spired by her own Jewish heritage and religious training. She has collaborated in the composition of a religious folk-oratorio, which was presented on national television, and has composed several popular record hits. .

On this record, Sarah sings a collection of her songs which speak of the great feminine characters of the Old Testament. In these memorable melodies, these great women come alive and take on a vividness which makes them seem like contemporary figures. This record will give the listener a new insight into the story of ancient Israel.

SIDE ONE BAND 1. WOMAN OF VALOR outlines Scripture’s view of the ideal woman. The song can be applied to many of the great women celebrated in these songs. The text is inspired by Proverbs 31. BAND 2. In an abrupt change of mood, EVE’S LAMENT portrays the restrained grief of the first mother at the violent death of her son, Abel. By ex- tension, Eve is grieving over the violent deaths of millions of her sons throughout history.

BAND 3. This is the song of HANNAH, mother of the prophet Samuel. After many childless years, Hannah’s prayers for a child were answered with the birth of this great son. Fulfilling her vow to God, she brought her young son to Eli the Priest to be raised in the service of the temple. Here Hannah voices her thanks to God and her compassion for others.

BAND 4. DEBORAH was the Old Testament counterpart of Jeanne d’Arc. A great prophetess during the twenty-year period of slavery under the Ca- naanites, Deborah was called by God to lead His people in rebellion against their masters and the Canaanite, Sisera.

BAND 5. This song celebrates another national heroine: JUDITH. According to the Biblical story, Judith’s town of Bethulia was besieged by the As- syrian army, led by Holofernes. With the water wells in the hands of the enemy, the Bethulians were in a desperate plight and were about to capitulate. But the beautiful widow, Judith, hearing of the timidity of the town’s leaders, vowed to save her people. Mesmerized by her charm and beauty, Holofernes arranged a great entertainment in her honor. But when the general had fallen into a drunken stupor from the revelry, Judith slew him with his own sword and returned safely to her city. With this inspiration, the Bethulians then successfully turned back the enemy.

BAND 6, The final song on Side One tells of SARAH, wife of the Patriarch Abra- ham. Since Sarah was barren, Abraham turned to her slave, Hagar, to bear his son, as was the custom in those days. The birth of Ishmael caused a bitter conflict between the two women. In her ninetieth year, however, Sarah did conceive and bear a son, Isaac, the second Patriarch of Israel.

SIDE TWO BAND 1. The text, BEHOLD THOU ART FAIR, from THE SONG OF SOLOMON (Can- ticle of Canticles) describes the beauty of woman in classic terms. This text is regarded as the greatest love song in THE BIBLE. The soloist is John Hunt.

BAND 2. Chosen for her beauty to be the wife of the Persian King Ahasuerus, ESTHER is another great heroine of Israel. On information received from her Israelite cousin, Mordecai, Esther was able to save the life of the king from would-be assassins. Her charm and wit also enabled her to save her countrymen from the fate designed for them by Haman, the “prime minister.” At the eleventh hour, Esther intervened with the king and unmasked Haman as a traitor.

BAND 3. In the tranquil song of REBECCA, the aging wife of Isaac reminisces about the many years — both good and bad — they have spent together, and of their two sons, Jacob and Esau. She is at last prepared to “close the book.”

BAND 4. WHITHER THOU GOEST was inspired by the story of Ruth and Naomi. Naomi fled the famine in Judea to Moab with her husband and two sons, where the sons marry Moabite women, Ruth and Orpah. When the three women were widowed, Naomi determined to return to Judea, but urged her daughters-in-law to remain with their families in Moab. Ruth refused to desert her mother-in-law, however, and returned to Bethlehem, where she remarried and became the great-grandmother of King David.

BAND 5. LABAN’S LAMENT is a comic song inspired by the Patriarch Jacob’s trials in wooing Rachel, daughter of Laban. The father is faced with the problem of having an unattractive elder daughter (Leah) and a very attractive younger daughter (Rachel), both in love with Jacob. To solve his dilemma, he switches daughters in the wedding tent while Jacob is a bit tipsy from the wedding feast. Upon discovering the ruse, Jacob is told he may marry the beautiful Rachel only on the condition that he give seven years’ labor without charge to Laban’s lands. The song is from Laban’s viewpoint.

BAND 6. THE LION AND THE LAMB was inspired by the story of Queen Alexandra, as reported in the Apocrypha. This reign was a time of peacefulness in Israel and the Queen became an historical symbol of holy peace. The song wistfully asks if such a peace will ever come again.

BAND 7. The album closes with WE’LL SING A NEW SONG. Although inspired by the “new song” sung in Bethulia after Judith’s successful venture into the Assyrian: camp, this song is timeless: each generation sings its own “New Song”’ to the Lord.

SIDE ONE . Woman of Valor . Eve’s Lament Hannah Deborah Judith

. Sarah Don wry

SIDE TWO Behold, Thou Art Fair Esther Rebecca Whither Thou Goest Laban’s Lament

. The Lion and the Lamb

. We’ll Sing a New Song NOON

CREDITS Music Arrangements — Ray Tate Production — Django Music Productions Audio and Recording — James E. Schaefer Recording Engineer — James E. Baier Jacket Design — Millie Levin Notes — James E. Schaefer Recorded at Boulevard Studios, Chicago, Illinois

DEBORAH was written in collaboration with Sebastian Temple.

COMPANION PUBLICATIONS The music contained on this recording is available in the following editions: Guitar Book (Cat. #24562); F.E.L. Songbook, Volume 10, in- cluding melody line, refrains and complete verses (Cat. #24762) for congregation or unison choir. Order from F.E.L. Church publications, Ltd., offices in Chicago and Los Angeles:

22 East Huron Street 1543 West Olympic Boulevard | Chicago, Illinois 60611 Los Angeles, California 90015 Phone: (312) 943-9426 Phone: (213) 386-4383

©Copyright 1968 by F.E.L. Church Publications, Ltd. The reproduction of any material from this recording by audio tape, phono-record, or any other means, even for private use, is strictly forbidden by law, except with the written permission of the copyright owners.

Music Clearance through B.M.I. — FOTEL MUSIC Made in U.S.A.

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WOMEN OF THE OLD TESTAMENT \

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|. Woman Of Valor (2:59) . Eve’s Lament (2:56) . Hannah (2:30) . Deborah (2:09) . Judith (2:12) . Sarah (2:30)

© WOMEN OF THE OLD TESTAMENT

Sarah Hershberg |

STEREO ‘ SIDE TWO. FEL $-242B ; B.M.1.-FOTEL MUSIC

. Behold, Thow Art Fair (2:48)

. Esther (2:10)

. Rebecea (1:50) :

. Whither Thou Goest (2:59)

. Laban’s Lament (2:24) F » The Lion and the Lamb (2:04) . We'll Sing A New Song any

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