Odeleya Berlin: A Journey of Music, Prayer, and Women’s Spiritual Renewal

Odeleya Berlin lives in Ramat HaSharon. She is a musician, composer, and singer.

A childhood memory that has stayed with you?

“I grew up in a home that lived and breathed music — mainly Chassidic melodies and klezmer. I’ve been playing since I was four and a half, and I hardly read musical notes. I play from the heart and by ear. The piano is simply an extension of my fingers. I’m not sure I can even imagine my life without music. In general, my whole outlook on life passes through music. I received that from my father — Musa Berlin. Music is a way of life. It’s a lens through which you see the world, the way you look at people, the way you live.

“I remember hearing a certain melody when I was a little girl, and suddenly feeling that I already knew it. When they asked me how, I answered with complete certainty: ‘I know it from my mother’s womb.’ I no longer remember what the melody was — but I remember the absolute certainty of that feeling.”

What does a typical day in your life look like?

“Under normal circumstances, I work two days a week as a music teacher at the ‘Rashit’ school in Gush Etzion, which integrates mainstream and special-education students — and I truly love it. On the other days, I’m busy with creative and musical work: rehearsals, meetings, and projects.

“My father and his musician friends always told me: ‘Make sure you have another profession besides music, so that music will remain your art — and won’t become something driven by outside pressures.’ Thank God, I do earn a good living from music, but I don’t rely only on that. It also keeps my creative work free and authentic. To fill a concert hall one night — and the next day stand in front of a class of first-graders — that creates balance for me. Being with the children brings out a lot of creativity from both sides.

“During COVID, the fact that I had another job was incredibly important — both for my emotional well-being and for my stability.”

A Jewish figure who inspires you?

“Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev and Rabbi Elimelech of Lizhensk. Both of them embodied immense love for the Jewish people and a unique way of seeing the world. In both of them, the qualities of kindness and truth blended together beautifully.”

What moves you most in Judaism?

“There are so many things that move me in Judaism. Once, an atheist colleague asked me, ‘And what if in the end you discover that none of it is true — that there’s no World to Come?’ I told him: ‘Even if none of it were true, I would still choose to live my life this way.’ Of course, I don’t actually doubt the truth of Judaism.

“But socially, familially, and personally, I think Judaism is a very meaningful and beautiful way of life. I love the quiet of Shabbat. I love the ability to infuse everything with intention through blessings. I love the opportunity to pray for my home and family when separating challah.

“Personally, I feel closer to the Chassidic path — I tend to look more at the inner spirit behind things, and not only at the technical details.”

How present is God in your life — and how does that influence your work?

“He is present all the time. If there were such a thing as ‘more than a hundred percent,’ then even more than that. My entire career is one great flow of Divine assistance. God is always with me.

“When I go up on stage, I know He is there beside me. I always leave space for Him. I don’t work with a fixed setlist — I plan the general outline, but I flow with the moment, trying to sense what is right for that particular point in time and letting God lead it.

“I understand that there is me, there is the audience — and the essence of everything is what happens between us. And what happens between us is called: the Master of the Universe. As the saying goes in Aramaic — ‘There is no place devoid of Him.’”

A meaningful encounter or experience?

“A particularly formative period for me was when I took a break from everything and studied for two years at the Rimon School of Music. The encounter between my musical world — Chassidic melodies and classic Israeli song — and the world of contemporary music brought out amazing things inside me, some of which I hope to release soon.

“I feel that music was given to me as a gift from God — and therefore I approach it with awe and respect. The ability to touch people’s hearts is both a privilege and a responsibility — and it must be treated seriously.”

A mitzvah you feel especially connected to?

‘“Love your fellow as yourself — I am Hashem.’ I think the way we relate to other people is a central part of serving God. At the same time — and no less important — it’s also essential to love and accept ourselves. In my eyes, that is the key to fulfilling this mitzvah and to serving God with love.”

Share something meaningful about your family

“I’m the youngest child in my family — and that allowed me to be a little different, a little more free-spirited. When you’re the youngest, everyone carries you — but in a certain way, you also hold everyone else together.

“In terms of worldview, I’m quite different from my siblings, but we have a deep and special bond. Recently, on my birthday, all of my siblings and nieces and nephews — even those who don’t have computers at home, gathered online and made a Zoom birthday party for me, with funny questions about my life. It was moving and joyful.”

A piece of learning that was especially meaningful to you?

“I studied the Tanya for several years, and it truly spoke to my soul. Now I’m doing a master’s degree in Jewish music, and I’m taking several courses in Midrash and Aggadah. I study in an academic framework — and the meeting point between that world and the Chassidic spirit inside me is fascinating and full of creativity. I enjoy it very much and receive a lot of inspiration for my artistic work.”

A holiday you feel particularly connected to?

“Purim. I celebrate it twice every year — once in Jerusalem and once elsewhere. On Purim, you can set aside your rational mind for a moment, and simply feel that you are loved unconditionally by God. I feel that everything is contained within Purim — the renewal of Rosh Hashanah, the redemption of Pesach, the receiving of the Torah on Shavuot — all of it, expressed in simplicity and joy.”

A prayer experience that deeply affected you

“My most well-known performance, ‘Ochilah,’ was born from a great love for songs of prayer, but also from a deep personal struggle with prayer itself.

“On Yom Kippur — the spiritual peak of the year — I would find myself standing in synagogue, year after year, thinking: ‘Am I really focused?’ ‘Do I truly mean what I’m saying?’ ‘What are other people thinking about me?’ Along with all that came the pressure of knowing that this is ‘the moment,’ and that the gates are about to close.

“About ten years ago, I decided to give myself a birthday gift — a meeting with Etti Ankri. At that point, I was already leading gatherings and performing songs written by others, but I wanted to start performing with my own material.

“I burned a CD with all of my original songs — but since I didn’t have enough, I also included several live recordings of prayer-songs performed with audiences of women.

“Each time one of those prayer recordings came on, with the voices of the women singing along in the background — she stopped me and said: ‘Wait, this is incredible.’ I kept insisting, ‘No, no — skip that, it’s just from a show,’ and tried to move to my original songs. I was focused on my songs, while she was focused on the prayers.

“When I walked out of that meeting, I realized I had something real in my hands. Until then, I saw it as something secondary — but suddenly I understood its power. I realized I could sing songs I didn’t write — and still make them mine — still give them my voice.

“And from there — ‘Ochilah’ was born… Today, I understand that I will always carry these prayer-songs with me. They are part of who I am.”

Where do you hope to be ten years from now?

“It’s hard for me to predict such a thing. Inside, I still feel the little girl who dreams and longs to achieve more — and I really do have much more to create and to strive toward. I hope to reach — and touch — as many hearts as possible.”

Professionally — are you where you once hoped to be? How does that feel?

“For many years, I imagined and dreamed of being where I am today. I thank God for it every single day — and I pray that I will continue to be worthy of this gift, and that I will use it in the right way.”