About

“‘The psalmist wrote, ‘Shiru L’Adonai shir chadash – Sing unto God a new song.’
Hip Hop Shabbat does just that.”
-Rabbi Karen Citrin, Temple Beth-El, San Mateo, CA
Who We Are
HipHopShabbat is both an educational and entertaining and interactive experience, created by Jonathan Gutstadt, combining Jewish prayer with hip-hop and reggae music. Through combining Judaism and hip-hop, families, college students, teens, grandparents, and children can all discover a renewed enthusiasm for Jewish prayer and music through participating in Hip-Hop Shabbat. Hip-Hop Shabbat has released two albums and countless other remakes of traditional Hebrew/Jewish songs, most recently an entire hip-hop version of the Purim story of Esther.
Story:
Jonathan is a highly trained musician, composer, and producer, and has led Jewish hip-hop services and workshops at synagogues, day schools, summer camps, Hillels, and Jewish Community Centers across the country. He has been playing piano since he was 5 years old and in 1996, while studying at the University of Oregon, he rediscovered his passion for music while living in a vegetarian cooperative dormitory called “The Lorax.” There, he met fellow Jewish students Mike Shuman “On Flow” (drums) and Corey “Yung Sun” (guitar) and they formed a band called “The 13th Tribe.” The trio played shows at house parties and learned the ins and outs of music production. Around the same time, Jonathan became involved with his campus Hillel, serving on the student board of directors helping lead Jewish student programming.
In 2000, during his senior year, he was tasked with organizing and leading a Shabbat event. During the Shabbat service, he had a moment of inspiration and thought, “What if I combined hip-hop with the traditional Shabbat prayer service? I think that this would make the Shabbat ceremony a lot more fun.” Thereafter, in 2004, Jonathan went back to California after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Women’s Studies, and reconnected with his lifelong Jewish friends, colloquially known as the Original Jewish Gangsters. Together, they wrote some raps, produced the beats, went to a studio in Richmond, CA, and recorded their lyrics. This was the birth of HipHopShabbat.
Our Jewish Music programs:
Yo-Natan’s “HipHopShabbat” is a great way for the whole family to celebrate Shabbat together. This hour-long service is an entire Shabbat service, set to the beat of electronic hip-hop and reggae music. Audiences are intellectually and spiritually inspired by the hip-hop lyrics, which are contained in the supplemental “HipHopShabbat Siddur,” and provide the means for an inclusive “prayerformance.” Read More…
Yo-Natan’s “HipHop Workshops” are great for Jewish Schools, Youth Groups, Summer Camps and Hillels. During this 2-hour workshop, Yo-natan shows participants how to turn a Jewish prayer or theme into an inspirational hip-hop song. Read More…
For more information, or to schedule an event, please contact Jonathan Gutstadt at: