Dear Friends,
I’m thrilled to be getting back on the road with the Believe tour! At shows and online, we’ve been getting such beautiful feedback about our new line of Believe jewelry that I wanted to share with you the backstory for the jewelry and a bit more about its message.
When I was in the third grade, a cruel teacher informed me that I could not draw, that I should avoid art, that I would never create anything beautiful. Then, in front of my friends, she took my art off the walls, declaring it was detracting from the prettier pieces. I was eight years old, demolished. This was one of my first heartbreaks.
When the sadness and embarrassment cleared, I remember how I shut the door on trying anything art-related. I would say, out loud, casually, that I was not able to draw at all and that my drawing would make everything less beautiful.
When I became a mother, I would accompany my son to places where everyone would draw and paint. I watched and encouraged him, but never joined the activities.
One day, when my Rafael was 5 years old, he looked at me with huge eyes and said, “Mama, why don’t you ever draw with me?” “Oh I can’t draw,” I told him. “I have never been able to make anything beautiful…” I said it so casually. His eyes filled with tears. “But Mama,” he said, “You’re an artist!!”
This moment both broke and healed my heart.
I began to draw and paint with my son, to experience my artistic self through his eyes. I worked to get out of my own way and to recognize my own capacity. I had to learn to believe in myself, to stop hearing the negative voices from my past that held me back.
My tenth recording, Believe, symbolizes a similar emergence of self. This music came at another moment of transition, another moment when I needed to break through a powerful internal barrier. ”Believe” is a state of being, a choice, a lifeline. The title track has become my anthem, a personal mantra. It felt natural to draw by hand the word “Believe” on the CD cover, expressing both the melody and art of my soul.
Our jewelry line was created around this same concept and idea. I feel so blessed that people around the world are now wearing our stunning pieces with the charm written in my handwriting. My partners and I are hoping that my story and my journey will bring inspiration and hope to others. May the jewelry remind you that we are more than we realize, that we can accomplish so much when we strive and commit to our own growth.
No matter what it is that you believe in, I bless you to see and taste the joy and essence of it.
When we Believe, we can transcend.
When we Believe, we can choose joy.
When we Believe, we can fly.
May this Holiday season bring you solace, inner peace, and deep joy.
With love and gratitude,
Neshama
December Shows:
Philadelphia, PA – 12/2/19, 6:00 pm
Rye, NY – 12/6/19, 7:30 pm
Clark, NJ – 12/8/19, 4:00 pm
White Plains, NY – 12/15/19, 3:00 pm
Recent Interviews:
On Love & Healing Today! Neshama Carlebach interviewed by Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz
Unorthodox: The Apology Episode, 5780
Recent Press:
Jazz Corner – Singer Neshama Carlebach Sets First Tour in Years, with Performances Confirmed Through May 2020
Broadway World – Singer Neshama Carlebach Sets First Tour in Years
