While shalom is recognized as a traditional Jewish greeting or farewell, it is a Hebrew word which literally means peace. As we mentioned before, we believe that peace has become a universally-accepted theme for the winter and holiday performances in schools around the world. This being the case, we decided to write another song on the subject, this time with a little different focus. And while it would seem appropriate to use for Hanukkah, you could use the song for any peaceful, seasonal celebration.

Shalom is a partner song, which means that there are two independent melodies sung separately at first, then combined in harmony. Both parts are simple, though part 2 might be considered a little more challenging. The rollicking 3/4 meter is quite natural and helps to keep singers moving along in a flowing sort of way.

The piano accompaniment for the song is very playable, even by less-accomplished players, so performing the piece live is definitely an option. You would probably want to add your own C instrument to play the solo melody, though it is not critical to the performance. However, we would like to mention that if you use our recording of the piece, you will be treated to the beautiful sounds of the viola as performed by Mike Strauss (who was our violist when we featured the instrument in Music K-8, Volume 7, Number 2).

To really add to your performance of the piece, we have included sign language, which is optional. You will find the signs, illustrated by Cathy Blaski, on page 38.