Winnipeg Jewish Review: Your song and the video for it, Prayer of the Mothers, are incredibly moving and inspiring.  Do you have a way to communicate some of the same feeling to a live audience?

Yael Deckelbaum: Thank you! I I sure hope so:) I can tell you that many times magical things have happened while performing Prayer Of The Mothers live.

There is an energy and power in that song that finds its way into the room through people’s hearts. Sometimes it is even more powerful than the videoclip, as this energy is reborn each and every time when people sing it together. It is more than a song - it is a prayer that holds the power to melt the walls of fears that separate us from each other and from who we really are.

WJR: Do you feel you are coming to Winnipeg as a musician, an activist, or both?  How do these two roles interact in your life and your art?

Yael Deckelbaum: Music is the instrument I use to carry a message, a large part of that message can only be transmitted through music, as it is bigger than words. I am talking about a certain experience that goes through our bodies and souls, reminding us of a place that we have within ourselves. Through music we are able to reconnect to that place, as thoughts and ideas are often a barrier.

My message is one of peace, and the rising of the feminine - making peace with all that we are, and finding a balance.

In order to make real peace, it is my belief that it is necessary to experience peace, and to remember how peace feels, and to celebrate femininity for the glorified power that it holds within, unleashing that power, and reminding women of treasures long forgotten and left unused.

So I suppose I am coming to Winnipeg as a musical activist:)

WJR: Please tell us about the Prayer of the Mothers Ensemble.  Who are you bringing with you to Canada? What are their backgrounds, in music, in their own communities, and in the movement for peace?