Chants of Sand and Stars

The music that accompanies Jewish liturgy, chazzanut, is a rich and varied outgrowth of centuries of influence from the cultures of Diaspora. From the desert sands of Judea to the steppes of Central Asia to the neighborhoods of Manhattan, through Medieval Spain and Renaissance Venice, director Nicolas Klotz has fashioned a brilliant musical tapestry. Chants of Sand and Stars includes mesmerizing footage from Azerbaijan, Morocco, Tunisia, and Turkey. Seeking the unifying thread in chazzanut, Klotz discovers many different cultures with little in common, each rooted in the deepest traditions of its land. Klotz ends his search in Israel, where the many Diasporas converge. Chants of Sand and Stars is the first in-depth exploration of Jewish music worldwide.