From Taylor Swift to Tehillim: Ashkenazi Identity and Modern Songwriting with Shep Rosenman
Shep Rosenman, an entertainment lawyer and songwriter, discusses his roots as an Ashkenazi Jew from Far Rockaway, New York. Shep details the origins of his names, explaining how his grandmother feared his given name, Shabtai, would link them to the false messiah Shabbetai Tzvi. He describes his linguistic upbringing as primarily English, yet deeply infused with his parents’ Yiddish phrases like “abi gezunt” and “nisht shabbos geredt.” Through his songwriting based on the Psalms, Shep builds spiritual connections and invites listeners to engage with ancient texts. He concludes by discussing his preservation of ancestral Yiddish songs and traditional Ashkenazi Hebrew pronunciation.
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Shep is the managing partner of RLG LLP, an entertainment law firm that negotiates deals for talent across the globe. He is a musician and songwriter, an avid student and teacher about negotiations, leadership, effective and respectful communication, Jewish prayer, the Bible, songwriting, and community-building. He is currently writing a song cycle based on the Psalms and is producing a podcast called The Rest is Commentary, consisting of conversations about the big issues inspired by those songs and Psalms. Shep is one of the co-founders of LimmudLA, was a trustee and member of the Limmud Global Board, and was the founding President of LimmudNA. Shep is a board member of Yeshivat Chovevei Torah and plays klezmer music with Dr. Bunin Benor. Shep is a Wexner Heritage alum and an AJWS Global Justice Fellow.
