Ep 308: Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz and guest Shlomie Rabin P1 on hmTv

Ep 308: Habits of a Whole Heart with Cantor Shlomie Rabin (Part 1)

In this deeply moving episode of Habits of a Whole Heart on hmTv, host Arnie Herz sits down with Cantor Shlomie Rabin, a gifted singer and spiritual teacher whose voice and wisdom awaken the soul. Together, they explore the profound connection between music, spirituality, and inner wholeness — how song transcends words, bridges divides, and serves as a direct pathway to the heart.

Cantor Rabin shares insights on how music unites people beyond culture, language, and faith, and why using our God-given gifts is essential to living a life of purpose and joy. Through heartfelt conversation — and moments of spontaneous song — Arnie and Shlomie illuminate how melody can heal, inspire, and remind us what truly matters.

🎙️ Habits of a Whole Heart is part of the Humanity Matters series on hmTv, produced by the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County.

Stay tuned for Part 2, where Cantor Rabin returns for more music, meaning, and heart-centered reflection.

Transcript

Ep 308: Habits of a Whole Heart with Arnie Herz and guest Shlomie Rabin (Part 1)

Podcast Series: Habits of a Whole Heart
Host: Arnie Herz
Guest: Cantor Shlomie Rabin
Produced by: hmTv – Humanity Matters TV, Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County

Arnie Herz:
Hello, my name is Arnie Herz and welcome to my podcast Habits of a Whole Heart on hmTv. Today I’m very fortunate to have with me my dear friend, Cantor Shlomie Rabin. He’s a renowned cantor and singer who has the rare ability to ignite people through the depth of his singing. He’s here to share with us the wisdom of song and how it relates to wholeness.

Cantor Rabin also runs an agency that helps other cantors and singers find placement, and he’s created an organization called The Ne’On Society. I met Cantor Rabin at Chabad of Port Washington several years ago, where he was brought in to sing. My wife and I were so deeply moved — and in awe — partly because I was the only kid in my elementary school who got cut from third-grade chorus for having such a terrible voice. So anyone who can sing, I’m incredibly impressed by. Shlomie, thank you for being here today.

Shlomie Rabin:
Thank you, Arnie. It’s a pleasure to be here. I’m reflecting now on one of those Shabbats in Port Washington when I came to serve as the cantor. You invited me to your Torah class afterward, and I loved how open and conversational it was — not top-down, but “by the people, for the people.”

Afterward we talked about your community work, your activism, your book, and the idea of starting this podcast to share your message more widely. That was less than a year ago, and now here we are — your 20-something-th episode!

Arnie:
That’s right — we’re well past 20 now.

Shlomie:
Unbelievable. I’m honored to be here — and to be honest, this is my very first podcast.

Arnie:
You’re going to be great.

Shlomie:
Thank you for the opportunity. I’m grateful and excited.

Arnie:
So, Shlomie, tell us a little about music — its relationship to spirituality and to wholeness.

Shlomie:
Music, to me, is a shortcut to the soul. It’s mystical, godly, and deeply spiritual. The first thing you have to do when you enter a room to sing is “read the room.” Music is about connection — soul to soul. If you’re not connected to your audience, you’ve already broken the first rule.

That’s why I often start with an icebreaker song — something simple that brings everyone together. Like this:

(sings softly)
“Hevenu Shalom Aleichem…”

Music creates a foundation for connection. It transcends words. Where speech ends, music begins.

Arnie:
Beautiful. It’s fascinating you mention that — we just studied the Torah portion about the Tower of Babel, where language was confused. Yet, music remains the one universal language that unites.

Shlomie:
Exactly. Shalom — peace — is both an inner and outer state. Rabbi Simon Jacobson says depression or sadness is really the soul’s way of telling us something’s misaligned. When artists don’t use their God-given gifts, that misalignment grows. We’re all meant to give what we’ve been given — like a cow that needs to nurse, not just the calf that needs to feed.

Arnie:
That’s powerful — it’s like holding your breath too long when you’re meant to exhale. We’re here to give.

Shlomie:
Exactly. Music is one of the purest ways to give. The cantor’s role is to inspire through song — to open hearts. Unlike the rabbi, who inspires through words, the cantor inspires through feeling.

Arnie:
And that feeling connects across languages and cultures. I’ve seen it firsthand through my work with the American Jewish Committee, meeting leaders from the Arab world. The Hebrew shalom and Arabic salaam — they’re nearly the same word. Music can be the bridge that reawakens that shared peace.

Shlomie:
Absolutely. The Ethics of Our Fathers teaches that the world stands on three pillars: Torah, service of the heart, and acts of kindness. That middle pillar — avodah, the service of the heart — that’s where song lives. It’s not just about understanding God; it’s about feeling God.

(sings softly)
“It’s a great commandment to be full of joy… to serve God with joy…”

Arnie:
It’s beautiful. I grew up with a Judaism that was intellectual, formulaic. Later, through Chabad, I discovered the emotional and spiritual depth that was missing. The connection between mind, emotion, and action — that’s wholeness.

When I studied yoga and meditation in India, I learned how song can quiet the mind. The stillness that follows — that’s wholeness.

Shlomie:
That reminds me of the story of the Alter Rebbe, the founder of Chabad. His critics once challenged him with philosophical questions. Instead of arguing, he sang a niggun — a wordless melody. And when he finished, all their questions were answered.

A niggun bypasses the intellect and goes straight to the heart. The Alter Rebbe called music “the quill of the soul.”

Arnie:
I love that — “the quill of the soul.”

Shlomie:
And it’s why even when instruments are forbidden — on Shabbat, during mourning — we still sing. Because the voice is the soul. We may silence instruments, but we never silence the heart.

Arnie:
And that’s what makes Jewish song so powerful. On Yom Kippur, during Kol Nidrei or Unetaneh Tokef, the melody alone can move people to tears — reminding us of the fragility and sanctity of life.

After my brain bleed a few years ago, I promised that if I survived, I’d give 100% every day — to bring light, to forgive, to love. That’s what wholeness means to me.

Shlomie:
Yes — that awareness transforms how we live. Every breath is precious. Every holiday, every song is a gift.

Arnie:
Exactly. And that’s the perfect note to end on for Part 1.

Shlomie, thank you so much for this first episode — and for your first podcast ever! We’ll continue our conversation in Part 2, where we’ll explore more music and meaning.

Shlomie:
Thank you, Arnie. Shalom.

(sings softly)
“Shalom… Shalom…”

Arnie:
Thank you, Cantor Shlomie Rabin. This is Habits of a Whole Heart on hmTv, part of the Humanity Matters series. Stay tuned for Part 2.