Justice, Justice, Shall You Pursue— (Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof) for chorus and piano (2026)

Gerald Cohen, composer · Justice, Justice, Shall You Pursue— (Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof)

About

Justice, Justice, Shall You Pursue (Tzedek Tzedek Tirdof) is a call for just action in the world. It was commissioned in 2026 by Rabbi Sandy Bogin, in honor of her wife Claire Eisenstadt, whose favorite biblical text was Deuteronomy 16:20: “Justice, justice shall you pursue.” These words are followed by two other texts, first in sequence and then together as a round. “Give us wisdom, give us strength, Help us repair the world” is a short prayer written by the composer; “Justice shall roll down like water, and goodness like a mighty stream!” is another famous biblical text (Amos 5:24).

The piece is available in versions for two voices (any voices, solo or chorus); three voices (any voices, solo or chorus); solo voice and SATB chorus (all with piano accompaniment). The two and three voice versions are highly versatile, allowing conductors to perform with any combination of voices to best suit their ensemble.