The Jewish saying “dor l’dor” is very reverent in tradition meaning from generation to generation. This idea is something familiar to those who think of maintaining a legacy with the values and traditions passed from parent to child, as many in the US Jewish community do.

Dor l’dor 48: One of the most poignant manifestations of “dor l’dor" comes in music, and nowhere is this more evident than in the song dor l’dor. From community gatherings to synagogues and family events, the dor l’dor song embodies ongoing generational continuity with its lyrics speaking not only of linkages between past and present but also future.

Dor l’dor songs typically emphasize memory, celebration and continuity – the importance of each generation taking responsibility for specific customs. A lot of us feel very comforted and proud to sing the dor l’dor song at times such as bar and bat mitzvahs or Jewish holidays.

Dor l’dor is as important today as ever, even in the light of expanding US Jewish communities. The dor l’dor song sung to a child moves from being some ritual, to being a vital living communication. The phrase combines with the dor l’dor song to serve as a living legacy that we pass on from generation to generation.