By COLlive reporter
Photos: Mendy Toledano
Over 100 guests attended the standing room only event held last Monday at Beis Eliezer Yitzchok in Crown Heights, featuring Chazzanus as well as famous Yiddish songs.
“The concert was phenomenal. Crown Heights was ripe for this for many years, but no one else was able to pull it off. Kol hakavod!” said Mrs. Shaindel Blasberg.
The featured Chazzanim were Moshe Adler, Shmuly Goldman, Yehuda Griffith, Mendy Hertz, Aryeh Leib Hurwitz, Levi Kaplan, Mendel Shagalov, Yosef Smatana, Zevi Steiger, Choni Titelbaum and Mendel Wolowik.
Of the pieces they sang were Koussevitzky’s Virushalayim Ircha and Uvdivre Kodshecha; Yiddishe Songs: Dos Yiddishe Lied and Meinn Zeidn’s Cholem; Akavia ben Mahalalel and M’Loch by Yosselle Rosenblatt as well as songs originated by Chazzan Rappaport, Yehoshua Vider, and Gershon Sirota.
Artistic director Dovid Babinet shared a nice rendition of the Yiddish favorite Mamele. The entire program was accompanied by music director Yisroel Edelson at the keyboard.
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“Yasher Koach to R’ Dovid for taking the initiative and offering a platform where our many local talents can be developed and expressed,” said Rabbi Faitel Levin. “The Sefira Concert was a very enjoyable evening filled with great performances. Wishing him and the Council of Chabad Cantors continued Hatzlocho!”
The successful premier concert was presented by The Council of Chabad Cantors, an organization founded a decade ago. “With Chabad Shluchim expanding around the world: with both the number of shuls and the size of shuls increasing, so did the demand for quality Baalei Tefilah,” says Rabbi Levi Kaplan the founder of the group of young cantors. “There was an increasing need for education for the many young potential Chabad Chazzanim. We set out to create an educational forum with a Chassidish atmosphere addressing the vocal demands of the Yomim Noraim as well as the warmth of the Tefillah.”
Over a year ago Rabbi Levke and voice teacher Dovid Babinet began monthly workshops in local Crown Heights homes to sing, learn, teach and discuss Chazzanus, nusach and vocal technique and to be inspired by its meaningful nature.
“Our community is extremely rich with vocal talent and I feel so privileged to be able to work with our young Chazzanim,” says Dovid Babinet. “As a community we must dedicate ourselves to helping all those young talents get the training they need. Negina and Chazzanus are essential parts of Yiddishkeit. Not some add on, optional thing.”
“We really need this in our community: the youth are going the wrong direction but Chazzanus and Yiddishe music bring a Jew back to who he is,” said Sholom Horowitz.
With such a success, The Council is planning a full calendar of workshops and concerts through the summer and into the Fall:
1) Cantors Workshop
Tuesday, June 16, 29 Sivan, 7pm
2) Cantors Workshop
Wednesday, July 29, 13 Av, 7pm
3) Chazzanus Concert
Monday, August 31, 16 Elul
Boro Park Shul TBA
4) Chazzanus Concert
Wednesday, September 2 chai Elul
Crown Heights
“I like the work that the council is doing and particularly Dovid Babinet in his education and preparation of fine young Chazzanim to serve in our Chabad houses around the world.” Rabbi Simcha Backman, Chabad of Glendale, CA and Cyberspace.
For additional information, singing opportunities, vocal training, and to adopt a Chazzan or Sponsor an event please call 718-772-3543.
Great and very professional chazan!
Aryeh leib hurwitz was by far the best!
You’re the best!!!
Where’s LEVI FREUNDLICH ??
amazing!!!
Where is Chazan Baumgarten
Absolutely without a doubt Mendy is the biggest chazzan in Lubavitch
Chanie and Mendel, we are so proud of you!
Love, Your cousins in Yerushalayim
He’s got dem high notes!!!!
From Rabbi Binyamin Stiefel, chazzan (cantor) in a prestigious Shul in Montreal, to his sons (some are Shluchim) – they all have magnificent voices. Next time, invite them, you will be enthralled. When they sing together, c’est magnifique!!!
Mendel is a great chazzan
Great Best! Want more.
What a beautiful thing to have in CH!!!
Absolutely enjoyed your chazzonus
truly a wonderful initiative!
Akavia IS Koussevitsky
The 5th Chazzan is the world renowned Rabbi/Chazzan Levke Kaplan
chazzan yehoshua samuels. he is the best!
Aryeh Leib and Zevy- great job!
Look what Brunoy can produce!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaYldAGTV_o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLCiujuxYSk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwaKXGXGrOI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=md6QSWxlD4E
That’s Levke Kaplan. Beautiful Singing! It says all the names of the chazzanim in the video
Really Gevaldig!
Yashar Koach David Babinet, your activities should grow mechayil el chayil
Your old Kollel chavrusa
U ROCK!!!!
really beautiful!!
great job!
Hope to see another one again soon.
??
the 5th Chazen…
The Akavia that was sung, is sung by Koussevitzky not Rosenblatt.
Absolutely Beautiful.
Best post of COL … ever …
Hope to see them again sometime
What a wonderful initiative!
Nice to see the world of chazanus lives on in Crown Heights.
I see Chazzan Yehoshua Samuels in the crowd. Kol Hakovod.
Lovely
You guys are the best!