Contender:
Mendel Markel, 31, married with 4 children.
Residence:
Pittsburgh, PA.
Occupation:
Administrative Assistant for Jewish Educational Toys and journalist/writer for JewishMusicReport.com
Musical Aspirations:
Truthfully, while I love music and can’t imagine living without it, my primary aspirations currently have more to do with trying to raise my children as Chassidim and Yirei Shomayim.
Reality Check:
But if I can here and there sing a niggun on the side and bring a smile to someone’s face or teach them a new niggun, maybe even a sigh to their heart, that’s cream on the top.
Favorite Singer:
Being in the Jewish music reporting scene, I come across lots of great music and many amazing artists, but if I was stuck on a desert island and could only take one thing with me, it would hands down be Lubavitch Niggunim by R’ Shmuel Betzalel Althaus.
Favorite Song:
It changes all the time, but recently my favorites have been the Kremenchuger niggun, Poltaver Niggun and the less known Poltaver/Nevler’s Boruch Hu Elokeinu (which is my audition).
A Jewish Star:
To me a star would be the Yidden who sang these Niggunim to strengthen themselves as they perished in Siberia for their terrible “crimes” or the Yidden who gave their lives al kiddush Hashem in Mumbai.
How did you like this audition? vote today (Please note: audition should be judged on the quality of the voice, not the video production)
Auditions close December 31, 2009. Join now at AJewishStar.com.
Follow A Jewish Star on Twitter: @ajewishstar
Could you please post more downloadable nigunim? that was an absolute mechaye to listen to
very very nice
He already is a serious Chazzen/Bal Tefilah. Many of us in pgh Lubavitch Cntr very much enjoy his heartfelt chassidic davening on shabbosim and he does High Holiday davening somewhere else. I’ve heard him sing “regular” songs too and you wouldn’t think form this video but he’s amazing on that too.
Listening to this makes a great way to prepare for Shabbos!
Brings out the Hartz of this niggun, you hear thaqt he heard this song first from R’ Zalman Levin A”H. Great depiction.
…from the greatest menagnim!!!
Must hear kol atsmoisay!
great chazzan voice
He can be a serious chazan
GOOD CHAZZAN VOICE
Gooo MENDEL! Sounds great! You should win! Youve def got some fans here in Crown Hieghts!
i like that his fav singer is shmuel betzalel althaus, he does a good job continuing his legacy. Very unique and powerful voice. well done!
Go Dovid Hurwitz! You set the example and make Reb Chaim Tashkente proud.
yes this is a singing competition, but this looks like an entry. if you like other contestants better you can vote for those. I like this one better & will vote for this one.
nice voice
Mendel you are so cool!!!!!!!!! great job man, i would pay to hear you…
we should have people posting unknown nigunnim once a week
but this is a singing competition & it doesn’t belong here
yes, i know you don’t like the title
well done, btw
love the song!
He’s very interesting, maybe we can have a nigun of the week presented like this on COL.
looking at his yarmoulka makes me think his an mbd-fan.
Great rendition!!! To #3 – the “Kvetchen” that you refer to are an integral part of this Niggun as well as the “Nevler” style of singing Chassidishe Niggunim in general. They are not “bumps and humps..” but an expression of a deeper heartfelt emotion, serious – like Reb Zalmen Levin’s unforgettable rendition of “Zhebiner Hartz”, or joyful – like in “Nye bayussia” by Reb Zalmen Levin. The same is very noticeable by the Menagnim of the Levin Mishpocho to this day. To #4 – the mention is very appropriate and in context, to bring out the difference in the style… Read more »
Very hard to find these days, even in CH … ironically I found that amazon has it (download mp3 only) http://www.amazon.com/My-Entire-Being/dp/B001UF2VE2
Very Chassidishe voice. Loved it!
and you hear R’ Zalman Levin…
wow! really great voice!
Yeh it probably is, since avraham fried is judging this, they feel they have to shmooze him up! Lol!
Nice voice….
GReat job Mendel!
Wow, there is really some talent to choose from!
\really something!
i like that. your voice is straight from the heart, and it can only happen if you live the niggun!
good luck!
With all the kids idolizing music stars, Fried is one of the only who can be a real example to being a chossid and let not letting the success change him
So, to Avremel, thank you for being what and who you are
This guy is solid. Real Chasidishe talent. Hatzlach (we need people who have their with their priorities straight)
He would make a good chazzan (not so much singer). Next time please sing with out kvetching so much. You have a beautifull voice. No need to sing like an old chossid
good old school nigunim, i like, nice to hear something just sung for the sake of singing.
there may be some competition here!