By COLlive reporter
The accolades and views keep rising for the 8th Day’s music video “My Shtetl’s Calling” that was filmed in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn and releaseed less than a month ago.
A record 148,000 views have been marked on YouTube in less than 30 days for the video that pays tribute to the warmth, camaraderie and family feeling that the Chabad neighborhood is known for.
The music video was produced in conjunction with COLlive.com, as part of the 10th-anniversary celebration of the community news service, and was debuted at the COLlive Day Concert on Kingston Avenue.
“We are delighted with the response to the music video about our beloved neighborhood,” says Mica Soffer, Publisher of COLlive.com. “We have been receiving feedback from around the world about how it has touched so many people, who were thrilled to get a glimpse into the daily colorful life in Crown Heights.”
It is a remix of the classic “Babenyu” song by 8th Day’s Shmuel and Bentzi Marcus with a new modern Klezmer sound. It was directed by Danny Finkelman of Sparks Next and produced by Chaya Greenberg.
“I got to much positive feedback on this video from people outside of the community, and even from people who are not affiliated,” said Danny Finkelman. “They felt so much warmth from the concept of a modern day shtetl, it actually touched them deeply,” he said.
“It’s one of those songs, where the lyrics and the melody just dissolve into each other,” said Mendy Werdyger, a singer and the CEO of Aderet record label and Mostly Music store. “I am totally in love with this song…”
Staff at the Jewish social network Shabbat.com wrote: “Team Shabbat.com has this playing on repeat in the office. Sharing to the global feed! Great job 8th Day and Danny!”
The video features the local landmarks and figures that make the legendary neighborhood the home-base for hundreds of thousands of people from around the world. It also features a slew of appearances by Jewish music and entertainment stars.
“A music video like this with so much detail and insights is only made every 10 years, this is a cultural masterpiece!,” commented the editor of the JewishLife channel on YouTube.
Jewish music reviewer and radio show host Yossi Zweig said: “When I first heard and watched the all new “My Shtetl’s Calling” (Babinyu Remix), it reminded me why I fell in love with 8th day all those years ago. The original song talks about the “shtetl”, the town, it gave a very old school feeling of a place where everybody knows everyone. They wave ‘hi’ and ask about their grandmothers and cousins, it’s one big happy family.
“I love the new remix because it doesn’t stray too far from the original feeling. I don’t know whether that is due to the clarinet or just to how good Bentzi and Shmuel really are. With the video they have literally turned Crown Heights into the ‘shtetl’ and show how tight-knit a community it really is,” Zweig said.
VIDEO: 8th day – My Shtetl Is Calling
To 1 thank you very much keep on smiling
Thank you for doing a good quality presentation of our Shtetel … it’s a real masterpiece and good music 🎶
To see how everyone is reacting to this song/video inside and outside the Chabad world. Great job 8th day as usual
Big fan
Adorable!
You da man