Sunday, January 6, was a date that will go down in Jewish music history. It was the 32nd annual “HASC: A Time for Music” concert, and it was one for the books. The concert was produced by the amazing Eli Gerstner (EG Productions), and featured an all-star cast, with many singers making their HASC debut performances.
Upon walking into David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, one was greeted by a huge stage design with three tiers and individual “boxes” for each musician. As everyone took their seats, a screen started counting down the final 30 seconds. It was with the dimming of the lights that “the voice of Jewish radio,” Nachum Segal himself, graced the stage and introduced the Yosis Symphony Orchestra conducted by the incomparable Yoeli Dikman. Between the impressive view of Yoeli in his coat tails waving his hands and conductor baton, and the amazing reimagined HASC overture with the awesome light show, everyone was astounded and prepared for the show of a lifetime. With the final notes dying down, two tall, chasidic men with long beards walked onto the stage. The orchestra started playing and the words Baruch Hashem echoed throughout David Geffen Hall. This was Zusha’s debut HASC performance. Within minutes they were joined on stage by the talented Levin brothers, aka Pumpedisa. The two groups rocked out to the song Baruch Hashem, which they released a year and a half ago, with the producer of the song, DJ Matt Dub, performing above them on the highest tier. It was the perfect way to kick off the concert. Everyone was clapping and singing along.
With the show was under way, everyone was eager to see who would be the next act. The booming voice of Nachum Segal announced that for the first time ever, Abie Rotenberg and Shlomo Simcha, who have both individually graced the HASC stage before, were making their HASC debut performing as AISH. Everyone knows of these classic AISH hits, which have been sung at Shabbos tables and played at so many chuppahs. Now mega hits like Birchas Habayis (Yehei Zeh), Ilon, Habeit, Mi Adir, Yedid Nefesh and Hiney Lo Yonum were being performed for the first time on the HASC stage. Both young and old in the audience were amazed at how good Abie and Shlomo sounded, almost like the albums had been released yesterday. With the medley winding down, Abie announced that a new AISH album is going to be released in the next few months and that they were going to perform a song off the new album for the first time. The new song was titled Lo Matza, and as Shlomo Simcha urged, after hearing the chorus a few times the entire audience joined in. It was magical, the orchestra was tremendous, and with Shlomo Simcha giving Yoeli Dikman a huge hug, AISH was finished.
If I told you the next performer walked on to stage holding an umbrella, would you be able to guess who it was? Making his HASC debut was superstar singer and former HASC counselor Mordechai Shapiro. There is something electric about Mordy that forces everyone to pay attention. His charisma was almost tangible and everyone was smiling within minutes. Mordy’s set included his mega hits Machar (hence the umbrella), Yachad and of course Schar Mitzvah, with the song’s composer, Elie Schwab, getting a shout-out. Mordy dominated the stage, and the entire audience was mesmerized by his performance and vocal prowess. With a hello to his wife, parents and in-laws, Mordy’s time was up and we all said goodbye.
Nachum Segal announced that the next performer would also be making his HASC debut. Beri Weber started off on a rather slow but moving note. He performed his hit ballad, Riboin, initially joined by just the pianist and the cellist, and of course the rest of the orchestra joined in for a strong finish. Everyone was quietly watching this beautifully haunting performance as Beri belted out Ki Al Rachamecho, which was definitely a HASC highlight. With the final notes trailing off, Beri paused. Then he turned to the audience and said let’s get this party started, as he invited the talented DJ Matt Dubb to join him, and they performed his song Adama Veshamayim. On the center of the stage on the third tier where the choir had been all night, a spotlight revealed Matt Dubb with his turntables. Once the beat kicked in by the “Hey Ya” part, David Geffen Hall was hopping. Then in a surprising move, Beri walks behind the stage, only to magically appear in the DJ booth on top. It’s no wonder that this song is so huge right now, with three versions of it being released this past Motzei Shabbos. When it was all over, Beri left the stage to thunderous applause.
At this point we had already seen so many big names and so much talent, what could possibly be next? Nachum announced that the next act hadn’t performed together in over 30 years: Yossi Toiv (aka Country Yossi), Nachum Deutch and Heshy Walfish as Or Chodosh. Back in the day, Or Chodosh was everywhere, with hits that were sung worldwide. The trio performed their greatest hits, including Aileh Vorechev, Aromimcha, Oh The World, Yiru, Shi Hama’alos and others. Keep in mind Or Chodosh also introduced the world to golden classics like Reb Shmuel Brazil’s Shmelkie’s Niggun and Bilvavi, which are still sung today.
Next, chairman of the board Jeremy Strauss walked onstage. He praised Camp HASC’s amazing work and said if it weren’t for Sheya Mendlowitz’ vision and the first HASC concerts, he would have never became a Camp HASC counselor, let alone a board member. Jeremy thanked Eli Gerstner for all his hard work putting together this year’s show as well as his work over the past few years and announced that Eli was going to perform a brand new song written specially for the show. Eli then walked up to the piano and explained that the new song, titled A Special Angel, had been composed by him with lyrics by him and Yossi Toiv. Gerstner then invited YBC star soloist Shlomo Schachter to join him on stage. The song was very moving. It spoke about parents of a child with special needs and how they are like angels. Shlomo’s voice shined and reached great heights as it blended beautifully with Eli’s. It seemed that for the first time in years, HASC has a new original song to call its own.
Next, Nachum announced that although the next performer had never been on the HASC stage, his songs have. He then welcomed world-renowned composer and singer Yishai Lapidot, for whom the audience started cheering. Yishai started off his set with his world-renowned song Aleh Katan, originally performed by Avraham Fried. As the music continued, Yishai brought Mordechai Shapiro to the stage. The performed Yishai’s hits, including DEDI’s Vekovei and Hu Yigal, Oif Simchas hits including Dor Metzuyan and Shalala (Eishes Chayil) and finally Modeh Ani from Avraham Fried. The duo was on fire and the audience was eating it up. It was like going in a time machine of Jewish hits with Mordy and Yishai.
On a silent stage, the images of fire started flashing on the big screen as the first notes of the song Aish started up. Yaakov Shwekey walked onstage and jumped right into the hits song Time to Light the Fire Now. Yaakov’s performance of his recent album, Musica, coupled with the orchestra and light show was a spectacle to behold. Next, Shwekey performed Your Time with a shout-out to the lyricist Sruly Besser, the famed writer/editor of Mishpacha Magazine who was in the audience, and then an Am Yisrael duet with the song’s composer, Yishai Lapidot. The song was filled with energy and the two kept trading off vocals and harmonies. Things then slowed down with A Perfect World, featuring a new video soon to be released for the song.
Fans far and wide fell in love with Shwekey’s album Those Were The Days featuring hits we all grew up with, and what happened next was one for the books. Shwekey was joined by veteran composer Abie Rotenberg to perform songs like It’s Time to Say Good Shabbos, Memories, The Man from Vilna and There’s No Place Like Home. The audience will remember that performance for many years to come. Shwekey thanked Abie for his amazing songs and so started the final medley, which included the hit songs Ma’amin Benisim, Im Eshkochaich and the finale of Et Rikod, performed by the entire cast. Yes, the show was three hours long with no intermission, but it was also continuous, high-quality entertainment. Eli Gerstner, you have outdone yourself again and will be written up in the JM books as a producer extraordinaire. May we all be invited to next year’s HASC concert in Jerusalem. Amen.
By Yossi Zweig
