Since 2011, the JTunes singers have been enhancing Shabbos simchas with their a cappella voices blending in beautiful harmonies. “We’re there to provide singing entertainment and getting guests involved,” said Meir Popowitz, leader of the group. “We make the Shabbos experience even more memorable and special.”
Popowitz has been singing professionally for over 20 years. Throughout his career, he would sing on a freelance basis with different a cappella groups, when he started working with Eric Stern, a former Miami Boys Choir soloist. They would sing at different kinds of events and provide other singers as needed. Stern left to focus on family and business interests, but Popowitz kept singing and built up the JTunes Singers into an even more in-demand group.
JTunes has become a premier professional Jewish music ensemble, performing at bar/bat mitzvahs, shabbatons, aufruf celebrations, sheva brachot meals and group dinners. Their repertoire covers the broad spectrum of Jewish music—classic folk songs, contemporary Israeli, modern Hebrew music, and of course, melodious davening. They can also sing some secular English music if the client or crowd requests it. With his years of expertise, Popowitz can “read the room” to determine the musical styles the guests want to hear.
Although he is based in Bergenfield, word-of-mouth references have made the JTunes Singers a sought-after entertainment choice nationally and internationally. They have performed at simchas across the globe including Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, St. Louis, Vancouver, B.C., and even the island of Bermuda. Last year, a family was making a bar mitzvah in Los Angeles and the client reached out to a cousin in the music business, Ilan Schnitzer, to plan the entertainment. Schnitzer contacted Popowitz and told him that Benny Friedman was singing at the bar mitzvah and he wanted the JTunes singers to back him up.
Schnitzer recently contacted Popowitz again to say the family is making another bar mitzvah and they want to bring Popowitz and the JTunes singers back for this one as well. “It’s always a nice feeling when we get a repeat client saying they liked the group so much, they want us again,” said Popowitz. Last Shabbos, JTunes went to Woodmere for an aufruf, and they will be singing at a bar mitzvah at Keter Torah in Teaneck next Shabbos. Popowitz noted that he’s been singing so long that he’s beginning to perform at an aufruf or sheva brachot celebration for boys he first met when he sang at their bar mitzvahs.
The number of singers at an event depends on the amount of guests attending as well as musical requirements. Popowitz strives for a happy medium of voices best achieved in the four-to-six-person range. He has a group of 10-20 singers he likes to call on regularly to perform with or assign to other gigs. Having such depth means he can always find people whose talents and schedules align with his needs, especially when JTunes has multiple gigs on a given Shabbos. Popowitz tries to be present and sing on all the gigs he’s called for, but he also can’t be in two places at once. Rest assured he only sends trusted singers to take lead when he cannot be there.
What happens on a typical gig is one member of the group will lead the Shabbos davening as chazan, while the others join together as choir accompaniment. At a bar mitzvah, the singers will call the bar mitzvah boy up to the Torah for his aliyah, and if the bar mitzvah boy or invited guest happens to be the chazan to lead part of the davening, the group can sing with him and back him up.
Popowitz said that sometimes they’ll welcome people into the seuda or ballroom with singing, which can create a nice upbeat energy to the celebration. At meals, Popowitz and his singers will lead spirited zemirot and take requests from guests. This is where reading the room is so important. “We need to see who we’re dealing with and what kind of hashkafa they have,” said Popowitz. “Is it a more modern crowd? Do they want some English songs? Do they want us to sit down at a table and be light background music during the meal? Or do they want us to get up and walk around making it livelier? So it really depends on the crowd and what the client wants.”
There is always a mix of age groups among the guests, who often like different styles of music. The singers might go to the grandparents’ table to sing some traditional songs and then go to the friends’ table and sing more contemporary songs.
Since October 7, even the most joyous simcha has some element to recognize that our brothers and sisters in Israel are at war, and hostages are still languishing in Gaza. There are some songs written since October 7 that the host might request, specifically “Mi Sheberach” for the chayalim.
For seudat shlishit, JTunes will often do kumzitz-style singing, where guests can bring their chairs into a circle as the group performs those camp-style songs people know and love.
The typical Shabbos performance ends with a sing-along or musical Havdala. When available and appropriate, JTunes will bring one or two instruments, like a guitar or hand drum to add a little more oomph. The Havdala can become a sing-along when the guests join in. And finally, there’s usually some dancing, “just to end off with a bang,” said Popowitz.
Follow the JTunes Singers on Instagram @jtunessingers. For more information about having JTunes at your simcha, contact Meir Popowitz at 917-974-0176 or [email protected].
