When Ezra Nussbaum was 8 years old, his parents surprised him with a birthday party featuring magician Seth Dale. Ever since watching the act and bombarding Dale with questions after, Nussbaum dreamed of being a magician and over the past few years, it has become a reality. Now a rising 12th grader at Marsha Stern Talmudic Academy (MTA), Ezra the Magician is available for hire for parties of all kinds, for all ages. From birthday parties to corporate events, from children to adults, Nussbaum makes sure everyone has a good time and, of course, is wowed by his mind-boggling tricks.
While some view magic as just a hobby, Nussbaum is serious about his skills and hopes to continue being able to “put a smile on people’s faces” for as long as possible. Just a few weeks ago, on July 10, Nussbaum performed a show for a group of Holocaust survivors at the Hudson Valley Hotel. “You don’t really understand the kind of things they went through so it was a very humbling experience for me,” Nussbaum said. “I’m glad that I was able to bring some joy and excitement to the room.”
Like many success stories in the Jewish community, Nussbaum got his start in Teaneck through word of mouth and his business grew from there. After a couple of years working as a professional magician, this summer he has been averaging a show a week. Don’t worry if you have already seen him; Nussbaum is constantly updating his repertoire to keep old and new spectators on their toes. “I try to create different things [and often] switch out tricks to keep it lively,” Nussbaum explained.
Nussbaum continues to learn from wherever he can: books, websites or speaking to other magicians. Sometimes, Nussbaum visits Tannen’s Magic, the oldest magic shop in New York City, where he hangs out for the day to share ideas with other magicians. Because he is so young, Nussbaum has strong mentors in his life to help him through the process, including his parents. He also has Seth Dale as well as other magicians to reach out to whenever he has a question.
A crowd favorite, as well as one of Nussbaum’s, involves a book, a number and a vanishing page, but you’ll just have to invite him to your next simcha to find out what he does!
To book an event or for more information, Nussbaum can be reached at [email protected]; 917-342-5397; and his website, ezrathemagician.com. For those who do not have an event coming up, follow @ezrathemagician on Instagram for fun street magic videos and other magic content.
Etta Feuer is a rising sophomore at Hunter College and a Jewish Link summer intern.
