On a recent Motzei Shabbat, a record was broken in the Jewish world of music. Ticket sales were launched for an unforgettable concert, a night of music, inspiration and energy with Shaindy Plotzker at Brooklyn’s palatial 3,250-seat Kings Theatre. But anticipation ran so high that tickets were live for just two and a half hours … and then they were gone. “By 9:45 that night,” said Eli Gerstner of the legendary EG Productions, “I was getting desperate messages that people were trying to book and the theater was completely sold out.”
The almost unparalleled enthusiasm was due to Plotzker’s unique ability to connect with all audiences, because of both her personality and unique singing talent.
Thrown into a space of new possibilities with the instantaneous sellout, the organizers moved quickly. After an intense round of negotiations with the venue, Gerstner was able to procure the hall for a second consecutive night, so the concert will now run on both Sunday, March 16 and Monday, March 17. The breathtaking stage design and backdrops will stay in place. The choirs and surprises will return, and every special musical moment of the show will live again, with the power of the united women of klal Yisrael supercharging the lifesaving work of Efrat, an organization which is a support system for thousands of mothers and babies.
An exclusive venue rarely used for Jewish shows, Kings Theatre was chosen for its prestige and royal atmosphere. No holds are barred to make this soul-stirring evening an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience. There will be a 30-piece, all-female symphony orchestra made up of the top musicians in the tristate area, a 150-voice girls’ choir and masterful stage productions, a trademark of EG Productions. Combined with Plotzker’s magnetic stage presence, the crowd is in for an evening of melodious magic, golden voices — and open hearts. There will be up-to-the-minute technological innovations, stunning song sets and plenty of guest surprises in store too.
Plotzker prides herself on creating music which is inclusive — celebrating all streams and circles — and both heartfelt and bataampt [tasteful]. “Last year,” Plotzker said, “what made me smile most was seeing the colorful blend of women uniting — from chasidish to yeshivish and Sephardic to Modern Orthodox — how they all put their arms around each other to sing and dance, and it was like all barriers fell away. This year again, every minute of the program is maximized for meaningful moments. From energetic hit songs of achdut, joy and strength, to our deepest expressions of emunah and bitachon, to our favorite — the nostalgic energy of an oldies medley — I daven that there should be music and moments to touch every single soul in the audience, as that’s what our true goal is. This concert is about each member of the audience having an experience of a lifetime.”
With soaring voices, total audience involvement and breathtaking music, the moments they have planned for the concert are both poignant and powerful.
After last year’s sold-out show in NJPAC, Plotzker said it wasn’t the general feedback, but the moments of inspiration that were shared with her that moved her most. “When Jewish women and girls come together like this, singing their hearts out in a kosher, tzniut way, it goes way beyond music, into real kiddush Hashem moments.”
Just one example is the email she received from a teenager who said she had not been keeping Shabbat before, but the concert had given her “an injection of emunah,” and set her on the path back home. She told Plotzker that she’d been keeping Shabbat every week since the concert. Dozens of women revealed that the evening had revitalized and strengthened them, reawakening a spark inside, renewing their Jewish pride, speaking to their souls and even helping them climb out of tension or fears.
For Plotzker, doing the concert to benefit the mothers and babies of Efrat comes full circle in a beautiful way. “My own mother was very ill when she was expecting me, and her doctors told her that the treatments she needed constituted a grave risk to her unborn child. There was an almost 100% chance, they said, that I would be born with irreversible deafness, and possibly blind and mute. My parents followed daas Torah and continued with courage. When I was born, shockingly, I was able to hear and speak. To be able to use the gifts I wasn’t supposed to have according to science, to use my voice for Efrat, who helps mothers in crisis bring their babies into the world… it just feels so full circle, so right.”
Efrat offers professional and practical support to families who are struggling financially and otherwise, saving thousands of babies each year. Now, as klal Yisrael fights enemies whose stated goal is to destroy us down to the last soul, their lifesaving work should be our joint mission.
To date, Efrat, with the support and encouragement of gedolei Yisrael past and present, has been the reason that approximately 89,500 Jewish babies have been born. “We believe that every single neshama that comes down to this world is a source of goodness and light. We empower struggling Jewish mothers by supporting them emotionally and financially with generous monthly packages containing every necessity one would need when having a baby. This battle—to bring Jewish children into the world with joy and financial security—is a battle we can win with your help,” Nir Salomon, executive director of Efrat explained. “And the other war? We all know it can only be won by Hashem’s help and miracles. By standing together and fulfilling His will, we can all bring special merits into the world.” By joining Plotzker and thousands of Jewish sisters in a strong commitment to be there for each other, we can stand behind every Jewish mother and child and make a real difference.
As our nation fights to survive both physically and spiritually, these historic nights of music and meaning will serve as a beacon of strength, unity, and unwavering hope.
