By COLlive reporter
The next frontier in creating a wow High Holiday experience for Shul goers is a choir. While Chazzanim have been hired for years, choirs have mostly been limited to South African inspired communities both in native South Africa and abroad. The mainstream American synagogues have not adopted it, until now. An increasing trend of choirs is making its way through Shuls across North America.
While a Chazzan can move the crowd on his own, a choir can serve to add dimension to a single voice. The choir also has the benefits of amplifying the voice which is great for large spaces and is a great way to repeat words when the Chazzan cannot.
In recent years choirs have had an increased interest with some Rabbi’s investing in a choir along with a Chazzan.
Rabbi Levi Gansburg of Chabad on Bayview near Toronto, Ontario, has had a four or five-person choir accompanying Chazzan Berel Zucker for the past 3 years. The choir members were flown in from Israel and trained by Zucker. “It helps the avir in the room in place of it just being the Chazzan, myself and a few other singing the whole time,” he said.
At Chabad of Redondo Beach in California, Rabbi Yossi Mintz tested the choir concept in 2015 with a Maccabeats style a cappella group that was flown in from New York. He and the community found them to be a hit and brought them back every year since.
When not on the road, Bentzi Marcus of 8th Day Band attends that Shul, and said “a choir can add a really nice touch, and a unique and special flavor to the Davening”
This year, Rabbi Shalom Moshe Paltiel of Chabad of Port Washington on Long Island had its adult choir for the first time this year accompanying cantors Naftali Marrus and Shlomie Rabin.
One congregant who was visiting from south Florida, commented: “In 40 years of going to services, I never experienced something this enjoyable and inspirational.”
“This was my first time leading with a choir and having vocal accompaniment enabled me to expand what is possible for the davening”, said Rabin, the founder of jplacing.com, a talent agency serving shuls around the world with their year-round talent needs.
A choir can range in size and style, and it takes training to get it right. The benefits can be long-lasting and great for members that are used to a choir experience before they joined Chabad. If you are interested in a choir for next year, you can preorder or bring this group for a Shabbos by visiting jplacing.com
VIDEO:
If by the next frontier you mean something that has been happening for probably hundreds of years, then yes. New
Wonder why they didn’t do it in 770, probably would be amazing!
Chabad of Markham has a choir with 30 men and a chazzan the past 25 years and they are incredible!
Choirs have been around since forever, especially on the high holidays. New to chabad houses perhaps.