Joborg Concert Was ‘Riveting’

By COLlive reporter

The Teatro at Montecasion theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa, was filled last week for was many considered a memorable evening of Jewish music.

Highlighting the shows on October 22 and 23 were best-selling Israeli singing star Gad Elbaz and American singer Benny Friedman.

It benefited the Sydenham Shul, under the leadership of Rabbi Yossy and Rochel Goldman, and the Community Security Organization.

“The shows were, frankly, way beyond my expectations,” said Rabbi Goldman. “While I was somewhat familiar with Benny Friedman’s music, which I really love, I have never seen such energy on stage as with Gad’s performance.”

He noted that the two artists have very different styles and the crowd did have their preferences. “Some liked one, some preferred the other, but no one will deny that it was riveting entertainment and the house was really rocking,” Goldman said.

Elbaz and Friedman were joined on stage by chazan Yudi Cohen. Musical director was Bryan Schimmel. A thank you was given to the Concert Committee who worked tirelessly to make the event happen – Nachi Kay, Ingrid and Stanley Seeff.

Since the concert, participants have been emailing the Rabbi Goldman, his shul’s youth director Rabbi Yehuda Stern and other organizers, praising the kosher entertainment, and noting it was better than “the non-kosher stuff.”

“My family and I do not have enough superlative to express what we experienced last night,” one father wrote. “My daughters, who are 29 and 27 years-old respectively, said to me ‘Dad, we’re enjoying this more than… (giving 2 names of non Jewish pop stars).”

A CEO of a company wrote: “It was truly spectacular and really special. I don’t have words that can accurately describe the uplifting emotional atmosphere in the theatre last night but, suffice it to say, it was really and truly memorable.”