This Teacher Can Carry a Beat

By COLlive reporter

Rabbi Tzvi Schwartz, a teacher of Judaic studies in JETS – Jewish Trade School in Los Angeles, CA, has written a song called “Jewnity” which was recently released as a music video.

Schwartz, who grew up in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn, says that it took him some time to get to appreciate his Jewish roots. He joined the Israeli army at 18 and rebelled against the ideals of his parents and community shortly afterwards.

“After a while, I realized it came down to this: If you’re interested in materialism, then a truly Jewish lifestyle seems like a burden. However, if you simply look at life from a soul perspective, then each Mitzvah and act of loving kindness has tremendous meaning and inspiration,” Schwartz told COLlive.com.

Today married with two daughters and living in Granada Hills, CA, he says that “Once I finally took this message to heart, I started truly enjoying my life as a Jew!”

The new music video, produced by Mendel Katz, depicts the unity of Jews of all types, coming together despite their differences in a true actualization of the Mitzvah of Ahavas Yisroel.

Schwartz says his wish for the video is “for the whole world to see this truth, and allow themselves to express their essential soul, bringing true everlasting unity and ‘Jewnity’ to this world.”

The global Jewish community has come together in recent months, as Israel fought Hamas terrorists in Gaza and anti-Semitism has risen in France, Britain and elsewhere.

“Especially with the recent situation in Israel, it’s truly time to start digging ‘Tunnels of Love’ connecting ourselves to one another!” the teacher-musician said.