SIMPLY TSFAT

Back in 2004, Simply Tsfat was at the 5th Annual Jewish Music

& Cultural Festival of Central York. They were a huge hit! So, in

celebration of Israel at 60, Simply Tsfat is coming back to the

festival!

Simply Tsfat are three Breslev Chassidim, 2 Americans and

one Israeli, 2 guitars and one violin. Their aim is to spread the

joy and inspiration of Breslev Chassidim and to bring a breath

of fresh air to you, from their home, the mystical city of Tsfat,

the home of the Kabala.

From New York, Philadelphia, Montreal, Miami, San Diego,

Portland, Canada, Guatemala and Costa Rica their audiences

ranged from Jewish inmates at Federal Penitentiaries to 4000

people at an Israel 2000 event at the Greek Theater in LA, from

Chassidic children in Cheder to Conservative congregants, 
from Israeli Army bases in the Golan to skid row in Los Angeles

(REALLY!) and old age homes too.  Whether at weddings,

Yeshivas, annual dinners, day schools K-12, prisons, nursing

homes, tour groups all over Israel, synagogues, JCCs, campus

Hillels, private parties, and fundraisers from 10 to 4000 people, 

from 2 years old to 120, from private homes to large halls,

from evening concerts, to morning, afternoon and midnight

kumsitzes, if you're looking for more than just a quick pick me

up, if you're looking to connect with your past to help you live

now and tomorrow, join us and the thousands whom Simply

Tsfat have touched, their music will touch you as well!

Twenty-three-year-old Hananel Edri, born in the northern city of

Kiryat Shmona, made his debut as an actor, singer and dancer

participating inlocal groups as a soloist while still a child. His first

professional show was in Vancouver, Canada where he had the

starring role of Tevye in a production of Fiddler on the Roof.

As a member of the Israel Scouts organization, he was selected to be
part of the 2001 Tzofim Friendship Caravan. For three months, he
performed around America and Canada. It was during this unique tour

that he came to Syracuse and fell in love with our community. 

After completing high school, Hananel began his three-year mandatory
military service with the Israel Defense Force (IDF) and was place in
its Musical Ensemble division. He was eventually appointed commander

of his troupe. In addition to appearing all over Israel, he was sent to
various countries to participate in performances that raised millions of
dollars for Israel. Following his military service, Hananel entered the

Israel's Song Festival, a national competition, to choose who would

represent Israel in the Eurovision contest. He and his two fellow group

members came in second place by a popular vote of the Israeli

population. The group made a CD for sale to the public. Following their

success in the competition, the group performed on Israeli television

shows and produced musical videos that were aired on television.

During the second Lebanon War in 2006, he was called to reserve duty to
perform with the IDF Musical Ensemble, under fire from Hezbollah, in
order to raise the morale of the residents who were displaced to bomb
shelters. In 2007, Hananel and two colleagues toured Australia and New

Zealand to celebrate Yom Hazikaron and Yom Ha'atzmaut. After completing

that two-week tour, he was invited to Sweden where he did a solo

performance for the Jewish community of Malmö.

Hananel has continued to perform within the Israeli musical stage in a
variety of venues. He also had a recurring dramatic role on a popular
evening television show. As a part of his artistic development, Hananel

auditioned for musical theatre schools on Broadway. He was accepted

and will be studying there this fall.

The Shekhter - Tekhter

THE "SHEKHTER-TEKHTER" AND BINYUMEN will present their show
OUR ZEYDAS AND BUBBAS AS CHILDREN - a revue about kids,

young and older, and their relationships with each other, with their parents,

with the Rabbi, with the world. The songs are all in Yiddish. Translations

are provided. The performers: BINYUMEN SCHAECHTER and the

"Shekhter-Tekhter" (the "Schaechter Daughters"), REYNA SCHAECHTER

(age 13) and TEMMA-LEEBA SCHAECHTER (age 8).

Binyumen (Ben) Schaechter is a Yiddish composer and performer, as well

as conductor of the Jewish People's Philharmonic Chorus (JPPC) and the

Pripetshik Singers, an ensemble of native-Yiddish-speaking children. They

have performed at Lincoln Center, Shea Stadium, Synagogues, and JCC's

across the Northeast. As a performer, he has traveled across North America

and in Paris in his one-man show, The Shtetl Comes To Life and together

with his daughter Reyna Schaechter in From Kinahora To Kuni-Ayland, his

musical revue about the Jewish experience in America.

LOVE & KNISHES

Love and Knishes is a trio that provides a mixture of traditional, contemporary

and original songs in Yiddish and English, plus instrumentals from the klezmer

tradition. Singer-songwriter Bonnie Abrams has won awards in national

songwriting competitions, and was a "New Folk" finalist at the Kerrville Folk

Festival in Texas. She has recorded three albums of original songs, and her

fourth CD, A Sudenyu of Yiddish Song, has been featured at the Holocaust

Museum in Washington. Violinist Glenna Chance trained at the Eastman

School of Music and has been a member of orchestras and chamber groups

in America and Europe. Allen Hopkins has been playing with Bonnie as a duet for a dozen years; they worked with Glenna in a local klezmer band, and decided to form a group that would present music from the Jewish vocal and instrumental repertoire and showcase Bonnie's songwriting ability as well.

Love and Knishes has played at the New England Folk Festival (NEFFA), at

Rochester's Jewish Community Center, at community concerts in Brighton and

Brockport, and at many local private and public events. Their instrumental lineup features Bonnie's guitar, Glenna's violin, viola, and recorder, and Allen's mandolin, mandola,mandocello, concertina, and banjo (with a few miscellaneous other instruments).They play traditional Yiddish folk and cabaret songs, klezmer dance tunes,some general folk material, and a large helping of Bonnie's original songs. They also feature "Voice of the Second Generation," a commemoration of the Holocaust in song and story, based on the experience of Bonnie's parents as concentration camp survivors. Love and Knishes has performed "Voice of the Second Generation" at schools and education centers in New York and New England.

JONATHAN DINKIN & KLEZMERCUSE

Jonathan Dinkin & Klezmercuse are Syracuse’s homegrown klezmer

sensation. Klezmercuse features Jonathan on keyboards. Mike Fixler,

on clarinet and saxophone, Sam Young, on euphonium. Art Bronstein,

on bass guitar. Judy Schmid, on accordion. Mark Wolfe, on drums and

percussion along with additional vocalists: Aveeya Dinkin, and Lee

Lawitts. Jonathan Dinkin & Klezmercuse have released an instrumental

CD titled "Naches", a Yiddish word meaning pleasure and pride.

You may download the whole CD or individual songs on OYsongs.com

KEYNA HORA KLEZMER BAND

Lively, ethnic Klezmer dances and Yiddish folk songs are the

specialties of the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band. At performances,

audiences often spontaneously jump to their feet to dance to the

spirited Eastern European melodies. Everyone is encouraged to sing

along and clap to the music.

Based in Central New York, consisting of approximately

12 instrumentalists and vocalists, the group performs instrumental

Klezmer dances and medleys of Hassidic tunes, as well as sings the

traditional Yiddish folk songs of love, joy, and sorrow.

Sid Lipton started the Keyna Hora Klezmer Band six years. Sid had

just attended the Yiddish Folk Arts Festival (also known as "KlezKamp")

which specializes in the teaching and playing of Klezmer music. He

returned "high" on the Eastern European sound and beat, and determined

to found a band in Central New York. The first three members were:

Marge Schlisserman on piano, Sam Katz on fiddle, and Sid on banjo.

Marge has played the piano and organ all her life and has accompanied

countless soloists and choruses in the Syracuse area. Sam, a gifted

musician in his 80's, is a retired member of the Syracuse Symphony.

Later joiners, but no less enthusiastic, are Al Kosoff  and Mark Wolf,

percussion; Mimi Weiner, vocal and violin; Neil Novelli, banjo;

Carl Borek, clarinet; Harry Sommer, vocal and dance leader;

Harvey Pearl, mandolin; Bill Sanderson, trumpet; and Sam Young,

baritone horn.