Founded by Yerachmiel Begun 1977, the Miami Boys Choir has been an Orthodox Jewish music staple for decades, especially among children and teenagers. Now, the group’s music clips have gone viral across social media platforms, particularly TikTok, with tens of thousands of non-Jewish people chiming in on the group’s performances.
The Miami Boys Choir launched a TikTok account about 3 months ago, posting small clips of the group from various periods and gaining a small following on the platform. The account is run by Chananya Begun, the son of Yerachmiel and the founder of the Young Talent Initiative in Lakewood.
But then it posted a clip of 4 well known soloists – Yoshi Bender, Chaim Abramowitz, David Hershkowitz, and Binyomin Abramowitz – singing MBC’s famous “Yerushalayim” during a 2007 performance.
After languishing in TikTok’s algorithm for a bit, the clip suddenly went mega-viral, with millions of Americans viewers being regaled by the lyrical performance of Orthodox Jewish teens.
Thousands of TikTok users have chimed in about the clip, expressing wonder at MBC’s musical talent and “ranking” the soloists who they most like. Most viewers don’t even know what the words to the song mean, but that hasn’t stopped them.
As of Thursday evening, the “Yerushalayim” clip has been viewed nearly 8 million times and has been “liked” over 915,000 times.
Chananya Begun told NBC News that he told his father before launching that some surprising things could happen if Miami Boys Choir videos start getting around.
“I told him: ‘Dad, we have to get on TikTok. … There’s a chance, nobody knows for sure, but there’s a chance something crazy could happen,'” Chananya said.
He added that he believes the music group has gone viral because Orthodox Jewish music is “extremely real and genuine and deep … and it’s an extreme pursuit of excellence.”
YWN reached out to Yerachmiel Begun for comment, and spoke briefly to him on the phone. He said this story is not for YWN, refused to give a comment, and hung up.
@miamiboyschoir 🗣🗣🗣🗣 after 40+ years of performance excellence, here were 4 soloists who helped usher in big changes for the Miami Boys Choir – the beginning of the Gen-Z generation of MBC’s worldwide fans and followers (2008-2012) #vocals #solo #performance #israel #ישראל #מוסיקה #music #jewish ♬ original sound – Yerachmiel Begun and MBC
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
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33 Responses
Aza oiftee…Jewish boys on the depraved TikTok platform…it’s scary.
I guess this settles the fight of what’s better, ybc or miami
That is sick, resoan enough to disovle the chior
“We have to get on TikTok.”
Hashem yeracheim
Frum Jews on TickTock? Eew! Hashem Yerachem
Pretty sure they’re just mocking them
Lol YWN like a week late on this…
Sorry if I’m not massively impressed. Some of the most inane and moronic things go viral on TikTok. So the empty and bored browsers of that degenerate platform have turned their soulless gazes upon (formerly) young Jewish boys. No thanks.
YWN linking to TikTok. Now I’ve seen everything
Truthfully, I despise the so-called “jewish” music of the last 20 years or so. However, Miami Boys Choir for some reason still struck a chord (pun intended) with me until this. FEH
They sound worse than ever. You’re better off with Rosenblatt or Kwartin.
I would hope that peoples personal convictions to not be on social media wouldn’t be suddenly changed by one thing like this. There is no indication this is for the Frum Olam. Not sure if people here are aware, but there has been HUGE amounts of 100% confirmed Kiruv or interest in Yiddeshkeit that has happened and being initiated because of this, and other amazing things as well that are good for Yidden in the velt. Whether we like it or not, there are way more Yiddin on social media than off of it, because there are way more irreligious, modern orthodox and other Jews in the world than Frum, Yeshiva velt Jews. And Miami, whether it was intentional or not, just did something unbelievable for both Kiruv and Anti-semistim, which is crystal clear for anyone who has been following even 5% of what is ACTUALLY happening instead of ignorantly being Choshed B’kshairin during Aseres Y’mai T’shuva. Please be very careful, everyone here, there is a din V’cheshbon for every word you say, especially publicly.
Pretty sure way more good came out of this than not. Hope people understand what’s happening here. Massive Kiddush Hashem. And why didn’t YWN speak to them directly. instead of copying an article for not-frum people from a not-frum publication?
Our music listened to by the world.
Maybe this is one way to be a light unto the nations
They sound nasally and look so nerdy. What a typical Jewish stereotype. Are people mimicking them or just mocking them?
Trying to guilt Yidden for bashing Jews being on one of the most perverted platforms in the world is absolutely part of the yetzer hora trying to make right look wrong and wrong look right. There will absolutely be no advantage for us as a Jewish nation when Yiddishe groups or individuals post on the perverted platforms.
Religious Jews keep on lowering their standards supposedly to do “kiruv and to inspire the world”…meanwhile they sink lower and lower into the tehoim…this is NOT what Yiddishkeit is about!
Well said, philosopher!!
Read the Chumash
We are responsible for the whole Jewish nation
Not just our own little group
disgusting
frum jews should not be on TikTok
Did they consult Daas Torah before taking this drastic step?
1818, we are currently hardly a light to ourselves, and you are talking about being a light to the nations?!! In order for this to happen, we must first stop to allow this kind “tarbut yavan” to enter our frum communities. Once we are truly and deeply immersed in Torah ONLY, living 100% as a Yid should, the light will shine forth so bright, no one will be able to extinguish it.
Bnei Tisha Midos at their best
How was this article posted without Yerachmiel Begun’s permission??
As a mother who attended the nikadesh event and came away so inspired, this article upsets me. No, I’m not where I want to be but ever since the asifa, I as well as so many of my fellow women have been moser nefesh to get to where we are. I gave up social media both for personal and business use and it has been very hard. I’m not near perfect but I am proud of how far I’ve come. I’m still an internet user but giving up social media is a test every day. So many ladies are lessening their social media and phone use and have strengthened themselves. But we need chizzuk! Men need to work at this too. We can so easily fall back into the pattern. When men proudly boast about their social media use i.e. tiktok and the like, it does a lot of damage. Maybe this MBC thing wasn’t meant for yidden or to be advertised on YWN but what goes around comes around. So they’re using it as a kiruv tool or whatever, but for women to be trying so hard not to use it even for business and then see men proudly announcing about their tiktok use it is so hard to keep at it. If you haven’t tried it yet, you can’t understand. Please help us women who are so valiantly working on this, not make it harder.
If this brings 1 Yid closer to Hashem and Yiddishkeit, it was worth it.
Honestly I think that YWN posting this article clearly written for irreligious jews, linked us to Tiktok (!), and didn’t mention anything from a different side of this whether from YB or elsewhere, makes me wonder what in the world YWN was thinking when it posted this. What in the world. Also, at the very least mention that meaningful minute, Shwekey, Lemmer and much more was on Tiktok before MBC. That MBC’s music ended up going viral with 99% positivity online from irreligious Jews and in general, now all of the sudden ur all gonna be talking negative only with no looking for a positive? Jealousy ? Not caring about 80% of the worlds Jews, and where they are ? That’s the reality. And If you are off these platforms, this won’t change it. If it does, then maybe u aren’t as figured out as u should be.
Moderators Response: Read the last paragraph. We tried.
KOL HAKAVOD MBC. However this happened, clearly a maybe once in a generation kiddush Hashem as taken place. Nobody in this comments section seems to know what’s going on. Really unfortunate.
Why exactly did YWN post this article? And no mention of the crazy positivity that came out of this? I understand if people aren’t aware. But why is YWN not filling everyone in properly. It’s Mamish Lifnei Iver on everyone reading this. And yes, stay off Tiktok. This isn’t for you. I think all the same Miami content is in other places too. No need to go there.
I think we need to give Miami credit here. Been following what’s happening for weeks. The fact that there is no mention here of what happened on a global stage over the past couple of weeks is unfortunate as can be. Yidden, we are not getting the Emes here. If Yidden can get to a point of burning the Rambam’s Sefarim in streets, anything is possible. We should be thanking Miami for causing something this miraculous. I don’t know what us not being on social media has to do with this. It’s kind of selfish to be honest.
@workingmom they aren’t men. They don’t act like responsible males apparently
The yetzer hora is doing a fantastic job confusing Yidden with convincing them that it’s supposedly a kiddush Hashem to be present on these perverted gehinnim social sites. Hearing how many singers from the heimishe world are on these social sites, it’s no wonder their music reflects this to a point that it invites frum girl’s to dance at concerts. What a shame that so many have lost their way.
Supposedly all for the new religion of “kiruv”, Jews are losing their pintele Yid, Yiddishe kinder are getting more and and more fargoyisht and we are losing sight what it means to be a holy nation, but so what, we are making such a “big kiddush Hashem” and “making baal teshuvas”…
Yetzer hora, you are so smart, you are doing an amazing job.
ah! I love this kol hakavod why shudn’t the yidden have a positive moment in the spotlight?
all u bashers are straight up j-j….
All the more reason we need a gadol in our generation to lead and guide us. To define right from wrong and good from evil. Hashem, please help us.
in this generation to guide us in defining right from wrong.