An electrifying show with an upbeat audience and some tough calls by the judges on Sunday night concluded Season Two of A Jewish Star international singing competition.
Impressive performances by 10 finalists and 3 junior finalists at Brooklyn School of Music led to continuous deliberations by the 3 judges before announcing the runner-ups and then winners.
They got to be on stage after being chosen from 144 contestants by online music fans at AJewishStar.com in what became a closely watched talent show, the first of its kind in the Jewish world.
A sold-out crowd of people of all ages cheered as the talented newcomers to the music industry sang some of their audition songs (this year no musical instruments were allowed to be played).
Popular entertainer and radio host Country Yossi, who emceed the show, called it the most anticipated Jewish music event in modern times. Over 262,000 votes were cast during the audition period and all eyes now were on the outcome.
Finalists like Hillel Braun of Lakewood, NJ, Ezzy Duchman of Miami, FL, were praised for performing better than their audition videos. While others like Menachem Weinstein of London, UK, and Zalman Levy of Johannesburg, South Africa, had the crowd’s attention.
Some are Yeshiva students, while other are married with children and only now pursuing a lifetime dream. One of them is Rabbi Shlomo Menkes, 52, father of 9 from S. Monica, CA. He told the crowd his popular audition song “Ata Hashem lo tichla” was composed in honor of his daughter (who was in the crowd) receiving a successful kidney transplant.
But Sunday night was about being decisive, and Avraham Fried, Eli Gerstner and Mendy Pellin did just that, not before sugarcoating their critique and asking forgiveness at the end of the show “to whoever might have been offended by our comments.”
When decision time came, they named 3 for standing out in their eyes on stage: Zalman Attal of France with his high pitched chazzanus abilities, Aaron Holder of Miami with the surprisingly thick baritone voice and Mendy Piamenta of Israel, the energetic 16 year-old Yeshiva student.
“During the intermission, each judge had some idea who was his favorite for a winner, but I can say their final decision was certainly swayed by the second round of performances, which surprised the judges too,” an organizer said.
Holder pulled off singing Vezakeini, admittedly not his style of music, and a stiff-looking Attal sang another song. The unexpected moment was Piamenta singing Shwekey’s ‘Vehi She’amda’ and even adding his own twists to it.
And as the night unfolded, the judges announced the the Jewish Star of 5771: Mendy Piamenta, son of Avi Piamenta, one of the famous musician duets. The young Piamenta currently learns in a Yeshiva in Monsey.
He will be promoted by record label Aderet (MostlyMusic.com) and receiving a 2 year exchangeable car lease from Leasing Direct, $1000 from Tribul Merchant Services, recording time at Ruli Ezrahi studios with advice from Fried.
A surprise guest at the show was Yishai Lapidot, lead singer of Oif Simches band, who was invited backstage to meet the finalists and offer them valuable performing tips.
The stakes and hopes were high in the junior competition too. Yisroel Amar of Golden Beach, Florida, Shmuly Brafman of Morristown, New Jersey, and Akiva Shechter of Miami Beach, Florida, all have unique voices.
When it came to make the call, Amar was chosen for giving a flawless performance according to the judges, all while praising the other two for their abilities. (Gerstner publicly offered Brafman a spot at his Pesach concert).
Amar will be joining the Yeshiva Boys Choir (YBC) and receiving 2 tickets to Israel and hotel accommodations sponsored by VIP Israel, $1000 from Tribul Merchant Services and promotion by record label Aderet (MostlyMusic.com).
The show was hosted by the annual Soul II Soul concert which benefits the education of children and adults with special needs. Its directors are Shmuly and Tzirl Goldman.
Producers of A Jewish Star are Mica Soffer – owner of COLlive.com and her husband Yossi Soffer – owner of Unique Advertising Group. Yochi Briskman was the musical director.
Yehuda Ceitlin was the creative director.
Organizers thanked Mr. Sam Chanin for his commitment to advancing and developing the competition, and bringing fresh talent to the Jewish music world. Mr. Yossi and Batsheva Popack were the honorary chairs of the event.
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27 Responses
I thought Shlomo Menkes was going to win. His Nigun was the most geshmak.
I am sick and tired of this garbage. This show disgusts me to no end. Here we have individuals that have no problem trying to emulate the Non Jewish popular show, American Idol and try and transform this lowly contest into something “Kosher”. What message are we sending our youth? A Jewish childs dream to be a “superstar”? Thats the focus in life? That should be the goal of a young Yiddishe neshamah? I have seen with my very own eyes , the comments people leave on various blogs about each singer and some of them are plain loshon hora and out to embarass the singer. A lot of din vecheshbon will need to be given about this pathetic attempt to go bechoukos hagoy
@Git Meshige, I agree with you 100%! sometimes a meshigene also says something good 🙂
are there any musical excerpts on the web that one can listen to??
What heter is there to be mevaze and embarass a Yid in public at a show – and on the online comments?
What annoys me the most is when some people copy some goyishe body moves, add some circus music, and try to pass it off as Jewish music. The product has zero originality and harmony; not a good listen even from strictly aesthetic point of view.
i totally agree with #2 it is a huge chilul hashem and really going directly in the ways of the goyim.When rabbonim in community leaders protest and band simple concerts and many other things that have to do with “jewish music” many start to yell and complain and question the rabbi’s words. like whats the big deal its all jewish ppl. and they have all kinds of reasons why there is nothing wrong with it. Well now we can understand them bec. they are trying to prevent the future distruction of klal yisrael meaning if they do not try to stop it early enough it will just get worse and worse like we see now they are making contests soon they will have women making concerts and find a way to make it kosher. I just want to warn everyone stay away from all these things its better for you yuor famialy and your children its all traif like pig and remember “asher bachar banu mekul amim” and “vhevdilanu min hatuim”
I agree with number 2. People will do anything to make a buck. Including YWN for advertising this nonsense.
They were great
#8 “people will do anything to make a buck”
the concert was to benefit special needs children so they can learn torah and go to a jewish school instead of public school.
i was at the concert and it was really nice children and adults expressing their talent in a very kosher way… the judges were very careful not to embarrass anyone…
maybe I’m ignorant and i don’t know about the shows out there but what was so goyish about it?
maybe all of you watching goyish shows should stop instead of lecturing and criticizing a kosher outlet.
#10 Well said!!
You people make me sick. Kids go off the derech because of comments like this. Btw Goyim play basketball should we assur that in Yeshivas also?
#10 and #11 it is assur to sin in order to maks a mitzva meaning you going directly in the ways of goyim is a sin and the fact that they were raising money to put kids in yeshiva will not kosher it up your like saying it’s ok to drive a car on shabbos if your driving to raise money for a yeshiva. and yes the sin of chilul shabbos and going in the ways of goyim are both in the torah: “v’es shabsusai teshmoru” and “bechukoisy lo selaichu P.S. and do not be so foolish that making singing contest is not a famouse thing that goyim do and there is nothing a jewish soul can gain from a contest like this there is not one reason in ruchnius that a person can grow from this and if your in denial you have no hope to understand me
its honest, innocent fun..
just because a “goy” does something doesnt make it bad..
we eat, we drink, we play ball, we go to the bathroom, we swim, we boat, we fly etc– nothing bad bec a goy does it… assuring everything turns our kids against yidishkeit. this is a nice fun outlet- kol hakavod
#12 “kids go off the derech because of comments like this” AND MASHIACH IS NOT HERE BEC. OF PPL. LIKE YOU It is so sad that i need to explain this simple common sence but it seems that you really do not know why you are on this world. let me give you the shortest best most spoken reason, which is to be a real yid and grow in the ways of hashem and become closer to him. NOW everything you do in life has to be with this in mind if you cant fit it in your plans then wat your doing is against yidishkiet so let me show you a example: playing basket ball to excercize,let out,fun,enjoyment etc. is all things that a person needs to grow. NOW singing concerts there is no way you can come up with something els rather going in the ways of goyim and do not say that its for fun and let out do noy fool yourself bec. you know they are all there to win and the hole idea to compete and make a competition is goyish.
#12 And by the way how much aboat chinuch do you know and how much experience do you have with kids that you think you know what throws them off??????????
Well your totally off reasons like this are just after a build up of anger and bitterness so then they would throw in a comment like this but this is not why kids go off. AND IN SHORT kids go off bec. of lack of love lack of self esteem lack of confidence lack of attention etc. that they are lacking from parents teachers friends
to #13,15,16
basketball is ok and singing is in the ways of the goyim how interesting… who decides whats ok and whats not you?
yes concerts for some is like ball for others…
i can speak for myself .. thats my outlet i like music and concerts and thats what ENERGIZES me.. if you cant relate well sorry … thats MY outlet…and im glad there are kosher sources were i can energize myself so i dont need to go watch the shows that you guys go watch…
and music does bring me and others “closer to hashem”
btw the leveim used to sing in the bais hamikdash way before the goyim and their concerts so thats way old..
ps im really sorry that you dont find it fun, but i do and i think basketball is extremely goyish invented by goyim i cant think of anything jewish about it…
oh and i am aware that it says in the torah to not follow in the ways of the goyim .. ( thanks for teaching us all that commandment) however its good to know singing falls into that catagory! thats why your not my rabbi 🙂 (and if your ganna say its the competition with the prizes that makes it the ways of the goyim well then its time to fight the school system and the chinuch weve grown up with… i dont know about you but just about every school i know has contests, competitions… and they win prizes..)
CONCERNED-1 and Git Meshige: You’re reasonings are soooo distorted, I’m shocked your comments were even allowed to be posted.
I have a lot to retort with but I’m going to spare you the public embarrasement. Just one question: If you’re as “frum” as you would like us to think you are, how and why do you know what a “goyish” concert is all about to compare this ALL FRUM, with SEPARATE SEATING event to???
#19, maybe because I am a baal teshuva and I remember my past. Is that good enough of an answer for you? And #18 , noone is saying competition is wrong, its the fact that they had 3 judges and thats very obvious where they stole that idea from and in addition all the public loshon hora about the contestants, what say you about that?
#20 – you mean they said mean things to the contestents the way they allegedly do on “American Idol”? I didn’t see this contest, and while on one hand I don’t know why it’s necessary, on the other hand, it’s probably quite harmless and an effective means of fundraising. It’s getting quite tired hearing that everytime something like this takes place, it’s going to push kids OTD. With someone going off it generally (emphasis on generally) doesn’t occur from one event or occurance, but rather from any number of accumulated issues. Watching Jewish singers perform has not been shown to be one of them.
Git Meshige: As a professional in the field of kids OTF (On The Fringe – the stage preceeding OTD) I would love to perhaps have a deeper discussion on this topic. I firmly believe that you have a distorted perspective of the entire situation… Remember camp as a kid? didn’t we look to “knock the competition” in an effort to be the wining team? No harm in that….and much more.
#22 your username explains your thoughts very well to bad you couldn’t make it to yeshiva
theres no point in arguing so I’m not even ganna bother. however there is one point that i would like to clarify
there WAS NO PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT!! the judges did not say anything bad the comments were only nice ones.
p.s. a bais din is 3 judges…they mustve copied that from a goyish show!
#24 you have no hope you just cant understand simple frum hashkafa. i hope your children stay on the right path and show you the correcr way bec. you sure not the right influence
to #25 there is clearly no point in talking to you u seem very closed minded.. so i will no longer post here..
but first i would like to say Thanks for the wonderful blessing on the above post and i’ll conclude with the famous saying of “May those who bless be blessed”
I think I’m gonna bow out right about here.
Last thoughts though before I go: CONCERNED1, was it my immagination or were you bashing someone about not making it to Yeshiva?? And you talk about the bashing on stage? Are we sensing some form of immature hypocrisy here? May I humbly suggest that you examine yourself before you sling mud at others…
Also, PLEASE!! use a spellchecker. The yeshiva I didn’t learn in taught us to spell correctly.
Hatzlacha, you sure could use some….