What Are the Finalists Doing

Days before A Jewish Star Season Two finalists meet each other at rehearsals in New York City, we caught up with some of them to hear how they are preparing for the most anticipated Jewish music event of the year.

FLORIDA BOY

South African Zalmy Levy, who auditioned with his own composition, has recently performed at another show called The Shul’s Got Talent, a competition in Bal Harbour, Florida.

“It was great practice for me,” he says. “It gave me a tremendous boost of stage confidence. There were a few hundred people there and the judges all gave very positive feedback.”

Although Levy is currently studying for smicha rabbinical ordination, the South African Jewish Report reached him by phone for an article they wrote about his audition in A Jewish Star.

NEW JERSEY STAR

A Jewish Star Junior finalist Shmuly Brafman told us that ever since his audition “I’ve been asked to sing at concerts.”

He also revealed that he was invited to be recorded on a new album by “a popular singing group.”

The Morristown, NJ resident and his manager Choni Teitelbaum (Season One contestant) didn’t want to reveal more details at this point.

LONDON DANCING

Season Two’s only finalist from Great Britain, Menachem Weinstein is not the Rosh Yeshiva type, but was a guest this past Motzoei Shabbos at Yeshiva Gedola Lubavitch in London.

As customary, bochurim organized a simcha dancing event to welcome the joyous month of Adar and Weinstein was the performer keeping everyone on their feet.

He was accompanied by a band composed of South Kensington Shliach Mendy Lowenthal, Rabbi Rutman and his son on the base, Mendy Vogel on the drums and Yossi Nigen with a violin.

“There was such amazing energy and chayus,” Weinstein says. “The main ‘zal’ was alive with simcha and all the bochurim were dancing, singing and rejoicing in a wonderful manner with amazing spirits.”

BUSY IN MIAMI

The past few weeks, since being chosen as a Junior finalist, were the busiest 13 year-old Akiva Schechter of Miami Beach has ever had.

To prepare for the Jewish Star Finals show he has been booked for voice sessions with Chazzan Moshe Shulhoff. “He has been rehearsing every day for 3 hours after school,” his father told us.

And this is in addition to performing as the lead actor in a show at Hillel of North Miami Beach, and him being on the teams of 2 different basketball leagues.

“The most exciting thing that has happened since Akiva was nominated as a finalist was a call from a newspaper reporter today asking him about the contest,” his father added.

Schechter, a student at Hillel of North Miami Beach, will be staying this Shabbos at Avrumi Flam‘s home in Lakewood, NJ, and will be meeting his two junior competitors at rehearsals Thursday.

A “LIKE” FROM FLATBUSH

Season One and Two finalist Gershon Shapiro of New York is trying to stay indoors these days. “My main concern is to not catch a cold,” he says.

Staying indoors gives him more time online and so he’s been active on Facebook, chatting with other contestants and getting support from Season One finalists like Choni Grunblat, Choni Teitelbaum, Shmuli Steifel and Avraham Ohayon.

“I got some inquiries about possible future projects but for now I am focused on the competition and will deal with all those suggestions/offers later,” he says. “There is no question that the show will simply be a blast.”

Shapiro also tells us that an old chavrusa of his who is currently living in Argentina has contacted him after many years with some songs he composed and would like to offer them to Shapiro.

“He sent me a picture of me and my twin brother dancing at his wedding some 18 years ago (we used to do special dances together at weddings at the yeshiva in Israel).”

FANS IN LAKEWOOD

When our Lakewood contestant, Hillel Braun, came to shul the Shabbos following the announcment of his making it into the finals, “right when I walked in, people came over and said ‘you’re a Jewish star. You have to daven for the amud!’

“There has been amazing response and support from family, friends, and fans. Everyone is so excited,” said the 26 year-old father of two who is a warehouse manager at a medical supply company.

He says he’s been getting a lot of invitations to sing at events and simches and is already booked to shoot a promotional music video to benefit a yeshiva.

As for advice and tips, “people are giving advice like doing vocal warm ups or eating egg drop soup. I am doing a lot of research about singing properly and onstage and I am reviewing everything I learned at voice lessons.”

“I’ve been practicing at every spare moment, even at 3 AM when my 6 week-old daughter decides that it’s day. It’s been a very busy and exciting last couple of weeks and I can’t wait for my debut at the amazing A Jewish Star finals show.”

A FLORIDA DUET?

Rubashkin defender Aaron Holder, the one with the thick voice you won’t believe is only 21, was recently seen being interviewed for a documentary film about the song he composed in support of the jailed former kosher meat executive.

“I’m very excited,” Holder told us Wednesday about the finals show. “This is basically me coming out of my shell. People that I know were not aware that I was into music. I didn’t even realize that A Jewish Star would be so big, until after I entered it and started getting a lot of great feedback.”

Holder, who writes and sings folk and country/rock music and studies music at Miami-Dade College, also discussed his expectations for the final competition.

“My expectations are to have a lot of fun and enjoy it. I feel it’s going to be a great opportunity for me to show people my talent,” he said and noted that he’s working on a duet with Season One winner Binyamin Moshe who is currently studying in Miami Beach.

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