3 Legends rock for Yeshiva
Sydney’s community was treated to a night of Chassidic entertainment with a dose of Aussie country and western thrown in for good measure.
A theatre audience of over 2,000 at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre gave a resounding welcome to all the performers following the video shown above featuring Yeshiva students, staff and patrons. The program brought messages of support for the Sydney Yeshiva Centre from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Israel’s ambassador Yuval Rotem, leader of the NSW Opposition Barry O’Farrell, and local Federal and State members Malcolm Turnbull and Peter Debnam.
The gala concert began with a quartet of local well known voices belonging to Yehoshua Niasoff, chazan at South Head Synagogue, his brother Yehuda, associate chazan at Central Synagogue, simcha maestro Hylton Chilchik and the ever popular Joel Scheftz.
In complete contrast, the audience was treated to songs sung by Australian Country and Western legend Lee Kernaghan followed on stage by the sensational multi-instrumentalist Yehuda Glantz.
The South American played a series of stringed instruments before following up with performances on the Andes flutes, piano and harmonica.
Charlie Westhoff is a 13-yr-old violist with huge talent currently under tutelage at the Sydney Conservatorium of music. He enchanted the audience with his musicianship and received tumultuous applause for his efforts.
The Chassidic legend Avraham Fried closed the show. Fried made a unique appeal to the audience. Instead of the from the heart plea for funds, the Chassid star asked the audience to look in the bags which had been placed under each seat. Inside was a printed “Mitzvah card” listing a whole array of good deeds each audience member could choose from. With the boxes of choice on the cards ticked, it was on with the show. The Brooklyn-based Chabadnik has 26 recordings to his credit and his performance was a clear indication as to why he is regarded to have rock star status with the Chabad community.
Pictures by Henry Benjamin…..
Avraham Fried
Yehuda Glantz
Lee Kernaghan
Yehoshua and Yehuda Niasoff
Charlie Westhoff
Chris and Judith Crawly, Harry Triguboff and Phillip Ruddock
Rabbi Pinchus Feldman with Peter Debnam
MC Rabbi Eli Feldman
The audience loved it
