The final performance of the Ramatayim Men’s Choir

This was the final performance of the Ramatayim Men’s Choir, Jerusalem, after 26 years. I must admit I wasn’t very excited, just pleasantly anticipating the event (on May 23rd), having been invited by the Director Richard Shavei-Tzion.

In truth, it was my late husband Zvi who loved cantorial music, hazanut. As a child in Poland, he and his brother had sung in the choir of the great hazan, David Koussivitsky, and the music was very meaningful to him. I think I felt it might comfort me, and let me feel closer to him now that he is no longer here.

The Jerusalem Theatre was packed – every seat taken, while hundreds more worldwide watched on Zoom. Their name – Ramatayim – derived from Ramatayim-Tzofim, in the hill country of Ephraim, the birthplace of the prophet Samuel (and associated with Jerusalem’s Ramot where the choir was born).

The very first item on the program was Odecha composed by Handel, with soloist Bernard San. It was a revelation. The music was so magnificent, I found myself crying. Along with the whole audience, emotions I never knew I had, kept overwhelming me. And so it was, with every musical offering of the three-hour performance. Many items were unknown to me, except Adon Olam, Oseh Shalom and the most wonderful rendition I have ever heard of Avinu Shebashamayim with soloist Simon Cohen. Two songs were in English, in which the whole audience was invited to join in: Bridge Over Troubled Waters and You’ll Never Walk Alone.

I ran out of superlatives. After each song, I found myself saying: “Magnificent.” “Magical.” “So inspiring.” “Fantastic.” “I’ll never forget this!”

Ramatayim was one of the largest Jewish men’s choirs in the world, with 40 choristers – tenors, baritones and basses, and very talented accompanists. The proceeds of this concert went to the worthy Keren Malki, an organization that helps families with disabled children. The magician who conducted, composed, directed and inspired was Richard Shavei-Tzion. My only previous meeting with him was when he brought a book of his poems to my home, titled Poetry in the Parasha – very meaningful poems to accompany our weekly readings from Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, and which I now read each Shabbat to add depth and inspiration to the parashot (weekly Torah readings).

We often say “This is something I’ll never forget” but in time, sometimes we do. But some memories never fade… and I know this magical night of music from Paradise will be one of them.