Schwartz Concert Delights, Especially Teens

Event co-chairs Jade Blumberg Gaylis and Arielle Birenberg welcomed the pre-Rosh Hashanah crowd of “mothers and daughters, women and girls” to a unique female only concert aimed to inspire and bring the community closer.

Tuesday, Sept. 16 was the ninth stop and end of the theatre tour for songstress Devorah Schwartz, who is known for her voice technique, contemporary sound, and ability to inspire. Fan Addie Blumberg stated, “Schwartz’s voice is like that of an angel … unbelievably tremendous performer.”

Rebbetzin (Congregation Beth Tefillah) Dassi New gave the D’var Torah about the role of apples and honey for the High Holidays. First, she welcomed the rousing crowd who came from as far as Greenville, S.C., Athens, and Suwanee. She explained that honey represents the experiences in life that are unapologetically good and sweet. Love for fellow Jews — where apples identify with love for Hashem. She spoke of the comfort of Jews in the U.S. akin to over medicating a sick person to dull the pain.

“Exile is a sickness of the soul … we need our ‘golus’ to end (Jews being conquered and taken out of the homeland.)

Holding a sparkling diamond-like microphone, Schwartz dedicated the “Mishaberah,” her first song, to IDF soldiers and hostages who “should all come home now.”

She presented her new album, “Beyond,” evoking her feelings of pushing yourself beyond what one thinks is capable. She explained, “Your first emotional reaction may not be your best reaction. Step back. Believe in yourself, push beyond.”

In her case, she was told that an all-female audience world tour would never make it. “It may be half the (population) audience; but it’s perfect for me.”

Schwartz’s songbird voice could be that of a Disney princess. But the most inspirational parts of the concert were the pre-teen and teen girls with their tri-color neon “spears” standing in front and on the stage to react to Schwartz. They jumped up and down and swayed as the words rolled out. “Am Yisreal Chai” was a crowd pleaser, which made perfect sense since the concert sponsors were Temima and Chaya Mushka day schools, in addition to Congregation Beth Tefillah, Chabad of Toco Hills, Congregation Beth Israel, and Chabad Israeli Center. The Spicy Peach supplied the door prize.

Interestingly, Schwartz earned an undergraduate pre-med degree and an MBA as well as spending 10 years of classical music training in Julliard “methodology.”

She explained that she used her knowledge of anatomy to help her students with elocution problems. Her repertoire includes contemporary and pop music in addition to the spiritual “reflections of the human experience.”

She no longer coaches students but offers an online voice course. She performed an emotional “You Raise Me Up,” a secular song made famous by Josh Groban. Schwartz shared very personally that she fell down the carpeted steps in her own home and suffered a brain bleed where upon she was in a neck brace for two months. She explained, “Then, even music hurt my ears. I had just returned from an Israeli concert where the stage bloomed bubbles that turned into smoke. I fell when I returned home for Chanukah and was most worried about making latkes when I awoke disoriented in the hospital.”

Schwartz, a mother of three, likes to discover new talent and shared the stage for one number with a young blonde clad in silver. Later in the concert, she related to the month of Elul where “we open our hearts … it’s important to daven. Thus, if some of you cannot make it to shul, make this moment count.”

The buffet was an apple tossed green salad, coucous salad, mushroom barley soup, surrounded by a magnificent grazing table charcuterie board display by Itta Penson. Fresh fruit, cheeses, humus, vegetables, dried fruit, and stuffed dates made for a colorful display alongside several varieties of challah, onion dip, and guacamole. A few vendors displayed their wares around the food in the pre-concert hour. Liora Afrah showed her passion project, Jewish-themed PJ’s made out of Pima cotton from Brazil.

Approximately 200 chanting girls certainly counted for a memorable night.