Rocking out for Hanukkah
- Share via
Suzie Harrison
The stage will be set Dec. 8 at the Orange County Performing Arts
Center for a grand celebration of lights that has become an
eight-year tradition.
On that date, “Chanukah Rocks” will be performed by 12 children’s
choirs from synagogues and Hebrew day schools from Newport Beach,
Costa Mesa and all over Orange County. The concert, which features
the voices of children and cantors, is a celebration of Jewish songs
set to a contemporary, upbeat tempo.
“The cantor’s voices are unbelievably fantastic,” said Gordon
Fishman, concert originator. “Ami Aloni was a pianist, conductor and
composer, internationally known, and he took over the music aspect of
the concert.”
The concert has drawn celebrities such as Sid Caesar, Monty Hall
and Ed Asner, who will perform a variety of acts. The emcee is Cantor
Herschel Fox, who is recognized for work on Broadway, television and
radio.
Cantor Arie Shikler from congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot has been in
the show every year.
“It’s about the children, the music and the community coming
together in unity,” Shikler said.
He said the sweet voices of children is the high point of the
event, and he finds it heartwarming that it is the one time of year
that everyone in the community comes together.
“I’m doing a reggae number and am going to try to get the Jewish
people on their feet to clap on the offbeat,” Shikler said.
Danny Busch, 11, from Newport Beach will be performing for the
first time in the concert as one of the Three Jewish Ten’ers -- a
spoof on the Three Tenors -- featuring three boys around the age of
10.
“I’m really excited,” Danny said. “Everyone gets together and,
instead of turning the Hanukkah songs dull and boring, we rock out
with them and make it fun.”
He said that the concert celebrates being Jewish and celebrates
freedom.
The concert came to fruition after Fishman and his wife, Hanna
Reta, moved to Newport Beach from the Midwest and decided to do
something to bring the community together.
The concert’s popularity has grown every year. It started at the
Irvine Barclay Theatre and has sold out the Orange County Performing
Arts Center for the past two years, drawing an audience of more than
2,500.
By the third year, all 24 synagogues in Orange County were
participating.
From the beginning, they wanted it to be a community event. Fifty
percent of ticket revenues go back to the congregation that sold
them. Half goes toward show expenses.
“Chanukah Rocks” will be performed at 2 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Orange
County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.
Tickets are $9 for children, $18 for adults, $36 for orchestra seats
and $125 for patrons. Call a local synagogue to buy tickets for
proceeds to go to them, or call the Orange County Performing Arts
Center at (714) 556-2787.
All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.
Get our free TimesOC newsletter.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.