Baruch Levine
Rabbi Baruch Levine | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 28, 1977 Toronto,Canada |
| Genres | Orthodox pop |
| Occupation(s) | Yeshiva ketanarebbi (Jewish studies teacher) |
| Years active | 2006-present |
| Website | http:// baruchlevine / |
Baruch Levine(born December 28, 1977) is aCanadian-born AmericanOrthodox Jewishcomposer and singer. His tunes have gained wide popularity at Shabbat tables andkumzitsgatherings.[1][2]One of his most successful compositions is "Vezakeini"(Give Us Merit), derived from the ancient prayer recited atShabbatcandle lighting.[3]
Early life and education
[edit]Baruch Levine was born and raised inToronto,Canada. He attendedEitz Chaim Day School,where his father, Rabbi Michoel Levine, is currently the fifth-grade rebbi (Jewish studies teacher).[4] He also studied at theNer Yisroelin Toronto, andToras MosheandMirYeshivas in Jerusalem[4]
After Levine got married, he moved toWaterbury,Connecticut. In 2005, he joined the staff of the Yeshiva Ketana ofWaterbury, Connecticutas a fifth-grade rebbi.[5]
Levine has four children.
Music career
[edit]Levine first began singing at the age of 8 in his school choir.[4]Soon after he began studying keyboard, and performed at school and in summer camp during his youth.[4]He tried out for a spot on the albumThe Marvelous Middos Machineand was not accepted,[6]but he did sing on aMiriam Israelialbum.[7]He did, however, perform on The Golden Crown - another one of Abie Rotenberg's musical story albums for children. He was "Yehuda" - one of the children listening to the Zaidy tell the story of the Golden Crown - as well as a soloist on the song Torah Tzivo Lonu Moshe.
After his marriage, Levine began writing songs which he sold to other performers.[4]One of hisdemoscame to the attention of several music producers, who asked Levine why he wasn't performing his own songs.[4]This led to the production of Levine's first album,Vezakeini,in 2006.[7]The title song, which took him ten minutes to write,[7]has become a relative classic in the Orthodox Jewish world. Like many of Levine's hits, it is a heartfelt tune with a rising crescendo.[7]On his second album,Chasan Hatorah,Levine performed a medley of his compositions that other performers had made famous.[8]
For Levine's 2009 album,Touched by a Niggun,Rabbi Yechiel Spero, author of theTouched by a Storyseries of books, wrote the English lyrics to the songs, which are based on his stories.[2]
In 2010 Levine wrote two new songs and performed live in concert withYaakov Shwekey;the resulting album,Live in Caesarea II – 5770,was later released on CD and DVD.[9]In 2011, he sang onAbie Rotenberg'sMarvelous Middos MachineEpisode 4.[10]
Levine was a guest performer at the12th Siyum HaShason August 1, 2012, atMetLife Stadium,[4]which was attended by nearly 100,000 Jews.[11]He performed again at the next Siyum HaShas, held on January 1, 2020 in MetLife Stadium, together with other famous singers in theJewish musicrealm.[12]He also performs at charity benefits.[13]On November 27, 2011 he performed together with Shwekey in a concert benefitingHatzolah in London.[14]He was featured at theHASC 27"A Time for Music" concert on January 12, 2013.[15][16]OnLag B'omer2020, he was one of many singers to perform in the "Hatzalah-thon" fundraiser, created to raise money forHatzalahand in honor of the completion of the "MiracleSefer Torah,"which was written as a merit for those sick withCovid-19which was rampant at that time.[17][18]Another endeavor undertaken during Covid-19 was the production ofThe Place Where They Belong,which Levine made together withAbie Rotenberg,about Jews not being able to pray at the synagogue due to the necessary quarantine and much it is missed.[19]
Discography
[edit]Albums
[edit]- Vezakeini(2006)[20]
- Chasan Hatorah(2008)[21]
- Touched by a Niggun(2009)[22][23]
- Hashkifah(2011)[24][25]
- Modim Anachnu Lach(2013)[1]
- Project RelaxwithSimcha Leiner(2015)
- Bonim Atem(2015)
- Project Relax AgainwithSimcha Leiner(2017)
- Peduscha(2018)
- Off the Record(2020)
- Off the RecordTwo (2021)
- Lev Chodosh(2023)
- Kumzitz Alive(2024)
References
[edit]- ^ab"Baruch Levine: Modim Anachnu Lach".Jewish Music Report.6 December 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 26 February 2019.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^abBJL Staff (24 March 2014)."Touched by Nigunim and A Maaseh, Mechinas Ner Yisrael Melava Malkah Features Reb Baruch Levine and Rabbi Yechiel Spero".Baltimore Jewish Life.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^Ginsberg, Johanna (19 January 2011)."Morristown teen competes for slot at hasidic songfest".New Jersey Jewish News.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^abcdefg"End Note: Dreaming of Redemption".Mishpacha. 13 December 2017. Archived fromthe originalon 3 January 2018.Retrieved2 January2018.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^"Yeshiva K'tana of Waterbury: Administration".Yeshiva K'tana of Waterbury.Retrieved25 March2020.
- ^Besser, Yisroel (23 September 2012)."Music Lessons".Mishpacha.Archived fromthe originalon 3 January 2018.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^abcdBesser, Yisroel. "The Songs We Sang".Mishpachasupplement: "10 Years".Pesach5774 (Spring 2004), p. 39.
- ^"Chasan Hatorah".Judaica Enterprises. 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 2 February 2017.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^"Live in Caesarea II – 5770".Sameach Music, Inc. 2014. Archived fromthe originalon 19 October 2014.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^"[EXCLUSIVE] Abie Rotenberg releases MARVELOUS MIDOS MACHINE vol 4".thejewishinsights.
- ^Nussbaum Cohen, Debra (29 July 2012)."Nearly 100,000 Jews to gather in N.J. to celebrate completion of Talmud cycle".Haaretz.Retrieved1 August2012.
- ^"Baruch Levine Shloime Daskal" Vezakeini "The 13th Siyum Hashas".youtube.shiezoli.Retrieved12 July2021.
- ^"Concert on the Lawn with Baruch Levine".Yiddish Music. 12 August 2014.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^Shasha, Adam (1 December 2011)."Guest Review: Shwekey and Levine, Live in London".Jewish Music Report.Archived fromthe originalon 28 October 2020.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^"Video Collection of HASC 27 Concert".gruntig.net. 13 January 2014.Retrieved13 October2014.
- ^"HASC – A Time for Music 27 DVD".eichlers. 2013. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-07-13.Retrieved14 October2014.
- ^"Top Jewish talent featured for Hatzalah-Thon".jhvonline.Jewish Herald-Voice.Retrieved12 July2021.
- ^"One People, One Heart: United for Protection's movement to unite Jews across the globe and raise money for Hatzalah".amimagazine.org.Ami Magazine.20 May 2020.Retrieved12 July2021.
- ^""The Place Where They Belong" Abie & Levine ".gruntig.net.Retrieved12 July2021.
- ^"Baruch Levine - Vezakeini".Retrieved13 November2013.
- ^"Chasan Hatorah: Mostly Music".Mostly Music.Retrieved13 November2013.
- ^"Touched by a Niggun".Mostly Music.Retrieved12 November2013.
- ^"Touched by a Niggun".Amazon.ca.Retrieved12 November2013.
- ^"Hashkifah".Sameach Music, Inc. Archived fromthe originalon 13 November 2013.Retrieved13 November2013.
- ^"Baruch Levine - Touched by a Niggun".NME.Retrieved12 November2013.
