Rockin’ out as HALB marks Israel’s 75 years

The traffic might not have closed Peninsula Boulevard and it did not rain, but the concert performed by Joey Newcomb and his band felt like a Jewish version of Woodstock as students danced, parents swayed and one principal sang on stage at the Hebrew Academy of Long Beach’s Yom Ha’Atzmaut and barbecue to mark Israel’s 75th anniversary on the Hirt Family Campus in Woodmere on April 26.

That Wednesday was the Jewish state’s independence day and roughly 1,000 HALB kids, parents, other family members, friends, and community members were swept up into the joy of celebrating Israel’s diamond jubilee.

HALB Executive Director Adrianne Mittan called it “a real community event.”

Burgers, chicken, French fries, hot dogs along with the traditional condiments were served. And the audience

“rocked out” to the three-guitar attack of Newcomb, the lead singer, Judah Hulkover on drums, Aryeh Kunstler, electric guitar; saxophonist Sam Lowenger, Yanky Katina, electric guitar; keyboardist Yaakov Zeines and sound engineer Bruce Moldaver kept the group on track.

Lower School Principal Richard Altabe rocked out with Newcomb on stage later in the show and the two sang “Hafachta Mispedi” by the Diaspora Yeshiva Band from Psalms 30 originally done in 1976.