Welcome
Ben Adler Shir, Director
It gives me overwhelming pride to welcome you to Songs of Hope, the inaugural concert of SHIR - the Australian Jewish Music Festival.
Music is, and always has been, foundational to the Jewish experience: shule, simchas, tekesim, wherever we gather. Since October 7th, we have relied even more heavily on the embrace of music to navigate our emotions through the darkness. We have been craving the connection and catharsis that music provides.
Songs of Hope is our response to that demand: one concert, the Sunday between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, featuring the most powerful, uplifting, beloved Jewish music, performed by some of our community’s most illustrious and vocal artists, in the exquisite heart of our beautiful city.
AboutShir Madness was Australia’s much loved Jewish music festival that ran in Sydney and Melbourne from 2010 to 2018. It is now being resurrected as SHIR - the Australian Jewish Music Festival.
SHIR’s mission is to platform the highest quality music and musicians that proudly, openly explore Jewishness onstage.
SHIR will present curated musical events in a variety of venues
SHIR is thrilled to be doing in Sydney what has been done in Israel and the US for decades: presenting concerts of Jewish music in the most elite venues our country has to offer. We believe our music deserves to be here, and deserves dedicated infrastructure to platform it.
We look forward to engaging with you to together expand the musical, artistic and social envelopes of the Jewish community in Sydney and across Australia.
For now, thank you for joining us in song and solidarity. We invite you to sit back and be moved by the music of our people, for our people, by our people.
Gmar chatimah tovah.
throughout the year, each exploring a different dimension of the Jewish cultural kaleidoscope.
Additionally, SHIR will keep a finger on the pulse of the zeitgeist, so that our events remain temporally relevant to the lived reality of being Jewish. We want to provide, through music, what our community needs.
We are the beating heart of Jewish music, and we are excited to be beating again.
Rabbi Alon Meltzer Shalom, Director of Programs
Congratulations to the entire team at Shir, for curating and delivering this poignant, uplifting and soul filled evening of music.
Judaism has always had a deeply symbiotic relationship with music.
The Talmud teaches us that the singing of the tribe of Levi and the musical instruments that accompanied them were indispensable to the daily rites in the Temple (Taanit 27a).
We know of King David and his use of both poetry and instruments in his religious devotional service to God. His harp enabled divine connection, and his poetry has endured millennia.
The Jewish people’s own salvation from Egypt was celebrated after the splitting of the sea, with the entire people in song.
Tonight’s set list is a powerful reminder that music is not only integral to Jewish life, but it is a language of the soul. The mix of
contemporary Israeli, Jewish and secular music (composed or written by Jews) alongside ancient poems, prayers and verses, will speak to our minds, hearts and souls –taking us on a journey through the ages, and through the chain of Jewish peoplehood.
As an organisation that engages and supports diverse communities, reinvigorating Jewish culture and rekindling Jewish identity, Shalom is proud to have assisted in making this evening possible. Having the opportunity of supporting our creative community at this time fills us with hope that we will have a bright future.
We have been through a lot as a people these past twelve months, and tonight is our opportunity to remember those whom we have lost, join in one voice, and firmly declare that we are a proud, resilient, and hopeful people.
Thank you for joining us, and Am Yisrael Chai!
AboutShalom seeks to increase the vibrancy and engagement of the Sydney Jewish community. Current programs include The Jewish Food Festival, Sydney Jewish Writers Festival, PJ Library and Adamama.
Shalom is a proud member of the JCA Family of Communal Organisations.
Artists
Simon Tedeschi
Simon Tedeschi is one of Australia’s most renowned classical pianists. Recipient of the Young Performer of the Year Award, the Creativity Foundation’s Legacy Award (USA), the New York Young Jewish Pianist Award and a Centenary of Federation Medal, he has performed worldwide, from the Sydney Opera House to Carnegie Hall. Recent highlights include as soloist with the Sydney and Melbourne Symphony Orchestras. Tedeschi’s writing was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards and the Australian Book Review’s Calibre Essay Prize.
Ilan Kidron
Ilan Kidron is a recording artist, performer, music producer, and lead singer for Australia’s multi-platinum selling dance music act The Potbelleez. Ilan is currently host and performer with Synthony, a merging of the world’s biggest dance anthems and a live orchestra. He has co-written releases with Rita Ora, Kygo, Chance The Rapper/Offset/Donnie Trumpet, Sesame Street, Ricky Martin, Jessica Mauboy, Claudia Brant, Tina Arena and more.
Sarit Michael
Sarit Michael grew up in Israel listening to Motown and Arik Einstein. In Sydney, Sarit trained in the Moriah College music program, where she played oboe and discovered her vocal skills. Sarit studied jazz vocals at the Rimon School of Music in Israel and holds a Master of Education from UNSW. She teaches music at the Emanuel School and performs at private and communal events through her brand, Studio Sarit.
Noy Ben Ami
Noy Ben Ami is a phenomenal Israeli guitarist, vocalist and songwriter who fuses soul, funk, blues, rock and Middle Eastern Oriental elements. Having honed his craft busking on the streets of Tel Aviv, Noy captivates audiences with his guitar skills and distinctive highrange belting voice.
Mordechai Levin
Cantor Mordechai Aryeh Levin established himself as an artist in the field of liturgical music after years of study at institutions including Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne City Opera. Cantor Levin has conducted synagogue services across Australia and alongside world-class talent such as the grand piano virtuoso Menachem Bristowski and American Cantor Yanky Lemmer.
Eden Shifroni
Soprano Eden Shifroni holds a Bachelor of Music (Classical Performance) and a Master of Music Studies (Opera Performance) from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Her notable roles include Pamina (The Magic Flute), Musetta (La Bohème), Suor Genovieffa (Suor Angelica) and Poppea (The Coronation of Poppea). Eden is the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships, including most recently the 2024 IFAC Handa Australian Singing Competition.
Chutney
Nikki Stanislav
Nikki Stanislav is a soulful R&B inspired singer, musician, songwriter and DJ. From intimate acoustic sets to larger performances, she is passionate about using music to bring people together.
CHUTNEY is widely recognised as Australia’s leading klezmer fusion band. Drawing on their Eastern European and Middle Eastern Jewish heritage, they present a spicy mix of original compositions and their own modern arrangements of traditional dance tunes.
CHUTNEY made their Sydney Festival debut in 2022 at the Sydney Opera House, and have toured extensively across Australia. The band takes equal pride in playing for the Jewish community as it does spreading the joy of klezmer to Western Sydney and regional towns.
CHUTNEY comprises Ben Adler (violin), Ralph Marshall (bass), Yiss Mill (percussion), Daniel Pliner (piano), Cameron Reid (drums) and Ben Samuels (clarinet/saxophone).
Photo: Max Goodman
Program
1. Élégie in E-Flat Minor from Morceaux de fantaisie, Op. 3 (1892)
Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Performed by Simon Tedeschi
2. Kaddish from Deux Mélodies Hébraïques (Two Hebrew Songs) (1914)
Maurice Ravel.
Performed by Simon Tedeschi and Ben Adler
3. Bring Him Home from Les Misérables (1980)
Claude-Michel Schönberg.
Performed by Mordechai Levin and Eden Shifroni
4. Deliver Us from Prince of Egypt (1998)
Hans Zimmer. Originally performed by Ofra Haza and Eden Riegel.
Performed by Mordechai Levin, Eden Shifroni. Rafi Owen (trumpet)
5. Shir Lamaalot תולעמל ריש (Song to the Heights - Psalm 121) (2000)
Yosef Karduner.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami
6. Nchakeh Lacha ךל הכחנ (We Will Wait for You) (2019)
Nathan Goshen. Originally performed by Nathan Goshen and Ishay Ribo.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami and Nikki Stanislav
7. Ksh’halev Boche הכוב בלהשכ (When the Heart Cries) (2000)
Yossi Gispan. Originally performed by Sarit Hadad.
Performed by Sarit Michael and Nikki Stanislav
8. October Rain (2024)
Avi Ohayon, Keren Peles, and Stav Beger. Originally performed by Eden Golan.
Performed by Sarit Michael
9 I’m Coming Home (2010)
Skylar Grey. As performed by Shiri Maimon and Tamir Grinberg.
Performed by Ilan Kidron and Nikki Stanislav
10. Nothing is Impossible (2021)
Ilan Kidron.
Performed by Ilan Kidron and Full Ensemble
11. Habayta התיבה (Bring Them Home) (1983)
Yair Klinger, lyrics Ehud Manor.
Performed by Full Ensemble
1. Summertime from Porgy & Bess (1934)
George Gershwin.
Performed by Simon Tedeschi
2. Theme from Schindler’s List (1993)
John Williams.
Performed by Simon Tedeschi and Ben Adler
3. Shmor al haOlam Yeled םלועה לע רומש (Take Care of the World, Child) (1997) David D’Or.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami and Sarit Michael
4. Kama At Yafa הפי תא המכ (How Beautiful You Are) (2012)
Kobi Aflalo. Originally performed by Shiri Maimon, arranged by Ben Adler.
Performed by Sarit Michael
5. Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz (1939) Harold Arlen. Lyrics Yip Harburg.
Performed by Ilan Kidron. Eddie Bronson (accordion)
6. When You Believe from Prince of Egypt (1998), Stephen Schwartz. Originally performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. Performed by Sarit Michael and Eden Shifroni
7. Avinu Malkeinu וניכלמ וניבא (Our Father Our King) (1967)
Max Janowski.
Performed by Mordechai Levin
8. Latzet M’Dica’on ןואכידמ תאצל (Out of Sadness) (2023) Yigal Oshri.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami
9. Am Yisrael Chai יח לארשי םע (The People of Israel Live) (2023)
Eyal Golan.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami, Nikki Stanislav and Sarit Michael
10. Yerushalayim Shel Zahav בהז לש םילשורי (Jerusalem of Gold) (1967)
Naomi Shemer.
Performed by Full Ensemble
National Anthems
Performed by Titus Grenyer
Jewish Wisdom
Bring Him Home from Les Misérables (1980)
Claude-Michel Schönberg.
Performed by Mordechai Levin and Eden Shifroni
The Israeli Opera Company brought to life Bring Him Home, an adapted version of Les Miserables in light of the plight of the Nova Music Festival hostages. The song aims to evoke a sense of hope in seeing the remaining hostages return home safely and speedily.
Deliver Us from Prince of Egypt (1998)
Hans Zimmer. Originally performed by Ofra Haza and Eden Riegel.
Performed by Mordechai Levin, Eden Shifroni. Rafi Owen (trumpet)
This opening number from the Prince of Egypt was initially sung by a choir and Yemenite Israeli singer, Ofra Haza. The song looks at our trials and tribulations in Egypt and the pain that echoes and reverberates each time we, as Jews, face trials and tribulations together. The song also echoes our hope for the Jewish people’s deliverance, peace, acceptance, growth and continuation.
Shir Lamaalot תולעמל ריש (Song to the Heights - Psalm 121) (2000)
Yosef Karduner.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami
This Psalm, which has crossed the religious/secular divide in Israel, speaks of humanity’s unrelenting faith even during the most desperate of situations. Judaism has always been a covenantal and future focussed people, we raise our eyes to the mountains and we look forward to a brighter future.
I will lift up mine eyes unto the Mountains: from whence shall My help come?
My help comes from the Lord Who made heaven and earth.
The Lord will not let your foot give way; Your guardian will not slumber.
See, the guardian of Israel Neither slumbers nor sleeps!
The Lord is your guardian, The Lord is your protection At your right hand.
The sun will not afflict you by day, Nor the moon by night.
The Lord will guard you from all evil, The Lord will keep your soul.
The Lord will guard your going Out and your coming in, From this time forth and forever!
Nchakeh Lacha ךל הכחנ (We Will Wait for You) (2019)
Nathan Goshen. Originally performed by Nathan Goshen and Ishay Ribo.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami and Nikki Stanislav
The refrain in this song resonates with the period we find ourselves in, between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Whilst it speaks of battles and the lingering impact of war, it speaks to the human realisation that we are not alone, and that salvation comes from more than just human victory.
The smell of battle is still in the air
A tired nation is dressing its wounds
Sitting, counting its days.
Shouts of shame all over the city, A generation wants its answer right now, Entitled to it, but none owes it to them.
With a body that is tired from all the failures, With a heart that is shattered, We shall await for Thee to welcome our faces.
We have called unto Thee in the nights, And we shall shout in the streets, Have mercy upon us, Father, deliver us.
Time passes, everyone is rushing. A generation quickens its pace, Wants everything right now.
A sun in gray skies, A nation in the land of its ancestors, Still fighting for its life.
With a body that is tired from all the failures, With a heart that is shattered, We shall await for Thee to welcome our faces.
We have called unto Thee in the nights, And we shall shout in the streets, Have mercy upon us.
Ksh’halev Boche הכוב בלהשכ (When the Heart Cries) (2000)
Yossi Gispan. Originally performed by Sarit Hadad.
Performed by Sarit Michael and Nikki Stanislav
For all Jews, the words Shema Israel, evoke deep meaning. This song plays with that refrain calling on both God and the Jewish people to listen, to hear the sounds of tears, the fear - this calling out is one of seeking a guiding hand. God and Israel walking hand in hand with one another.
When the heart cries only God hears
The pain rises from the soul
A man falls down before he sinks
He cuts the silence with a small prayer
Shema Israel, my God, you are the mighty one
You gave me my life you gave me everything
A tear in my eyes, the heart cries in silence
And when the heart is silent the soul cries out
Shema Israel, my God, I am all alone now
Make me strong, my God, So I will not be afraid
The pain is great and there is no where to run Make it end, I don’t have any strength left
When the heart cries time stands still
A man sees his life passing in front of him
He doesn’t want to go to the unknown
He calls his God as he stands
On the edge of the deep.
Jewish Wisdom
October Rain (2024)
Avi Ohayon, Keren Peles, and Stav Beger. Originally performed by Eden Golan. Performed by Sarit Michael
Israel’s original 2024 Eurovision song entry, was written in the aftermath of October 7, bearing witness and promising ‘that never again’ will tears rain down as they did on and from that day.
I’m Coming Home (2010)
Skylar Grey. As performed by Shiri Maimon and Tamir Grinberg. Performed by Ilan Kidron and Nikki Stanislav
Nothing is Impossible (2021)
Ilan Kidron.
Performed by Ilan Kidron and Full Ensemble
For twelve months we have gathered, embraced, cried and prayed for the return of our brothers and sisters from the most unimaginable horrors. We feel a deep connection with our Jewish identity and the land of Israel and are praying for a return home. “Nothing is Impossible carries an even deeper meaning for me in the wake of October 7 and this year’s SHIR festival. The lyrics ‘the desert flower’s bloom’ stands as a metaphor for our strength and love, how even in the harshest conditions, we find a way to thrive.
This song is about how together, we can create a world where Tikun Olam and hope pave the way, proving that with kindness and strength, nothing is impossible.
The song was inspired by the fantastic The Choice Foundation who support innovative projects for the benefit of people living with a disability in our community” - Ilan Kidron.
Habayta התיבה (Bring Them Home) (1983)
Yair Klinger, lyrics Ehud Manor.
Performed by Full Ensemble
How many homes have an empty chair at the table, or a photo next to the Shabbat candles, or spoke about those missing at the Seder table. Home is the beating heart of the Jewish people, and we cannot be complete until everyone is home.
Another year has passed, Another year of madness, The weeds have grown in the path And the garden.
The wind sighed
Opening the shutter And banging the old wall, as if calling:
Back home, back home, It’s time to return, From the mountains
From foreign fields. The day is fading and there is no sign.
Back home, back home, Before the light is dimmed. Cold nights, Bitter nights, Closing in now.
Until the dawn I pray for you, Bound in the grip of fear I hear steps.
Back home, back home, Because it hasn’t yet been given As was promised a long time ago.
Shmor al haOlam Yeled םלועה לע רומש (Take Care of the World, Child) (1997)
David D’Or.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami and Sarit Michael
The Talmud states that each person is like an entire world. This song speaks of the child, innocent and care free, watching over the world. Made for him or her. Each one of us a world. If only we could realise that and live in harmony, fulfilling the call to turn swords into ploughshares and being able to sit under our vines and fig trees.
Watch over the world child, There are forbidden things to see
Watch over the world child, If you see, you’ll stop being…
Hero of the world child, With an angel’s smile
Watch over the world child, We do not succeed in it anymore…
Watch over the world child, Don’t think too much
The more you know, child, The less you understand…
And at certain hours
All doors will slam shut
And all the love will end
Only you will remain, wondering….
Jewish Wisdom
Kama At Yafa הפי
(How Beautiful You Are) (2012)
Kobi Aflalo. Originally performed by Shiri Maimon, arranged by Ben Adler. Performed by Sarit Michael
“We see this song as a prayer, not only for the hostages, but also for the spirit of the people of Israel: ‘Do not fall, do not break. Come back.’ We want this powerful message to reach Israelis and Jews in the furthest corners of the globe” - CHUTNEY.
Show me and tell me, Do your eyes still have The softness, the innocence, The way to breathe The burning heart, the returning light
Let go of all the lies
And if your eyes still have The warmth of your gaze, The enchantment of your beauty Then have mercy on your strength And tell yourself
How beautiful you are When the truth is your attire
And you are heard, you are transparent Before the truth in you, you know Don’t you fall, don’t you break, come back
With a sad tune play your emotions, Your secrets
Your lonesome moments, Your search for the essence Your hopes for tomorrow And what you have left
Don’t you forget, There is someone above you, Your paths are guarded
And all happens at a time Like a tree and its fruits
And like a wave from the ocean, The world shall see
How beautiful you are When the truth is your attire
And you are heard, you are transparent Before the truth in you, you know Don’t you fall, don’t you break
How beautiful you are When the truth is your attire
And you are heard, you are transparent Before the truth in you, you know Don’t you fall, don’t you break, come back…
How beautiful you are When the truth is your attire
And you are heard, you are transparent Before the truth in you, you know Don’t you fall, don’t you break
Come back… (How beautiful you are when The truth is your attire)
And you are heard, you are transparent Before the truth in you, you know Don’t you fall, don’t you break, come back.
Somewhere Over the Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Harold Arlen. Lyrics Yip Harburg. Performed by Ilan Kidron. Eddie Bronson (accordion)
“Somewhere Over the Rainbow has always held a special place in my heart as a Jewish songwriter and performer. Its message of hope and longing for a better world resonates deeply with the story of Israel, as a refuge for the lost and tortured survivors of the Shoah, and now, a nation that has faced new wounds in the wake of October 7.
Both Arlen and Harburg were Jewish, and their song speaks to the enduring dream of finding a home where peace and safety prevail, a vision that echoes the resilient spirit of those who have endured unimaginable horrors yet never gave up on the promise of a brighter tomorrow. To me it’s an anthem for resilience and the dream of a world where the impossible becomes reality”Ilan Kidron.
When You Believe from Prince of Egypt (1998), Stephen Schwartz. Originally performed by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.
Performed by Sarit Michael and Eden Shifroni
The idea of belief strikes a chord, the words Ani Maamin, I am faithful, is a powerful statement of the individual standing strong no matter what might come their way. When You Believe speaks about faith unbroken no matter the circumstance.
Avinu Malkeinu וניכלמ וניבא (Our Father Our King) (1967) Max Janowski.
Performed by Mordechai Levin
This powerful prayer taken directly from the liturgy of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, calls on God to listen to us, to favour us, and transform the darkness around us into light. We only hear us calling out, but in the silence, hopefully we can hear the answers.
Avinu Malkeinu, hear our voices. We have sinned in Your presence. Have compassion on us and our children. Rid us of disease, war, and hunger. Rid us of every oppressor and adversary. Avinu Malkeinu, inscribe us for good In the Book of Life.
Avinu Malkeinu, Make this a good new year for us.
Avinu Malkeinu, hear our voices.
Jewish Wisdom
Latzet M’Dica’on
Yigal Oshri.
Performed by Noy Ben Ami
(Out of Sadness) (2023)
Many people think Judaism looks backwards, but the central idea of Judaism is to gaze forward. Destiny. Fulfillment. Potential. We gaze forward. Next year in Jerusalem, always hoping for a brighter more golden future.
Family, friends, maybe going
Out to adventures
Deep conversations,
Conversations about the soul at night
To deal with changes, the old routines
The soul is in a battle with karma
More good days will come, I promise
More good days will come
Even in the dark hours of the night
There will always be a small star
That will light for you
Yourself, the way back homes
It is always darkest before sunset
A million trains race to Australia
Am Yisrael Chai יח לארשי
Eyal Golan.
Searching far everything that you own
Under your nose,
Every obstacle is a medal
Get up and fall, but in your own way
To deal with your fears
To jump in deep waters
To swim until the end
To arrive at the beach
Until the night
To listen to songs too
Because singers are the doctors
The best science has to offer
More good days will come, I promise
More good days will come.
(The People of Israel Live) (2023)
Performed by Noy Ben Ami, Nikki Stanislav and Sarit Michael
Am Yisrael Chai! It has become the catch call of Jewish communities and people the world over. We are here to stay, we are eternal. We are united and strong, we are not going away.
The sun will shine soon
We’ll know better days that these
The heart fights with worry
Everyone will return home
We’ll wait for them below
Hopefully we’ll know good news
Because the eternal people never fear
Even when it’s hard to see
We’re all together, no one here is alone
When the wars burns
The nation of Israel lives
If we’ll not forget always to be united
The nation of Israel lives
During ascents and during declines, even
During the hardest hours.
G-d, the blessed one, he watches over us
So who can triumph over us
Because we have no other land
We’ll make peace amongst ourselves
Watch over our children
Because we haven’t lose our faith
Oh my land is our heritage
Our spirits will not fall now
Around us, an iron of swords
And the dove will spread her wings
The hope of two thousand years
We’ll go out in the streets to sing again
Because the eternal people never fear
Even when it’s hard to see
We’re all together, no one here is alone
We’ll go out in the streets to sing
Yerushalayim
Naomi Shemer.
Shel Zahav בהז לש םילשורי (Jerusalem of Gold) (1967)
Performed by Full Ensemble
Naomi Shemer’s words, written in a time where we couldn’t touch the Western Wall or gaze out over the Dome of the Rock, speak of the eternal hope that one day we will see, live, breath Jerusalem. More than just a city, this is the eternal physical and spiritual capital of the Jewish people, and the focal point of 2,000 years of hopes and longing.
Mountain air is clear as wine, And the scent of pines Is carried on the breeze of twilight With the sound of bells.
And in the slumber of tree and stone, Imprisoned in her dream, The city stays alone, A wall within her heart.
Jerusalem of gold, Copper and light, For all your songs
Am I not the harp?
How have dried the cisterns?
The market-place is empty, And no more visits to Temple Mount
In the Old City.
And in the caves in the rock
Winds are howling,
And no one descends to the Dead Sea By Jericho road.
We have returned to the cisterns, To the market and to the concourse. Shofar calls out on Temple Mount
In the Old City.
And in the caves in the rock, Thousand suns shine. We will once again Descend to the Dead Sea By Jericho road.
But as I come today to sing for you, And to weave for you crowns, I feel less than the youngest of your sons
And the last of your poets. For your name burns the lips
Like the kiss from an angel of fire
If I forget thee, Jerusalem, Which is all gold!
Anthems
Advance Australia Fair
Australians all let us rejoice
For we are one and free
We’ve golden soil and wealth for toil
Our home is girt by sea
Our land abounds in nature’s gifts
Of beauty, rich and rare
In history’s page let every stage
Advance Australia fair
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia fair
Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We’ll toil with hearts and hands
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands
For those who’ve come across the seas
We’ve boundless plains to share
With courage let us all combine
To advance Australia fair
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia fair.
Hatikvah
Kol od ba’le’vav p’nima, Nefesh yehudi ho’miyah.
U’lefa-atei mizrach kadimah,
Ayin le’Tziyyon tzofiyah.
Od lo avda tikva-teinu,
Ha’tikvah bat sh’not al-payim
Lih-yot am chofshi b’ar-tzeinu
Eretz Tziyyon v’Yerushalayim.
As long as the heart within the Jewish soul yearns forward toward the East, an eye looks to Zion, our hope is not yet lost. Our hope is two thousand years old: To be a free people in our land, the land of Zion and Jerusalem.
Shir MC - Michaela Kalowski
Michaela Kalowski is an interviewer, moderator and curator for writers and ideas festivals. Highlight interviews include Margaret Atwood, Amos Oz, Michelle de Kretser and Etgar Keret.
She’s curator of ABC RN’s on-air writers’ festival, Big Weekend of Books. Michaela has conducted radio interviews and presented programs across ABC radio and TV and is the co-presenter and co-writer of a two-part family history podcast for ABC RN called Laya’s Way Home
Shir Team
SHIR is a registered charity and is run entirely by volunteers:
Ben Adler
Director
Ben is a renowned violinist and a leading figure in Sydney’s Jewish music scene. He played with the Australian Chamber Orchestra for several years before founding CHUTNEY, Australia’s premier klezmer fusion band, and the Nomad String Quartet. He also performs with Monsieur Camembert. Ben serves as the Musical Curator at Emanuel Synagogue. He is driven by a deep passion for Jewish music and his connection to Israel.
Slava Inberg
Financial
Manager
Slava Inberg is a Chartered Accountant with over 14 years of experience in the financial sector and currently serves as a Manager at RSM
Australia. He has a deep appreciation for Jewish culture and the arts.
Britt Foetschl
Logistics Manager
Britt is highly engaged in Jewish communal life, having served as Chair of the 2022 Limmud Oz Festival and is currently the Events and Logistics Officer at Youth HEAR. Outside of her community roles, she works within the NSW State public sector, in senior leadership roles focusing on safety, compliance, and logistics.
Lara Goodridge Digital Manager
Lara is a seasoned violinist and singer with over 30 years of experience in the music industry. She performs with the FourPlay String Quartet,
French jazz quintet Baby et Lulu, and the folk ensemble Miriam Lieberman Trio, singing in Yiddish, Ladino, French, and Russian. Lara’s connection to the Jewish community has recently strengthened. She values the inclusion and allyship she finds within it.
Aliza Waxman Production Manager
Aliza is a creative professional in the film, animation, and visual effects industry. A passionate musician, she regularly performs with her acoustic duo Brooklyn Bear, jazz band 33 Degrees, and Emanuel Synagogue’s Shabbat Live. Since her debut at Shir Madness in 2012, Aliza has been an active member of its committee, celebrating Jewish music and culture.
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