Singing in harmony, competing for a cause

There will be a competitive edge to the harmony next Wednesday, March 14, but it’s for a good cause.

The fourth annual boys a cappella competition benefitting the Koby Mandell Foundation, V’ata Banim Shiru (VBS) 2014, will be held at the Torah Academy of Bergen County at 7:30 pm.

Rambam Mesivta of Lawrence will face off against the Rav Teitz Mesivta Academy of Elizabeth (Jewish Educational Center) and the MTA (Manhattan Talmudical Academy) at TABC in Teaneck.

“We reached out to all schools, but these are the only schools that currently have a cappella groups and are available that night,” said organizer Gaby Novick, The judges were culled from well known a cappella groups: Elchanan Majeski from AKA Pella, Ari Lewis and Ely Shestack from the Maccabeats, Mike Boxer and Craig Resmovits from Six13, and Shloime Kaufman.

The Rambam choir, now called the Harmonidies, was founded by then-Rambam students Yossi Szpigiel and Jacob Bernstein because “we simply enjoyed music and singing,” according to Bernstein. “Neither of us had any formal musical background — we basically just created it for fun.” They both graduated from Rambam in 2010 and attended Yeshivat Har Etzion in Israel.

After many conversations with fellow student Gaby Novick regarding running a chesed project, they selected the Koby Mandell Foundation as the place to donate funds raised from a choir competition. Gaby Novick, co-founder and president of VBS had been organizing the VBS programs since 2010 and has been very involved in this year’s event.

Roy Angstreich, executive director of the Koby Mandell Foundation said that Novick participated in their “Camp Koby Experience in Israel” a few years ago. The five and a half week summer program brings about 50 high school teens from North America to serve as counselors at their camp for Israeli victims of terror. Last summer twelve Five Towns students participated in Camp Koby. “We are so grateful to Gaby Novick and all the volunteers and performers. As a result of their efforts, much needed funds are raised to send additional bereaved children who are victims of terror to our summer camp: Machane Koby VYosef,” added Angstreich.

Rabbi Seth and Sherri Mandell established the Koby Mandell Foundation in 2001 after their 13-year-old son Koby and his friend Yosef Ishran were brutally murdered by terrorists near their home in Israel. The camp and foundation seek to help the more than 50,000 people affected by terrorism.

To get tickets, go to: vatabanimshiru@gmail.com