Hasidic hipsters

Orthodox Jewish reggae star Matisyahu may have parted ways with Hasidism but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other upcoming musicians embracing it. Enter Zusha, a world soul trio from New York lead by Shlomo Gaisin (vocals), Elisha Mlotek (percussion) and Zachariah Goldschmiedt (guitar). 

Named after Zusha of Hanipol, an Orthodox rabbi and early Hasidic luminary, their music focuses on the Hasidic style known as niggun, wordless melody, with Gaisin leading the melody and the trio harmonizing. In an email interview, percussionist Mlotek says Zusha isn’t a band, but rather “a movement.”

“It’s a heartbeat, a message of love and peace, of listening, of understanding,” he said. “We hope the music will inspire listeners to ultimately listen within.”

Zusha’s first full-length album, “Kavana,” was released Jan. 5 and has been described as “Beirut, Bon Iver and Sufjan Stevens meet the Crosby, Stills and Nash of Hasidic music.”

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Mlotek, 25, says he grew up around Yiddish theater and “the Klezmer revival scene”; his father is the artistic director of the National Yiddish Theatre in New York City. He met his bandmates in Manhattan’s East Village. “We were each doing different things spiritually, musically, each on our own journey,” he said. “We found unity through singing together. We each wanted something different, something real, and creating neegoon fulfilled that void. It turned everything into a prayer.” 

You can check the trio out Monday, Jan. 18 at a live performance starting at 8 p.m. at Midtown’s Firebird, 2706 Olive St. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. To hear some of their songs, go to zusha.com/music.

Making the grade

One of my favorite assignments is spending time each October and November with the third graders at Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School. Thanks to a generous grant from the Kranzberg Family Foundation, I’ve been able to “mentor” these youngsters over the past several years, and last year was no exception.

My job is to help prepare them for their annual fall overnight to the Shaw Nature Preserve in Gray Summit, Mo. Their teachers, Morah Lizzie Berkowitz and Morah Gaby Tullam, have them report and write stories about various aspects of their adventure, which can include everything from what they ate, to the cabins they slept in, to the various flora and wildlife they spotted. My charge is to encourage them to ask (somewhat) probing questions, use their senses to add detail and description to their stories, and help them with the writing. Then all the stories are compiled into a newsletter, which was emailed to me last week.

After four or five years of doing this – and mind you, the destination of the overnight is always the same — I’m amazed with the variety of stories, and the innovative approaches, each class comes up with. This recent third- grade class truly outdid itself, not just with interesting stories about a white pelican, red-tailed hawk, prairie snake, armadillo and sod house, but also by incorporating interactive, reader-friendly material, such as puzzles, word scrambles and fun facts, into the mix.

For those of you interested, check out these young journalists’ latest work in the “related documents” at left.

David Gregory redux

In November, I had a chance to hear broadcast journalist and former “Meet the Press” moderator David Gregory speak to a massive audience as part of the Jewish Federation of North America’s annual General Assembly. 

Gregory was also supposed to speak as part of the St. Louis Jewish Book Festival that same week, but wound up canceling his engagement here because of the passing of his father Don Gregory (born Ginsburg) two days previous to his Federation gig. 

The Book Festival’s rescheduled talk by Gregory, whose memoir is called “How’s Your Faith?” will take place 7:30 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 14) at the Jewish Community Center’s Performing Arts Center, 2 Millstone Campus Drive. Tickets are $20 or free with the festival’s Premier Pass. All individual tickets previously purchased will be honored at the door.

The son of a Catholic mother (who was an alcoholic) and a larger-than-life Jewish father, Gregory explained he had a strong sense of Jewish cultural and ethnic identity, but no real belief system. When he married his Protestant wife, she challenged him to figure out what his spirituality and faith were all about. So he began meeting regularly with Jewish educators and rabbis, as well as with Christian leaders, in his search for spiritual mindfulness. 

Go hear him speak if you can. He has a good story to tell, and it happens to be his own.

Bye, bye Batya

Last Thursday (Jan.7), colleagues, friends and family packed the Jewish Community Center’s Arts & Education Building to officially say goodbye to Batya Abramson-Goldstein, former executive director of the Jewish Community Relations Council, who retired in November. The event was a multi-cultural affair filled with emotional and heartwarming tributes to a truly inspirational woman. A couple of gentlemen even sang to her on stage.

Light staffer Eric Berger was on hand interviewing attendees about their favorite Batya memories. To view the video, go to stljewishlight.com/batya.