Rabbi
Baruch Levine
Born (1977-12-28) December 28, 1977
Toronto, Canada
GenresOrthodox pop
Occupation(s)Yeshiva ketana rebbi (Jewish studies teacher)
Years active2006-present
Websitehttp://www.baruchlevine.com/

Baruch Levine (born December 28, 1977) is a Canadian-born American Orthodox Jewish composer and singer. His tunes have gained wide popularity at Shabbat tables and kumzits gatherings.[1][2] One of his most successful compositions is "Vezakeini" (Give Us Merit), derived from the ancient prayer recited at Shabbat candle lighting.[3]

Early life and education

Baruch Levine was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. He attended Eitz Chaim Day School, where his father, Rabbi Michoel Levine, is currently the fifth-grade rebbi (Jewish studies teacher).[4] He also studied at the Ner Yisroel in Toronto, and Toras Moshe and Mir Yeshivas in Jerusalem [4]

After Levine got married, he moved to Waterbury, Connecticut. In 2005, he joined the staff of the Yeshiva Ketana of Waterbury, Connecticut as a fifth-grade rebbi.[5]

Levine has four children.

Music career

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 album The Marvelous Middos Machine and was not accepted,[6] but he did sing on a Miriam Israeli album.[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 his demos came 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 the Touched by a Story series 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 with Yaakov Shwekey; the resulting album, Live in Caesarea II – 5770, was later released on CD and DVD.[9] In 2011, he sang on Abie Rotenberg's Marvelous Middos Machine Episode 4.[10]

Levine was a guest performer at the 12th Siyum HaShas on August 1, 2012, at MetLife 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 the Jewish music realm.[12] He also performs at charity benefits.[13] On November 27, 2011 he performed together with Shwekey in a concert benefiting Hatzolah in London.[14] He was featured at the HASC 27 "A Time for Music" concert on January 12, 2013.[15][16] On Lag B'omer 2020, he was one of many singers to perform in the "Hatzalah-thon" fundraiser, created to raise money for Hatzalah and in honor of the completion of the "Miracle Sefer Torah," which was written as a merit for those sick with Covid-19 which was rampant at that time.[17][18] Another endeavor undertaken during Covid-19 was the production of The Place Where They Belong, which Levine made together with Abie Rotenberg, about Jews not being able to pray at the synagogue due to the necessary quarantine and much it is missed.[19]

Discography

Albums

  • Vezakeini (2006)[20]
  • Chasan Hatorah (2008)[21]
  • Touched by a Niggun (2009)[22][23]
  • Hashkifah (2011)[24][25]
  • Modim Anachnu Lach (2013)[1]
  • Project Relax with Simcha Leiner (2015)
  • Bonim Atem (2015)
  • Project Relax Again with Simcha Leiner (2017)
  • Peduscha (2018)
  • Off the Record (2020)
  • Off the Record Two (2021)
  • Lev Chodosh (2023)

References

  1. 1 2 "Baruch Levine: Modim Anachnu Lach". Jewish Music Report. 6 December 2013. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 BJL 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. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  3. ↑ Ginsberg, Johanna (19 January 2011). "Morristown teen competes for slot at hasidic songfest". New Jersey Jewish News. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "End Note: Dreaming of Redemption". Mishpacha. 13 December 2017. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2018. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  5. ↑ "Yeshiva K'tana of Waterbury: Administration". Yeshiva K'tana of Waterbury. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  6. ↑ Besser, Yisroel (23 September 2012). "Music Lessons". Mishpacha. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Besser, Yisroel. "The Songs We Sang". Mishpacha supplement: "10 Years". Pesach 5774 (Spring 2004), p. 39.
  8. ↑ "Chasan Hatorah". Judaica Enterprises. 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Live in Caesarea II – 5770". Sameach Music, Inc. 2014. Archived from the original on 19 October 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  10. ↑ "[EXCLUSIVE] Abie Rotenberg releases MARVELOUS MIDOS MACHINE vol 4". thejewishinsights.com.
  11. ↑ Nussbaum Cohen, Debra (29 July 2012). "Nearly 100,000 Jews to gather in N.J. to celebrate completion of Talmud cycle". Haaretz. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  12. ↑ "Baruch Levine Shloime Daskal "Vezakeini" The 13th Siyum Hashas". youtube.com. shiezoli. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  13. ↑ "Concert on the Lawn with Baruch Levine". Yiddish Music. 12 August 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  14. ↑ Shasha, Adam (1 December 2011). "Guest Review: Shwekey and Levine, Live in London". Jewish Music Report. Archived from the original on 28 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  15. ↑ "Video Collection of HASC 27 Concert". gruntig.net. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  16. ↑ "HASC – A Time for Music 27 DVD". eichlers.com. 2013. Archived from the original on 2014-07-13. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Top Jewish talent featured for Hatzalah-Thon". jhvonline.com. Jewish Herald-Voice. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  18. ↑ "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. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  19. ↑ ""The Place Where They Belong" Abie & Levine". gruntig.net. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  20. ↑ "Baruch Levine - Vezakeini". Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  21. ↑ "Chasan Hatorah: Mostly Music". Mostly Music. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  22. ↑ "Touched by a Niggun". Mostly Music. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  23. ↑ "Touched by a Niggun". Amazon.ca. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
  24. ↑ "Hashkifah". Sameach Music, Inc. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2013.
  25. ↑ "Baruch Levine - Touched by a Niggun". NME. Retrieved 12 November 2013.
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