The Zamir Choral Foundation, created by Maestro Matthew Lazar, promotes choral music as a vehicle to inspire Jewish life, culture, and continuity. Building on the success of the Zamir Chorale, the first modern Hebrew-singing choir in North America, Maestro Lazar sought an expansive vision that went beyond the activities of any single choir - one that fosters Jewish literacy and identity across generational, denominational and geographic identities.

 

Today, the Zamir Choral Foundation is the leading force of a growing Jewish choral network, sponsoring programs, concerts, workshops, festivals and a host of other activities aimed at expanding the knowledge of and appreciation for Jewish choral music. The Foundation offers those who love to sing the opportunity to blend their voices in singing a growing repertoire of Jewish choral music past and present. Those who listen delight in the sound and musical expression of a rich tradition.

 

The Zamir Choral Foundation brings together scholars, teachers, performers, practitioners and enthusiasts to learn, create, and perform with the highest standards for repertoire and performance. Through its key program areas, concerts, conferences, workshops, publishing and the exchange of information, the Zamir Choral Foundation is expanding the body of knowledge about Jewish choral music and introducing generations, new and old, to the vital role of Jewish choral music in our culture.

 

The Zamir Choral was founded in 1960 as the first Hebrew-singing choir in North America and quickly set the standard for Jewish choral performance.  Zamir’s programs have included works by Renaissance master Salamone Rossi, synagogue classics of the 19^th century, art and folk music of Israel, and the premieres of new works by contemporary composers.  The Chorale has sung in major concert halls and communities throughout the Northeast, and in Montreal, London and across Israel.  Zamir has performed with conductors Leonard Bernstein, Daniel Barenboim, Lukas Foss, Carlo Maria Giulini, Zubin Mehta and others and has appeared with a diverse array of personalities, including Herschel Bernardi, Theodore Bikel, Tom Chapin, Shoshana Damari, Debbie Friedman, Richie Havens, Danny Kaye, Naomi Shemer, Ruth Westheimer and Elie Wiesel.

 

During its more than 50 years of creating Jewish harmony, the Zamir Chorale’s Jewish musical leadership has attracted audiences in the tens of thousands.  The Zamir Chorale is the flagship ensemble of the Zamir Choral Foundation, setting a standard that others aspire to.

Held each summer since 1990, The North American Jewish Choral Festival is the premiere Jewish Choral event in the world.  It brings together singers and choirs from across North America and beyond, with a renowned teaching staff, conductors, composers and other music professionals to sing, learn and share the joy of music.  The Festival draws hundreds of participants for five days of intensive workshops, study, concerts, fun and friendship. 

 

A highlight of each Festival since 1994 has been the presentation of the Hallel V’Zimrah Award which recognizes special contributions to the continuing vitality of Jewish culture.  The gathering of amateur singers, professional soloists, cantors, conductors and lovers of Jewish music from around the nation each year results in an unforgettable and enriching experience.

Established by Maestro Lazar in 1993, to offer high-school age teens the opportunity to gather together, learn and sing Jewish choral music in local ensembles, HaZamir has grown into a musical youth movement engaging young singers from California to Connecticut, Beit Shean to Ashkelon.  There are now 21 HaZamir chapters across the United States and 5 in Israel.  HaZamir chapters currently operate in: Baltimore, MD; Bergen County, NJ; Boston, MA; Brooklyn, NY; Cleveland, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; Hartford, CT; Houston, TX; Long Island, NY; Los Angeles, CA; Manhattan, NY; Minneapolis, MN; New Brunswick, NJ; North Jersey, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA; Providence, RI; Rockland, NY, South Jersey, NJ, Westchester, NY;  Ashkelon, Beit She’an, Jerusalem, Karmiel-Misgav and Kfar Saba, Israel.

 

Since its establishment 22 years ago, HaZamir has touched thousands of Jewish teens across the United States and Israel in ways that are rebounding back on our community. Many have gone on to form classical choirs and a cappella groups, study for the rabbinate and the cantorate, sing in adult choirs and assume leadership roles, both lay and professional, in the Jewish community. HaZamir reaches an emotional core in young people and lays an important foundation for continuing Jewish values later in life. Through modeled behavior and leadership training HaZamir offers its singers the ability to meet challenges and develop personal skills within a communal context. HaZamir invests in Jewish teens with the goal of building the next generations of Jewish adults with a deeper understanding of the values, traditions and glory of Judaism and artistic expression.

The newest ensemble of the Zamir Choral Foundation, Zamir Noded was established to provide a high level musical opportunity for young adults aged 18-30 to sing in a Jewish choir with like-minded peers. Zamir Noded is conducted by renowned Maestro Matthew Lazar and has drawn singers from throughout the tri-State area and beyond. Inspired by alumni of HaZamir: The International Jewish High School Choir and others, Zamir Noded was established in September, 2013. The ensemble presented its debut performance as part of the Foundation’s Hanukkah concert at Merkin Concert Hall in December 2013 and has gone on to delight audiences with its ever-growing repertoire.

Established with a generous contribution from Phyllis and Richard Rosen, The Jeanne R.  Mandell Fund provides resources to commission new works for the Zamir Choral Foundation that are premiered each year by ensembles associated with the Zamir Choral Foundation. Through the Jeanne R. Mandell Fund, the Zamir Choral Foundation has fostered a generation of new composers and works to extend and expand a centuries-old tradition. (See our website for a list of commissions.)

The Zamir Choral Foundation demonstrates its musical leadership as well as its strong Zionist sensibilities by regularly presenting concert programs that mark significant milestones in the history of the Jewish community and the State of Israel, including concerts in major venues to celebrate Israel Independence Day and the reunification of Jerusalem.

 

The Zamir Choral Foundation has regularly led missions to Israel that feature performances, visitations, and ongoing support for our Israeli brothers and sisters.  In Israel Zamir ensembles have performed in major concert halls, and for residents in a variety of settings, including programs for the elderly and at community centers across the country.