REBBETZIN HADASSAH GROSS

REBBETZIN HADASSAH GROSS is an international lecturer and motivational speaker with expertise in the Hebraic Oral Tradition, Hasidic teachings, and Practical Kabbalah. Hadassah is “radiant! An elegant creature in Italian shoes and tailored clothes” ( The Forward ) and is called “part of a broadening, unconventional movement to teach Torah and prayer to an ever-growing audience across America ” ( Jerusalem Report ). Born in Budapest, Hungary in the mid 1920's, Rebbetzin Gross is descended from an illustrious Hasidic dynasty, is the widow of six prominent rabbis and has established herself in the Jewish community and beyond as a personal soul-trainer to the ultra-orthodox elite. She has appeared before thousands worldwide in venues such as BAMcafe (Brooklyn), The Ashkenaz Festival for New Yiddish Culture (Toronto), The Museum of Jewish Heritage, JCC Manhattan, JCC San Francisco, Burning Man Festival 2003, Lansky Lounge (NYC), the Belt Theater (NYC), Echo Club (LA) and the Limmud NY Conference. Hadassah was most recently featured in the Channel 10 Israeli TV series “The Search for the 10 Commandments” (April 2005), and in a feature cover article for Ha'Aretz Magazine (October 2004).

 

AMICHAI LAU-LAVIE

AMICHAI LAU-LAVIE is the Founder, Artistic and Executive Director of Storahtelling: Jewish Ritual Theater Revived. An Israeli-born mythologist, storyteller and teacher of Judaic Literature, Amichai was recently hailed by Time Out NY as 'Super Star of David' and 'iconoclastic mystic,' and identified as 'one of the most interesting thinkers in the Jewish world' by the NY Jewish Week . He is a Synagogue 2000 fellow, a consultant to the Reboot Network, and the recipient of a Joshua Venture Fellowship award 2002-2004. He serves on the advisory committee of Bikkurim, an incubator for new Jewish ideas. Amichai studied at various yeshivot, including the Shalom Hartman Institute and the Elul Center in Jerusalem . Between 1992 and 1996 he directed the summer programs at Melitz: the Jewish Zionist Centers in Jerusalem , focusing on the integration of Jewish education via the arts. His theatrical experience as a writer and performer includes the Theatre Company Jerusalem, The Acco Theatre Group in Israel and the Avodah Dance Ensemble in the U.S. Between 1997-2000 he served as Artist-in-Residence at Congregation B'nai Jeshurun in New York City . Amichai is the theatrical representative for Rebbetzin Hadassah Gross.

BASYA SCHECHTER

Blending a psychedelic sensibility and a pan-Mediterranean sensuality, Basya Schechter leads her band, Pharaoh's Daughter, through swirling Hasidic chants, Mizrachi and Sephardi folk-rock, and spiritual stylings filtered through percussion, flute, strings and electronica. Her sound has been cultivated by her Hasidic music background and a series of trips to the Middle East , Africa , Israel , Egypt , Central Africa , Turkey , Kurdistan and Greece . Basya has recorded four albums, three with Pharaoh's Daughter and one instrumental exploration with Persian santur player, Alan Kushan. Pharaoh's Daughter also appears on three Tzadik label compilations: Voices in the Wilderness , the 10 year of anniversary of Zorn's Masada compositions; a collection of Sasha Argov music; and, a Brazilian Jewish composer from earlier in the 20th century, Jacob Du Bandolim. When she's not touring or performing, Basya plays darbuka, riq and frame drum as part of the B'nai Jeshurun music ensemble that accompanies Friday night services. She is the recipient of numerous compositional and project grants from NYSCA (New York State Council of the Arts), American Composers Forum, and the American Music Center . She hopes to record Pharaoh's Daughter's fifth album, Hagar , within the next year.

BRIAN GELFAND

BRIAN GELFAND is a composer, keyboardist, and vocalist and has been composing and performing his own music for fifteen years in New York and Boston . He holds a Master's Degree in Contemporary Improvisation from the New England Conservatory, a BA in music from Columbia University , and a BA in Talmud and Rabbinics from the Jewish Theological Seminary. Brian is celebrating the upcoming release of his debut full-length CD, My Finest Answer , which draws on the sophistication of jazz and classical music and the intimacy of pop. As a tenured artist-in-residence at the Arad Arts Project, Brian has performed all over Israel , including at the Knessett and the Dead Sea , performing a unique blend of modern musical styles and traditional Jewish themes. Brian is an educator in synagogues and schools in the New York area and is currently producing a CD for Camp Ramah Wisconsin.