Event at Cunningham Park draws hundreds To Hear Mizrachi Phenom
International singing sensation Avi Perets masterfully concluded the The Queens Jewish Community Council’s Jewish Music Under The Stars summer concert series. The free program, held on Wednesday evening, August 23, attracted many more hundreds than the week prior, proving a love for classic and contemporary Jewish music.
In many ways, Perets, 41, has made Jewish Mizrachi music mainstream. A native of Bat Yam, Perets found a love for music at 13, playing the keyboard. Three years prior, he entered the Jewish music scene with Kashe Li, an immediate hit single. Throughout the ‘90s and into the 2000s, Perets released albums, and after a short break, returned with treasures like K’mo Aish, Bereshit Olam, Lo Nafsik, Sefardi Party, and the single “Shir HaChuppa” just last year. Perets is a highly respected composer who shows no signs of letting up.
Mizrachi (or Oriental) music pays homage to Mizrachi Jews who immigrated from Arab countries over the last half century. They brought a musical style that highlights the elements of Arabic, Turkish, and Greek styles. Perets’ band included a guitarist, violinist, and well-regarded keyboardist. Perets himself has become a recognized face in Queens, performing at many Torah processions and community simchas.
A Moroccan Jew, Perets brought forth bright elements of Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Mediterranean Israeli music was very popular in Eastern Jewish communities and became a large percentage of the music listened to in Israel. However, the national government restricted the play of this music on public radio because it was not considered authentic Israeli; it was a classic case of cancel culture. The result was intense socialization in schools and widely in the media. The second generation of Eastern European immigrants were isolated from this music genre. It was not until singers like Perets took the stage that Mizrachi music became accepted. The emergence of Mizrachi music is another classic example of social struggles that Israelis of Sephardic and Mizrachi origin faced.
Today, Mizrachi music exists in many more forms, including Oriental Rock and Mizrachi Pop, and singers like Gad Elbaz and Omer Adam help show its beauty.
Thanks for the event is extended to the New York City Cultural Affairs in partnership with Council Speaker Adrienne Adams; Council Members James Gennaro, Linda Lee, and Lynn Schulman; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; MJHS Health Systems; Northeast Queens Jewish; and Margaret Tietz Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, who distributed event favors. The center was represented by Administrator Kwang Lee; Director of Public Affairs Linda Spiegel (and her husband Ted); Rehab Director Mazal Fuzailov, OTR/L; and their summer volunteers.
Photos and article by Shabsie Saphirstein
