Pizmon Celebrates Jewish Music with Students at Community Day School

Pizmon, a Jewish a cappella group of students from Columbia University, Barnard College, and the Jewish Theological Seminary, visited Hershorin Schiff Community Day School on Friday, February 11.

Group members held morning workshops with Community Day School's kindergarten to eighth-grade students and performed a concert of liturgical pieces, Israeli rock and pop, and Yiddish music later in the day. The group's name comes from a Hebrew word meaning "chorus" or "refrain of a song" and its mission is to share Jewish music with diverse communities across the globe.

During Pizmon's visit, more than 150 students had the opportunity to interact in small group workshops, learning traditional harmonies, beats, and the meanings behind Judaic stories and melodies. After the workshops, students were treated to an engaging performance in the campus' auditorium.

Dan Ceaser, CDS's head of school, said that the initiative fit perfectly into the school's dynamic creative arts and diversity programming.

"Our school's benefactors believed strongly in the importance of bringing non-Jewish and Jewish children together, encouraging tolerance and inclusivity at an early age," said Ceaser. "We are grateful to Pizmon for sharing their incredible musical talents, aligning with our pluralistic philosophy where students of all faiths and backgrounds are exposed to Jewish culture and values."

Since its inception in 1987 as the first collegiate Jewish a cappella group, Pizmon has traveled to hundreds of communities within the United States and around the world to celebrate Jewish music and culture. Pizmon's repertoire consists primarily of liturgical pieces, Israeli rock and pop, Yiddish and Ladino music, and children's songs.

For more information, visit communityday.org or call (941) 552-2770.