Over the past few years, the Los Angeles chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir, has grown stronger and more vibrant under the local leadership of Dor Kaminka. HaZamir is a unique youth movement that brings together Jewish teens from all backgrounds, offering them the chance to sing Jewish choral music at the highest level and perform on some of the world’s greatest stages. This year, 20 high schoolers from LA, including Temple Judea’s own Brianna Bogorad, Emerson Carroll, Jordan Scott, and Abby & Jacob Wissot, came together weekly from October to March to connect with one another and deepen their bond to Judaism through music.

The year’s emotional highlight came at the HaZamir International Festival in New York, where nearly 400 Jewish teens from 33 chapters across the U.S. and Israel gathered. On March 23, they performed at Carnegie Hall, sharing moving renditions of familiar prayers and songs. Along the way, the teens engaged in meaningful study of Jewish text and history, bonded with Israeli peers, and explored themes of resilience, solidarity, and peace. This journey created lasting friendships and gave them a deep sense of connection to Israel and to the broader Jewish community.

Now, these teens are bringing that inspiration home to Temple Judea, where many of their rehearsals took place. If you have a high schooler who loves to sing (or even a middle schooler interested in HaZaPrep), we’d love for you to join us at the HaZamir end-of-season celebration this Sunday, April 6, at 2:30 p.m. at Temple Judea. The teens will share their experiences and perform some of the pieces they sang at Carnegie Hall. Please RSVP here if you'd like to attend.

Temple Judea is committed to offering meaningful experiences that inspire the next generation, and we’d love for you and your musical teen to be a part of this incredible journey. We hope you’ll come and be inspired!