Tori Roth, a junior at the University of Michigan, tried out and was invited to join several of the school's a cappella groups at the beginning of her freshman year. She chose to become a part of "Kol HaKavod."
"I wanted to be involved in the Jewish community and music, so I combined them," says Roth, who participated in her synagogue's youth group and high school choir at home in Cincinnati.
One woman, a former director of "Kol HaShamayim," the Jewish a cappella group for Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland Institute of Art, and Cleveland State University, found that the group enabled her get a better understanding of herself as a Jew.
Since college, the woman, who has asked to remain anonymous, has become much more religious.
"The group was important for me personally because I was trying to find my way as a Jew and express myself musically at the same time," she says. "It was a perfect outlet."
Meredith Kahan, a freshman at Ohio State University, knew early on that she wanted to be a part of "MeshugaNotes." Kahan was very involved in her synagogue at home in Cincinnati, and she was eager to meet other Jewish people at college.
Kahan says she enjoys the religious aspect of MeshugaNotes, but the group is also important to her socially.
"Everyone in the group comes from a different social situation," she explains. "There are jocks, frat boys, sorority girls, upper classmen, under classmen we all really enjoy being around each other."
The social aspect is what separates Jewish groups from other a cappella groups.
For example, Kahan explains, the group hosted an end-of-the-year party on a recent Friday night. Out of respect for some of the Shomre Shabbos (Sabbath observant) group members, the party was held after services and within walking distance of Hillel.
Besides the social atmosphere and the obvious distinction of the Hebrew songs they sing, members find there are other key differences as well.
"The main difference is whom we perform for," Roth notes. "We perform for the Jewish community at synagogues and services. Our focus is more on the Jewish culture."
Many students say some of their best memories from college will be from their respective Jewish a cappella groups.
Participating in the Jewish Collegiate Festival for the Performing Arts is a highlight from Kahan's first year at OSU. Along with hearing other great Jewish a capella, the group spent time together and was able to truly bond.
Roth remembered a time when her group sang the Hebrew song "Eli Eli" in four rounds with four different languages. People kept coming up to the group members and telling them how beautiful it sounded, she says.
"That's the best part about singing," Roth maintains. "When you sing a song and it gives you the chills that's when you know it's a good song."
[reprinted with permission from the Cleveland Jewish News]
Emily Yahr is a sophomore at the University of Maryland and the The Ritter Family Intern
for the Cleveland Jewish News
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