Maccabees and Maccabeats

Post date: Dec 09, 2016 3:47:22 PM

By Emily Glazer '17

The Maccabeats perform at their Dec. 4 concert at the Mayerson JCC. Maccabeats member Michael Greenberg explained that his favorite part of putting on a concert is meeting people afterwards. Emily Glazer/The Chatterbox

Have you heard “Dynamite” by Taio Cruz, or “Shut Up and Dance” by Walk the Moon? What about Hanukkah? If not, the eight day Jewish holiday remembers and celebrates the Maccabees’ final victory in a war that destroyed the Holy Temple. An a cappella group, the Maccabeats, combines both of these together.

The group formed as students at Yeshiva University in New York. They grew popular in Nov. 2010 when they released a parody of “Dynamite,” called “Candlelight.” This video went viral on their Youtube channel and currently has over 11 million views. Not expecting it to go viral, Maccabeats member Julian Horowitz explained, “It was intended to be a simple holiday card to send to friends and family.” After the release of this video, Horowitz described it’s popularity as “amazing chaos,” as he travelled between various television spots and concerts.

It has become an annual tradition for the Maccabeats to release a new Hanukkah song welcoming the holiday season; their compositions include parodies, covers of pop songs, traditional Jewish prayers and an original music video. Through their music, the Maccabeats “try to send the message of being positive and being proud of who you are,” Horowitz said.

In addition to composing, the group is known for their community action. At concerts, the Maccabeats hold a toy drive and donate to children in need during the holiday season. In Nov. 2012 they did a cover of Jewish reggae singer Matisyahu’s “Miracle,” as part of a charity mission. Pairing up with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation, their music video helped raise $80,000. This met the foundation’s goal of $10,000 for each night of Hanukkah. The fundraiser currently has raised over $200,000.

After attending their concert on Dec. 4 at the Mayerson Jewish Community Center, I got to experience their music and energy live. Their messages of positivity and proudness truly radiates through their voices and personalities. The Maccabeats’ unique acapella twist on songs with their variety of music is both enjoyable and catchy, during the holiday season and all year round.