This vintage video of a Jewish boys choir has gone viral on TikTok and its a joy to watch – Forward
Posted By admin on September 25, 2022
Twenty-eight years later, the Miami Boys Choir has found some unlikely fans. by TikTok
By Aviya KushnerSeptember 22, 2022
The Miami Boys Choir has gone viral on TikTok. A video version of the song Yerushalayim has racked up millions of views, as the non-Jewish world discovers Orthodox pop with all its energy and oys and innocent dance moves. In other words, TikTok is falling in love with ruach.
These Jewish choir boys are the only thing keeping me afloat atm, wrote one besotted user.
Hes not alone.
Thousands of TikTok users are recording their own personal responses to a catchy Hebrew song that is a verse from Tehillim, or the Psalms. Many describe themselves as obsessed with the song and the singers. Dance moves and admiring commentary abound; one young womans TikTok video commenting on the choir has racked up 378,000 views and counting.
Meanwhile, those who grew up in the Orthodox world listening to this music have taken to social media to document how astonished and amused they are at this extremely unexpected trend.
On TikTok, though, no one seems too concerned about what the Hebrew words mean; its all about how into it he is and how addicted users are to the song, which admittedly gets into your brain as the app replays the 40-second clip unless you stop it. People cant seem to stop watching Yoshi Bender, C. Abromowitz, David Herskowitz and Binyomin Abramowitz.
A stan is a super-fan, and on TikTok, the four boys each have their ardent fans. One popular form of video is I rate the Miami boys choir with different boys in slots 1, 2, 3 and 4, with TikTok users explaining their rationale. The comments on these videos are wild, as hundreds of thousands of people debate the singing ability, dance moves, expressions, charisma and stage presence of four yeshiva boys singing about God and Jerusalem.
The term stan, which is now often used as a verb, is a reference to theEminemsong Stan, according to Urban Dictionary. Thatsong is about an overly obsessed fan (named Stan) who writes letters toEminemand ends up driving off a bridge with his pregnant wife, because Eminem didnt write him back.
Here is a lovely video with the response we stan to the Miami Boys Choir.
This TikTok user called Binyomin potentially Michael Jackson in disguise.
So what is the song exactly? Its Psalms 125:2. In the 1985 Jewish Publication Society translation, it reads: Jerusalem, hills enfold it / and the LORD enfolds His people / now and forever. The opening hand motions in the song are the boys miming how hills surround the city of Jerusalem.
You can read the original Hebrew and translations on Sefaria.
But if TikTok is more your thing, this video from NotaRabbi Yet explains the Hebrew.
The pronunciation is not Israeli, but is instead Yiddish-inflected Hebrew, or what you hear in Ashkenazi yeshiva circles in New York. Lehamo is pronounced leeamo, and mehata is pronounced meeata. The high point of the song is oy Yerushalayim oy Yershalayim.
The oy is of course not part of the Hebrew psalm.
As more and more people watch the 40-second clip from 2008, the Miami Boys Choir has been responding to TikTok users through comments on the app, and it has been uploading more clips. Yerachmiel Begun, the adult who has guided the boys in song for decades, and who can be seen in some videos, has been answering the queries of fans in TikTok comments.
Newly obsessed fans, who seem to be in their teens and 20s, are energetically digging through the archives, like this young woman who is a Binyomin superfan WE STAN BINYOMIN WHAT A LEGEND and records her cat also enjoying his 2008 singing.
Yoshi has his fans too, like this one.
Its pretty amazing to see the cat bopping to Ben David avdecha yavoh vyigaleynu in other words, a Moshiach song. And some academics on Twitter have expressed concern about what people are actually singing along to, and potential theological or political implications.
But does anyone on TikTok care what it means?
Many videos feature people getting increasingly animated when David or Binyomin sing, at the part of the Yerushalayim song that goes higher. This version of someone acting out and dancing to the song, even though he admits he has no idea what it means, is pretty charming.
Another user claims Binyomin is underrated; he also dances as the song goes on.
For those who grew up singing in yeshiva choirs, the structure of the melody is familiar; it starts slow and contemplative, in a lower register, and then it goes high. Both David and Binyomin bring plenty of ruach, and rock out to Yerushalayim.
Naturally.
Other aspects of this blast from the past are familiar, too the benches singers stand on and the ubiquitous smoke machines. But its also clear that in 2008, no one imagined that video evidence could live forever, with an audience of millions instead of just the religious Jewish community.
These preteens live in a world before social media. They could not imagine that at some point in the future, folks who probably are not yeshiva grads would use a 40-second clip to try and guess at the boys personalities.
Go down the TikTok rabbit hole, and youll find lots of fans that have no idea what the Hebrew says, and are far off-base in their guesses.
Youll also find those who seem to know the Hebrew words, and who recognize the Miami Boys Choir from childhood, like this guy who says he loved MBC before he loved strollers.
So what happened to these boys? Everyone wants to know. In recent hours, TikTok went crazy when one of the 2008 stars, David Herskovitz, made his own videos in response as the adult he is now. Here he is, filmed in bed, watching his preteen self go viral. At this writing, it had over 260,000 views.
He has also corrected the pronunciation of his last name, which was misspelled in the video.
As the trend of Miami Boys Choir obsession continues, a new trend of Jewish TikTokers explaining the effect of the video on them has taken root. A young woman says that she was staunchly atheist but is now feeling really connected to Judaism because of this video. She says that her whole life would have changed had she seen this group when she was 9.
Whoa.
I feel so proud to be Jewish right now. Should I go to shul? Its almost Rosh Hashanah, she says. Twitter user Mordechai Burg comments: I didnt have viral Miami Boys Choir Tik Tok video stirring the Jewish soul and restoring Jewish Pride on my 2022 Bingo card.
Perhaps TikTok is just another way that the Lord is enfolding his people.
Aviya Kushner is the Forwards language columnist and the author of Wolf Lamb Bomb and The Grammar of God. Follow her on Twitter @AviyaKushner.
More:
This vintage video of a Jewish boys choir has gone viral on TikTok and its a joy to watch - Forward
- Opinion | Lessons in Leadership From the Hebrew Bible - The Wall Street Journal - November 26th, 2023
- St. Louis bar mitzvah serves as a bridge between Jews and Hebrew ... - St. Louis Jewish Light - November 26th, 2023
- A Battle Inside Us: Hebrew Catholics in the Holy Land Wrestle With Challenges of War - National Catholic Register - November 20th, 2023
- The Latest News in Hebrew (19.11.23) - SBS - November 20th, 2023
- Hebrew Academy girls return to their renovated building - Cleveland Jewish News - November 18th, 2023
- Hebrew language, alphabet and pronunciation - Omniglot - November 16th, 2023
- Hebrew Bible - Wikipedia - November 16th, 2023
- In Hebrew tweet, Macron says France putting in all efforts to free ... - The Times of Israel - November 16th, 2023
- Sold at auction: Hebrew pocket watch, frozen in time by Titanic wreck - The Jewish Standard - November 16th, 2023
- Hebrew Note From 1446 Reveals Lost Earthquake In Italy - Religion Unplugged - November 16th, 2023
- Hebrew Newspaper Frontpage - Day 40 - Gaps on the way to the ... - All Israel News - November 16th, 2023
- A Hebrew Pocket Watch from the Titanic Mosaic - Mosaic - November 14th, 2023
- 500-year-old note in Hebrew describes Italian earthquake - Livescience.com - November 14th, 2023
- Soldiers call out in Hebrew for Israelis to hear and escape Hamas - Ynetnews - November 14th, 2023
- Letter to Hebrew University, Israel, in defense of Prof. Nadera ... - Informed Comment - November 14th, 2023
- Becoming Elijah: From the Hebrew Bible to Mendelssohn's Oratorio - The Jewish News of Northern California - November 14th, 2023
- Hebrew And Netflix? - TickerTV News - November 14th, 2023
- PM Netanyahu invokes Amalek theory to justify Gaza killings. What is this Hebrew Bible nation? | Mint - Mint - November 2nd, 2023
- October 30 The Hebrew Acrostic of Lamentations VCY.org - VCY.org - November 2nd, 2023
- Bet Torah and Mount Kisco Hebrew Congregation host vigil for ... - News 12 Westchester - November 2nd, 2023
- The News in Hebrew (29.10.23) - SBS - November 2nd, 2023
- Hebrew Newspaper Frontpage - Day 25 - The rescue of IDF soldier ... - All Israel News - November 2nd, 2023
- How Are the Ancient Greek and Hebrew Alphabets Related? - Greek Reporter - October 25th, 2023
- Using right-to-left languages in Office - Microsoft Support - October 18th, 2023
- What languages is Office available in? - Microsoft Support - October 18th, 2023
- Hebrew Newspaper Frontpage - Day 12 - Pres Biden's visit in the ... - All Israel News - October 18th, 2023
- VIDEO: Hebrew newspaper review - Day 9 - The kidnapped and ... - All Israel News - October 18th, 2023
- The latest news in Hebrew (15.10.23) - SBS - October 18th, 2023
- Emissary from Israeli embassy in Washington briefs Hagerstown Hebrew congregation on Mideast tensions - DC News Now | Washington, DC - October 18th, 2023
- A Star Is Born: Hebrew University's President Wheels on His Counterparts at Harvard and Stanford for Failing To Show ... - The New York Sun - October 14th, 2023
- Hate crime investigation underway after incident at Hebrew school in Toronto - CP24 - October 14th, 2023
- Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy hosts area students and staff for supportive welcome to class - KCTV 5 - October 14th, 2023
- 'Gaza conflict expected to extend for three more weeks': Hebrew ... - Roya News English - October 14th, 2023
- 19000 hate speech and incitement tweets in Hebrew documented on X - Middle East Monitor - October 12th, 2023
- Hebrew University Issues Plea for Help in Search of Professor's Son Missing From Kibbutz Stormed by Hamas - Algemeiner - October 12th, 2023
- Israeli Hebrew media review: Perspectives on Day 4 of the war - All Israel News - October 12th, 2023
- United Hebrew Congregation in Fort Smith praying for Israel - 4029tv - October 12th, 2023
- Song of Songs review a Hebrew love poem turned into ravishing ... - The Times - October 12th, 2023
- Member of Joplin United Hebrew Congregation weighs in on Israel-Hamas War - KSNF/KODE - FourStatesHomepage.com - October 12th, 2023
- Hebrew University of Jerusalem postpones start of semester by one ... - Cleveland Jewish News - October 12th, 2023
- Modern Hebrew - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - October 6th, 2023
- How to pack a $38.1M Hebrew Bible for its trip from NYC to Israel? Carefully. - JTA News - Jewish Telegraphic Agency - October 6th, 2023
- Hebrew-language comedy Bros slated to hit Netflix next month - The Times of Israel - October 6th, 2023
- Why Learn Greek and Hebrew? - Desiring God - October 3rd, 2023
- Can you decipher the hidden Hebrew words in this picture? - The Jerusalem Post - October 3rd, 2023
- The latest news in Hebrew (1.10) - SBS - October 3rd, 2023
- iOS 17's Notes has a Hebrew typing problem, as with other right-to ... - PhoneArena - September 26th, 2023
- Vast Library of Congress Hebrew collection published online for the ... - Jewish Insider - September 26th, 2023
- Learning about the high holidays at Chabad Hebrew School - liherald.com - September 26th, 2023
- The beauty of Hebrew over three millennia of Jewish civilisation - The Jewish Chronicle - September 26th, 2023
- Israel allocates NIS 30m to fund projects for AI applications in Hebrew and Arabic - The Times of Israel - September 26th, 2023
- Pursue Excellence: BA in English at The Hebrew University of ... - The Jerusalem Post - September 26th, 2023
- The News in Hebrew (24.9.23) - SBS - September 26th, 2023
- Is the Hebrew Inscription on This Crossbow a Secret Code? (Video) - Ancient Origins - September 26th, 2023
- The News in Hebrew (17.9.23) - SBS - September 18th, 2023
- Hebrew Institute of Riverdale collects 100 pints of blood in one day - The Riverdale Press - September 18th, 2023
- About Hebrew | Yale University Library - September 14th, 2023
- COLUMN: Hebrew School of the Arts off to a good start - Yoursun.com - September 14th, 2023
- New Year, Future Food from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem ... - ISRAEL21c - September 14th, 2023
- Crafty young ladies at the Chabad of Venice Hebrew School of the Arts - Yoursun.com - September 14th, 2023
- Renovation forces Hebrew Academy girls to start year at Wiley Middle School - Cleveland Jewish News - September 14th, 2023
- Lincolnwood receptive to Hebrew Theological College plan. - Chicago Tribune - September 1st, 2023
- From the Newsletter | Kohenet's Final Ordination of Hebrew ... - Moment Magazine - September 1st, 2023
- Hebrew University professor: Calling Israel apartheid is 'describing ... - Press TV - September 1st, 2023
- The Art of Repentance: A Journey into the Hebrew Month of Elul - The Jewish News of Northern California - August 26th, 2023
- A Guide to Hebrew - 10 facts, key phrases and the alphabet - August 3rd, 2023
- Hebrew Wikipedia - Wikipedia - August 3rd, 2023
- An armed man tried walking into a Jewish school in Memphis and opened fire outside when he couldnt get in, police say - CNN - August 3rd, 2023
- Kylie Jenner gave her son a Hebrew name. But its gibberish - Forward - August 3rd, 2023
- What we know and don't know about the Margolin Hebrew ... - Daily Memphian - August 3rd, 2023
- Sweden: Woman burns sheet of paper instead of Hebrew Bible in ... - Arutz Sheva - August 3rd, 2023
- And You Shall Bless | Hebrew College Wendy Linden - Patheos - August 3rd, 2023
- Biblical Hebrew - Wikipedia - July 18th, 2023
- The Hebrew Word of the Week is coming your way! - Chabad.org - July 18th, 2023
- The Paradoxical Politics of the Hebrew Bible Mosaic - Mosaic - July 18th, 2023
- SFJFF: 'Rabbi on the Block' follows struggle of first female Hebrew ... - The Jewish News of Northern California - July 18th, 2023
- Korean, Hebrew and Tamil: Why the global history of our Dravidian past is unexplored - The Indian Express - July 18th, 2023
- New Book Utilizes Ancient Hebrew and Current Scientific Evidence ... - goskagit.com - July 18th, 2023
- 50 Torah Quotes From the Hebrew Bible - Everyday Power - July 18th, 2023
- The News in Hebrew (16.7.23) - SBS - July 18th, 2023
Comments