Jewish Press of Pinellas County

Rick Recht connects community with concert


Adam Piccin, communications and marketing director for the Jewish Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast, shows his approval for Rick Recht’s performance.

Adam Piccin, communications and marketing director for the Jewish Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast, shows his approval for Rick Recht’s performance.

Jewish musician Rick Recht performed live via Zoom for the local Jewish community on Dec. 6 as part of a pre-Hanukkah celebration.

The performance was part of the Kesher: The Connection series put on by the Jewish Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast and included partnering organizations from both sides of Tampa Bay. This is the third event of the program series which began in August of 2019.

Recht began the concert by urging everyone to “Get up on your feet. We may be in separate spaces but we are in this beautiful space here together tonight. I invite you to raise your voices. No one’s looking. Have fun. Be silly.”

The hourlong concert included some of Recht’s own tunes along with covers of others’ music like Matisyahu’s “One Day.” At the urging of many attendees who sent messages during the Zoom concert, the concert concluded with one of Recht’s most popular songs, “The Hope” plus his own rendition of Hinai MaTov Vu.

An estimated 300 members of the community, from over 200 households, gathered virtually for the celebration.

“We are so pleased with the turnout and Rick’s stellar digital performance. He shined on our screens at home. His energy really carried over to the community. What a blessing,” said Rabbi Danielle Upbin, community educator for the Jewish Federation of Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Prior to the pandemic, Recht was performing more than 150 dates per year in the United States and abroad and had worked to revolutionize the genre of Jewish rock music as a tool for developing Jewish identity in youth and adults across the nation. Recht is the national celebrity spokesman for PJ Library and executive producer of Jewish Rock Radio, a 24/7 international Jewish rock online radio station. He also leads a national song leader training program.

The Tampa Bay Jewish Educators Council, which engages Jewish educators from congregations on both sides of Tampa Bay, was a partner for the event, as were Congregation Beth Shalom, Congregation B’nai Israel, Temple Ahavat Shalom, Temple Beth-El, Temple B’nai Israel, Congregation Schaarai Zedek, Congregation Kol Ami, Congregation Rodeph Sholom, Congregation Beth Am and Menorah Manor.

Pinellas County community members Susan and Ron Diner and Louis Orloff, sponsored the Kesher series in an effort to engage the varied segments of the community.

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