Rocking out for Hanukkah

Suzie Harrison

The stage will be set Dec. 8 at the Orange County Performing Arts

Center for a grand celebration of lights that has become an

eight-year tradition.

On that date, “Chanukah Rocks” will be performed by 12 children’s

choirs from synagogues and Hebrew day schools from Newport Beach,

Costa Mesa and all over Orange County. The concert, which features

the voices of children and cantors, is a celebration of Jewish songs

set to a contemporary, upbeat tempo.

“The cantor’s voices are unbelievably fantastic,” said Gordon

Fishman, concert originator. “Ami Aloni was a pianist, conductor and

composer, internationally known, and he took over the music aspect of

the concert.”

The concert has drawn celebrities such as Sid Caesar, Monty Hall

and Ed Asner, who will perform a variety of acts. The emcee is Cantor

Herschel Fox, who is recognized for work on Broadway, television and

radio.

Cantor Arie Shikler from congregation Shir Ha-Ma’alot has been in

the show every year.

“It’s about the children, the music and the community coming

together in unity,” Shikler said.

He said the sweet voices of children is the high point of the

event, and he finds it heartwarming that it is the one time of year

that everyone in the community comes together.

“I’m doing a reggae number and am going to try to get the Jewish

people on their feet to clap on the offbeat,” Shikler said.

Danny Busch, 11, from Newport Beach will be performing for the

first time in the concert as one of the Three Jewish Ten’ers -- a

spoof on the Three Tenors -- featuring three boys around the age of

10.

“I’m really excited,” Danny said. “Everyone gets together and,

instead of turning the Hanukkah songs dull and boring, we rock out

with them and make it fun.”

He said that the concert celebrates being Jewish and celebrates

freedom.

The concert came to fruition after Fishman and his wife, Hanna

Reta, moved to Newport Beach from the Midwest and decided to do

something to bring the community together.

The concert’s popularity has grown every year. It started at the

Irvine Barclay Theatre and has sold out the Orange County Performing

Arts Center for the past two years, drawing an audience of more than

2,500.

By the third year, all 24 synagogues in Orange County were

participating.

From the beginning, they wanted it to be a community event. Fifty

percent of ticket revenues go back to the congregation that sold

them. Half goes toward show expenses.

“Chanukah Rocks” will be performed at 2 p.m. Dec. 8 at the Orange

County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.

Tickets are $9 for children, $18 for adults, $36 for orchestra seats

and $125 for patrons. Call a local synagogue to buy tickets for

proceeds to go to them, or call the Orange County Performing Arts

Center at (714) 556-2787.