Israel at 60 Concert Celebration in Carnegie Hall

On March 30th, 2008, the Zamir Choral kicked off New York City's celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the founding of Israel to a sold-out Carnegie Hall. 

The star-studded concert featured the Zamir Chorale and Friends, including the legendary Theodore Bikel, Debbie Friedman, Cantors Alberto Mizrahi, Jack Mendelson and Lorna Wallach, and a special guest appearance by HaZamir: The International Jewish High School Choir, all under the direction of Matthew Lazar, Founder and Director of the Zamir Choral Foundation.  

The concert traced the history of Israel through music, with musical selections that ranged from Hebrew chant through favorites from the beginnings of the state to contemporary peieces, including the world premiere of Israeli composer Yehezkel Braun's Bayom HaHu, specially commissioned for this concert.  

The iconic Theodore Bikel performed songs from the early Zionist era, many of which he learned as a boy in Israel. Singer/composer Debbie Friedman joined Bikel for some solo numbers, and also sang her well-known Miriam's Song with the Zamir Chorale and Friends in a new arrangement by Matthew Lazar.  

More than 50 singers, some of whom traveled from across the country, joined the Zamir Chorale to form the "Friends" choir for many selections, including the finale which included David Burger's anthem of the Jewish Choral Movement, T'filah (featuring David on guitar), and Hatikvah, in which the audience stood and joined in singing, many with tears in their eyes.  

The concert also featured the Zamir Chorale in the performance of Darchei Noam by David Burger, a specially commisioned tribute to the late Noam Shudofsky, a Zamir Board member and lifelong supporter of Israel.