My dad’s happy place was singing in synagogue,” says Hilton Nathanson. “It was always where he was most content. His favourite thing was seeing a synagogue full of people singing, feeling Jewish.”
After Brian Nathanson passed away, Hilton set up a charity in his father’s memory. Bishnat was named after the first word of parshat Yitro, which was both of their bar mitzvah portion – and their mutual nickname. Hilton started putting on concerts just after Covid to “get people a bit of Jewish pride back and to feel spiritual being in synagogue together” and “to honour what made my father happy”.
Soulful expression: Hilton Nathanson with his late father, Brian
There at this first “emotional” concert, Hilton recalls appreciating, for the first time, what it must have felt like for his father. “Seeing everybody in the synagogue, singing and feeling connected and a part of something special, I hadn’t realised it was going to feel like that.”
Bishnat is now renowned in the community for promoting the art of Jewish music. So far, the charity has held four sell-out concerts in London and Leeds to help the audience feel a “renewed sense of pride in their Jewish heritage, and connection to their community and identity”.
That sense of connection became “doubly important” after October 7, Hilton says. After the Hamas attack, Bishnat put on two shows in solidarity with Israel and for the diaspora to contemplate what it had been through.
The next concert, taking place on January 20, is similarly dedicated to Israel, honouring those still in captivity and reflecting on what October 7 means for diaspora Jewry. Leading the music is the internationally acclaimed American chazan Shulem Lemmer, who was the first singer from the Orthodox Chasidic community to have been signed to a major label, in 2018. He will be accompanied by Avromi Freilich and Alby Chait in a programme that mixes traditional Jewish melodies and timeless show tunes; English songs, Hebrew songs and Yiddish songs; upbeat music and slow music.
Sing me a song: Chazan Shulem Lemmer
“It will be a truly uplifting experience,” says Hilton. “This has been an extremely difficult year for the community and Israel. I really believe these events remind people that we’re not alone, and that we’re better and stronger together.”
It’s the third year that Lemmer has performed for a Bishnat concert. “It’s an amazing organisation trying to bring traditional Jewish music into as many communities and shuls as possible,” says the singer. Lemmer says this year’s show will develop the theme of 2024’s more sombre affair – of pride in Judaism, and singing in support and prayer for Israel, the hostages and the soldiers, and the need to process the sadness.
“We’re looking forward to continuing with that message, but also, most importantly, to come out with a feeling of positivity that we are here, we are strong, and everything will be amazing going forward. It’s more a message of happiness and pride, of celebrating our resilience, and also praying for the future.”
Lemmer’s musical director from New York, who wrote the arrangements for many of the songs he will be performing on the night, will also be in attendance. “So that will be amazing as well,” he says. “It’s a different, beautiful, colourful repertoire that will be exciting.”
The musician says that in difficult times sometimes music can express our emotions more easily than words. “Music is the pen of the soul. The power of music can intensify or express any feelings that we might have. It’s also a universal language that everyone understands, regardless if you understand the words, so we can unite everyone in the emotions we have, and then celebrate together.”
Hilton says the event encapsulates the need for the community to stay strong at a time when it faces so much conflict.
“There has been a clear divide between people upholding democratic values and those who want to replace democratic values with their own ideological version, whether that’s radical extremists or even the far-right, and they’re also united by antisemitism. As Jews, we’re on the front line.
“It’s really important to understand that, come together and acknowledge it, and say we stand as a community, we’re stronger together, we’re proud of our heritage. We should never hide from that, or never feel that we can’t speak up for that, and unfortunately, it’s becoming a little bit harder. So these events take on more importance to come together and to feel that.”
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