Wikipedia

Shulem Lemmer

Shulem Lemmer (born November 6, 1989), known professionally simply as "Shulem," is an American Belz Hasidic singer from Borough Park, Brooklyn, in New York City.[1] He is the first born-and-raised Charedi Jew to sign a major record contract with a leading label, Universal Music Group, under its classical music Decca Gold imprint.[2]

Shulem Lemmer
Born (1989-11-06) November 6, 1989 (age 34)
Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York City
OccupationSinger
LabelsUniversal Music Group
Websiteiamshulem.com

Early life

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Lemmer was born and raised in Borough Park, Brooklyn, in New York City.[3][4] He is a fifth-generation American, from a Hasidic family of the Belz movement.[5] Belz is a town in Galicia, in eastern Europe, where the Belz dynasty originated.[5][6] Lemmer is the youngest of eight children.[7]

Lemmer studied at the Belzer Cheder in Borough Park, and attended the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, living in Israel for six and a half years.[8][9] He began performing at small family events when he was 10 years old; when he was 13 his sister Tzippy, who later died at 23 years of age in a car accident a few weeks after she was married, encouraged him to perform on stage at a brother's wedding.[10][11][12] His older brother, Yanky, is the cantor in Manhattan's Lincoln Square Synagogue.[13] The Lemmers are second cousins of renowned Harvard Law Prof. Alan Dershowitz.

Before becoming a full-time singer, Lemmer was the director of marketing at a technology firm start-up based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.[14][7][6] He also still works as a cantor during the High Holidays at Congregation Ahavath Torah, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey.[11]

Musical career

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Lemmer is a tenor.[6] He has not had any formal training; he researched vocal training on YouTube and Google, and learned how to perform "on the job".[6] He released an album in 2017 entitled Shulem.[11]

He is the first born-and-raised Hasidic Jew to sign with a major record label, having signed with Universal Music Group under its classical music Decca Gold imprint.[7][6] Lemmer consults with a team of rabbinic advisors; his contract stipulates that he can refuse a performance for any reason.[13]

In April 2019, Lemmer sang “God Bless America” at Citi Field.[15] He has toured in American and Israeli cities, and sung in London, Krakow, Frankfurt, and Zurich.[12]

The music on his November 2019 major label debut album, The Perfect Dream,[1] is produced by Jon Cohen and accompanied by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.[16][17][18] It consists of English, Hebrew, and Yiddish songs, including the Israeli song “Jerusalem of Gold,” and “Bring Him Home” from the Broadway musical “Les Misérables.”[7] The title track of the album, "The Perfect Dream," is an original song written for Lemmer by lyricist Don Black.[6]

During the coronavirus pandemic, Lemmer was recruited by the Department of Health and Human Services to raise awareness about the virus to Orthodox Jewish communities.[19]

On Holocaust Memorial Day, Shulem Lemmer sang at the United Nations.[20]

In March 2023 Lemmer released his third studio album, Kiddush Hashem, which he produced himself, as well as serving as the co-composer for some of the songs.

Discography

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  • Shulem (2017)
  • The Perfect Dream (2019)
  • Kiddush Hashem (2023)

Personal life

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Lemmer lives in the North Dover section of Toms River, New Jersey, having moved there with his family in 2017.[6][14] He is married, and has four children.[21]

In 2019, he was awarded a Jew in the City All-Star Award.[22][23]

His brother Yaakov Lemmer is a hazzan (cantor) and performing artist who currently serves as Head Cantor of Lincoln Square Synagogue, a Modern Orthodox congregation in New York City.[24] Lemmer and his brother have performed and recorded music together (as "Shulem and Yanky Lemmer"), including a live performance of "Lo Sachmod" with Shira Choir in 2016[25] and the 2021 studio release The Man From Vilna.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b Irene Connelly (December 9, 2019). "An Unexpected Hasidic Pop Star Takes The Stage," The Forward.
  2. ^ Prince, Cathryn J. (June 28, 2018). "Signed to major label, Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer lives 'The Perfect Dream'; With two singles already released, the 28-year-old musician is now recording an eclectic album for Decca Gold accompanied by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  3. ^ Lawless, Jill (June 27, 2018). "Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer signs major record deal; The Boro Park-raised Lemmer sings in English, Yiddish, and Hebrew, crossing from religious to contemporary Jewish music". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  4. ^ Matt Robinson (August 9, 2018). "Shulem Lemmer: The Impossible (Chasidic) Dream," Jewish Journal.
  5. ^ a b "Shulem Lemmer sings "God Bless America"". CBS News. December 22, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Meet an Orthodox Jewish trailblazer from Toms River with a record deal". App.com. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d Jean Mikle (June 18, 2018). "Meet the first ultra-Orthodox singer to get a major record deal in the U.S." Haaretz. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  8. ^ "HISTORIC: Chassidic Singer Lands MAJOR Record Deal With Universal Music Group". The Yeshiva World. June 26, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  9. ^ Lawless, Jill (June 28, 2018). "Signed to major label, Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer lives 'The Perfect Dream'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  10. ^ "Yossi Zweig interviews Shulem Lemmer, Simcha Leiner, and Eli Levin," The Lakewood Scoop, January 15, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c Dolsten, Josefin (April 23, 2020). "The musician Shulem on being the first artist raised Hasidic to sign with a major record label". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Steven A. Rosenberg (December 6, 2019). "Shulem Lemmer's perfect world". Jewish Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Cohen, Debra Nussbaum (November 4, 2018). "Meet the First ultra-Orthodox Singer to Get a Major Record Deal in the U.S.; With his sidecurls and young family of three, Shulem Lemmer is not your average musician - but Universal believes the Hasidic singer can be the next big thing - and he even has his rabbi's blessing". Haaretz. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Mikle, Jean (July 19, 2018). "Meet the Orthodox Jewish trailblazer from Toms River with a major record deal". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  15. ^ "WATCH THIS: Shulem Lemmer Performs G-D Bless America at Mets / Nationals Game at Citifield," The Yeshiva World, April 7, 2019.
  16. ^ Mark Deming. "Shulem | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  17. ^ Yair Rosenberg (July 2, 2018). "Universal Music Discovered Hasidic Singer Shulem Lemmer on YouTube. They Just Released His First Singles". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  18. ^ Paull, Laura (September 16, 2019). "Sensational Hasidic tenor Shulem coming to Palo Alto". J. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  19. ^ "Trump administration drafts Hasidic singer Shulem Lemmer to bring awareness to COVID crisis in Orthodox communities". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  20. ^ "Shulem Lemmer sings at the UN on Holocaust Memorial Day". YouTube. 29 January 2020.
  21. ^ Yitzchok Frankfurter (July 25, 2018). "The making of a Music Star / In an exclusive interview with Ami, Shulem Lemmer shares how he landed a contract with one of the leading music companies in the world, Universal Music Group". Ami Magazine. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  22. ^ Rochelle Maruch Miller (January 13, 2020). "Stars Shine at 6th Annual Jew in the City All-Stars Awards". The 5 Towns Jewish Times. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  23. ^ "Jew in the City presents its 6th Annual All Star Awards". Lincoln Center. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  24. ^ "Meet our Clergy - Lincoln Square Synagogue".
  25. ^ "Lo Sachmod – Yanky & Shulem Lemmer - Shira Choir | ״לא תחמוד״ יוסל'ה רוזנבלט / מקהלת שירה והאחים למר". Youtube. Shiezoli. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  26. ^ ""The Man From Vilna" – Shulem and Yanky Lemmer". 5 Towns Central. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
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