Passing by the Hillel Centre on the way home from campus can often be the ultimate case of knowing the tune but not the words. What you’re hearing are the Varsity Jews, U of T’s sole Jewish a capella group. They’ve got a wider repertoire, and are a more diverse group, than you might think.
This Jewish a cappella choir is willing to try anything and everything, as long as it has “Jewish content”: traditional Jewish songs such as Israeli folk and liturgical music are the foundation, but their defining element is entirely different. In the years since the VJs started out in 2002, founder Jeremy Burko and present artistic director Robby Burko have arranged an extensive inventory of popular music, which they have altered to include a Jewish flare. For example, the unfortunate ABBA hit “Mama Mia” was changed to “My Barmitzva.” Other modifications include “Back from Yeshiva,” a derivative of Stevie Wonder’s “Signed Sealed, Delivered,” “Kashrut,” taken directly from Aretha Franklin’s anthem “Respect,” and the music to Chuck Berry’s “Johnny Be Good” with the lyrics “Pharaoh’s No Good.” These comical arrangements usually get the most applause from audiences, but they’re also message-infused.
As it turns out, the niche for Jewish a capella isn’t as small as you may have expected. In the United States, a capella is taken very seriously. Last year, the choir went on tour to Brandeis University in Boston for a Jewish a capella conference, which was a great opportunity for the group to gain ground on the international scene. When at home, the VJs perform for a number of private functions such as barmitzvas, weddings, and memorials. Publicly, you can catch them at Acapellooza, U of T’s a cappella showcase that features the Varsity Jews alongside the more secular groups To Be Announced, The Standzas and Onoscatopoeia. Their shows are usually packed with a couple hundred hard core Varsity Jews fans.
Of course, nearly all members are connected to Judaism in some way, but there’s a range in how that connection is expressed. Reformed, conservative, and orthodox—according to General Manager and five-year member Rachel Malach, the VJs are composed of singers who are very observant, and those who know next to nothing about the religion. The choristers appreciate the much-needed positive space this diversity opens up. Most synagogues and other Jewish facilities are arranged by sect, so the group provides one of the only arenas where this range of people can assemble, can learn from one another, and figure out how and why they observe in the different ways they do. Everybody is very tolerant of each other’s beliefs, or lack thereof, and feel comfortable expressing themselves.
For those members who are less familiar with the Jewish religion, the group is a vessel for integration. As bass J.M. Erlendson states, “I came from a reform background, so I feel like this has brought me to my roots.” Shayna Levitan, a five-year Varsity Jew, said that the group was the sole factor that ushered her into the Jewish community at U of T. In addition to the choir’s religious diversity, there is an academic miscellany as well, both in terms of program of study and academic level: graduates, post-graduates, professionals, and alumni are welcome. Even a few eager people from the Toronto community have sought out the group as a musical outlet. “We look for interest and availability in a member,” says Malach. And even though they accept nearly everyone into the group, all applicants must go through the audition process to exemplify their enthusiasm and commitment.
Aside from creating music and providing an outlet for the Jewish community, the VJs serve an even greater purpose. All proceeds they earn throughout the year are put back into the group to produce a benefit concert at the end of the year, with final profits from that concert going to a charitable organization chosen by the VJs. In 2002, the group’s inaugural year, they raised $2,000 for Israel-based One Family Fund, which sends family members of those killed in terrorist attacks to a therapy camp. In 2006, the VJs chose Save a Child’s Heart Foundation, an organization that brings children from all over the world—Jewish and non-Jewish alike—to Tel Aviv for free heart surgery that would otherwise cost $10,000. Having raised the money in large part through the generous gift of an anonymous donor, the VJs were able to save one child’s life simply through music.
Based on their charitable achievements over the last six years, the VJs have taken a firm position on the stage of philanthropy. “Singing with the Varsity Jews makes you feel like there’s a purpose that goes far beyond the performance itself because the group’s talent and hard work contributes to the good of the community,” remarks tenor Jordan Silverman.
There are still a few goals that have yet to be fulfilled. Member Terry Schonburger would like to see the group get into the recording studio someday and maybe even lay down a demo album, although studio costs remain a barrier. Their common hope is that a capella will expand in Canada, and hopefully one day match the enthusiasm that the genre generates in the U.S. But for now the Varsity Jews will continue to create a beautiful music and unite the melange of people that compose U of T’s greater community.
