Sweet Harmony
by Jill Duff-Hopes
The Members of HaZamir Orlando, a choir for local Jewish teens, make beautiful music together onstage. But the connections and friendships they make offstage are even more powerful.
HaZamir Orlando is part of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir – a pluralistic, auditioned choir comprised of nearly 400 young singers from 35 chapters across the United States and Israel. Every fall, the chapters begin rehearsing that season’s selections of Jewish choral music, – an eclectic repertoire sung in Hebrew and English. Then, the following spring, the groups gather in New York City for the HaZamir International Festival, which culminates in a gala performance at a concert hall in the Big Apple, combining the singers from all the chapters into one huge, harmonious choir.
Orlando’s chapter is conducted by educator Eric Levine, who teaches music, theatre, and piano at Gotlib Jewish Academy. When people learn about HaZamir, Eric says, they’re always impressed that the teens get the opportunity to perform at renowned Venuses such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Metropolitan Opera House.
“But in my opinion, the real magic of the program is the community that is created with these teenagers,” says Eric. "I’ve seen firsthand how transformative the program is for these teens. It’s about them being able to connect with other teens who are like them – building identity and their confidence and their sense of belonging. Lifelong friendships are formed through the learning of this Jewish music. For some of these kids, this is the first time that they feel part of something larger than themselves.”
“We have so much in common...”
Educator Eric Levine is the conductor of HaZamir Orlando, a chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir.
Jaynie Ragas, a 17-year-old member of HaZamir Orlando, says she has formed strong relationships not just with her fellow chapter members, but also with singers from across America and Israel.
“We have so much in common: we’re Jewish, we love to sing, we’re artists, and we’re al so committed to music,” says Janie, a rising senior at Lake Mary High School. “And everybody’s just so nice. It’s genuinely so amazing.”
Jaynie, who also sings in her school choir, has been a member of HaZamir Orlando for two years and is eager for the new season to begin.
“When we perform, it’s just so special,” she says, “because we’ve worked on this all year, and then we come together and get to know each other. These songs have such great meaning, so it’s very emotional for me.”
In addition to singing in the choir, Jaynie is also part of HaZamir’s Teen Leadership Program for 11th and 12th graders, who are given the opportunity to develop their leadership skills through an online forum and in-person retreats. Jaynie and the program’s other participants serve as role models for their peers and as social directors at HaZamir events, including the annual festival.
Hazamir:
The International Jewish Teen Choir is a program of the Zamir Choral Foundation, created by Maestro Matthew Lazar to promote choral music as a vehicle to inspire Jewish life, literacy, and community.
This past season, the other members of the Orlando chapter were Sage Ragas (Jaynie’s sister), Isaac Kira, Madelyn Zwick, Tilly Raij, Githal Figueroa-Ramirez, and Yoella Sicilano. All plan to return for the 2025-2026 season except for Isaac, who recently graduated from high school. Orlando’s chapter is open to Jewish students who will be entering eighth through 12th grades, and auditions for new members will be held in late summer.