"We had everything we needed to make a lot of holy noise on Har Tzion and all over Israel"
I’m forever indebted to Rabbi Dr. Mordechai Goldstein ztz”l, founder and rosh yeshivah of the Diaspora Yeshiva. We were a very eclectic group of students in the early 1970s. The Rav knew that our music was genuine and that our neshamos had a tachlis for playing it. He encouraged and facilitated the band’s formation and growth — from our earliest days of jamming together, through our greatest successes. We had rehearsal space, a sound system, and Rabbi Goldstein even put up half the cost of the band van I bought. We had everything we needed to make a lot of holy noise on Har Tzion and all over Israel.
It’s hard to point out just one kindness, since every kind word or action contributes so much, whether it is advice and guidance from other industry professionals, or a nice word or email from a stranger. The slightest thing can make a difference at certain points. I once had a difficult question and I called up MBD. He gave me all the time and advice I needed.
When I was 17 and had just started to sing in public, I went into a simchah just to pick something up from someone. They were in the middle of the second dance, and some musicians who recognized me there suggested that I go up to sing. I said I didn’t feel comfortable because I didn’t know the people, and I didn’t want to impose, but somehow a crowd surrounded me and encouraged me, and so I started to sing Lipa’s song “Shtei Off” — until the baal simchah approached and stopped me by taking away the mic. “Who invited you to get on the mic?!” he demanded.
I started to apologize. People were staring, the room went quiet, and I wanted the ground to swallow me. Suddenly, there was a voice from the back of the room. “Do you know who that boy is? He’s going to be a big star one day!” I looked over, and Lipa Schmeltzer had just walked in and sized up the situation. Lipa came over to me and spent half an hour walking around the room with me, talking to me and telling anyone who came up to him that he was busy at the moment, really making me seem important and calming me down. It was incredible how he turned that nightmare around, and I’m forever grateful to him for that.
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