By day Rabbi Ross is a yeshivah rebbi, but on his keyboard and bass, joined by his kids and their own instruments, the Ross family transforms into Rock Mishpacha
Photos: Naftoli Goldgrab
M
ost bands don’t have to worry about the voice of their lead singer changing overnight or sneaking in some rehearsal time in between studying for exams. But most bands aren’t a family endeavor where many of the musicians have not yet had their bar mitzvah.
“The bar mitzvah of Baruch, our second son, was the first time we played together professionally,” says Rabbi Yitzie Ross, the father of the musical crew known as Rock Mishpacha. “We practiced a few times in the studio, and my sister told us we sounded great.”
That was two years ago. Since then, the members of Rock Mishpacha have been bringing their special brand of musical joy to concert halls and family simchahs — while getting their schoolwork done on time. We recently visited the family’s Lawrence home to see how they do it.
According to Rabbi Ross, a dynamic fourth-grade rebbi at Yeshiva of South Shore, the family’s musical saga has its beginnings with his own bar mitzvah. “We just had a tape recorder playing,” he recalls. “Live music was an unattainable luxury. Not long afterward, I bought my first keyboard. I played at simchahs, initially for free, and my music became very popular — until I married and didn’t want to go out in the evenings of my shanah rishonah.”
Create a free account to keep reading.
