A mechanech by profession, Rabbi Chaim Block uses his talents for choir performances and creating music videos in a school setting

When he started singing at friends’ weddings and yeshivah dinners, Rabbi Chaim Block didn’t picture recordings on the horizon. But when Shalsheles formed in 1999, Chaim joined composer Yitzchok Rosenthal and fellow singers Rabbi Simcha Sussman and Baruch Aryeh to complete the group, which went on to release seven albums and collaborate on many others. Rabbi Block, originally from L.A. and today in Monsey, has been the chazzan at the AABJ&D shul in West Orange, New Jersey for the Yamim Noraim for the last 22 years. A mechanech by profession, he uses his talents for choir performances and creating music videos in a school setting.

A COMPOSER I MOST CONNECT TO

Many of my favorite songs come from Yossi Green or Yitzchok Rosenthal. Both of them write songs that offer not just a good catchy tune, but meaningful emotional expression. They often use words that are new to listeners, and they create music that has emotional value.

MY MOST MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE

Years ago, we were doing a Shalsheles concert at a high school in Silver Spring, and different kids were going to come on stage to sing with us. At one point in the concert, someone was going to come up, and we were going to sing his own song with him. We were a little dubious about that, but I remember Yitzchok Rosenthal saying ‘Just listen to the song first.’ We did, and all of the guys realized it was a good song. It was called “Lema’ancha,” and the guy was Eitan Katz! We were the first ever to sing it with him.

MY FAVORITE KUMZITZ OPENER

For a long time, it was “Vehu Keili” by Baruch Levine. Now it’s Naftali Kempeh’s “Emes Malkeinu.”

OUR BEST SHALSHELES MOMENT

The concerts we did at YU together with Avraham Fried were very special. There was a palpable energy, the atmosphere was less formal and more relaxed and fun, and everyone participated and sang along — while we got to sing with Fried.

HOW WE GOT STARTED

Back in 1999, when we joined together to create Shalsheles, Shloime Dachs, Sruli Williger and Mendy Wald were releasing a lot of popular music, and it was just before Shwekey came onto the scene. Personally, I didn’t think our group would go far, because those solo acts had become the ‘in’ thing. I’d thought we’d just have fun singing. Then my father, who has a small shul in L.A., asked if we would come sing at their shul dinner. We did, and then we started getting more calls. I guess there was space for a new sound, and Shalsheles offered it.

A SONG I’M STILL SINGING FROM MY CHILDHOOD

Rabbi Shelaim Furst a”h was the baal tefillah in my father’s shul when I grew up. He was a phenomenal rebbi and inspiring chazzan, and I loved how he sang Carlebach’s “Kevakoras.” I brought that tune with me to the shul in West Orange where I serve as shaliach tzibbur, and by now, the entire crowd joins in.

A SONG THAT WAS TOO COMPLICATED FOR ME TO SING, BUT I LOVED HEARING

Mona’s “Ribbono shel Olam,” as sung by MBD. When I was a kid in L.A., MBD came for a concert, and I was in a children’s choir which sang this song along with him. But I could never sing it alone publicly — I’ll leave that to MBD.

IT’S NOT FRIDAY NIGHT WITHOUT

I actually don’t really sing the conventional zemiros. I love Shloime Gertner’s “Kodesh Hee Lachem,” and I’ll sing any nice Shabbos song or even something more general.

A SPECIAL FAMILY CUSTOM

Rabbi Avigdor Miller once said that after making Kiddush on Rosh Hashanah night, a person should say thank you to Hashem for giving him another year of life. We go around the table and each family member expresses something personal that they’re grateful for, and then we all sing “Modim,” which Yossi Green composed for Rabbi Shloime Taussig. It’s a beautiful piece that I often sing with my children and grandchildren at home, and when I daven in shul, too.

A SONG THAT TAKES ME TO ANOTHER PLACE

Suki Berry composed a song called “Arukah” for their Suki & Ding wedding album — the first song Avraham Fried ever recorded. It’s been revived on a collection recently, and the meaning takes me back to my days as a bochur in yeshivah, tasting the Torah that’s wider and deeper than the sea. MBD’s “Mimkomcha,” from the 1984 Suki & Ding all-star Simcha album, takes me back to my wedding — I walked down to that song, which is a hidden gem.

A SONG I CONSIDER UNDERRATED

Yossi Green composed a “Meheira” for Shloime Gertner’s first album, Nisim, released in 2007. It is not widely sung but it’s beautiful. Once, when Shloime sang at a wedding here in New York, I sang this “Meheira” together with him. That was a real highlight.

WORDS THAT GET ME EVERY TIME

“Ekra leElokim Elyon… yishlach mishamayim veyoshiaini….” The pesukim are just so deep and so relevant, about calling out to Hashem. Yitzchok Rosenthal’s compositions are filled with meaning, and he didn’t pick these words just for fun. Their message is so strong that people are still walking down to the chuppah to this song.

A SONG THAT’S AT ITS BEST WITH A CHOIR AND FULL HARMONY

Yigal Calek’s “Shimu Melachim.” We did this piece in a choir in camp when I was sixteen, and you can really build up the harmonies for a full and beautiful sound.

FIVE SONGS ON MY PLAYLIST

Shauly Waldner’s “Ki Malachov”; Michoel Pruzansky’s “Yerushalayim” from his album Ashrecha, a very pretty song composed by Ari Goldwag; Shwekey’s “Shema Yisrael” — this is an English ballad that every choir I arrange in school and camp just has to sing; Zusha’s “Don’t Leave Me on My Own”; the “Acheinu” composed by Yossi Green and sung by Avraham Fried on his early Forever One album. I know everyone sings the other “Acheinu” composed by Abie Rotenberg, and not to compare, but I think this one is even nicer.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 1084)