The HASC Concert, officially A Time for Music, is an annual concert benefiting Camp HASC, a summer camp for children with special needs. Established in 1988, the concert is a prominent event within the Jewish music community.
History Camp HASC was established in 1963 by Rabbi Max and Blanche Kahn. It offers therapeutic, medical, and educational services to its campers. It offers a combination of academic and recreational activities, supported by a team of staff and medical professionals.
The inaugural HASC concert took place on January 17, 1988. Sheya Mendlowitz conceived the concert after visiting Camp HASC in the 1980s and learning about the camp's financial difficulties. The first concert was held at the Lincoln Center. The concert has been held annually since and has become a significant fundraising event for the camp.
Format The concert takes place in January and features a lineup of Jewish musical artists. Past performers have included Avraham Fried, Mordechai Ben David, Yaakov Shwekey, and Benny Friedman. The performers are typically not announced in advance.
The concert is typically held at venues such as Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The program includes musical performances, duets, and sometimes theatrical presentations.
The concerts were previously released on DVD. Starting with A Time For Music 31, a livestream was offered instead of a DVD release.
Production Sheya Mendlowitz produced the concert for majority of its first eighteen years. Suki and Ding produced it from 2006 to 2015, Eli Gerstner produced it from 2016 to 2022, followed by Shloime Steinmetz from 2023.
The concert was originally directed for the first thirty years by Yisroel Lamm, conducting the Neginah Orchestra. Following his retirement, various conductors participated, sometimes several in one show, including Yoeli Dikman, Rafi Grady, Yuval Stupel, Tzvi Blumenfeld of Freilach Band, and Mendy Hershkowitz.
The concert is hosted by Nachum Segal, who succeeded the original host, Zale Newman.
Chaim Tutio has been the official concert photographer since 2016, succeeding Stan Weiss.
Recent concerts The 37th concert, held on January 5, 2024, included a hologram of performer Shlomo Carlebach, which generated controversy.
Timeline +#DateThemeFeatured PerformersVenue1January 17, 1988Around the YearMordechai Ben David, Avraham Fried, Yoel SharabiAvery Fisher Hall2January 22, 198925 Year Tribute to Jewish MusicMordechai Ben David, ShIomo Carlebach, Dveykus, Piamentas, Ben Zion Shenker, Jo Amar, Or Chodosh, Pirchei, Avraham RosenblumAvery Fisher Hall3January 21, 1990Avraham Fried, Harmony, Abie Rotenberg, Mordechai Ben DavidAvery Fisher Hall4January 6, 1991Mordechai Ben David, Dveykus, Journeys, Kol Achai, London School of Jewish SongAvery Fisher Hall5January 12, 1992Showcase of the MastersMordechai Ben David, Regesh, Yaron Gershovsky, Yaakov Uriel, Avi Piamenta, Yossi Piamenta, Abie Rotenberg, Yeedle WerdygerAvery Fisher Hall6January 10, 1993The Concert of a LifetimeMordechai Ben David, Shlomo Carlebach, Baruch Chait, Abie Rotenberg, Yoel Sharabi, Dedi Graucher, Yaron Gershovsky, Dov Levine, David Werdyger, Rivie Schwebel, Shlomo Simcha, Yossi Piamenta, Avraham Rosenblum & Ruby Harris, Yigal Calek & London Vocal QuartetAvery Fisher Hall7January 9, 1994The Next StageMordechai Ben David, Miami Boys Choir, Gershon Veroba, Sandy Shmuely, Moshe YessRadio City Music Hall8January 8, 1995Only MusicMordechai Ben David, Miami Boys Choir, Abie Rotenberg, Ira Heller, Yeedle Werdyger, Yehuda GlantzAvery Fisher Hall9February 4, 1996Cities Salute JerusalemAvraham Fried, Prague Symphony OrchestraAvery Fisher Hall10January 5, 1997Tenth AnniversaryDedi Graucher, Mendy Wald, Yoel Sharabi, Jo Amar, Yeedle Werdyger, Abie RotenbergAvery Fisher Hall11January 11, 1998The Next DecadeMordechai Ben David, Dedi Graucher, Amit ListvandMetropolitan Opera House121999Mordechai Ben David, Avraham Fried, Amit ListvandMetropolitan Opera House13January 9, 2000Bar Mitzvah CelebrationMordechai Ben David, Dedi Graucher, Abie Rotenberg, Shlomo Simcha, Toronto Kol Chaveirim ChoirMetropolitan Opera House14February 4, 2001Mordechai Ben David, Avraham Fried, Ruby Harris, Toronto Vocal EnsembleMetropolitan Opera House15January 13, 2002United We StandMordechai Ben David, Dedi Graucher, Baruch Abittan, Srully Williger, Shlomo Simcha, Abie Rotenberg, Yossi Green, Yeedle Werdyger, D’veykus, Toronto Kol Chaveirim ChoirMetropolitan Opera House16January 12, 2003Vintage MBDMordechai Ben David, Yaakov Shwekey, Srully Williger, Shloime Dachs, Mendy Wald, Yeedle Werdyger, Baruch Chait, Toronto Kol Chaveirim Choir Metropolitan Opera House17January 18, 2004Jerusalem - The ExperienceMordechai Ben David, Shalsheles, Srully Williger, Chaim Dovid, Lipa Schmeltzer, Benzion Miller, Yaron GershovskyThe Theater at Madison Square Garden18January 9, 2005Chai - Eighteen Year CelebtrationYaakov Shwekey, Yeshiva Boys Choir, Srully Williger, Ohad Moskowitz, Shlomo Simcha, Yossi Green, The Rabbis' Sons, Piamentas, Baruch Levine, Matisyahu, Eli Gerstner, Lipa Schmeltzer, Yaron Gershovsky The Theater at Madison Square Garden192006Yaakov Shwekey, Abie Rotenberg, Avraham Fried, Yitzchak Meir Helfgot, Yeshiva Boys ChoirCarnegie Hall20January 14, 2007Avraham Fried, Yitzchak Meir Helfgot, Lipa Schmeltzer, Dovid Gabay, Ohad Moskowitz, Dedi Graucher, Baruch Levine, Shalsheles JuniorAvery Fisher Hall21January 13, 2008Avraham Fried, Yitzchok Meir Helfgot, Ohad Moskowitz, Dudu Fisher, Shlomo Katz, Yeshiva Boys Choir, Eitan KatzAvery Fisher Hall22January 11, 2009Yaakov Shwekey, Yitzchok Meir Helfgot, Yehuda Green, Dovid Gabay, Baruch Levine, Abie Rotenberg, Yossi Piamenta, Moni PiamentaAvery Fisher Hall23January 10, 2010Avraham Fried, Lipa Schmeltzer, Dedi Graucher, Yitzchak FuchsAvery Fisher Hall24January 9, 2011A Time for DuetsAbie Rotenberg, Baruch Levine, Ohad Moskowitz, Yehuda Green, Lipa Schmeltzer, Shloime Gertner, Shalsheles, Shalsheles Jr, Avraham Fried, Benny Friedman, Yonatan Shainfeld, Yeshiva Boys ChoirAvery Fisher Hall25January 8, 2012A Time For Celebration Avraham Fried, Lipa Schmeltzer, Shloime Gertner, Ohad Moskowitz, Dedi Graucher, Dovid Gabay, Abie Rotenberg, Eitan Katz, Yehuda Green, Chaim Dovid, Uncle Moishy, Yoel Sharabi, Shalsheles, Shalsheles Jr, Maccabeats, Yitzchok Meir Helfgot, Journeys, Srully Williger, Mendy Wald, Shloime Dachs, Baruch Levine, Miami Boys ChoirAvery Fisher Hall26January 13, 2013We're BackMordechai Ben David, Avraham Fried, Abie Rotenberg, Michoel Pruzansky, Yeedle Werdyger, Benny FriedmanAvery Fisher Hall27January 12, 2014Celebrating 40 Years of Camp HASCAvraham Fried, Abie Rotenberg, Diaspora Yeshiva Band, Ohad Moskowitz, Baruch Levine, Benny Friedman, 8th Day, Ari Goldwag, Ieshula IshakisAvery Fisher Hall28January 11, 2015Yaakov Shwekey, Abie Rotenberg, Benny Friedman, Simcha Leiner, Dedi & Aviel GraucherAvery Fisher Hall29January 10, 2016Yaakov Shwekey, Abie Rotenberg, 8th Day, Lev Tahor, Yonatan Razel, Piamentas David Geffen Hall30January 15, 2017A 30 Year CelebrationAbie Rotenberg, Rivie Schwebel, Baruch Levine, Avraham Fried, Yaakov ShwekeyDavid Geffen Hall31January 7, 2018Avraham Fried, Ari Goldwag, Shalsheles, Meilech Kohn, Eli Gerstner, Yeshiva Boys Choir, Simcha Leiner, Baruch ChaitDavid Geffen Hall32January 6, 2019Zusha, Pumpidisa, Matt Dubb, Abie Rotenberg, Shlomo Simcha, Mordechai Shapiro, Beri Weber, Or Chodosh, Eli Gerstner, Shlomo Schachter, Yishai Lapidot, Yaakov Shwekey, Abie RotenbergDavid Geffen Hall33January 12, 2020Avraham Fried, Ishay Ribo, Shulem Lemmer, Yerachmiel Begun, Benny Friedman, Simcha Leiner, Avraham Rosenblum, Joey NewcombDavid Geffen Hall34February 14, 2021Beri Weber, Matt Dubb, Joey Newcomb, Baruch Levine, Yaakov Shwekey, Avraham FriedAmerican Dream35January 9, 2022Avraham Fried, Chaim Yisrael, Joey Newcomb, Mordechai Shapiro, Ishay Ribo, Lipa SchmeltzerBell Works36January 9, 2023Yaakov Shwekey, Akiva, Shulem Lemmer, Itzik Dadya, Eitan Katz, Yitzy Waldner, Miami Boys ChoirNew Jersey Performing Arts Center37January 5, 2024A Time for UnityShulem Lemmer, Benny Friedman, Ari Hill, Shalom Berholtz, Shmuel, Mordechai Shapiro, Baruch Levine, Abie Rotenberg, Alex Clare, Avraham Fried, Matt DubbNew Jersey Performing Arts Center38January 19, 2025Beyond WordsEli Schwebel, Rivie Schwebel, Benny Friedman, Avraham Fried, Shuli Rand, Zusha, Yonatan Razel, Yaakov ShwekeyNew Jersey Performing Arts Center39January 18, 2026Shulem Lemmer, Shmueli Ungar, Sruly Green, Benny Friedman, Itzik Dadya, Moti Weiss, Naftali Kempeh, TYH Boys, Mendy Worch, Chaim GhooriNew Jersey Performing Arts Center
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