The Chevra 3 A funny thing happened to Eli Gerstner on the way to Eretz Yisroel. Eli travels often and likes to use his flying time to catch up on some muchneeded sleep. But this flight was different. He found his seat and discovered that he was sitting in middle of a rather large group of young college students who were coming to Israel as part of the birthright program. As Eli tells it, “There was this extreme mixture of people between the ages of 15 and 20, with tattoos, earrings, the works. No one wore a yarmulka, yet they were all going to Israel to experience a little bit of Judaism.” Someone sitting near Eli strikes up a conversation and asks what he does. Eli says he records music. “Anything I know?” asks the guy. “I don’t think so,” says Eli. And that would have been the end of that. Except that a few hours later someone comes over to chat with Eli’s neighbor and they start discussing Jewish music. Sooner or later, someone asks Eli, “By the way, what’s your name?” When Eli answers, the young man breaks into a great big smile. “Hey everybody” he says. “This is the guy who wrote ‘Yehei’. Within moments, the entire cabin of completely non-religious youngsters starts to sing the song. At that moment it became clear to Eli, that there had to be a Chevra Three, and it has to be soon." It’s hard to imagine, but there once was a time when nobody ever even heard of Eli Gerstner or the Chevra. When he first started the Chevra, Eli was about nineteen years old, and had just released his own debut album. He came up with the idea of a group album (which has since influenced many others to record group albums as well) but he needed four talented singers. Eli would approach people to audition and said, “Hi I’m Eli Gerstner and I’m interested in forming a group.” Most of the time they would answer, “Eli who?” Still, he managed to put together a great group and the success of Chevra, Chevra A Cappella and Chevra Two, took the Jewish music world by storm. The songs were hummed by everyone from housewives to balabatim to yeshiva bochurim, and - yes - college students. So much so that when Eli began to audition a new group of singers for Chevra Three, the lines were forming around the block. Thus do we eagerly await Chevra Three, Eli’s upcoming release. Only this album will certainly be different than the first two. For starters, we have a brand new Chevra. Three of the original members have gone their own way. Each one is out pursuing their respective careers, launched by the phenomenal success of the Chevra experience. Now a new group of young energetic and super- talented singers take their place along with the lead singer of the original Chevra, Dovid Nachman. First let’s introduce the 3 new members. Eli Daitchman and Mordechai Askenazi are both veterans of Miami Boys Choir, and they bring that musical experience and stage presence with them as they join the Chevra. Chaim Frand has been singing with NCSY for the last ten years as well as many, many simchos. Obviously they are all polished professionals, musically inclined from head to toe, despite their relative youth. But it’s not enough to be young and talented in order to join the Chevra. Eli was careful to choose singers with personality and midos. He knows they have an image to project and he wants to make sure that they make the proper impression. The music and the songs will be different on this album as well. After all, Chevra was first created as a refreshing alternative to the status quo and catered to a younger and more discriminating audience. He set uncompromising standards for himself and offered music that was then considered ‘trendsetting’, or even ‘daring’. Eventually his standards were accepted by the rest of the industry and his music was and still is played at heimishe simchas on a regular basis. Now, once again, Eli raises the bar. He presents us with an album that is cutting edge and very today, yet still meets the requirements of Jewish tradition. “What makes the album?” is the age-old question that’s been asked by the listening pubic since time immemorial. Is it the voices? The songs? The arrangements? Do you judge an album’s success by its singers? Its producer? Its music? There is, of course, no absolute answer. Some albums ‘make it’ because of a superstar singer, others because of irresistible songs. With Chevra Three, however, the question is largely unnecessary. All the elements of a record breaking blockbuster album are here. (& The Yeshiva Boys Choir appearing on it can’t hurt either.) And the signature song of this recording? In lieu of ‘Yehei’ & ‘Lecho’, Eli now offers us ‘Chizku’, which is every bit as appealing and exciting and promises to become the next big thing. It’s got all the elements of a super-hit, and Eli should know, considering he has his finger on the pulse of the Jewish music market and a keen sense of what the public wants to hear. So the next time Eli travels to Israel and winds up seated with a group of all-American college kids, he might just want to stay wide awake. If past experience is any indication, he may be serenaded by a song called ‘Chizku’ before the flight is over. As past success has proven, there’s no telling how far the influence of Chevra music can travel. << Back to Press