Guide Category: Entertainers, Performers
The Guide to Jewish Living offers a comprehensive, up-to-date directory of Chicago-area Jewish organizations, resources, products, and services. The guide acts as a community driven lexicon sponsored by Jewish Chicago: The JUF’s Magazine to foster connection and support. Email [email protected] with questions or for information on advertising opportunities.
* Listings with an asterisk are part of the JUF/JF partnership of agencies serving the Chicago and worldwide Jewish community.
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Alan Avrum Levin
Musician/singer/comedian performing one-man shows. Also one-man band at weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs with Israeli, Chasidic, klezmer, and American music.
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Alberto Mizrahi
Cantorial and classical artist in nine languages, including Hebrew, Yiddish, Ladino, Italian, and Greek.
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Allan Kaye Orchestras
Traditional-contemporary Chasidic, klezmer, Israeli, American music with male vocalists for pre-ceremony, ceremony, cocktails, dinner/dance reception.
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Artists of Note
Storyteller and puppeteer: performances, workshops, writing, and presentations.
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Ashira Orchestra
Contemporary and traditional Chasidic, Israeli, klezmer, and American music. Weddings and events Chicago and nationwide. Vocalists available from Chicago, New York and Israel.
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Bernie Warman
Pianist-vocalist using electric keyboard. Yiddish, Israeli, Latin, American music. Ceremonies, parties, receptions, simchas and holiday celebrations.
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Bizar Entertainment
Band and DJ, for all occasions including bar/bat mitzvahs.
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Cagen Music LLC
Don Cagen Orchestra, Big Beat, Incognito, Orchestra Chicago, and Ashira. Nationally renowned musicians for weddings and special events. We have produced the entertainment for over 4,000 Chicago weddings, plus hundreds of destination weddings nationwide. We bring you once in a lifetime music for your once in a lifetime event.
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Charlene Brooks
7855 N. Kilbourn Ave. Skokie IL 60076 (847) 721-6076 (847) 675-6731 (847) 675-6087 [email protected] Singer, songwriter and actress performing cabaret, Jewish, Hebrew, Broadway and jazz. Cantoral soloist. Author and performer of "Life Stinks! And Other Things
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Chicago Klezmer Ensemble
721 Case Street Evanston IL 60202 (847) 475-3905 [email protected] http://www.muziker.org Kurt Bjorling Authentic traditional klezmer music for simchas, concerts, and educational events. None false 0144
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Danza Tedesca Strings
Israeli, Jewish, classical, and pop music.
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Debbie Sue Goodman
Performs stand-up comedy based on her humorous books, "Still Single" and "Still Dating." She is also the author of the book, "My Husband the Stranger." Debbie Sue is an author, comedian, impersonator, vocalist and a dating advice columnist.
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Eileen Berman
Vocalist performs cantorial solos, show tunes, pop, Hebrew/Israeli, Yiddish, opera, classical.
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Ensemble M’chaiya
Acoustic, innovative, and energetic Klezmer band that gets everyone’s heart and feet dancing to Klezmer tunes set to Gypsy grooves, rhythmic Sephardic and swinging Yiddish songs, and Israeli dance tunes. To make sure you are on the right foot, the band teaches and leads you through the fun yet simple line and circle traditional dances. Two to six musicians are available for concerts, private events, dances, educational programs, and more. On request, Big Band Swing to 1950s acoustic rock and Beatles songs are available as are World Music styles related to Klezmer.
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HATAV Orchestra
Variety of Jewish music, featuring Chasidic.
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HaZamir Chicago
HaZamir Chicago, a chapter of HaZamir: The International Jewish Teen Choir, is open to Jewish teens in grades 9-12 who love to sing.
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Herb Hartman
A cantor for Conservative or Reform services and wedding ceremonies.
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Jazmer
Jewish, American, Eastern European (klezmer/Yiddish), Sephardic, Israeli, 20th-century jazz and popular music. Israeli dance leading available. For weddings, bar mitzvahs, private parties and concerts.
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Jeff and Janis Musical Entertainment
For over 15 years our duo has presented delightful musical programs for special events, parties, celebrations, and diverse organizations. Programs include popular Jewish and American selections, show tunes, folk, standards, and we offer educational/musical presentations exploring the lives of Jewish composers who created gems of the Great American Songbook. Follow us on Facebook!
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Jewish Performing Arts Academy
Instruction for high-school students in Jewish song--vocal and instrumental--and dance; four groups: the Shiga'on Singers, the Shiga'on Dancers, the Maxwell Street Junior Klezmer Band, and the Jewish Community Youth Orchestra; performances for community o
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Joel Frankel’s Musical Merriment, The K’vell-ing Groovies
Engaging, interactive performances featuring original and popular songs for younger audiences and those young at heart. Solo to quartet, fun to funner.
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JRC’s Heavy Shtetl Klezmer Band
Klezmer band made up of members of the Jewish Reconstructionist Congregation.
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Kari Howard
Singer/actress performs Jewish composers of Broadway
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Kaufman Orchestra
Professional musicians for wedding receptions, bar/bat mitzvahs, corporate events, gatherings. Klezmer with folk dancers. Jewish, jazz, and pop music.
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Key Tov Orchestra
Seasoned orchestra for all simchas.
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Keystone Chamber Ensemble
String quartet, specializing in weddings, private/corporate parties: classical, light classical, modern/contemporary and Jewish music.
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King’s Men Orchestra
Wide variety of American, Jewish, klezmer, and Israeli music.
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Kol Sasson
Hebrew, American, and Israeli folk songs.
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Kol Zimrah
Kol Zimrah, which means "voice of song," began in 1996 as a community choir. The group now includes representatives from 21 synagogues as well as several unaffiliated members. Its mission: sustain and interpret the great tradition of Jewish choral music, serve as a musical resource for the region, and encourage the composition of new Judaic choral works. The volunteer choir, conducted by Cantor Pavel Roytman, who is also the choir's music director, performs in concerts, synagogues and community events.
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Kolay Noam Orchestra
Chasidic, Israeli, and Yiddish music.
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Larry Brent Orchestra
4208 N. Harvard Ave. Arlington Heights IL 60004 (847) 392-4910 False 1231
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Leah Shoshanah
Singing with guitar accompaniment and song leading for Shabbat, bar and bat mitzvahs, weddings, parties and special events.
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Listen Up! Jewish Vocal Band
Crazy Awesome Jewish A Cappella. Humor, harmony and vocal pyrotechnics make Listen Up! a great choice for concerts and special events. The Chicago Tribune raves, "uniquely compelling... fresh and full of appeal." With an impressive repertoire of Israeli and Jewish music spanning decades and styles, Listen Up! can tailor performances to delight audiences of all ages.
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Liz Zoller Cohen
Singer, pianist, cantorial soloist. Popular, standards, jazz, Broadway, Jewish music and liturgy, cocktail piano for all occasions.
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Lynn Hazan
Storytelling, dramatic presentations and interactive workshops for all ages on Judaism and the Jewish experience for holidays, life cycle events, communal celebrations. Special programs on personal narratives, Jewish humor and global Jewish experience (including Sephardic and Ethiopian Jewry).
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Marlene Baron
Vocalist in many musical styles.
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Maxwell Street Klezmer Band
The band has delighted audiences for three decades with their joyous, soulful spin on Jewish music. They are equally skilled at swing, ballroom, classic rock and roll, Motown and Latin dance music. Their Klezmer Music Foundation sponsors The Junior Klezmer Orchestra, The Salaam-Shalom Music Project, and three congregational klezmer bands. Violinist Alex Koffman was featured soloist with Chicago Sinfonietta at Symphony Center, and the band played in the world's first klezmer opera with Lyric Opera.
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Mesamechai Leiv Orchestras
Modern and traditional Jewish music for all occasions.
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Michael Lerich Productions
Music and entertainment with orchestra for social and corporate events.
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Miriam Lewis
International Song Stylist. Song for every occasion. Vocalist performing songs in Yiddish, Hebrew, Italian, Russian, Polish along with Broadway tunes and popular standards. Available for dinner shows, meetings and private events.
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Mobile Music Interactive Entertainment
DJs, emcees and interactive dancers for bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings and corporate events since 1978. Always appropriate, with packages customized to fit specific needs and budgets.
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Modern Klezmer Jazz Quartet
Jewish jazz for all occasions.
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MondlBroyt
Ensemble specializing in klezmer freylach folk music; some Israeli music, songs of Yiddish theater.
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Nancy Shapiro-Pikelny
(847) 859-9166 [email protected] http://www.storytellernancy.com Acclaimed storyteller of Jewish folktales, family lore, original narratives and historical stories, including her renowned Holocaust story "A Window of Beauty." Educational and en
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Naomi Bayer
Vocalist/guitar player, programs for children and adults; Hebrew, Jewish, folk, and contemporary.
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Naomi Weiss-Weil
B'nai mitzvah tutor and cantorial soloist.
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Noah Marcell
Vocalist/instrumentalist in Yiddish, Hebrew, Russian, Gypsy, and klezmer music.
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Or Tzedek: Teen Institute for Social Justice
Or Tzedek is JCUA's Teen Institute for Social Justice! A unique 12-day summer immersion program for teens across Illinois and the country who want to become agents of change. Learn about social justice and community organizing through a Jewish lens and participate in hands-on justice work with local organizations. Build Jewish community and bond with fellow teens interested in making a difference in their communities. Tour Chicago in the summer time and have a blast!
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Personalities Inc.
3328 Commercial Ave. Northbrook IL 60062 (847) 272-7892 (847) 272-7894 [email protected] http://www.personalitiesinc.com Lou Loiben North Shore interactive D.J. company. Bar/bat mitzvahs and corporate affairs. All parties customized to clients needs.
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Rabbi Roy Vey
Comedy and Illusion for almost any occasion.