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Shulem Lemmer

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Shulem Lemmer
Born (1989-11-06) November 6, 1989 (age 35)
Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York City
OccupationSinger
LabelsUniversal Music Group
Websiteiamshulem.com

Shulem Lemmer (born November 6, 1989), known professionally simply as "Shulem," is an American Belz Hasidic singer from Borough Park, Brooklyn, in New York City.[1] He is the first born-and-raised Charedi Jew to sign a major record contract with a leading label, Universal Music Group, under its classical music Decca Gold imprint.[2]

Early life

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Lemmer was born and raised in Borough Park, Brooklyn, in New York City.[3][4] He is a fifth-generation American, from a Hasidic family of the Belz movement.[5] Belz is a town in Galicia, in eastern Europe, where the Belz dynasty originated.[5][6] Lemmer is the youngest of eight children.[7]

Lemmer studied at the Belzer Cheder in Borough Park, and attended the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, living in Israel for six and a half years.[8][9] He began performing at small family events when he was 10 years old; when he was 13 his sister Tzippy, who later died at 23 years of age in a car accident a few weeks after she was married, encouraged him to perform on stage at a brother's wedding.[10][11][12] His older brother, Yanky, is the cantor in Manhattan's Lincoln Square Synagogue.[13] The Lemmers are second cousins of renowned Harvard Law Prof. Alan Dershowitz.

Before becoming a full-time singer, Lemmer was the director of marketing at a technology firm start-up based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.[14][7][6] He also still works as a cantor during the High Holidays at Congregation Ahavath Torah, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey.[11]

Musical career

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Lemmer is a tenor.[6] He has not had any formal training; he researched vocal training on YouTube and Google, and learned how to perform "on the job".[6] He released an album in 2017 entitled Shulem.[11]

He is the first born-and-raised Hasidic Jew to sign with a major record label, having signed with Universal Music Group under its classical music Decca Gold imprint.[7][6] Lemmer consults with a team of rabbinic advisors; his contract stipulates that he can refuse a performance for any reason.[13]

In April 2019, Lemmer sang “God Bless America” at Citi Field.[15] He has toured in American and Israeli cities, and sung in London, Krakow, Frankfurt, and Zurich.[12]

The music on his November 2019 major label debut album, The Perfect Dream,[1] is produced by Jon Cohen and accompanied by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.[16][17][18] It consists of English, Hebrew, and Yiddish songs, including the Israeli song “Jerusalem of Gold,” and “Bring Him Home” from the Broadway musical “Les Misérables.”[7] The title track of the album, "The Perfect Dream," is an original song written for Lemmer by lyricist Don Black.[6]

During the coronavirus pandemic, Lemmer was recruited by the Department of Health and Human Services to raise awareness about the virus to Orthodox Jewish communities.[19]

On Holocaust Memorial Day, Shulem Lemmer sang at the United Nations.[20]

In March 2023 Lemmer released his third studio album, Kiddush Hashem, which he produced himself, as well as serving as the co-composer for some of the songs.

Discography

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  • Shulem (2017)
  • The Perfect Dream (2019)
  • Kiddush Hashem (2023)

Personal life

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Lemmer lives in the North Dover section of Toms River, New Jersey, having moved there with his family in 2017.[6][14] He is married, and has four children.[21]

In 2019, he was awarded a Jew in the City All-Star Award.[22][23]

His brother Yaakov Lemmer is a hazzan (cantor) and performing artist who currently serves as Head Cantor of Lincoln Square Synagogue, a Modern Orthodox congregation in New York City.[24] Lemmer and his brother have performed and recorded music together (as "Shulem and Yanky Lemmer"), including a live performance of "Lo Sachmod" with Shira Choir in 2016[25] and the 2021 studio release The Man From Vilna.[26]

References

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  1. ^ a b Irene Connelly (December 9, 2019). "An Unexpected Hasidic Pop Star Takes The Stage," The Forward.
  2. ^ Prince, Cathryn J. (June 28, 2018). "Signed to major label, Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer lives 'The Perfect Dream'; With two singles already released, the 28-year-old musician is now recording an eclectic album for Decca Gold accompanied by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  3. ^ Lawless, Jill (June 27, 2018). "Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer signs major record deal; The Boro Park-raised Lemmer sings in English, Yiddish, and Hebrew, crossing from religious to contemporary Jewish music". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  4. ^ Matt Robinson (August 9, 2018). "Shulem Lemmer: The Impossible (Chasidic) Dream," Jewish Journal.
  5. ^ a b "Shulem Lemmer sings "God Bless America"". CBS News. December 22, 2019. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Meet an Orthodox Jewish trailblazer from Toms River with a record deal". App.com. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  7. ^ a b c d Jean Mikle (June 18, 2018). "Meet the first ultra-Orthodox singer to get a major record deal in the U.S." Haaretz. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  8. ^ "HISTORIC: Chassidic Singer Lands MAJOR Record Deal With Universal Music Group". The Yeshiva World. June 26, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  9. ^ Lawless, Jill (June 28, 2018). "Signed to major label, Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer lives 'The Perfect Dream'". The Times of Israel. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  10. ^ "Yossi Zweig interviews Shulem Lemmer, Simcha Leiner, and Eli Levin," The Lakewood Scoop, January 15, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c Dolsten, Josefin (April 23, 2020). "The musician Shulem on being the first artist raised Hasidic to sign with a major record label". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  12. ^ a b Steven A. Rosenberg (December 6, 2019). "Shulem Lemmer's perfect world". Jewish Journal. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Cohen, Debra Nussbaum (November 4, 2018). "Meet the First ultra-Orthodox Singer to Get a Major Record Deal in the U.S.; With his sidecurls and young family of three, Shulem Lemmer is not your average musician - but Universal believes the Hasidic singer can be the next big thing - and he even has his rabbi's blessing". Haaretz. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  14. ^ a b Mikle, Jean (July 19, 2018). "Meet the Orthodox Jewish trailblazer from Toms River with a major record deal". Asbury Park Press. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  15. ^ "WATCH THIS: Shulem Lemmer Performs G-D Bless America at Mets / Nationals Game at Citifield," The Yeshiva World, April 7, 2019.
  16. ^ Mark Deming. "Shulem | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  17. ^ Yair Rosenberg (July 2, 2018). "Universal Music Discovered Hasidic Singer Shulem Lemmer on YouTube. They Just Released His First Singles". Tablet Magazine. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  18. ^ Paull, Laura (September 16, 2019). "Sensational Hasidic tenor Shulem coming to Palo Alto". J. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  19. ^ "Trump administration drafts Hasidic singer Shulem Lemmer to bring awareness to COVID crisis in Orthodox communities". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-30.
  20. ^ "Shulem Lemmer sings at the UN on Holocaust Memorial Day". YouTube. 29 January 2020.
  21. ^ Yitzchok Frankfurter (July 25, 2018). "The making of a Music Star / In an exclusive interview with Ami, Shulem Lemmer shares how he landed a contract with one of the leading music companies in the world, Universal Music Group". Ami Magazine. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  22. ^ Rochelle Maruch Miller (January 13, 2020). "Stars Shine at 6th Annual Jew in the City All-Stars Awards". The 5 Towns Jewish Times. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  23. ^ "Jew in the City presents its 6th Annual All Star Awards". Lincoln Center. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  24. ^ "Meet our Clergy - Lincoln Square Synagogue".
  25. ^ "Lo Sachmod – Yanky & Shulem Lemmer - Shira Choir | ״לא תחמוד״ יוסל'ה רוזנבלט / מקהלת שירה והאחים למר". Youtube. Shiezoli. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  26. ^ ""The Man From Vilna" – Shulem and Yanky Lemmer". 5 Towns Central. 23 December 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
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