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May 29, 2009
Liel inspires KDHS audience
Israeli singer is a role model for students – and for all of us.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY
Everyone attending King David High School's second annual Teaching for Tomorrow gala last week knew that the headliner, Liel, could sing. What the near-full house crowd at the River Rock Resort theatre might not have known was that she would also make them laugh.
Only 19 years old, this international singer, songwriter and peace ambassador from Israel has an inspiring stage presence. Having met a group of KDHS Grade 12 students when they visited Israel recently, Liel swept onto stage with a big, warm, "How are you guys?! It's good to see you again!" She stated right away that everyone in the audience should, "feel free to jump on stage with me and dance." While it took the better part of the night for that to happen, the entire evening was filled with a positive energy.
KDHS student Samantha Levin set the mood and the expectations high with her renditions of O Canada and Hatikvah. And event co-chairs Cheryl Stein, Renée Katz and Natalie Rosengarten kept things moving, getting straight to the point in their brief comments.
Stein thanked all the concert-goers, sponsors and donors, as well as those who worked on putting together the night's event, including KDHS executive director Dan Shmilovitch and development and communications associate Debbie Appelbaum.
Katz gave an overview of Liel's impressive career, which started when the singer was 12 years old. Katz, who also met Liel in Israel, noted how "unaffected she is by her fame and her success," even though Liel has collaborated with such renowned musicians as Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, Herbie Hancock and Celine Dion. Katz noted that, in addition to her singing career, the young entertainer is currently serving in the Israel Defence Forces, while also being "her generation's symbol of peace." For years, Liel has been involved with such groups as Seeds of Peace, the Peres Peace Centre, Save a Child's Heart and Children of Peace. Katz said that Liel has raised more than $10 million for various charities. According to KDHS's website, the group of students who went to Israel met with Liel to discuss a peace project collaboration.
For these and other reasons, Teaching for Tomorrow "could not have found a more perfect fit" than Liel, said Rosengarten in her remarks. Rosengarten explained how KDHS kids are taught to be ambassadors to the world. They are taught compassion and to give back to the community, she said: they are ingrained with the idea that, "Individually, we all have the ability to make a difference." Rosengarten then introduced a short video of moments in the school day of a KDHS student, including academics, helping those less fortunate, spending time with the elderly, celebrating Israel (ahavat Yisrael, love of Israel) and remembering those who were killed in the Holocaust.
KDHS alumnus Cory Segal, who was in the first class to graduate from the school's new building on 41st Avenue, said that, before the relocation, it was "more about spirit and camaraderie than architecture and amenities," but now students enjoy both. He noted some of KDHS's successful graduates and thanked all the supporters of the school for making "such a profound difference in our lives."
Liel, barely out of high school herself, engaged the crowd, especially the KDHS students present, singing a song from her new album just for them. She also dedicated a number to an unnamed couple who were spending their anniversary at the concert rather than at a more romantic venue. In between most songs, Liel shared some stories of her life with the audience. It was in these moments that her comedic side stood out. For example, she spoke of how her career began: "When I was 12 years old, a long, long time ago, I won a talent competition," she said, stressing the words "long, long time ago" with obvious irony.
When she was 14, she said later, she had the chance to sing with a relatively unknown performer at the time. In fact, she joked, she thinks she gave him – President Bill Clinton – his big break when they sang "Imagine" together. "Unfortunately, he couldn't be here tonight, he's really busy," said Liel before singing John Lennon's song of peace.
In the middle of another song, as it reached its pinnacle, Liel abruptly stopped singing and motioned for the band to stop playing. She said she wanted to "try something different," then tried to get the audience to sing the last chorus of the song with her. After a few half-hearted efforts from the crowd, Liel turned to leave the stage, saying, "I'm going to get some coffee." The audience performance improved after that and, by the end, she had the entire theatre on their feet and all of the KDHS students on stage.
Among the songs Liel performed were "Ray of Hope," the lyrics of which were written by Israeli President Shimon Peres, "Memory" from Cats, "What a Wonderful World," "Adon Olam," "Oseh Shalom" and the final encore, with the help of the students on stage, "We are the World."
Afterward, Stein thanked Liel, whose job wasn't over for the evening. At the reception organized by co-chairs Robyn Segal and Maureen Wiseman and catered by Nava Creative Kosher Cuisine, Liel signed CDs for her young (and some not so young) fans.
Other organizing contributors to the event included program book chairs Gail Feldman and Cheryl Milner and committee members Paulette Fishman, Barbara Gelfant, Shirley Hirsch, Andrea Isserow, Lindsay Isserow, Sandi Kaye, Gaynor Levin, Judy Mandleman, Liz Saade, Reisa Schwartzman, Daisy Sommer, Deborah Youngson, Laurie Zlotnik and Mark Zlotnik.
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