Five members of Congregation Tikvat Israel recently paid a visit to the corridors of power when they were part of a performance Dec. 5 by the singing troupe Zemer Chai at the White House Hanukkah Festival.
The TI choir members were Manny Helzner, Leesa Shem-Tov, Sarah Fishman, Jimmy Perlmutter and Janaki Kuruppu (left to right, below, posing in a White House library). They and fellow singers got to shake hands with President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.
One lovely moment occurred during that last half-hour of the group’s two-hour show t when a young couple stopped to listen. “They were so moved by the notes they started dancing, and as the last chords of our music were ringing in the space, they kissed each other passionately,” related one member of Zemer Chai. “Our voices faded, and they applauded us, and then told us that they were newly engaged. We burst into laughter and congratulations and then sang Siman Tov U’Mazel Tov.”
Other guests joined in singing to the happy couple, forming a dance circle to celebrate them.
The five congregants agreed on this: The afternoon was an amazing experience and an unusual setting to sing in, and it was wonderful to meet the president and first lady.
