I used to go to Webster Hall back in the day when the Matzo Ball was only 400 people instead of 1000, and the Jews would take over the New York night club with a vengeance, promising that the disco ball would stay spinning with four different types of music playing and that the trapeze hanging overhead in the main room -- and usually swinging with drag queens or other performers -- would remain unused, at least for that night. Because Jews don't generally like to swing over crowds of other Jews. Aerial is not our thing.
But Saturday night, one of the things that the Jews did do was turn out by the hundreds for birthright israel's big Hanukkah concert bash, The Eight, which was produced by JDub Records and held in five cities on the same night--the New York event was at Webster Hall, which has apparently since lost its disco ball and its trapeze, while gaining a concert sound system and a VIP upper level that looks like it's the backstage part of a set for some production of something, providing more of a crew-behind-the-scenes feel than a "standing next to Michael Steinhardt" feel. Don't be alarmed; Lindsay and I still managed to stand next to Michael Steinhardt, and had the delight of witnessing the endlessly enthusiastic and energetic Lynn Schusterman bopping along to Israeli rap. You may also be interested in Phoebe's recap on Jewlicious.
Hadag Nachash always gives a great show, lots of energy, with the Israelis in the crowd singing all the words and the Americans in the crowd singing all the words they thought were the actual words and pumping their hands in the air like they just don't ca'are.
Another highlight/stroke of genius was the photo booth installation, which took instant digital pictures of people who were there and printed copies immediately to provide on-site souvenirs. I seriously wish I could have this photo booth at EVERY PARTY I ever go to in the future. To see the photos from the Eight, click here to visit photographer Mark Van S.'s online studio --which ones of your Jews were there?
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