Afternoon of Israeli music coming to E. Bruns. library

The Makhelat HaMercaz Jewish Choir of Central New Jersey will present a tribute to the land of Israel Saturday at the East Brunswick Public Library. The free concert is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

EAST BRUNSWICK - Think Israeli music consists only of "Hava Nagila?"

Think again. On March 2, Makhelat HaMercaz Jewish Choir of Central New Jersey will present a tribute to the land of Israel, performing at the East Brunswick Public Library, 2 JeanWalling Civic Center. The choral program will feature pieces celebrating Israel's upcoming 60th birthday, including traditional and contemporary interpretations of HaTikvah, and compositions by Arik Einstein, Achinoam Nini, Noami Shemer and Sol Zim.

Pianist Dave Schlossberg, a favorite of East Brunswick Library audiences, will be on hand as accompanist. The free concert is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

"This year, Makhelat HaMercaz has devoted its energies to honoring the breadth and depth of Israeli-inspired music," said cantor Anna West Ott, of Anshe Emeth Memorial Temple in New Brunswick. Cantor Ott, together with Hazzan Sheldon Levin, of Neve Shalom, Metuchen, founded and codirects the regional choir, which has grown from two dozen to more than 50 singers since its creation in 2003.

"The choir will present many different styles and cultures, from early Zionist songs in Yiddish, to American composer/ guitarist David Berger's modern version of 'HaTikvah,' to the contemporary hit 'Keren Or' by Israel's pop star Achinoam Nini," said Levin, who arranges many pieces for the choir and has prepared a doo-wop version of the traditional "V'suv Itchem" for the program.

Dedicated to building community through Jewish music, Makhelat HaMercaz performs music that spans the spectrum of Jewish experience and traditions - religious, secular, classical, jazz, pop and folk tunes sung in Hebrew, Yiddish, English and Ladino.

The program was made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, and through a grant provided by the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission and the Board of Chosen Freeholders. The choir is also underwritten by contributions from the Karma Foundation. For more information, call (732) 548-2238, ext. 14, or log onto http://mercazchoir.org.