Hampton Synagogue's Former Cantor To Star in Public TV Concert

WESTHAMPTON BEACH, NY — Westhampton Beach residents will soon see a familiar face on PBS — Dudu Fisher, the former chief cantor at the Hampton Synagogue, is set to star in a concert on public television soon.

Fisher, an acclaimed Israeli cantor and Broadway star, will premiere his third public television concert, "Dudu Fisher in Jerusalem," nationwide in March, 2017.

Viewers in the New York metropolitan area will get a sneak peek; the special will debut on local PBS station WLIW21 on Sunday, Jan. 22 at 7:30 p.m. Channel 13 will air the show in February.

Fisher served as chief cantor of the Hampton Synagogue from 2005-2008, as well as at the New York Synagogue.

According to a release, the special "invites viewers for a very personal homecoming concert that features traditional Jewish songs, Broadway tunes and pop hits, enhanced by breathtaking views of the city and a personal tour of Jerusalem’s historic sites."

The special, "Dudu Fisher in Jerusalem" is distributed by American Public Television and presented by WPBT, Miami.

“This public television concert special is my most personal yet,” Fisher said. “Performing songs that reflect on my family and my career, in the city that is central to my life, has been an amazing experience I am thrilled to share with my fans.”

The show, recorded in an intimate theater setting in Jerusalem with an 18-piece orchestra, promises to bring viewers the most popular songs from his Fisher's live shows as well as new soon-to-be-standard performances not seen before in his previous television specials, the release said.

The concert opens with an emotional rendition of “Jerusalem is Mine,” a tribute to the singer’s ties to his homeland that sets the tone for a musical journey through the soundtrack of his life from his childhood to today.

Fisher, a former cantor of the great synagogue of Tel Aviv, will also perform “This is Jerusalem,” “If I Forget Thee Jerusalem” and “Jerusalem of Gold”; the show will include aerial footage of the city as well as vignettes of daily life in Jerusalem market.

Highlights will include scenes of Fisher at the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the tomb of the singer’s namesake, King David.

A love for family will color the performance, with the song “He” dedicated to his newborn son; “Love is the Best Part of Life” a serenade to his wife, Tali, and “Mama,” an emotional "thank you" to his mother.

The show will also include popular songs by Simon and Garfunkel and Elvis Presley, a performance of “We are the World” featuring the Israeli boys choir The Kinderlach, and Broadway show tunes.

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Photo courtesy Elya Productions.