Back in 2004, Matisyahu was just starting to tour, he hadn’t signed yet with the big labels. He was scheduled to play a small bar downtown called Savannah’s one night of Chanukah 2004. His tour manager at the time was Zalman Wircberg (his father was a Chassidic mentor at the Hadar HaTorah Baal Teshuva Yeshiva where Matisyahu had studied) called me up and said that Matisyahu is in town, he’s really good and going places, why not have him play on campus. There’s a whole long story about that (it was Finals Week) but we had a most memorable concert titled “Extreme Chanukah – Matisyahu” in what is now the Campus Center Food Court, and he and his band slept the night at Shabbos House after playing first on campus then downtown at Savannah’s.
A couple of years later, Matisyahu already hit the big leagues and was playing the Armory in Albany one night in 2007 and his agent then called that he needed a Minyan for Maariv after the show, and he’d spent a little time with our boys. Some of those boys still have that photo we took that 2007 night after Maariv!
Now in 2024 we heard that Matisyahu is coming back to our area, this time playing an acoustic concert in the prestigious and historic Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. Matisyahu himself had undergone some life metamorphosis since we saw him last, religiously, observant-wise, he was now in a different place. But with the events of October 7th and its aftermath, some of the old stuff came bubbling up strong.
This time, given the backdrop of 2024, the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall was getting pushback from protestors upset with Matisyahu’s pro-Israel stance in this contentious time. This, coupled with student interest, an alumni reaching out, and a call from the promoter, got us to put together a group of students (with an added subsidy for student tickets) and we went with a group of 25.
Yes, we had to walk through raucous protestors to enter the hall, maybe a little overwhelming. But once inside, there was a great crowd of energetic and enthusiastic fans and supporters. Matisyahu started the concert by singing “Hinei Mah Tov” and throughout the concert peppered words of Jewish pride and unity and connection. He sang a mix of his old songs and new songs, he was with an electric guitarist (whom we recognized from the 2004 concert – and yes, they are college friends and stuck together all this time!) and Adam Weinberg on acoustic guitar. For the last 2-3 songs, especially a “One Day” encore, local cellist Laura Melnicoff joined them on stage, and when Laura played cello you really understood what they meant about the incredible acoustics of the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall – you heard that cello close up and resonating wherever you were in that huge space! And her cello playing added so much depth to his songs, it was a whole ‘nother layer!
The last words of the concert, Matisyahu got up and said boldly, loud and clear: “Be Jewish, Be Proud, Don’t Give a X?*!” (Yes, I am a rabbi, but this was a powerful, impactful takeaway line, especially in times like these).
After the Concert: We arranged with the promoter to have a meet & greet photo with Matisyahu after the show. It took a bit, but glad we waited! Matisyahu very much remembered that Chanukah 2004 at UAlbany, and embraced us warmly. It was early on in his career, at the beginnings of his journey, and this 2024 concert was almost 20 years to the date from his first concert in Albany – so he remembered that time well (he said Raizy hasn’t changed in 20 years!) and we caught up a big also from back in his Hadar HaTorah days when Mendel and Raizy (them at ILTSP/MyJSF) spent summers on the same campgrounds in the Catskills. And he knew Ilan Weinberg, a high school rabbi of one of our students and he shmoozed with us about him. And he told us a vivid tale of how he got Mendel the Mikvah attendant at Empire Shteeble Mikvah to open late for him one time! Matisyahu explained the impact of October 7th and its aftermath, what it brought out in us, how we can’t be same old, how it makes us stronger Jews, more deeply connected, it was a wake-up call, a game-changer, gave examples and all… He made quality post-concert time for our group and the schmoozing and positive vibes and memory lane was a lot of fun, meaningful and very memorable!