Jewish Music

Michael has spent many years playing Jewish music with talented, knowledgeable Bay Area artists, performing at weddings, B’nai Mitzvah, concerts, and folk dance events.

He was the founder and band leader for the popular Bay Area wedding band, “The Shtetlblasters” and an original member of the Israeli dance band, “Adama.”

Michael is also a composer of Jewish music. As a Fellow of the Max Helfman Institute for New Jewish Music, he has composed several settings for traditional Jewish liturgy. In addition, Michael was one of eighteen international composers who authored a new musical “David’s Quilt” based on a biblical libretto, its 2017 world premiere in Los Angeles featuring the UCLA orchestra and chorale. In 2022, Michael was one of fourteen composers of the Los Angeles production “Amazed” presenting new music in honor of the 50th anniversary of the death of Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, a key figure in 20th century Jewish philosophy and the fight for American and international social justice.