Arts & Entertainment

Musical MIgic

Huntington Woods native with an international career
comes home for Shir Tikvah concert.

Suzanne Chessler
Special to the Jewish News

T

he entertainer who hosted the
opening and closing ceremonies
for this summer's 18th Maccabiah
Games in Israel — before an audience of
50.000 and television viewers in 54 coun-
tries — soon will perform an intimate con-
cert at Congregation Shir Tikvah in Troy.
Michael HarPaz, accompanying himself
with piano and guitar, will preview an
upcoming recording, recall Hebrew hits,
tell about living in Israel and remember
growing up in Huntington Woods.
The show begins 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8,
and might include some surprise guests.
"When I was young and used to see
Israeli artists perform, their stories were
the most interesting parts of the concert;"
says HarPaz, 36, whose parents, Norma
and Natan HarPaz, still live in Huntington
Woods. They are originally from Israel.
"I'm going to weave in my experiences
and anecdotes, whether it involves appear-
ing in bomb shelters during times of war
or serving as MC for the TaglitlBirthright
Israel Mega Events;' says the performer. "I
know that Detroit Jews and it interesting
to hear what's going on in Israel."
HarP-az, who attended Hillel Day School
and graduated from Berkley High School
and the University of Michigan, has built a
career that involves recordings, television
and films. His new single, "Everything Is
Gonna Be Alrig,ht,"1,,-ritten by him, fol-
lows a cameo appearance with singing
sensation Noa in the film The Golden
Pornegranate.
Not to forget his roots, HarPaz sings on
a new Israeli TV commercial for Chevrolet.
He recently filmed a travel commercial in
Paris that also will run in Israel.
"I like doing lots of different things in
entertainment," says HarPaz, who early
on enjoyed music activities with family
— his sister, Daniella HarPaz Mechnikov
of Huntington Woods, is director of life-
long learning at Shir Tikvah — and at
Camp Tamarack. `'I try to do as much as I
can 1.6th different organizations in Israel,
and I consult with artists trying to break
into the industry."
HarPaz got serious about an entertain-
ment career just out of college. He moved
to New York and took some relocation and
work suggestions from a traveling Israeli

Michael HarPaz serves as MC for a Taglit/Birthright Israel Mega Event.

entertainer. After moving to Israel in 1995,
HarPaz found modeling jobs and soon
became a hit with the pop-icon group
Hfive (pronounced HiFive).
After years of hit records, the group
broke up and he moved back to Detroit
and then New York, working on recordings
and commercials. His return to Israel had
to do Nsith his wife, Natalie, who is from
Tel Aviv. While
the couple —
introduced by
mutual friends
— were living
in New York,
she was offered
an attractive
attorney posi-
tion in Israel;
and they decid-
ed that she
should take it.
"I picked
Atatwid
up in the
business [in Israel] where I left otT, says
HarPaz, currently heard on "Nii Zeh"
("Who Is This?"), a hit hip-hop record
featuring Israeli rap artists DJ SHI 360
and Subliminal. `'I was the first person in
Israeli history to host both the opening
and the closing Maccabiah ceremonies,
and it was great working with Galt Giat, a

famous actress and singer.
"My father said that when he saw
me introduce the president of Israel in
Hebrew live on the Web, he started to cry.
He had left Israel when he was a teenager
because his father needed medical atten-
tion in the U.S."
HarPaz, with four gold albums, has writ-
ten for P. Diddy, Usher, Paris Hilton and
the Roots. He has entertained for New
York Mayor
Michael
Michael HarPaz: Bloomberg in
the city man-
sion and is the
"I like doing
writer, singer
pro-
lots of different and
ducer of the
soundtrack
things in
for A
entertainment." Dangerous
Dance, a
movie by
Oscar-nomi-
nated filmmaker Menahem Golan.
With family still in the Detroit area.
HarPaz tries to return at least once a year.
"One of the beautiful things about living
in Israel is that everybody comes to visit:
says HarPaz., proud of a large fan club first
to hear about new proiects."My parents
come, and I always see friends."

When there is time off, HarPaz and his
wile like to travel throughout the Holy
Land. They get in their car, pick a direc-
tion and go for day trips. The two have
seen beautiful nature spots and made
stops at wineries and cheese factories.
"I'm going to be performing rn
Havdalah service on the Saturday night
of the concert," HarPaz says.'A couple of
Years ago, I was commissioned by Cantor
Chaim Naiman of Congregation Shaarey
Zedek of Oakland County to write a new
melody for the Havdalah.
"The cantor wanted a more traditional,
Ashkenazi approach to the prayer and an
older cantonal style with the melody. At
the time, he was president of the American
Cantors Assembly:
"I wrote the piece, and I performed it
at Shaarey Zedek and during a couple
of events in Detroit. I also did it in New
York, and it has grown and turned into a
service. I performed it in Jerusalem for
the first time two weeks ago for the United
Jewish Communities Congress: 7_

Michael HarPaz entertains 8 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 8, at Congregation
Shir Tikvah, 3900 Northfield
ParkyT'ay, in Troy. $10-$20, (248) 649-
4418, ext. 0; www.shirtikvah.org .

6 . 2009

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