34 | DECEMBER 3 • 2020 

S

hiri Maimon, applauded 
as both the “Beyoncé of 
Israel” and a Broadway 
star, is this year’s guest enter-
tainer appearing in the Laker 
Concert. 
A digital program because 
of the worldwide pandemic, 
the concert will feature her 
live vocals joined by a key-
board accompanist. It runs 
4-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 13, and 
is hosted by Temple Israel.
“Performing for Jewish 
communities around the 
world is always an honor and 
a pleasure,” said Maimon, who 
is expected to combine pop 
and blues Israeli songs with 

numbers by Jewish composer 
John Kander and Jewish lyri-
cist Fred Ebb for the musical 
Chicago, the show that brought 
her to New York to play lead 
character Roxie Hart.
“I am always happy to 
bring the Israeli flavor abroad 
and see how the audience 
unites when I sing both songs 
from my repertoire as well 
as famous and known classic 
Israeli songs.
“Normally, I get to meet the 
people, talk and hear their sto-
ries. Unfortunately, this time 
it will be contactless, and yet I 
am sure the warm welcoming 
I always get from the Jewish 

communities will be felt. I will 
love to visit Detroit so, hopeful-
ly, we’ll have the chance to sing 
together face-to-face very, very 
soon.
”
Temple Israel Cantor 
Michael Smolash is at the cen-
ter of arranging this annual 
event, which started in 1993 
and is a Laker family gift 
to the community in honor 
of the late Sarah and Harry 
Laker.
“Shiri Maimon is prob-
ably the most exciting act 
ever brought in for the Laker 
Concert,
” Cantor Smolash 
said. “Strangely, the reason we 
could was probably because of 
COVID. We wanted to see what 
advantage virtual programming 
might give because of not deal-
ing with flights and schedules 
in the normal way.
“We decided not to limit 
our guest search even to North 
America, and we called on one 
of the biggest stars in Israel 
to see if that person would 
appear.
”
Maimon, who has recorded 

six acclaimed albums and was 
a judge on the Israeli version 
of The Voice, will be making her 
Michigan debut.
“
A concert from Israel brings 
something special,
” said the 
cantor, who reminds viewers 
that the varied live performanc-
es, scheduled close to Passover, 
had to be canceled this year 
because of the pandemic. 
“Shiri Maimon has a great 
Broadway voice, but when she 
does pop, she has a great R&B 
sound. She’s a really versatile 
singer. We always have our eyes 
out for Israeli entertainers who 
are [traveling in the United 
States].
”
Maimon, who grew up near 
Haifa, launched her career 
when she was 10 by appearing 
in a children’s musical. Drafted 
into military service in 2000, 
she became a vocalist in the Air 
Force Band.
In 2003, Maimon audi-
tioned for Israel’s version of 
American Idol and attained 
second place, gained public 
popularity and was signed by 

Shiri Maimon to guest at Temple 
Israel’s Laker Concert.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The ‘Beyoncé 
 
of Israel’

ARTS&LIFE
MUSIC

Israeli singer Shiri Maimon 

performs as Roxie Hart in a 

production of the Broadway 

musical Chicago.

SHAY FRANKO

