Shulem Lemmer

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Shulem Lemmer

| image =

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|11|6}}

| birth_place = Borough Park, Brooklyn, New York City

| origin =

| genre =

| associated_acts =

| occupation = Singer

| years_active =

| label = Universal Music Group

| website = {{URL|iamshulem.com}}

}}

Shulem Lemmer (born November 6, 1989), known professionally simply as "Shulem," is an American Belz Hasidic singer from Borough Park, Brooklyn, in New York City.Irene Connelly (December 9, 2019). [https://forward.com/life/436074/an-unexpected-hasidic-pop-star-takes-the-stage/ "An Unexpected Hasidic Pop Star Takes The Stage,"] The Forward. He is the first born-and-raised Charedi Jew to sign a major record contract with a leading label, Universal Music Group, under its classical music Decca Gold imprint.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/belz-hasid-singer-shulem-lemmer-signed-to-major-label-living-the-perfect-dream/|title=Signed to major label, Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer lives 'The Perfect Dream'; With two singles already released, the 28-year-old musician is now recording an eclectic album for Decca Gold accompanied by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra|last=Prince|first=Cathryn J.|work=The Times of Israel|language=en-US|access-date=April 28, 2020|date=June 28, 2018}}

Early life

Lemmer was born and raised in Borough Park, Brooklyn, in New York City.{{cite web|last=Lawless |first=Jill |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/belz-hasid-singer-shulem-lemmer-signs-major-record-deal/ |title=Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer signs major record deal; The Boro Park-raised Lemmer sings in English, Yiddish, and Hebrew, crossing from religious to contemporary Jewish music|work=The Times of Israel |date=June 27, 2018 |access-date=April 28, 2020}}Matt Robinson (August 9, 2018). [https://jewishjournal.com/culture/237096/shulem-lemmer-impossible-chasidic-dream/ "Shulem Lemmer: The Impossible (Chasidic) Dream,"] Jewish Journal. He is a fifth-generation American, from a Hasidic family of the Belz movement. Belz is a town in Galicia, in eastern Europe, where the Belz dynasty originated.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/video/shulem-lemmer-sings-god-bless-america/ |title=Shulem Lemmer sings "God Bless America" |publisher=CBS News |date=December 22, 2019 |access-date=April 28, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/07/18/shulem-lemmer-orthodox-jewish-record-deal/772807002/ |title=Meet an Orthodox Jewish trailblazer from Toms River with a record deal |publisher=App.com |access-date=April 28, 2020}} Lemmer is the youngest of eight children.{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-shulem-lemmer-first-ultra-orthodox-singer-to-get-a-major-record-deal-1.6618132 |title=Meet the first ultra-Orthodox singer to get a major record deal in the U.S.|author=Jean Mikle |work=Haaretz |date= June 18, 2018|access-date=April 28, 2020}}

Lemmer studied at the Belzer Cheder in Borough Park, and attended the Mir Yeshiva in Jerusalem, living in Israel for six and a half years.{{cite web|url=https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/headlines-breaking-stories/1544544/historic-chassidic-singer-lands-major-record-deal-with-universal-music-group.html|title=HISTORIC: Chassidic Singer Lands MAJOR Record Deal With Universal Music Group|date=June 26, 2018|website=The Yeshiva World|language=en-US|access-date=April 28, 2020}}{{cite web|last=Lawless |first=Jill |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/belz-hasid-singer-shulem-lemmer-signed-to-major-label-living-the-perfect-dream/ |title=Signed to major label, Belz Hasid singer Shulem Lemmer lives 'The Perfect Dream' |work=The Times of Israel |date=June 28, 2018|access-date=April 28, 2020}} He began performing at small family events when he was 10 years old; when he was 13 his sister Tzippy, who later died at 23 years of age in a car accident a few weeks after she was married, encouraged him to perform on stage at a brother's wedding.[https://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2020/01/video-shmuzik-episode-5-yossi-zweig-interviews-shulem-lemmer-simcha-leiner-eli-levin.html "Yossi Zweig interviews Shulem Lemmer, Simcha Leiner, and Eli Levin,"] The Lakewood Scoop, January 15, 2020.{{cite web|last=Dolsten |first=Josefin |url=https://www.jta.org/2020/04/23/culture/the-musician-shulem-on-being-the-first-artist-raised-hasidic-to-sign-with-a-major-record-label |title=The musician Shulem on being the first artist raised Hasidic to sign with a major record label |publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |date=April 23, 2020 |access-date=April 28, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://jewishjournal.org/2019/12/05/shulem-lemmers-perfect-world/|title=Shulem Lemmer's perfect world|author= Steven A. Rosenberg|date=December 6, 2019|website=Jewish Journal|language=en-US|access-date=April 28, 2020}} His older brother, Yanky, is the cantor in Manhattan's Lincoln Square Synagogue.{{Cite news|last=Cohen|first=Debra Nussbaum|url=https://www.haaretz.com/us-news/.premium-shulem-lemmer-first-ultra-orthodox-singer-to-get-a-major-record-deal-1.6618132|title=Meet the First ultra-Orthodox Singer to Get a Major Record Deal in the U.S.; With his sidecurls and young family of three, Shulem Lemmer is not your average musician - but Universal believes the Hasidic singer can be the next big thing - and he even has his rabbi's blessing |date=November 4, 2018|work=Haaretz|access-date=April 28, 2020|language=en}} The Lemmers are second cousins of renowned Harvard Law Prof. Alan Dershowitz.

Before becoming a full-time singer, Lemmer was the director of marketing at a technology firm start-up based in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. He also still works as a cantor during the High Holidays at Congregation Ahavath Torah, a Modern Orthodox synagogue in Englewood, New Jersey.

Musical career

Lemmer is a tenor. He has not had any formal training; he researched vocal training on YouTube and Google, and learned how to perform "on the job". He released an album in 2017 entitled Shulem.

He is the first born-and-raised Hasidic Jew to sign with a major record label, having signed with Universal Music Group under its classical music Decca Gold imprint. Lemmer consults with a team of rabbinic advisors; his contract stipulates that he can refuse a performance for any reason.

In April 2019, Lemmer sang “God Bless America” at Citi Field.[https://www.theyeshivaworld.com/news/general/1710674/watch-this-shulem-lemmer-performs-g-d-bless-america-at-mets-nationals-game-at-citifield.html "WATCH THIS: Shulem Lemmer Performs G-D Bless America at Mets / Nationals Game at Citifield,"] The Yeshiva World, April 7, 2019. He has toured in American and Israeli cities, and sung in London, Krakow, Frankfurt, and Zurich.

The music on his November 2019 major label debut album, The Perfect Dream, is produced by Jon Cohen and accompanied by London's Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.{{cite web|author= Mark Deming |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/shulem-mn0003753995/biography |title=Shulem | Biography & History |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=April 28, 2020}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/265477/universal-music-discovered-belzer-hasid-shulem-lemmer-on-youtube-they-just-released-his-first-singles|title=Universal Music Discovered Hasidic Singer Shulem Lemmer on YouTube. They Just Released His First Singles.|date=July 2, 2018|work=Tablet Magazine| author=Yair Rosenberg |access-date=April 28, 2020|language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://www.jweekly.com/2019/09/16/young-gifted-and-hasidic-tenor-to-sing-at-the-ofjcc/|title=Sensational Hasidic tenor Shulem coming to Palo Alto|last=Paull|first=Laura|date=September 16, 2019|website=J.|language=en-US|access-date=April 28, 2020}} It consists of English, Hebrew, and Yiddish songs, including the Israeli song “Jerusalem of Gold,” and “Bring Him Home” from the Broadway musical “Les Misérables.” The title track of the album, "The Perfect Dream," is an original song written for Lemmer by lyricist Don Black.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Lemmer was recruited by the Department of Health and Human Services to raise awareness about the virus to Orthodox Jewish communities.{{Cite web|title=Trump administration drafts Hasidic singer Shulem Lemmer to bring awareness to COVID crisis in Orthodox communities|url=https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/hasidic-singer-shulem-lemmer-drafted-to-bring-awareness-to-covid-crisis-in-orthodox-communities|access-date=2020-09-30|website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=24 September 2020 |language=en-US}}

On Holocaust Memorial Day, Shulem Lemmer sang at the United Nations.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuyMAUT6qoQ | title=Shulem Lemmer sings at the UN on Holocaust Memorial Day | website=YouTube | date=29 January 2020 }}

In March 2023, Lemmer released his third studio album, Kiddush Hashem, which he produced himself, as well as serving as the co-composer for some of the songs.

Discography

Shulem (2017)
The Perfect Dream (2019)
Kiddush Hashem (2023)

Personal life

Lemmer lives in the North Dover section of Toms River, New Jersey, having moved there with his family in 2017.{{cite web|url=https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/07/18/shulem-lemmer-orthodox-jewish-record-deal/772807002/|title=Meet the Orthodox Jewish trailblazer from Toms River with a major record deal|date=July 19, 2018|last=Mikle|first=Jean|website=Asbury Park Press|language=en|access-date=April 28, 2020}} He is married, and has four children.{{cite web|url=http://www.amimagazine.org/2018/07/25/the-making-of-a-music-star/|work=Ami Magazine|title=The making of a Music Star / In an exclusive interview with Ami, Shulem Lemmer shares how he landed a contract with one of the leading music companies in the world, Universal Music Group|access-date=April 28, 2020|date=July 25, 2018|author= Yitzchok Frankfurter}}

In 2019, he was awarded a Jew in the City All-Star Award.{{cite web|url=http://www.5tjt.com/stars-shine-at-6th-annual-jew-in-the-city-all-stars-awards/|title=Stars Shine at 6th Annual Jew in the City All-Stars Awards|date=January 13, 2020|website=The 5 Towns Jewish Times|language=en-US|access-date=April 28, 2020|author=Rochelle Maruch Miller}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lincolncenter.org/show/jew-in-the-citys-6th-annual-all-star-awards|title=Jew in the City presents its 6th Annual All Star Awards|website=Lincoln Center|access-date=April 28, 2020}}

His brother Yaakov Lemmer is a hazzan (cantor) and performing artist who currently serves as Head Cantor of Lincoln Square Synagogue, a Modern Orthodox congregation in New York City.{{cite web | url=https://www.lss.org/meet-our-clergy.html | title=Meet our Clergy - Lincoln Square Synagogue }} Lemmer and his brother have performed and recorded music together (as "Shulem and Yanky Lemmer"), including a live performance of "Lo Sachmod" with Shira Choir in 2016{{cite web |title=Lo Sachmod – Yanky & Shulem Lemmer - Shira Choir {{!}} ״לא תחמוד״ יוסל'ה רוזנבלט / מקהלת שירה והאחים למר |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQk5_obxOnc |website=Youtube | date=8 June 2016 |publisher=Shiezoli |access-date=2 January 2022}} and the 2021 studio release The Man From Vilna.{{cite web |title="The Man From Vilna" – Shulem and Yanky Lemmer |url=https://5townscentral.com/2021/12/22/the-man-from-vilna-shulem-and-yanky-lemmer/ |website=5 Towns Central |date=23 December 2021 |access-date=2 January 2022}}

References

External links

{{Official website|https://www.iamshulem.com/ }}
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdwTuToxW9s&feature=youtu.be "Shulem Lemmer singing with Shira, 'Chad Gadyu,'"] June 13, 2015
[https://www.thelakewoodscoop.com/news/2020/01/video-shmuzik-episode-5-yossi-zweig-interviews-shulem-lemmer-simcha-leiner-eli-levin.html "Yossi Zweig interviews Shulem Lemmer, Simcha Leiner, and Eli Levin,"] The Lakewood Scoop, January 2020.

Category:Living people

Category:1989 births

Category:American Hasidim

Category:Jewish American musicians

Category:Jewish songwriters

Category:Hasidic entertainers

Category:Yiddish-language singers

Category:Hebrew-language singers of the United States

Category:Hasidic singers

Category:People from Borough Park, Brooklyn

Category:Entertainers from Toms River, New Jersey

Category:Musicians from Brooklyn