Israel – A leading figure in the religious pop music scene has launched a strictly ultra-Orthodox version of American Idol, to be known as A Haredi Star is Born, modeled after the Israeli version of American Idol, Kochav Nolad.
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
Haredi pop music promoter Menahem Toker has already held auditions for hundreds of hopefuls and has narrowed the contestants down to a handful. And has been offering the haredi community a kosher version of American Idol, that will soon present the first two contestants.
Toker’s programs, which include discussions of current events, interviews and performances, are distributed monthly on CDs to about 10,000 haredi families who do not have TVs and often are not hooked up to Internet. But most have PCs. So the CD is the perfect form of media used to tap into Israel’s haredi community of between 500,000 and 700,000.
“The response so far has been tremendous,” said Toker. “We’ve gotten a lot of positive reactions.”
Voting for the next haredi idol will pose a problem since many haredi families who receive Toker’s CDs cannot send an e-mail. Also, “kosher” cellular phones do not have SMS options.
But Toker has made available an answering machine that will field telephone calls and a fax number.
The chosen during the final performance will not be awarded the “typical” American Idol prizes:” The winner will not receive the same treatment as in the secular sector, since the only stars in our community are rabbis,” said Toker, “but there’s no doubt he will become a musical icon and make use of the vocal gift God has given him in order to entertain people.”
oh my. We do not have enough music cd’s coming out everyday?
Do we really need to hear 1,000 hemishe wannabees?
This is the problem with jewish music. When we start copying all the trash that the goyim offer then we have seriuos problems.
Can we please her Rabbi Levin on this issue?
GEVALDIG BRING IT ON CAN’T WAIT TO SEE IT
sounds great.
Music is supposed to uplift us; to inspire us to be better people. Does this fit the bill?
LO SEILECH BISELCHAS HAGOYIM
Who cares what Levin says?? who died and made him king anyway… I think this is a wonderful idea.
What is American idol?
Do I hear one positive comment?
It would have happened sooner or later so let’s enjoy it.
I think we have forgotten what Chareidi means. Everyone one with even the minutest yarmulke has been included it this circle. Get real, this has nothing to do with the olem that are yorei shomayim.
Mr. Singing like a frog, I would rather hear 1,000 hemishe wannabees than have to listen to Rabbi Levin any day.
I wish Toker the best, but I am shocked that this hasn’t been banned yet!
phooooooey
geval – what are we coming to – next will be a beauty pageant complete with bathing suits
This should be amusing
rugelech Says:
I think we have forgotten what Chareidi means. Everyone one with even the minutest yarmulke has been included it this circle. Get real, this has nothing to do with the olem that are yorei shomayim.
================================================
show me one place in halacha that guages yirei shomayim with the size of a yarmulka?.
Go back in your little yarmulka hole and play with the wormies under your rock.
Avi: 9:51am “I wish Toker the best, but I am shocked that this hasn’t been banned yet!”
Shhh Shhh – Not so loud the Ayatolahs are listening and I’m sure they will con the gedolim
into assuring this too.
The emes is there is nothing wrong with this b’etzem and it’s a good idea – the issue here (which I agree with) is why mention “American Idol” a goyishe program –
If this IS all about copying the goyim and familiarizing the innocent yidden with their
hashchosa then this not a good thing.
If the gedolim do ban this (which I doubt)I hope they get together and discuss it and come up with THEIR OWN original nusach that is well thought out and show that they ALL gave it due consideration not just rubber stamping each other on some Ayatolah’s latest decree.
Didn’t oorah-cumber just do this?!
can someone tell me what is so awful about a singing contest? How is that ‘goy-like?’ Maybe the winner will actually be able to sing! Unlike some of the current crop of tone deaf Jewish music ‘stars.’
Now that the Bais Din Gadol has invalidated Rabbi Druckman, they have plenty of time to try out their stuff to enable us to vote on ‘my favorite’ dayan….can’t wait…
very funny
Anon 1:27pm “can someone tell me what is so awful about a singing contest? How is that ‘goy-like?”
Nothing wrong (my humble opinion) if you don’t model it & advertise it as “Haredi Version of American Idol” (see title) Get it ?
what a crazy idea
I still fail to see whats wrong with making a kosher version of American Idol?
Until anyone can give a coherent and correct reason why this is so bad, stop spewing your own personal chumros/narshkeit on everybody else. You dont like it? dont listen! and stop trying to make sinners out of everybody. …and while your at it, get a life.
Wow! They rabbonim will have their hands full banning so many concerts, there won’t be any time for machlokes!
What about the ladies? We can sing!
With all due respect every good idea we have as jews does not need to be implicated. What this program will do is educate our youth that the ideal jew, the star of our people is the one who sings best…. Maybe if they had a similar competition involving something remotely valuable to our religion, and mind u that music is valuable but there is no tradition of mass entertainenemt and concerts for the sake of pure enjoyment… So here we are in a generation where most of us are having a hard time figuring things out as is and we’re gonna create a program based on what the non jews do to emulate and portray their idea of a star, exact opposite of ours, then we take this and put it in five hundred thousand homes where they’re trying to teach the exact opposite ideas….. Interesting to say the least….
What will they think of next?
Too much free time on their hands in Israel – find another activity that helps the People. GIve out the Israel Prize for those who do chesed in the hospitals, hospitality, orphans, award real prized for chasadim.
So who are the judges? Simon,,,uh I meant Shimon
The whole concept is wrong. If they were just making a contest it wouldn’t be such a problem. The problem here is that they want to COPY the goyim. Do you get it?
Anon 2:14 “I still fail to see whats wrong with making a kosher version of American Idol? ”
Of course there are those that don’t see anything wrong with watching American Idol either and will tell everyone to “stop trying to make sinners of everybody” and “get a life”
thankfully there are still many of us that strive to keep their neshomas pure as much as possible (at least we try) and aim to be muvdal from the decadence in the goyish velt
so we cringe when they hear “American Idol” in the same as “Charedi Version”.
No one said that this SHOULD be banned (yet) (check all comments) so you should not take offense and call an expression of this sensitivity “spewing personal chumros/narshkeit” You seem to be the one frothing at the mouth and “spewing” hatred – relax (if you need then take meds).
“…thankfully there are still many of us that strive to keep their neshomas pure as much as possible (at least we try) and aim to be muvdal from the decadence in the goyish velt …”
What a bunch of sanctimonious trash.
If your Neshomo is so ‘pure’, you hypocrite.. Why are you on the INTERNET!!!!??
and for all you ppl bashing this new “charedi” contest how do all u ppl know what the “AMERICAN IDOL” is so all of you are just hypocrites…….. why is it fine and yiddish for u ppl to know about it and watch it c”v but in israel its not allowed………… all of u get a life
Oh and explain exactly why it’s hypocrisy to have a weakness or a fault? If every basketball player stopped hitting fouls just because he couldn’t hit his free throws he’d never be a player now would he. Apparently someone forgot to teach u that our religion isn’t all or nothing no matter what people claim. U do what u can and try for a little more bro…. Anyway enjoying the show and being against the establishment of a pathetic jewish rip off of it are two very diff things… And finally hate to burst your little logical bubble but i don’t watch the show and i know exactly what it is, welcome to america we ain’t as sheltered as we once were…..
Would love to try out, let me know when and where…equal opportunity for us women, right???
What exactly is wrong with COPYing, or making a kosher version of american idol? What is it different from making a kosher version of ketchup, or chummus for that reason?
and the judges are…….! Reb Shimon Cavell, R’ Mendy Yakovson and Rebitzin Kaila Abdulowitz!
sounds like a great idea.
next they are making israel’s next top model (modest version).
How about making a competition for limd Hatorah? Is that not important? What message are we sending our children that we should idolize a singer because he has a good voice? Why do we tolerate this garbage from this guy? Whyis he spreading filth and disgust to the charedi society?
Dont try and make chazir kosher. Chazir is treif and there is no 2 ways about it. Same too when we try and imitate the goyim under the disguise that its frum and kosher is so far from the truth. Wake up yidden , our society is being tarnished by this garbage music and idolization of a wannabe star. I have nothing more than contempt for all these fake phony singers who worship themselves and want people to idolize them. People should be idolizing gedolim not this nonsence. Shame on these organizers.
UVECHOKOSEYEM LO SELECHU!!!!!!!!!
growing up we were told that “Goyim have nothing in their lives”.
Nowdays its hard to sell that line, when anything entertaining is banned and the only entertainment left is non kosher.
Many youngsters grow up today believing that Judiasm is not exciting.
My little one recently commented on an “Oorah brochoure”. “Wow these kids have so much fun, why can’t we have it?”
I didn’t want to answer, but in my head I was saying “Maybe if you …. They will give you a good time to bring you back.
Every bar/club/theater (and worse) all over the city is full with our kids, for those kids no ban will help. but the other kids will learn where nothing is banned.
“Asur everything, Everything becomes Mutar!”
Its about time our rebbis look at reality beofre they pick up a pen and sign anything.
I think it’s a great idea! (Why didn’t I think of it first?) Our kids need a little extra curricular activities and if it’s done in a kosher way, hey, bring it on!
We should do dancing with the stars…
Nice comeback I love this lolllllllll
How do i send in my audition?!
We should make a star for whoever knows the most blatt of gemoroh &shulchan oruch.
Just for the record, in my teenage years I really enjoyed listening to a certain Jewish band (I’m not going to say which one bec. then you’ll also want to listen) whose name and style imitated a famous rock band. I enjoyed it so much, that I started listening to the rock band that was being imitated.
I am now a frum Jew in every aspect, but the harm was done.