When superstar Gad Elbaz came to Chicago to headline Jewel-Osco’s 5th annual Taste of Kosher event, he didn’t know that he would be doing a second gig as well.
Following his packed performance at Jewel-Osco in Evanston, Israeli-born Elbaz, who sings a unique blend of Sephardic/Israeli/Pop/Rock and Chassidic, he made another appearance at Lubavitch Chabad of Skokie, where several-dozen teens were gathered for the annual CTeen kickoff event.
CTeen is a club where Jewish teens have fun, learn, volunteer and explore their identity as Jews.
“Our teens had seen Gad Elbaz perform in New York at the International CTeen Shabbaton, and we really enjoyed meeting him then,” says Rabbi Yochanan Posner of Lubavitch Chabad of Skokie, who directs Skokie CTeen together with his wife Yona. “When I heard he would be in town during our event, I had the crazy idea to ask him to come and speak to our teens.”
Although singers rarely vary from their pre-set schedule of appearances, Elbaz is impressed by CTeen’s mission and the impact it is having on thousands of teens from Skokie to Singapore to Sydney and happily agreed to make an impromptu appearance.
With Elbaz waiting outside Lubavitch Chabad of Skokie, where the kickoff event was already underway, the rabbi ran in and announced that there was a special guest about to enter. Then, amid cheers and snapping cell-phone photos, Elbaz walked in, to the delight of the teens, who could not believe their good fortune.
Standing among the teens, Elbaz shared his personal experiences as a teen, telling them that he had struggled with his faith during that tumultuous period of his life. His father, Benny Elbaz, is a famous singer in Israel who had discovered Judaism as an adult. Being constantly in the limelight, Gad had to forge his own identity as a Jew and as an individual with a unique voice.
“One thing I can tell you is that you have to keep on looking for Hashem,” Elbaz told his spellbound (and somewhat star struck) listeners. “The other thing to keep in mind is that this is a crazy time in your life. Don’t try to figure yourself out yet, because you will change again in six months.”
“The teens knew Gad very well as the singer of the CTeen anthem, I’m a Jew a proud one too,” explains Posner. “But to get to know the human behind the voice and see him as a humble and normal person made the message of the song so much more impactful for them.”
For more information please visit SkokieCTeen.org
