We’re Craving Some Competition: Reinventing a Jewish A Cappella Event
The Northeast Hillels A Cappella Tournament (NHAC), a student-inspired and led initiative, came together through the ideas and hard work of a group of dedicated students. Read on to learn more about student leader Elyon Topolosky who is a performing arts student who loves Jewish music. This is the second part in a two-part series about NHAC student leaders.
For Elyon Topolosky, the music director of Rak Shalom, one of University of Maryland’s two Jewish a cappella groups, his introduction to the world of competitive collegiate Jewish a cappella came before he was a college student himself. His high school a cappella group, Shir Madness, had the chance to be the opener and intermission performer at Kol HaOlam, a national Jewish a cappella competition once held at Adas Israel Congregation in Washington, D.C.
“We got to spend the entire weekend with the groups,” Elyon recalled. “So first of all, it was so cool to be performing alongside college groups as a high school student. But really, the weekend experience, the full Shabbaton alongside the competition, was something I still remember in full detail today.”
This year, Hillel International and the University of Maryland Hillel are working to bring this type of experience to life once more — with the first-ever Northeast Hillels A Cappella Competition, where six Jewish a cappella groups will gather together for a Shabbaton and competition.
As a student leader in the Jewish community on campus, Elyon has helped run large-scale events at the University of Maryland, but this was something totally new. “We created a whole new event structure,” he said. “I’ve been managing logistics and coordinating with so many people from Hillel International to bring it to life. It’s going to be remarkable to see it all come together.”
The Northeast Hillels A Cappella Competition will be more than just a contest. In fact, the gathering will include a full Shabbat experience — services, meals, and plenty of community time — with music playing a key role.
“We wanted to really do this with the whole community, not separately. We wanted to join Maryland Hillel for Shabbat and bring our voices into the room,” he said. “
Working with Hillel staff on campus, Elyon has helped coordinate logistics to ensure that there will be musical elements to both the egalitarian and Orthodox Shabbat services, with members of a cappella groups leading prayers. Additionally, there will be singing before, during, and after meals, as well as workshops and teachings led by award-winning vocal arranger, songleader, composer, and vocalist Mayta Cohen, who will also be serving as the event’s MC.
For Elyon, something he’s most excited about is being able to connect with other Jewish a cappella groups and to see them perform — something he rarely gets to do outside of Spotify playlists. But as a theater major, Elyon is also excited to meld his passion for the performing arts, which he is majoring in, and his love for Jewish music and his Jewish friends.
“I spend a lot of time with Jewish students and my Jewish friends, but there are times when I’ll go hours and hours without really feeling a sense of Jewish identity in my studies,” he said. “Often, those two worlds don’t overlap. So it’s really special to be performing with my Jewish a cappella group, alongside other Jewish a cappella groups, in a space where I don’t always feel as connected to my Judaism. Bringing those two parts of my life togethers really exciting.”
The Northeast Hillels A Cappella Competition will be aca-awesome — plan a watch party and check out the livestream with your friends. Best of luck to everyone competing!