A Cappella Group Embraces Jewish Heritage Through Song

An a cappella group featuring an East Meadow musician has once again embraced its Jewish heritage through song.

Shir Soul re-wrote many of the lyrics to One Republic's "Counting Stars" to reflect on a Jewish holiday eight days long: "Take those candles, watch them burn, from the menorah the lessons I've learned."

David Droz (beat-box), of Manhattan; Jeremy Schonzeit (bass), also of Manhattan; Jesse Shore (baritone and soloist on the track), a Rabbinic student at Yeshiva University who lives in Washington Heights; Scott Eckers (Tenor 2), of East Meadow; and David Ross (Tenor 1 and the other soloist on the track), of Teaneck, NJ, are featured in the newly released video, which has nearly 2,500 views on youtube.com since it went live Nov. 26.

The group's version of "Counting Stars" is titled "Hanukkah - Timeless as the Stars."

Eckers and Ross were members of different a cappella groups while studying at Binghamton University. Five years ago, the guys randomly reconnected at an airport. Ross started up a new group and they've been singing together ever since.

"People really seem to like the videos," said Eckers, who directs the music theater program at Woodland Middle School in East Meadow. "It's really a lot of fun."

The East Meadow native owns a recording studio in town and often performs solo at venues across New York.

The a cappella group has done several other videos, including a Bruno Mars parody: 

• Im Eshkachech

• Salaam

• Bashana Haba'ah

• The Shadchan Song