On June 2, Koolulam, an internationally-recognized team of Israeli musicians who invite audiences to sing along, staged its West Coast debut at San Francisco’s Congregation Emanu-El. The special event celebrating Yom Yerushalayim attracted 1,200 people from around the Bay Area to join together in song.
Founded in 2017, Koolulam’s social-musical events have since attracted thousands in Israel and around the world. Their aim is to bring large groups of diverse people together for an uplifting and unifying musical experience.
“Participants enter as thousands of unique individuals, and come out as one collective… a great human ensemble, with a shared reality,” the Koolulam website explains.
The performances are filmed and posted online for all to share. Known for their outstanding cinematic quality, Koolulam videos are popular online, garnering millions of views.
The Bay Area event, co-sponsored by the Israeli-American Council, the Israel Consulate, the Jewish National Fund, the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation and Emanu-El, featured a group sing of Bon Jovi’s “It’s My Life,” in a specially created English and Hebrew arrangement. The 4-minute video was released recently and can be viewed below.