Omek Hadavar: The Depth of the Matter

FAQ to the band

CHAIM FEIGENBAUM
q-You sing?
a-Yes I know this may be hard to believe but I do dabble in the art of the song. Its funny, people always ask me what I do in the band and after answering them that I sing its always followed by them asking “You sing”? Why is that so hard to believe? I mean honestly, have you ever heard of a band without a singer? It would be crazy. Now true, people may not be surprised that our band has a singer, however they seemed to be shocked that it is me. I don’t know why but yes folks I sing.

q-Are you dating because I know a great girl?
a- If it’s not my wife Talia, I am not interested.

q-How do you write songs if you don’t play an instrument?
a-To some this may seem crazy however its 100% true. The answer is simple. Hashem has given me a tremendous bracha and I pray that he continues to give me this ability. As noted by Rav Dovid (see below) I usually write my songs after being inspired by the words of a text, or after being inspired by something that has happened to me. When I feel spiritually uplifted and moved I start to hum a tune. Based on what I am feeling, I will try and fit a tune with the mood. If I have read or heard words of encouragement I will try and give that feeling over just through a tune. If I read or heard words of joy I will try and fit that feeling with a tune. It is hard to explain because to be honest it just happens. I can honestly say that my songs have nothing to do with any ability that I have, rather they are a gift from Hashem. (I hope that made some sense)

q-When did you first get into music?
a-I don’t know. Both my parents enjoy listening to music, so when I was younger I would hear a lot of it. Also my father is a master Chazen so he would always be singing. Be it at the Shabbos table or just around the house I would always hear him. But to be honest I don’t know when I first got into music.

q-Have you ever gone to a restaurant without pants on?
a-It’s a long and great story but the answer is YES(you would be surprised how often I get this question)

q-What is your favorite song on the CD?
a-I don’t know what my favorite song is however; the song I am most proud of is Shomer.

q-What is your favorite drink?
a-Orange soda

q-What is your favorite food?
a-Pizza

q-What is your favorite sefer?
a-Chovas Hatalmidim by the Piaczezna Rebbe

q-What is your favorite CD?
a-Unfair question I can’t choose.

q-Who is your best friend?
a-My Wife

q-Do you have any pets?
a-No never will. Unless the temple gets rebuilt and I pray that it will speedily in our days. Then hopefully I will then have plenty of animals to bring up to the temple.

q-What is your favorite Holiday?
a-Chanukah, I can’t get enough of it.

q-Do people really ask you all these questions?
a-Not at all. Some of these I don’t even think I have ever been asked.

DAVID WEINBERG
q-When did you start playing guitar?
a-I got my first guitar at the tender age of thirteen. It was a gift from my grandmother, Mima Sheindel. She is one of kind! Seriously, if they made a "best grandmother in the world" award, she'd win by a landslide!

q-Who taught you how to play?
a-The truth is, I’ve had quite a few teachers. My first teacher was actually, believe it or not, Moshe Weinberg. I remember coming into his room and forcing him to teach me a song. He did! But then refused to teach me anything else until I could play the first one. (sweetheart!) After that, it was Rick Snow for a few years. I guess its only fair that I point out that this question is slightly misleading, because, in fact, I DON’T know how to play guitar. Truth is, I don't even know the names of about 60-70% of the chords I play on the album. I usually just keep switching my fingers around until it feels "emes'dik."

q-Do you have a favorite sound?
a- I guess I really have two! Since I was young it has always been a tie between two sounds. They are: 1) the sound of rain makes when it splashes against a metal rooftop (like the ones they have in summer camps) or against a glass skylight. 2) The second sound is that sound that Reese’s pieces make when you pour them out of the bag.—Of recent, though, I have come to love the sweet sound of my niece’s giggle.

q- When was the last time you ran?
a- Hehe, I think in Eighth grade. But that doesn't include my weekly run from shalosh seudos to shul for ma'ariv, (while we scream "Reb Zeira") 'cause...you know, its different...because it's shabbos. I'd be happy to discuss that Minhag in private after the interview.

q-Where did you grow up?
a-I was born in Philadelphia. (Lankenau Hospital i think?) My family lived in Lower Merion, Pennsylvania for 15 wonderful years , until we moved to New Jersey (where Chaim was born) when I was in 10th grade. With regard to growing up, though, I guess I'm still trying.

q- Do you miss anyone right now?
a- Yes. Ari Leifer.

q-What is your greatest weakness in playing the guitar?
a- Ha, I don't even know how to change guitar strings!

q-What is your greatest weakness as a human being?
a-I am working on my tefillah. It's hard, but rewarding.

q- What is the hardest you've ever laughed?
a- Two of my friends once tickle tortured in the back of a van while we were delivering food for shabbos to poor families in Israel. I literally could not breath.

q- Is that a fact?
a- Yes. And so is this: people spend to much money on pre-written birthday cards. Be creative!!! Make up your own!!!

q-Do you have a middle name?
a-Oh boy, this is an interesting one. In English my middle name is Marc, but with a “K,” so I guess that makes it “Mark.” People get that confused a lot. In the mother tongue, however, my name is Dovid Henach Mordechai, which I am willing to admit, is a pretty awesome name. Thanks mom and dad! The funny thing about my first middle name “Henach,” is that I just learned how to spell it this year. Chaim got married this year and I signed his and Talia (his lovely wife)’s Kesubah. I had to call my Rebbe, R’ Baruch Simon, who “paskined” the spelling of my name based on a sefer he had in front of him written by R’ Henach Lebowitz. (When I say he paskined based on this sefer, I mean he opened up the sefer and saw how R' Henach spelled his own name!) In sum, my full name is David Mark Henach Mordeachi ben Reb Chaim Yonah Weinberg. I know its long, but it’s still no match for Ruthie Glass, one of my students from this past summer. (If you ever meet her, ask her for her full name!)

q-What is your favorite Sefer?
a-As any good Weinberg will tell you, it’s changing all the time.

q-Do you have a favorite CD?
a-Right now, Aaron Razel’s Mayim Rabim takes the cake. Difficult question though.

q-How do you write songs?
a-Chaim and I write songs very differently. I guess the best way to explain the different song writing processes that Chaim and I use by way of a parable. Have you ever learned King David’s book of Psalms?
Well, if you have, you’ll probably notice that some of the chapters begin “Mizmor L’dovid” (A song of Dovid), while others begin “L’dovid Mizmor” (To David a song).

The Gemara points out a distinction between these two superscriptions. When the song begins “Mizmor L’dovid” it implies that first, King David was enraptured by a prophetic spirit and only after, “L’dovid,”, King David began composing.

“L’dovid Mizmor”, however, implies the opposite. First King David began to compose. This composition caused him to be enveloped by a spirit of prophecy with which he completed the song. I generally write songs “Mizmor L’Dovid” style; they come out of nowhere and I usually look back and question whether (and how in the world) I just wrote this song. Chaim, on the other hand, generally writes in a “L’dovid Mizmor” style. He will be reading Tanach, or some other sefer, and be inspired by the words to compose a song. Both are beautiful.

ARI YABLOK
q- Ari, where were you born and raised?
a- Actually, I was born in Seattle, Washington, where a lot of my family still lives today. I lived there for two years and then moved to the town of Scranton, Pennsylvania. After graduating kindergarten, I moved with my family to Teaneck, New Jersey. After living on “the side” of Teaneck for two years, I then moved to “the other side” and have been living across the street from Teaneck Highschool ever since (Go highwaymen!).

q- How did your get started playing music?
a- I B”H come from a musical family (as does Dave and Moishe Tzvi), my father and both grandparents being chazanim. While growing up, however, I was exposed to all kinds of music, ranging from Country Yossi, to the Teaneck Highschool band (which practices every day across the street from me – I can sing you every single song in the band song list. Go highwaymen! ). Growing up with a piano at home, I would occasionally walk over to the piano as a song was playing in the house, and play along with the song on the piano. Then lessons came. But lessons stopped after my teacher realized that when he’d ask me to practice reading music, I’d ask him to play it for me first – and I’d pick it up from there. Since then I’ve mostly sat in my basement and played anything that came into my head. Ya, so in conclusion… Go highwaymen!

q- Favorite things to learn?
a- Big fan of the Netziv’s “Ha’amek Davar” (no relation). My close friends know that I don’t go anywhere without my “Sifsei Chayim” – simply an amazing sefer. Big fan of Nashim. Seder Nashim I mean. Also a big fan of Mesilas Yesharim – which was actually a classic Mussar text before it became a song.

q- If you had to choose one famous lounge singer to join the band, who would you pick.
a- Robert Goulet. No question.

q- Thought so. Anyways, If you could live in a period of time other than right now, when would you choose to live?
a- I’d say… tonight. Because I really think Moshiach’s coming later today or latest tomorrow. so…ya. Tonight.

q- What music do you listen to?
a- Get this - African Music. If I were to ever put out a solo album, it’d be the first ever Jewish Music CD completely comprised of African music- y’know the chanting, those guys with the really low voices…that stuff really gets to me. Im also into Jazz. Sinai Tor is also my favorite – great use of the shofar on tracks 3 and 8!

q- What do you see yourself doing in 5 years?
a- Whatever it is, I know I want it to be in Israel. See you all there.

YAKIR SCHECHTER

q-Yakir, where are you from?
a-Born and raised in Teaneck, NJ. Actually, I was born in Englewood, but two weeks later I was in Teaneck and been there since.

q-When did you first begin playing the drums?
a-My parents tell me that I used to enjoy watching marching bands at parades. I would come home from a parade, take out pots and pans and bang on them, trying to imitate the drummers from the band. That was when I was five. (I still occasionally play on pots and pans, but only when I’m bored.) When I was seven I got my first pair of drum sticks and a drum pad, so I guess I really started playing then.

q-Did you take lessons?
a-I never really needed lessons because I have natural talent. OK, just joking. I played without lessons until I was 12. I then studied under the great Howard Fields.

q-Who’s Howard Fields?
a-WHO’S HOWARD FIELDS?! He was the drummer for the Harry Chapin Band!

q-Who’s the Harry Chapin Band?
a-WHO’S THE HARRY CHAPIN BAND?! You know the song “Cats in the Cradle?”

Yeh . . .

Well that’s the Harry Chapin Band!

q-Wow. So you’ve studied with some of the greats. Are their any other drummers that have been influential on your playing?
a-Definitely. I love Carter Beauford of the Dave Mathews Band. I try to pattern a lot of my style after his. That’s when I hear Chaim yelling at me, “Yakir, you’re not good, so stop pretending.”

q-What kind of drums do you play?
a-I play on a Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Series kit. I have four toms, a snare and kick. I generally use six cymbals: two crashes, three splashes and a ride. Most of the cymbals are Zildjian.

q-I heard that you don’t know anything abut music; you just play the drums. Is that true?
a-Chaim, is that really you asking the questions? Anyway, I prefer not to answer the question.

q-What do you enjoy most about the band?
a-I love the guys. Everyone in the band is a true ben torah and we all get along great. I have never seen a band that comes to a gig with so many sefarim (not including myself)!

q-What do you do in you’re spare time?
a-I enjoy learning. Right now I’m lucky enough to learn all day, so that keeps me pretty occupied.

q-Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
a-Hopefully in Israel - that would great.

q-Will there be Omek Hadavar in five years?
a-I guess we’ll have to see!

MOSHE TZVI WEINBERG

q- Hi! Its not easy being the last interview is it?
a- Lets just say most of my answers were stolen by my bandmates - alot like our music (just joking!)

q- How did you get into this band?
a- It's an old technique of mine. Whenever I hear a band is forming, I just show up and start acting like I am in the band. Sometimes I play guitar, in this case it was bass guitar. It usually works.

q- When did you start playing bass? I always thought you were a guitar person?
a- I started playing when I joined omek hadavar. Dave and I learnt how to play guitar from Rick Snow in Philly when our father’s guitar tips ran out. Rick wasn’t “a yid” but he sure had a true appreciation for our family’s sukkah. Bass isn’t really my strong point but I am getting better. I hope I will graduate from a pick to playing with my fingers like a real bass player soon.

q- How would you describe a typical omek practice?
a- Well, about once every shemittah cycle we get together and eat pizza for melavah malka and pretend to take our music seriously. Its amazing the album came together. I guess you could say we work best under pressure.

q- What do you do to fill your days?
a- I am a rebbe in Moriah (Englewood, NJ). I teach 7th and 8th grade boys gemara and 8th grade girls chumash.

q- What do you do to fill your nights?
a- It usually starts with a HUGE smile from Gavriella (our little daughter - check her out in the picture gallery) when I get home from school. Then we sing a few songs and wave at each other. Then I spend some time with my wonderful wife. Then I try to learn torah until I fall asleep on the couch.

q- What would you like to see in omek hadavar's future?
a- Definitely Omek Hadavar Junior. Between the kids and the cousins we already have at least 3. Although I dont know how I feel about boys and girls in the same band - even if they are cousins.

q- What was the greatest omek performance like?
a- By far it was Ana BiKoach at Landers College for Men. The energy was just lovely that night and the sound system was great! Musical Hallel at Moriah is a close second.

q- Anything we as fans should look forward to?
a- Possibly the first double album in Jewish music and definitely the best music videos Jewish music has ever seen.

q- This has been too much fun, thanks so much to all of you guys for this informative evening.
a- Thanks for the interview. We hope you had as much fun as we did.