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Following its hugely successful Chanukah-themed hit, “Candlelight,” the Maccabeats releases its latest single, “The Purim Song,” just in time for the upcoming holiday.

Video: The Purim Song

Following its hugely successful Chanukah-themed hit, “Candlelight,” the Maccabeats releases its latest single, “The Purim Song,” just in time for the upcoming holiday.

The song, set to the tune of “Raise Your Glass,” tells the story of Purim, a holiday commemorating a time when the Jews of Persia were miraculously saved from extermination.

“The last video exceeded our wildest expectations,” said Maccabeat Immanuel Shalev of “Candlelight,” which drew more than 4.7 million views on YouTube and garnered national media attention. “We’re touring the country, we’ve been on radio and TV, but the most rewarding thing about this whole experience was being able to tell the Chanukah story to millions of people. Jews who haven’t lit a menorah for years went out and bought Chanukah candles, and non-Jews who may not have known the story were interested in learning more.”

Shalev, who graduated from Yeshiva College in 2008, hopes the Maccabeats latest music video—filmed and edited by fellow YU graduate Uri Westrich—will accomplish something similar with the Purim story, “which is less known, but definitely not less important.”

The Maccabeats, Yeshiva University’s all-male a cappella group, formed in 2007 and released its first album, Voices from the Heights, in March 2010.

According to Shalev, YU and its mission of Torah Umadda have strongly influenced the group. “In general, we like to take secular songs that are really well known and use them for a meaningful purpose. We’re doing it now with ‘The Purim Song’ but we’ve done it in the past with ‘Dynamite’ and ‘Candlelight’ and with Leonard Cohen’s ‘Hallelujah’ and our ‘Lecha Dodi.’

“Torah Umadda is about being religious in a modern world,” added Shalev, who is currently enrolled in Fordham Law School. “We like to have fun just like everyone else but we’re also passionate about what we believe in.”

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52 Comments

  • BE ORIGINAL-MAKE UP YOUR OWN TUNE!

    these guys seem pretty talented, I like the lyrics, but why do they have to resort to taking songs from gentiles? If they tried hard enough they would probably be able to make up their own tune.

  • Agree

    The first 2 comments said it all and put it nicely. Just to add if our children go on this site they don’t have to hear this tune from us, and for those who know it already (I heard it I think on the radio) this place should not reinforce it.
    Thank you!

  • sam

    takes one to know one. how do u know that this is befeirush a non-jewish tune instead of their own made up one. hypocrits you are.

  • TO 4&5

    #4 Lubavitch site or not it does cater to CH and it does not say anywhere that Boro Park or other communities are aloud to listen to non Jewish tunes or music.
    #5 I agree, they sing nice however here is not the place for it.

  • 2#5

    excuse me!!!!!!!!!!
    i don’t think you’ll want to know what i’m about to do to you
    first you should think about what you’r going to say OK.

  • “Torah Umadda is about being religious i

    “Torah Umadda is about being religious in a modern world,”, Actually i would say “…is about being modern in a religious world”

  • Wedding & Farbrengen Songs??

    If you don’t want your kids listening to non-Jewish music don’t let them go to weddings or farbrengens. Many songs played and sung at these events have been boerrowed or inspired by non jewish songs. A couple notable songs played at weddings are Yidden by MBD, Asher Bara by Piamenta and the intro to Lipa’s Hantelach. A number farbrengen song began as old Russion drinking songs. These songs have all been uplifted.

  • TO# 1,4,7 and anyone else

    For your information, A LOT of jewish songs are copied from “gentile songs”
    First that comes to mind is the famous Piamenta song “Asher Bara” which actually comes from “A Land Down Under by Men at Work”
    Another Piamenta song “Kol Hamesameach” is actually Şımarık by Tarkan
    Others include: Sholom Rubashkin song “Unity” which is a copy of “We are the world” by Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie and Michael Jackson.
    Mordechai Ben Davids song “Yidden”, copied from a from a 70s German disco song.
    MBD’s “Hiney lo Yanum V’lo Yishan…” is a copy of “Oh Mamy Blue” by the Pop Tops
    …and the list goes on and on.
    All the songs that you have been listening to, more than you think or would like to know are actually non jewish songs or tunes. This whole concept of “dont listen to it because its a non jewish tune” is absolute stupidity if you listen to anything other than Nigunei Chabad. Please get of your high horse and lose your “holier than thou” attitude. Music is ripped off of music. Songs are ripped off of songs. Stick to Chabad Nigunim and crawl back into your cave.

  • purim song

    I luv this song the kids are so cute
    the macabeets rock !!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • STERN GIRL

    LOVIN IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! REPRESENTIN AND PROUD
    kinda sorta not really

  • wake up it 2011

    i think it smart to use a goyshe tune a make it with Jewish words i think it get ppl who not so frum interested and might make them learm more about frumkite

  • Tova

    Just have to let you guys know — the woman who produced the original version of this song (Pink) is Jewish.
    I can’t believe how incredibly judgmental you are. They did a wonderful job — and even if the original song was ‘goyish’, does that matter? They took something they enjoyed and made it fun and Jewish. Good for them.

  • me

    These guy are great! super cute video and great talent they have. the song was only so-so but the acting, kids and the Greeks were awesome!

  • Chiam S.

    Btw… “P!NK” is jewish. (not heter here just ironic to this conversation)

  • Expected more...

    CH.info, I expected more from you guys… Please don’t lower yourself to the “standards” of co….

  • my opinion

    to #6 agree with u!!! but, still people might listen but they dont publize it here theyre publizing this song to a non jewish tune!

  • joeseph

    Isnt the point to make EVERYTHING into kedusha. so they used a goyish tune and made it into something holy.. where do you think the kosack dance came from?

  • The original song is made by a jew...

    Just thought everyone would like to know

  • A VERY CONCERNED PARENT

    Is this what we want our children to look up to. Regardless goyish or not it’s not an aidele tune and not a chassidishe tune for certain. PLEASE be selective what you post. We have to go back to the basics and if in doubt DON’T POST. You are corrupting innocent minds.

  • to # 5 and 6

    thank you!! and # 1and 2 if you no where its from you really shouldn’t talk

  • seriously?

    You guys are such extremists! who cares if they copied a tune from “goyim.” Im sick of you all saying goyim are horrible people. I have SO many jewish (religious – reformed) and goyim friends (people from every ethnic background). do i judge them for who they are or what they look like? NO! you guys cant call yourself lubavitch if you judge goyim ppl so badly. you guys make me sick!

  • PLEASE READ!!

    Okay. I did not plan on commenting, but I recently ran a workshop on music.
    Here are a few things I have to say:
    Firstly, #15-those people and songs you mentioned, I know many lubabitchers who do not listen to them for precisely that reason. Myself included.
    #16-have you done research? Why should you listen to those songs?
    #21 and many of you-it is actually against Halacha do copy from goyish songs. (will explain in a minute)
    #22-they have to have known this tune, how else but listening to the song is the way they know it, does that make sense to you?
    #29-Not all Niggunim. Take Napolian’s March for example. It is only a nigun because a Rebbe instituted it. THAT, and only THAT is making a goyish song\tune kedushadik.
    #31-summed it up nicely. I second the mention.
    #35- no one said Goyim were bad. Its the music. Read this:
    To most of you- Music has a certain Kedusha, and when used for Goyish songs\purposes it takes away from that Kedusha, even if the one who did it was Jewish. In this case, the song was used for Goyish reasons and purposes, so using it to Yiddish lyrics will not bring back the Kedusha.
    I did not watch the video.

  • PLEASE READ!!

    Okay. I did not plan on commenting, but I recently ran a workshop on music.
    Here are a few things I have to say:
    Firstly, #15-those people and songs you mentioned, I know many lubabitchers who do not listen to them for precisely that reason. Myself included.
    #16-have you done research? Why should you listen to those songs?
    #21 and many of you-it is actually against Halacha do copy from goyish songs. (will explain in a minute)
    #22-they have to have known this tune, how else but listening to the song is the way they know it, does that make sense to you?
    #29-Not all Niggunim. Take Napolian’s March for example. It is only a nigun because a Rebbe instituted it. THAT, and only THAT is making a goyish song\tune kedushadik.
    #31-summed it up nicely. I second the mention.
    #35- no one said Goyim were bad. Its the music. Read this:
    To most of you- Music has a certain Kedusha, and when used for Goyish songs\purposes it takes away from that Kedusha, even if the one who did it was Jewish. In this case, the song was used for Goyish reasons and purposes, so using it to Yiddish lyrics will not bring back the Kedusha.
    I did not watch the video.

  • this is the best!!!

    this thing rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 14 get best comment award!

    please provide a virtual barf bag for my virtual barf when posting songs by the maccabeats.

  • To #37

    If it’s against Halach to copy from goyish music how was the Rebbe able to institute Napolian’s March? Is this not a contradiction?

  • to#16

    Before you are judgmental to m
    e that I anyway listen to those songs, you happen to be wrong.
    1) I grew up ONLY with Lubacitch records.
    2) In my house ONLY Lubavitch nigunim are played (today B“H there are many Albums including Velner which is Beautiful)
    3) At my daughters wedding they ONLY played Lubavitch nigunim
    4) I don’t play MBD Piamenta or Fried (only his Lubavitch albums)at home.
    5) About being in a ”cave“, well anyone who is influenced bu his surroundings and can not run his life according to his (Jewish/ Chassidish) values is not just in a ‘cave’ bound totaly bound and subjufgated by his wants and desires.
    Now for your info as #37 tried to explain, We are not talking WHAT EVERYONE DOES, rather how it should be, (and no my kids do not listen to other stuff) Chassidus explains when you listen to a song your Neshama connects with the author of that song.
    Those goiyishe songs that were made by the Rebbeim WERE ELEVATED BY THE REBBEIM an average person (not a Tzadik) cannot do that.
    or great Chassidim were able to CHOOSE nigunim that HAD meaning ALSO IN THE TUNE and transform them.
    I don’t think ”PINK“ or even MBD and the HOLY Fried or Piamenta can do that.
    To finish with an answer from the Rebbe to A. Fried when he asked the Rebbe precisely this question if he can use goiyishe tunes with Pesukim the Rebbe’s answer:
    ”To ask a Rav of Chabad a More Horoo b’poel and Sfeika L’Chumra“
    ”Sfeika L’Chumra” means if in doubt then skip it.

  • to a concerned parent

    but the lashon harah hat everone is saying is better, if you dont like it you diont have to watch it

  • DOESNT MAKE SENCE

    WAIT……. HOW DO U EVEN KNOW THAT IT IS NOT A JEWISH TINE…………..WICH MEANS U LISEN TO NON JEWISH MUSIC ……..SO DONT SAY ANYTHING

  • YOU SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF URSELVES

    YOU GUYS NEED TO GET A LIFE!!!! serously imagine you were singing and you get a bunch of so callled “frum” pple bashing your video?!!!!! you dont have to make these guys feel bad , thats one.. beccause if ur so ‘frum’ that you cant watch this maybe you should focuse more on improving YOURSELF!! I agree taht crown heights.info shouldnt have posted it just becasue crown heightsers have enough controversy as it is .. you know what ithink they should remove commening on this website all togeather because the comments are so pathetiiiiiccccc!!! #%$%#$#^%# ughhh iit gets meee maaaaad

  • To #31

    You’re worried about your kids’ minds neshomos being corrupted? Trust me — if you’re allowing them access to the internet, they’re seeing MUCH worst!

  • To #49

    I don’t let my kids on the internet alone.
    To all those who say How does someone know it is not Jewish and we must have listened to it….No I heard it playing either in the supermarket or somewere else public.
    Even if someone heard it on his own it still should not be posted here.
    Yes it sounds nice. Nice does not mean RIGHT.