Last Chanukah my friend Yaakov Shwekey and I went to Israel to film our first music video. That trip was amazing, yet disturbing.
Video: Jews Without Labels
Last Chanukah my friend Yaakov Shwekey and I went to Israel to film our first music video. That trip was amazing, yet disturbing.
The night before our big shoot, I called a Rosh Yeshiva to confirm that the young men from his Yeshiva would be dancing in a scene with Yaakov the next day. His response: “What are you wearing right now?” “What kind of kipa do you wear?” That was his way of determining if he could trust his students with me.
That was my introduction to an Israeli culture that has to be changed! Many observant and secular Jews disrespect each other. Within the observant community there are countless sub-communities represented by large and small intricacies in dress. There may be an undertone lack of respect toward other communities in the United States, but in Israel there is no shame with this discrimination.
Yaakov and I share a passion to help bridge this gap of labels and discrimination. That’s what this music video is all about. If one truly serves the Creator out of pure love, he will channel that love toward his fellow Jew. No matter what he or she looks like, wears, political affiliation etc… Only G-d can judge what is truly inside us. If this Rosh Yeshiva judged his fellow out of love, physical appearance would not be his deciding factor of trust.
We decided to make this video as an introduction to the High Holiday season after I read Yaakov the following quote from the Rebbe Maharash of Lubavitch: “On Rosh Hashana, thousands of angels hover around listening anxiously to hear one Jew say a nice thing about his fellow. This is more precious to Hashem than all the prayers of the righteous.”
This video is dedicated to the loving memory of my dear brother Yaakov Pellin who passed away last month. He was the essence of love beyond the label.
Now, enough heavy stuff. Enjoy this light hearted fun short film!
Leiby
Mendy YOU my Friend are an inspiration to all of us. Job well done, and i don’t think there is a video out there that brought more tears to Jewish people all over the world than the one you produced with Shwekey
Wishing you a Ksiva Vachasima Tova
Talmidim
A Rosh Yeshiva is like a father to his talmidim. A father wouldn’t surrender his children to just any person dressed in any manner, and a Rosh Yeshiva shouldn’t be expected to do any differently. It’s a wonder to me that any Rosh Yeshiva would release his students from their studies to appear in a music video with a pop singer under the direction of a comedian.
May the neshama of Yaakov Pellin have an aliya.
impressed
Wow great video. Mendy I am impressed. your videos and your work have really gotten more professional over the years.
I Love it!
The video was great!. Instead of holding flags with labels, we should just hold flags that we love each other.
The concept was great, and I love the auto labeling machine idea, that eventually blows up. I wish at the end, they would have shown the “Yehudim” label for a little bit longer though.
I wonder how they made the effects in this video….everything was just great.
Moshe H.
Beautiful way of getting the message out. Remember, at the end of the day we are all brothers. From the begining there were 12 tribes. We all Love Hashem.
EboWaxx
Very nice! – and, sorry for the loss of your brother Yaakov.
me
beautiful message but nothing will ever beat cry more’s music video. btw whats serving hashem with love and the toichen of the video’s connection???
Esther
Excellent video in both content and production! Keep up the positivity!
Janet Kotlar
Loved your video. Brought me to tears. We are losing so many of us to inter-marriage. Yeshivas that are so judgemental and don’t see the neshumas that are crying out for direction. Jews fighting amongst ourselves….there are so many out there that are against us….we must stand as one…..achdus!
mendy fa
the people with streimals playing the guitar was a funy and insperational thing a job well done and home u do mny more