Shloime Dachs

Shloime Dachs is an American Orthodox Jewish singer of contemporary Jewish religious music, with several best-selling albums. He is also the founder of the eponymous Shloime Dachs Orchestra, which plays at weddings, concerts, and benefits.^[1][2][3]

Biography

Dachs was born in New York. He has one brother and one sister.^[4] His parents divorced when he was 13. He spoke publicly about being a child of divorced parents at the 88th National Convention of Agudath Israel of America in 2010.^[4][5]

Dachs began singing at age 7^[6] with the Yeshiva Torah Vodaas school choir^[4] and joined the three main choirs of the era: the Miami Boys Choir, Tzlil V'Zemer, and Amudai Shaish Boys Choir.^[6][7][8] He sang the solos on the first 613 Torah Avenue albums.^[6][4]

In 1996 Dachs released his debut album, One Day at a Time,^[9] which became an instant hit. His introduction to the Jewish music scene precipitated many simcha and concert appearances.^[7] He released his second solo album, Acheinu, in 1998,^[10] and his third solo album, K'ish Echod B'Lev Echad, in 2001.^[7]

Riding the crest of popularity, he assembled the Shloime Dachs Orchestra in 2003.^[6][7] This band has performed at hundreds of weddings, bar mitzvahs, organization dinners and concerts.^[10]

His fourth solo album, Avinu, released in 2003,^[11] was the first to include an interactive computer video depicting an experience of Israel.^[7] His fifth solo album, Hashem Echad, released in 2007,^[12] also including an interactive computer video, marked the singing debut of Dachs' son Dovid. His sixth album, Dance All Night With the Shloime Dachs Orchestra, was released in 2009.^[7][13]

He has collaborated on albums with other Orthodox Jewish singing stars such as Mendy Wald (Listig & Lebedig, 1999),^[14] Ari Goldwag (V'Zoicher, 2010),^[15] and Yisroel Williger (The Yom-Tov Album, 2001,^[16] and The Wedding Album, 2010^[17]). He has also contributed songs to Dance Mix (1998),^[18] Chazak! (2001),^[19] and Avraham Fried Live! (2002).^[20]

Benefit performances

Dachs is closely associated with the OHEL children's home and family services, both as an active board member and as a volunteer performer at hundreds of concerts for residents of OHEL's community homes.^[4][10][21] He and his wife Libby host OHEL residents at their home throughout the year, including the annual Nine Days siyum and barbecue.^[22] Dachs is also a regular performer at Camp HASC (Hebrew Academy for Special Children)^[23] and Camp Simcha Special.^[24][25] He has sung at the Israel Day Concert in Central Park,^[26][27] a Hanukkah concert benefiting the CAHAL Special-Education Program,^[28] a Long Island benefit concert to raise tuition for a special child,^[29] and a yahrtzeit concert memorializing rabbi-singer Shlomo Carlebach.^[30] In 2009 he was honored by the Chofetz Chaim Heritage Foundation for his efforts on behalf of that organization.^[31]

Chazzan

In 2002, Dachs became the chazzan (cantor) for the High Holy Days at the Great Neck Synagogue.^[32]

Family

He and his wife, Libby, have 4 children and reside in Brooklyn, New York.^[10]

Discography

Solo albums

• One Day At a Time (1996)
• Acheinu (1998)
• K'ish Echod B'Lev Echad (2001)
• Avinu (2003)
• Hashem Echod (2007)
• Dance All Night With the Shloime Dachs Orchestra (2009)
• Kumzits: Starring Shloime Dachs – The Early Years (2010)^[33]

Collaborations

• Dance Mix (1998)
• Listig & Lebedig (1999)
• Chazak! (2001)
• The Yom-Tov Album (2001)
• V'Zoicher (2010)
• The Wedding Album (2010)
• Avraham Fried Live! (2002)

References

External links

• Photos: Shloime Dachs BBQ 2010