Join Adat Shalom for the 11th Annual Allan Schwarz Music Shabbaton!

This year, we are thrilled to welcome Yoel Sykes of Neva Tehila as our guest artist.

Yoel is a spiritual facilitator who co-creates intentional community through music and prayer, cultivating and teaching deep listening and open hearted communication. Born and raised in Jerusalem, Yoel is known through his work as part of the Nava Tehila leadership team, where he has composed many melodies for Jewish liturgy, recorded 4 professional albums and co-led musical kabbalat Shabbat services for 13 years. Yoel studied music at the Center for Eastern Music in Jerusalem and flamenco guitar in the Fundacion de Christina Heeren school of Flamenco Arts in Seville, Spain. Yoel will also kick-off our Shabbat Voices series for 2025/2026! View the full line-up here.

Check out Yoel Sykes’ Youtube here.

Shabbaton Schedule

Friday, December 5th
6 PM | Musical Kabbalat Shabbat with guest Yoel Sykes
7:15 PM | First Friday Shabbat dinner
8 PM | Yoel in conversation with Beth Sperber Richie discussing his Jewish musical journey

Saturday, December 6th
9:30 AM | Shabbat Morning Services with Yoel Sykes, Aaron Shneyer, Rabbi Sid, and friends
12 PM | Shabbat Lunch
1 PM | Yoel will offer a teaching and more music at an after Oneg Tish (Shabbat table)

Sponsored by Rabbi Sid Schwarz and Sandy Perlstein

About Allan Schwarz z’l (1922-2013)

Allan Schwarz passed away on the 18th of Cheshvan/October 21, at the age of 91. He was born in Berlin, and his childhood was deeply affected by the rise of Nazism. Just two weeks before Kristallnacht, at the age of 16, he made his way to the United States as a result of the efforts of his uncle, Cantor Chaskel Gewirtz, and his Aunt Bertha and Uncle Sam.

He lived with Bertha and Sam in Brooklyn until he enlisted in the U.S. Army and returned to the European theater to fight in WWII. His mother and younger sister died in the Shoah. His father survived the war in an Italian POW camp and later came to live in New York. His other sister was rescued through Youth Aliyah and raised a family in Israel.Allan is survived by his wife, Judy (Brand), to whom he was married for 62 years, and his three children, Mindy Stern, Rabbi Sidney Schwarz and Rena Schwarz. Allan played many leaderships roles in the Jewish community, including serving as the President of the Franklin Square Jewish Center, a Board member at the JCC of West Hempstead, and a docent at the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County. A devout Jew and proud Zionist, he worked professionally for the Israel Bonds organization until his retirement.

Allan Schwarz’s life traced the tragedy and triumph of the Jewish people’s experience of the 20th century. He was an outstanding student in Berlin but the war did not allow him to finish his formal education.A self-taught man, Allan was a voracious reader who could engage any and all on a wide range of topics. He was a first-class athlete, excelling at soccer, first in Germany and then in New York Club leagues. Making his living as a salesman, he made sure that his children had access to quality Jewish educational experiences.

Previous Allan Schwarz Music Shabbaton Guest Artists
Rabbi Lizzi Heydemann (2024), Jacob Spike Kraus (2023), Rabbi Deborah Sacks Mintz (2022), Rabbi Josh Warshawsky (2021), Micah Hendler (2020), Galeet Dardashti (2019), Joey Weisenberg (2018), Shir Meira Feit (2017), Naomi Less (2016), Rabbi Noam Katz (2015).