Last year saw the creation of Beth Tzedec’s children’s choir, the Voices of Tomorrow (VOT), a 10-voice ensemble made up of children ages 7 to 12.

Under the dedicated leadership of Cantor Simon Spiro, VOT began rehearsals in the fall, with a Synagogue bimah debut in January on Shabbat Shirah morning. Helping Cantor Spiro lead Musaf, they sang with the Beth Tzedec Singers and introduced a brand new Yism’chu that Cantor Spiro wrote just for them. Their enthusiasm had the Congregation singing along within minutes.

Their concert debut followed that evening at the Shabbat Shirah Community Concert. Live onstage, VOT joined Ashkenaz’s Artistic Director, Eric Stein, and his renowned band Beyond the Pale. Capturing the hearts of everyone present, they were featured that week in the Forest Hill edition of the Town Crier newspaper.

During the Shabbat of Pesaẖ, VOT returned to sing once again with the Beth Tzedec Singers. The comfort level they showed on the bimah was truly amazing. 

Finally, VOT were featured in the sold-out concert The Great American Jewish Songbook at the George Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Centre for the Arts. There, they performed with Cantor Spiro and the Broadway Singers, accompanied by a 30-piece orchestra. The segment in which they appeared was a tribute to Lionel Bart, the composer of Oliver! The young singers made their grand entrance walking up the aisles dressed as orphans, singing the classic Food Glorious Food along with the Toronto Heschel School Choir. Following that, they had their own spot performing as Fagin’s kids, singing You’ve Got to Pick a Pocket or Two, with Cantor Simon playing the role of Fagin.

VOT will resume rehearsals in the fall, and we look forward to seeing and hearing them throughout the coming year on the bimah and in concert.

The Voices of Tomorrow are:

• Leah Ferman
• Noa Garmaise
• Lauren Goldfarb
• Lily Kaplan
• Max Pervin
• Shawna Pervin
• Diana Rosemblit
• Isaiah Zabitsky
• Kai Zabitsky
• Zev Zabitsky