Likud Chovevei N’ginah

A Gathering of Lovers of N’ginah

The Origin Story

The story of LACHAN begins with my beloved uncle, “Reb” David Mordechai ben Moshe Brener. Dod David was a passionate religious Zionist and Jewish traditionalist, who lived in Israel. Although not classically trained, he was a master of T’fillah and well-versed in “Nussach Ha’tfilah”, the art of Jewish prayer modes, understanding and expressing every twist and angle the liturgy offered. I was at his side from childhood, intently listening to the devotional nuances of his prayers and praying.

In Israel’s early days, the public radio service, Kol Israel, did not have a large archive of Cantorial music. As a lover of Hazzanuth, the Cantorial Arts, David had collected hundreds of recordings, which he loaned the broadcaster. David also welcomed into his home every Jewish Hazzan, Yiddish singer, and theatre personality who visited Israel.

With other like-minded people, David established a musical society called LACHAN, in 1952. LACHAN, the Hebrew word for melody, is an acronym for likud chovevei n’ginah, which translates is “a gathering of lovers of melody.” True to its name and evocative logo, LACHAN became a source of rich cultural nourishment, hosting concerts, lectures, gatherings, and parties for local artists and guests to Israel throughout the 50s and 60s.

I sought to memorialize David’s legacy and profound influence on my life by continuing his work to educate others, to preserve the musical heritage of the Jewish people, and to spread its messages of acceptance and peace. In 1993, along with several Toronto-based musicians, I established a semi-professional Jewish chamber choir named LACHAN and adopted the original logo.

LACHAN Today

LACHAN performs a sophisticated Judaic and Hebraic repertoire that spans centuries, geographical locations, and musical styles. It was featured in Music of the Soul, a documentary on the history of music in liturgy; it appeared with the National Academy Orchestra of Canada; it participated in many interfaith events with Christian and Muslim communities; and it performed and competed in several cantorial concerts and choral festivals throughout North America and Europe. The following are among the highlights.

• In November of 2000, LACHAN was the only Canadian representative in Nuremberg, Germany, at Sounds of Healing, an international choral gathering of ensembles to celebrate the city’s 950th anniversary. This event was filmed for a documentary and produced two commemorative recordings that were broadcasted internationally.

• In 2002, LACHAN was a national semi-finalist in the Canadian Broadcast Corporation’s choral competition.

• In December 2003, LACHAN performed at the Canadian Museum of Civilization, in conjunction with the Dead Sea Scroll exhibit, and joined Ottawa’s Musica Ebraica in a Hanukkah concert at Agudath Israel Synagogue.

• In the summer of 2006, LACHAN won 2 silver medals in the worldwide Olympic Choir Games, in Xiamen, China, competing against 400 choirs from over 100 countries. While in China, LACHAN also performed with local choirs at the Jewish Museum, in the ghetto area of Shanghai; on the Great Wall of China; and in Beijing. Upon return to Canada, LACHAN performed at the China Community Centre in Toronto.

• To mark the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht in 2008, LACHAN was invited to Hannover, Germany by the President of the European Center for Jewish Music. It performed 8 concerts in 10 days and sang with Hannover’s most renowned chamber choirs.

• In 2010 and 2012, LACHAN performed during Holocaust Education Week in Toronto.

• In 2014, LACHAN joined an interfaith concert at St. John Vianney Parrish in Barrie, Ontario.

Finally, LACHAN has recorded 10 CDs. The first, LACHAN Live in Concert, was released in 2001. It includes a range of choral music, from classical, renaissance, and contemporary periods, and pays tribute to great Canadian composers, namely Srul Irving Glick, Ben Steinberg, and Sid Robinovitch. Additional CDs also cover a range of music, from liturgy to Broadway.

Yehi Zichro Baruch. May the memory of David Brener z’l be for a blessing.