Humans of Hebrew College Micah & Matt

“This is my father’s guitar which he had at Hebrew University in the early ’70s. When I switched from drums to guitar, my dad said, ‘Use mine.’ I write original music to psalms and other Jewish liturgy. While some feel that the music itself is “Jewish” sounding, my biggest influences are folk, pop, rock, and indie. So I would describe my music as indie-folk-Judaica!” (Micah Shapiro, fourth year student at The Rabbinical School of Hebrew College)

“When I was 16 growing up in Calgary, I had friends who played in a band. They encouraged me to try banjo, and I’ve been playing ever since. I’m mixing a Jewish banjo album right now of bluegrass-inspried niggunim. It’s an emerging genre.” (Matt Ponak, first year rabbinical student)