Late in 1995, four enthusiasts gathered in the Ramot suburb of Jerusalem, to sing choral music they recalled from synagogue services in their youth. Since then the choir has grown to 40 choristers, native Israelis and Olim from 4 continents who share a love of the great tradition of Jewish liturgical music and of singing together.
The choir appears regularly at concert halls and synagogues throughout Israel. Their list of approximately 250 performances includes appearances alongside some of the finest cantors in the world. They have appeared in concert with the Israel Symphionette Orchestra Beer Sheva, on national television and radio and have also performed at the residence of the President of Israel.
Their 2005 tour of Britain included performances at the International Choral Eisteddford in Llangollen, Wales, as well as concerts and synagogue appearances in London and Birmingham. In 2007 and 2010 the choir returned to England for series of concerts, once again wowing old and new audiences.
The choir's repertoire consists mainly of Jewish liturgical music and includes Chassidic and Israeli songs, pop, opera and folk music. All activities are performed on a voluntary basis. They perform regularly in support of various Israeli and Jewish charitable and social causes. A distinctive feature of the choir's activity is their active collaboration with ensembles of the same genre, inaugurating and hosting joint concerts in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The choir's name derives from Ramatayim-Tzofim, in the hill country of Ephraim, birthplace of Samuel the Prophet, mentioned in the Book of Samuel 1 (1:1) and associated with the suburb Ramot, Jerusalem.
Richard Shavei-Tzion has been singing in synagogue settings since the age of 10 when as a boy soprano, he joined the "Gardens Shul" Choir in his native Cape Town, South Africa. Self-taught, at age 18 he was invited to conduct the Pine Street Shul Choir in Johannesburg. Since then he has directed choral ensembles in both South Africa and Israel. He also currently directs "Joya!" a vocal ensemble of young Jerusalemites.
Richard has conducted services over the High Holidays for the past thirty years in South Africa, Israel, the U.S.A. and Canada. He leads communal events, singing and playing guitar and produces musical and social events, recently directing a large cantorial concert in Johannesburg. He also composes and arranges Jewish music.
An accountant by profession, he manages a property development and management company. He is a nature lover, hiker, runs in middle distance road races around Israel and has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. He is also a landscape and portrait photographer and his poetry has been published. Richard is married to Cheryl and has 3 daughters, two sons-in-law and 3 grandchildren.
Aviva Stanislawskiis the choir’s regular accompanist.
She holds a Ph.D. in Music Education from the Hebrew University, Jerusalem where she teaches. She also trains music teachers at the Michlalah Jerusalem College.
Principal MC and Narrator: Ralph Barnett
Principal Soloists: Boaz Wultz, Victor Roth, Michael Wreschner, David Davidoff
Administration: Shlomo Binstock, Michael Brody
Website: Kalman Sharf
The Ramatayim Men's Choir Members
TENOR 1
TENOR 2
BARITONE
BASS
MICHAEL SILMAN
MAX EPSTEIN
BOAZ WULTZ
HAROLD WISE
MICHAEL BRODER
MICHAEL MINSKY
MIKE STANGER
DAVID DAVIDOFF
KALMAN SHARF
ELCHANAN BAR-ON
YOSSI KATZ
ALLAN JERICHOWER
YORAM TA'ASAN
REUVEN FRANK
RAPHAEL MEIR
NAFTALI KRAUSS
OHAD SHAFIR
YAKOV RABINOWITZ
SHLOMO BINSTOCK
AURI SPIGELMAN
RONNY WACHTEL
M. WRESCHNER
EMMANUEL GROSS
JOE LEDERMAN
RALPH BARNETT
MICHAEL BRODY
YEHUDA WULTZ
MICHAEL GROSS
JEFFREY FISHER
EZRA PACH
AVRAHAM COHEN
HENRY ISRAEL
GABI LINDENBERG
RAFI WILMERSDORF
AMI ARAZI
PAUL STASZEWSKI
PETER ORRELLE
VICTOR SCHLESINGER
MICHAEL BAR-ON
ARYEH KOWALSKY
SHLOMO SIMKIN
ELCHANAN MEINADAV
Ramatayim's choristers include lawyers, accountants, doctors and dentists, engineers, technicians and high-tech personel.
The Ramatayim Men's Choir mourns the loss and honors the memory of veteran members David Ernst, and Victor Roth Z"L.
