This Chanukah, Chabad Essex made world music history when they brought American-Israeli rapper Nissim Black to the UK for one night only.
The event, which was held at City Pavilion in Collier Row, was part of Nissim’s ‘Bright Lights Tour 2021’ and attracted 600 people of all ages and backgrounds from across London who all came together to enjoy his music.
Although Nissim has visited and performed in London before for small private events, this was Nissim Black’s first ever full concert in London, and Chabad were honoured to have had the opportunity to organise this special event.
Rabbi Odom Brandman, of Chabad Buckhurst Hill, who oversaw the concert, said “Nissim has an amazing story, he is a unique and special character and was both a total pleasure and professional to work with and was inspirational and uplifting to everyone at the concert”.
African American Nissim grew up in the US where he was not only a rapper, but a gang member.
He became religious around ten years ago converting to Judaism in 2012 and moved to Israel with his family in 2016. He has since built up a large fanbase for his music including in the UK.
Finding the right venue and securing everything needed to pull such a huge event proved extremely challenging, but the spiritual investment into the community and the hard work of Brandman and the rest of his production team was the driving force behind getting it done.
The venue was transformed by the amazing talent of CVS International complete with a star cloth backdrop, lights, huge screens and spark effects.
On the night, Brandman along with his team -Adrian Silas, Adrian Lee, Esther Joseph and their youth workers Sonia Beame and Morrisa Schuler – were blown away by Nissim’s energetic and inspiring performance throughout his 90 minute set.
Rabbi Brandman added: “The night was an amazing experience from start to finish for everyone and without a doubt the big highlight of Chanukah in Essex 2021”
During a quick costume change for Nissim, Rabbi Brandman of Chabad Buckhurst Hill and Rabbi Sufrin MBE of Chabad Gants Hill and Head Shliach to North East London & Essex, took to the stage to light a huge Menorah and share some words of inspiration with the crowd.
Rabbi Sufrin spoke amount the amazing growth of Chabad across Essex now with 9 public Menorahs and Rabbi Brandman spoke about the tremendous effects our positive displays of Jewish Pride can have on our communities.
This event builds on the success of last year’s Drive-In Concert which was attended by nearly 1,000 people and once again makes Chabad Essex stand out as a leading force when it comes to Community.
One of the Chabad Team heard a little boy tell his mother on the way out that it was ‘the best day of my life!’ Whilst a teacher from a London Jewish school who brought a group of 23 teenagers to the event, felt that the positive Jewish effect of the concert was ‘worth more than 6 months of Jewish Studies lessons in the classroom’
Rabbi Odom Brandman added, when you hear things like this, it makes it all worth it!
After the concert Nissim came back to Chabad Buckhurst Hill where Rabbi Odom Brandman presented him with an inscribed book, the Tanya printed in the Chabad House and one of the last remaining bottles of Chabad Buckhurst Hill’s famous Menorah Whisky from 2009.
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