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Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band just completed the extraordinary, high energy 28 show “first leg” of their 2023 tour which and will travel to many European countries this summer before returning to the US for what is being called “stadium shows” starting with Wrigley field in Chicago on August 8th.

The 73-year-old Springsteen, who along with his similarly aged band mates, have been at it for many decades. Bruce is known for shows which have topped the 4 hour mark many times in the past.  His last tour, the 2016-17 River Tour, featured a full-length sequential performance of The River album.

In his 2023 tour, Bruce manages to touch on songs from nearly every period of his career.  He delivers such expected classics as Born to Run, Rosalita, Kitty’s Back and The E Street Shuffle.  On Opening night in Tampa—and each subsequent night—he played 2020’s “Letter To You” and “House Of A Thousand Guitars.” And he usually covers The Commodores’ “Nightshift,” Patti Smith’s “Because The Night,” and Jimmy Cliff’s “Trapped.  Each night, the crowd goes home with a smile on their faces after Bruce announces: “You have just seen “the heart-stopping, pants-dropping, hard-rocking, booty-shaking, love-making, earth-quaking, Viagra-taking, death-defying, legendary E Street Band.”.

So what is different about the 2023 tour?

First, it is a post-pandemic welcome back concert of sorts for tens of thousands. And in the Jewish tradition, we may say it is blessing worthy.  While crowds this size may not qualify for reciting the Chacham Harazeem blessing the Talmud instructs us to recite upon seeing 600,000 Jews in one place (“Blessed are You, LORD, our God, King of the Universe, knower of secrets”), we can certainly acknowledge to have so many (mostly maskless fans) assembled together singing and dancing together in one place.  Perhaps we can recite the Shehechanu prayer to express our appreciation.  Thanks, Bruce.   [https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-blessing-recited-upon-seeing-600000-jews-in-one-place-a-lesson-in-perspective/)]

Second, the band is perhaps the biggest, most diverse and inclusive of any previous tour.  The stage is filled with Bruce’s core E. Street Band– the Jewish Might Max Weinberg on drums (71), guitarist Stevie van Zandt (72), guitarist Nils Lofgren (71), bass player Gary Tallent (73), Professor Roy Bittan (73-also Jewish!) and Charlie Giordano (68) on keyboards, violinist Soozie Tyrell (65) and Bruce’s “young” wife, Pati Scialfa (69) who plays many nights but rumor has it that she takes nights off from time to time to check in on her own elderly mother, Patricia and Bruce’s 98-year-old mother, Adele.   The late sax player, Clarence Clemons’ nephew, Jake Clemons, rounds out the core band on sax.  There are also four singers (“The E Street Choir”), four horn players, and a second percussionist,  Anthony Almonte, who has worked with many Latin artists.

Third, Bruce goes above and beyond to model so many important ideas about self-care, self-awareness and human relations.  Bruce looks great physically, he sounds great, and he has the energy level of a 20-something.  How many 70-somethings, much less 40-somethings can run around the stage and arena singing and playing for 2 hours and 45 minutes with no break several nights a week in cities which require considerable travel to reach?

Once on stage, Bruce is tuned in to each band member, personally cueing his horn players and drummers when to play!  Fans often speak of how Bruce tunes in to them as well.  When he makes eye contact with fans in the pit, behind the stage or in the 400s way upstairs, they feel he is connecting with them only.

And, unique for this 2023 tour, Bruce openly shares his painful awareness of his own mortality. Most nights, around song 13, Bruce dismisses all but trumpet player Barry Danielian and tells the story of playing in his first band in high school, the Castiles.  He poignantly notes that in 2018, George Theiss, a band member from that band died.  This left Springsteen as the only remaining member of the band.  Springsteen wrote, “Last Man Standing” to reflect on this painful reality.

Fourth, Bruce seems to have given even more thought than usual in to the design of his setlist.  Many have criticized the static nature of the setlist, which only sees a show premiere on rare occasion (Jungle Land at MSG and TWO in Newark—Local Hero and Jersey Girl are examples).  More than one fan on greasylake.com writes, “Those who are going to multiple shows know the setlist is relatively static. (Or they are morons?”). Some speculate, “I do expect that shows might shift a bit when they go to Europe or when they return for stadium shows. But they may not.”

One insider, guitarist Little Stevie commented on the setlist recently when he was a guest on Kyle Meredith’s podcast, part of the Consequence Podcast Network. “It's an interesting choice Bruce has made. We haven't changed the set from the very first rehearsal. He just hit on what he wanted to do very early in the rehearsal process. The songs are not all from 'Letter to You' but they take on that theme. It's not exactly a linear, literal storyline from beginning to end, but it has that color of the theme that comes from the album. Especially 'Backstreets,' in particular, it takes on an entirely different meaning. Now it's about George Theiss…Yes, it is different. It is more like a Broadway show, more like a typical show of a rock band. Most rock bands don't change any songs. I know rock bands whose sets are laminated…You're telling a story and every song has a purpose.”  (quotes taken from:  https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/music/2023/03/27/bruce-springsteen-tour-2023-steven-van-zandt-consequence-podcast-interview/70052660007/?fbclid=IwAR1vEihxyviRV67tKxMFB5n_VPqTo-dVY6NK_5249Ge9KO-d2hF_66kCmlY

As I walked out of the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC on March 27—just two months after I saw Bruce and the E Street opening night February 1st at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, I too reflected on the setlist.  I realized that I had seen the exact same setlist both nights.  And I was fine with that.  As a traditional Jew, I am aware that the prayers we say three times a day, as well as the megillah we read every Purim, the torah we read start to finish every year, and the haggadah we recited just over a week ago has very little or no variation.   Yet, the experience of doing the same thing day after day, year after year has the potential to be special each time.  What changes is the venue and the ambience, the guest list, the person we bring to the experience, and the awareness of our own mortality.

Thanks Bruce for making us better people each tour. Keep doing what you do, wherever you do it, and we will be there to join you!

 

 

Howard Blas

National Ramah Tikvah Network Director

מחנות רמה

National Ramah Commission, Inc.

3080 Broadway | New York, NY 10027

Cell: (413) 374-7210

Howard@campramah.org

www.CampRamah.org



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Tuesday night, I celebrated a first, just as Deni Avdija was marking two firsts.  I attended my first in person sports event in over a year.  Deni, the Washington Wizards rookies from Israel, made his Madison Square Garden debut.  He scored 14 points before fouling out in a pretty big Wizards loss.  (As I started writing this blog, the Wizards were ahead of the Knicks in their Thursday rematch at MSG—for 3 periods. Sadly, they lost 106-102).

The fact that an entire season of basketball is taking place, in arenas across the country–a year into the Covid 19 pandemic—is nothing short of incredible. Last year, the NBA pulled it off by having everyone in a bubble.  No fans and few members of the media witnessed it in person.

This season, I have been lucky enough to have Washington Wizards media credentials, have been attending Zoom media sessions, and have written many articles for JNS and the Jerusalem Post about the 20 year old Israeli taken by the Wizards #9 in the recent NBA draft   I was eager to see Deni play in person.  When I saw that the Wizards would be in New York for a Sunday game against the Nets in Brooklyn and Tuesday/Thursday games against the Knicks, I applied for media credentials.  I fished my wish! I was granted credentials for Tuesday.

Here is where I tip my hat first to the NBA and then to the Knicks and Madison Square Garden.  The NBA takes great precautions to keep players, coaches and fans safe.  Players including Deni have been on Covid protocol at various points over the summer.  Some even missed the NBA All-Star game for the same reason. Once credentials were granted, I was told I would need to arrive no later than 3:45 pm for a 7:30 game.  Each staff member at MSG and all media are required to undergo onsite health screening and Covid testing. 

The process was organized and calm, and all employees of MSG remained similarly calm and in good spirits.  Everyone logged in to the system, was swabbed and waited for (hopefully) negative test results. I was told that there is an extra NBA stringency for media and I was escorted to a special seat (seat #1) in the balcony of the Theater at MSG. I was told it would take “about 45 minutes.”  I was told not to leave my seat under any circumstances.  I spoke from afar with a fellow journalist I knew from other sports events.  I had a 45-minute tutoring lesson about Passover with a student.  Two hours later, I was told I was negative.  After 15 more minutes, I was given a wristband and escorted with two other journalists to our seats on The Bridge at MSG.

Walking along The Bridge is a walk down MSG memory lane—one passes retired Knicks and Rangers jerseys, championship banners and special tributes to long concert runs (Phish, Billy Joel, etc.).  We were shown the bathrooms, the table with hot dogs, pretzels and water, and our very socially distanced work stations.  We were not to leave our area.  In past years, media was allowed to enter the locker room at appointed times to interview players (I once brought humus to Omri Casspi!), attend the coach press conference in the hallway, watch practice from the court, and we were free to wander the stadium to interview fans.  Not this year.

The Garden is at 10% capacity, which means no more than 2,000 fans. It was a ghost town, but a happy ghost town with fans cheering, a DJ for Noche Latina de los Knicks, and Knicks City Dancers—on the screen, prerecorded. I would have ordinarily gone down to speak with the two waving the Israeli flags to see why they are Deni and Wizards super-fans.  Not tonight.

Tonight was a night to feel lucky to see Deni in person.  It was a night to watch Deni high fiving such NBA stars as Russell Westbrook and Bradley Beal and to remember that this 20-year-old Israeli is in the same league as these legends.  It was a night to think about just how far this young Israeli is from home—and to see just how adaptable and resilient he has been, traversing his new country, in the middle of a pandemic.  It was a night to hope that one day soon, I will get to meet and interview Deni.

Then, by dumb luck, I DID get to see Deni!  Two minutes after Deni spoke to the media via Zoom, I was leaving the Garden and spotted 20 religious boys chanting his name.  Then…Deni appeared!  He was behind a barricade, escorted to the team bus.  He was not permitted to sign autographs (though one shouted, “sign my tissue, Deni!”), but he smiled and waved to his admiring fans.

It is clear that Deni is here to stay. He is a young up and coming mensch who will one post-Covid day sign lots of autographs and schmooze with admiring fans—young and adult, Israeli and American, Jewish and non-Jewish, for years to come. Happy Passover, Deni! 






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On the Jewish holiday of Purim, which took place 3 weeks ago, there is a custom to give mishloach manot, gifts of ready to eat food, to friends.  While most people give “eat now” food—things which can be consumed right away, some have the custom of giving Kosher for Passover foods which can be eaten exactly one month later on Passover.  I am happy that the Chessler Family is in the first category!

Noah Chessler celebrated his bar mitzvah February 25th on Purim evening.  It was not the Purim bar mitzvah Noah or his family had envisioned.  For years, the Chesslers were anticipating a Purim bar mitzvah and party with an in person megillah reading and costumes, accompanied by hot dogs, cotton candy, games, booths and other festivities for all guests to enjoy. Instead, the bar mitzvah took place in their apartment, on Zoom.  In the age of Covid, Zoom bar mitzvahs have become the norm.  And it is up to families to make these events meaningful and fun.

I recently wrote an article about the Moving Traditions organization, and their guide booklet for Zoom bar and mitzvahs.  One key takeaway from Moving Traditions, rabbis and families interviewed is that these do-it-yourself b’mitzvahs have offered an unprecedented opportunity for a return to meaning and basics—with less emphasis on dress, invitations and the party.  And they are empowering to families. 

The Chesslers hired a skeleton crew to make sure the Zoom and the videos ran smoothly, they borrowed a megillah (Scroll of Esther) from Noah’s grandfather, and purchased cute and simple costumes (Ramen Noodle, potato chips and Heinz Ketchup t-shirts) for the family.  Noah read several megillah chapters “live,” from his home, while family and friends read megillah chapters from locations from New York to Massachusetts, California and even Israel!  The Chesslers made a truly inclusive and festive celebration out of a pretty straightforward 10-chapter story.  They essentially embellished the 10-chapter story by telling it in 20 acts with friends and sharing pre-recorded videos, tributes to Noah and more.

I was one of Noah’s teachers and was lucky enough to be on-site to help Noah lead maariv, the evening prayer, “spot him” as he read from the scroll, address him and present him with a bar mitzvah gift. I was also able to quickly change out of my dress clothes to sport an Israeli basketball uniform for most of the megillah reading.  It was a really fun evening! 

Noah's mom liked being able to personalize the experience and bring in and engage guests and participants.  “It really made the event feel lively and warm!”  In addition, she notes a silver lining of Zoom–“active” participation from Israel, Canada, the UK, Belize, and across the US including Oregon and New Hampshire!

I was impressed by nearly every decision the Chessler Family made in order to make the bar mitzvah fun and meaningful. One decision which was particularly close to my heart was Noah and the family’s support of three disability owned businesses as they planned their mishloach manot/guest bags. They provided gift bags and t-shirts printed by Spectrum Designs (https://www.spectrumdesigns.org/), flavored popcorn by Popcorn for the People (https://www.popcornforthepeople.com/), and chocolate covered treats by Truly Scrumptious by Alexa  (https://www.trulyscrumptiousbyalexa.com/).  Please read about Jewish organizations and individuals who have found ways to support disability owned businesses—and please consider ways to do the same!

Noah’s very special bar mitzvah is a recent memory, and Pesach is almost here.  We are all feeling hopeful that we will soon be able to return to in person prayer services and bar and bat mitzvahs.  May we continue to offer Zoom options as needed and appropriate, and may we continue to search for meaning—supporting disability owned businesses in the process is one great way!


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It is always a treat to hear my friends and colleagues, Fred Maahs and Yuval Wagner, teach about anything!  They have so much experience in life itself and in the world of disabilities inclusion specifically.  Yuval is Founder and President of Access Israel, and Fred is an accessible travel expert and consult and editor of Melange Accessibility for All Travel magazine.  Yuval and Fred both navigate the world from their wheelchairs.   I was drawn to their webinar topic this past Thursday—“Accessible Travel.” 

Both had their share of horror stories—getting to a hotel and not being able to get in to the bathroom, for one; the humiliation of trying to get on to a plane and to your seat (never mind to the “accessible bathroom” for two)…

Both Fred and Yuval have great attitudes and perspective and continue to be part of the solution.   Fred reminded the audience just how much money is NOT being spent by people with disabilities on travel—though they would LIKE to be spending that money! (somewhere around a billion dollars!).

Maahs and Wagner offered many simple and practical solutions to improving the travel experience for people with disabilities.  Maahs suggests including people with disabilities in the planning and design of airports, hotels, conference centers, pointing out that “following the book” is never enough.  He playfully notes that planning a conference center with shag carpeting is a nightmare for a person navigating the space with a wheelchair.  Similarly, putting an iron on the top shelf of a closet in a hotel room is of no use to Little Person or a person who uses a wheelchair.  Maahs stressed the need for helping people in the hospitality industry experience the world with various disabilities.  

Wagner proudly noted that in Israel, it is REQUIRED that workers in this industry must be trained in “how it feels to have a disability.”  They must also be trained in providing accurate information on how to navigate the city—by train, by bus, etc.  And “all entities in Israel must advertise accessibility details.”   Israel continues to strive toward being a world leader in accessibility.  Yuval and Access Israel and Friends of Access Israel (FAISR) like to refer to Israel as the Accessible Start Up Nation.

Saron McKee, Philadelphia International Airport’s first Manager of Access and Accessible Programs, also addressed the webinar.  She shared many things already in place at the airport to support people with, both visible and invisible disabilities, including (but not limited to) accessible adult changing tables, LCD monitors and the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard.  While I have been in this field for decades and have been leading disabilities trips to Israel for a very long time, I had never heard of this important lanyard concept. 

According to the Hidden Disabilities Store website, https://hiddendisabilitiesstore.com/about-hidden-disabilities-sunflower:   “In 2016, the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower was designed and launched when London Gatwick Airport asked “How can we identify that one of our passengers may have a non-obvious disability?”. We created a simple sunflower design on a green background for a lanyard – a subtle but visible sign to enable airport staff to identify that the wearer (or someone with them) may require some extra help, time, or assistance when moving through the airport.”  Here is a short video:

It is exciting and refreshing hearing Yuval, Fred and Saron discuss accessible travel.  It is a reminder that we are SO CLOSE to returning to a world where travel is possible, exciting, safe and a right for all!

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