ITEMS of INTEREST

with contributions from Cynthia Daniels, Matthew Mogul, Leonard Martinez, Linda Leicht

"Mesmerized, The Teenage Campers at first sat quietly in a circle around the visiting musician. But the room came to life as the artist, an acoustic guitar strapped across his left shoulder, began his most popular song in a mix of English and Hebrew. Campers clapped, others smiled, some even danced. For them, it was a special occasion. This was not just any summer rock concert, this was Dan Nichols, lead singer of Dan Nichols and Eighteen, and this was not just any music, this was Jewish rock. Though its fan base and CD sales do not rival those of the Christian rock movement, Jewish rock is growing with the performances, recordings and influence of artists like Nichols and Rick Recht, lead singer of the Rick Recht Band.

"Many in the Jewish community recognize the genre's power in teaching young people the value of Jewish culture and making them feel it's cool. 'Who doesn't like rock 'n' roll?' asked Michelle Citrin, 23, a song leader at Camp Hess Kramer in Malibu, Calif., where Nichols recently spent a weekend as an artist in residence. 'It definitely connects with everybody.' . . .

"These kids 'totally get the message,' said Recht, 33, owner of Vibe Room Records, a recording company in St. Louis. They 'are in their cars pulling into high school parking lots, singing Jewish liturgy at the top of their lungs with their windows down—that says it all. These kids are proud to be Jewish; they feel liberated and just as cool as the next kid, but they feel it Jewishly.' "

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