Whether it is listening to our own Shir Madness perform at Kabbalat Shabbat or watching Maccabeats music videos on Hanukkah, Jewish a cappella is all around us. This style of music, singing without instruments, emerged in 13th-century Italy and was prominent in Christian culture before becoming secularized in the 20th century.
However, Jewish a cappella also has a rich history. It’s often referred to as “sefirah music,” meaning that it is utilized during the omer because of the Jewish custom to not listen to instruments or live music during the 49 days between Passover and Shavuot. While there are some stricter opinions that don’t allow it during the period, the majority accepts a cappella. Traditionally, instruments are also not allowed to be played on Shabbat, leading to a cappella becoming the Saturday alternative.
These days, Jewish a cappella groups can be found all over Jewish high schools and college campuses. From widely known ones such as Six13 and the Maccabeats to local ones like University of Maryland’s Kol Sasson, the celebration of Jewish songs and culture through a cappella is easily accessible.
Groups come up with clever Jewish-related names, including UMD’s Rak Shalom, Tufts University’s Shir Appeal and Syracuse University’s Oy Cappella. These groups are celebrated and appreciated during Jewish a cappella-specific collegiate competitions. The most recent one, the first Northeast Hillel A Cappella Competition, was hosted by UMD Hillel in 2025.
Jewish songs and values reflected through a cappella are a great way to connect to music on a deeper level. Here are some groups and sounds to check out:
Rak Shalom:
Founded in 2005, Rak Shalom is one of UMD’s premier a cappella groups. They have performed at various synagogues and events all around the Greater Washington area, participated in more than six competitions and won over four.
Rak Shalom is co-ed and sings both Israeli and English pop songs and traditional Jewish songs.
To listen remotely, they have recorded and uploaded multiple albums to Spotify and arrange all of their songs themselves.
Six13:
Six13 is a six-man a cappella group that sings conventional Jewish songs with modern elements. They are based in New York City and have performed on multiple TV programs and at venues like the Kennedy Center and the White House.
Six13 is special because they not only play at concerts, but also at Jewish celebrations like bnei mitzvot and weddings. They will call a bnei mitzvah to the Torah or harmonize to Kabbalat Shabbat, a great way to add meaning to standard practices.
Maccabeats:
Another professional group, Maccabeats was founded as Yeshiva University’s a cappella band in 2007. Since then, they have performed all over the world and amassed a huge social media following.
Their colorful music videos and Jewish parodies of classic songs are a fun listen for any occasion and an exciting way to honor traditional songs with new twists.
Jewish a cappella is a great way to celebrate Judaism and appreciate traditions. Taking a few minutes to try out a new sound is definitely worth the listen.
