Pitch perfect with Pastrami on RI

Pastrami on RI performs at the Jewish Family Service 85th Anniversary Gala, left to right, Hillary Schulman, Seth Finkle, Maayan Harel, Sara Goldenberg Toso, Joanna Korman, Jose Montanez. /Hillary SchulmanIn this day and age college is no longer solely an academic experience. Students often opt for universities with vibrant on-campus communities offering the chance to mingle with like-minded people. Pair this with the constant flux of classes each semester, and it becomes clear just how easy it is to make friends.  Instead of trying to fill their social calendars, students vie for the simple pleasure of having a day to themselves. 

It is not until after college, however, that people begin to realize just how vital university life is in sustaining relationships.  With friends moving to new cities and states for career opportunities, bonds begin to fade and eventually over time, counting the number of close friends on one hand becomes just one of the many realities new graduates face.

One of these recent graduates is Hillary Schulman.  After moving to Rhode Island to take on the role of development associate for the Jewish Alliance of Greater Rhode Island, Schulman, a Brandeis University graduate and Florida transplant, began to engage with (401)j, a new statewide collaboration between the Alliance and local synagogues open to Jews in their 20s, 30s and 40s.  It was Erin Mosely, director of Arts & Culture and NextGen Engagement at the Alliance and one of the founders of (401)j, who suggested she team up with Maayan Harel to create a singing group.  Together, they took Erin’s idea and ran with it, creating what now is Rhode Island’s first Jewish, co-ed, post-collegiate a cappella group, Pastrami on RI.

The group formed in February. Now with seven voices, they recently returned from a summer hiatus and have already played two gigs.  One was for the Jewish Family Service of Rhode Island birthday celebration at the Ledgemont Country Club in Seekonk, Massachusetts. They also sang at Shabbat Shabbang at the Dwares JCC in Providence, where the group also led a workshop in a cappella singing.   

To prepare for their performances, the group gathers once a week to study proper singing techniques, including diction and breath control, and to learn new songs, all of which have a Jewish spin.  A resounding favorite of the group is Matisyahu’s “Sunshine,” an upbeat, reggae pop song laced with positive lyrics.  Harel explains that for songs penned by non-Jewish artists, the group simply revises the words to incorporate Jewish subject matter.  A great example is their version of Katy Perry’s “Firework,” cleverly composed to be about Pesach.

Adam Cable, a graduate student studying social work at the University of Rhode Island, says, for him, meeting week in and week out is more than just about rehearsing.  It is actually an out-of-the-ordinary fun way to socialize.  In fact, like a few of the members, he actually grew up singing in his temple choir. Similarly, Sara Goldenberg Toso, a high school reading specialist, and Seth Finkle, the Teen Program coordinator at the Jewish Alliance, met while singing in Kol Shofar, the University of Rhode Island’s Jewish a cappella group.  After spending a few years away from performing, Toso says it’s nice to be a part of a group again.  “I sing because of the way it makes me feel.  It’s very therapeutic and music just makes me feel good.”

Schulman says she hopes that Pastrami on RI will one day grow to become something more than an extracurricular enterprise and one that will permit the group to be able to perform out of state to reach wider audiences. 

Harel says with all of the new people joining the Providence Jewish community she is excited at the thought of expanding Pastrami on RI.  Those in their 20s and 30s who enjoy performing with a group are encouraged to audition. Contact Hillary Schulman or Maayan Harel at pastramionri@gmail.com for more information.

LINDSAY R. CHANCELLOR is a freelance writer based in Riverside and is currently working in marketing and digital media.