We’ve got a lot of exciting news we wanted to share with you:

1. This past Chanukkah, we had the privilege of performing at Google’s NYC HQ. Google actually posted the video of our performance to YouTube as part of their Talks@Google series, which was really an honor. Check it out!

2. We’re excited to announce that we’re putting the finishing touches on a new album!!! More details over the next few weeks. Until then, you’ll just have to enjoy our first two.

3. Next Thursday we’ll be performing a set after the New Jersey Devils NHL game at the Prudential Center as part of their Jewish Heritage Night festivities. Click here for info and tickets.

4. We’ll be doing our first ever show with America’s Got Talent finalist Edon Pinchot in Brooklyn this March. It will certainly be a show to remember – Click here for info and tickets.

5. Don’t forget to check out our tour page to grab tickets for a show near you.

6. We’re excited to launch an exciting partnership with Hillel – The Foundation for Campus Jewish Life. Thanks to a generous donor, over the next few months we’ll be commencing a concert tour at Hillels across the country with the hopes of helping those Hillels strengthen their communities’ commitment to their Jewish identity.

Sincerely,

The Maccabeats

P.S. check out this video of Zach Braff saying that he’s a Maccabeat

The past month or so has been, to put it lightly, wild: twenty shows, eleven states, four countries on three continents, three TV appearances, two new videos (and a cameo in one more), and one original song. The Hanukkah/holiday season culminated in our annual December 25 show at BBKing in NYC’s Times Square, where we got to laugh, shmooze, and sing with an amazing sold-out hometown crowd.

This year, we also partnered with the Gift of Life Bone Marrow Foundation to renew our Miracle Match campaign, which continues to raise much-needed funds and awareness to help gather and process DNA samples from potentially life-saving matches. Check out the campaign at www.MakeSomeMiracles.com, and don’t forget to share it on Facebook, Twitter, and all those other social networks!

Finally, a few concerned fans, having noticed some different faces in our most recent videos, inquired if something was wrong. To them, we say that rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. Though most of us have already graduated, we’re still touring, we’re still singing music that we — and we hope you — love, and we’re still making videos with the fantastic Uri Westrich. In fact, this past September, after a grueling audition process, we selected two new members from the YU undergraduate student body who have already proven their worth both on stage and in the studio.

A few of the original Maccabeats, however, have decided to move on after they’ve finished their current touring season. They’ll be missed, and we would be happy to have them back, but we respect their decision and wish them nothing but the best.

As always, we have a whole bunch of exciting projects in the works, so make sure to check our website, Facebook page, and YouTube channel for updates. Who knows, maybe this year we’ll finally put out that Pesach (Passover) video you’ve all been asking for!

Sincerely yours,

The Maccabeats

Firstly, we’ll be shying away from full-length parodies for the time being. Taking tunes from other artists in a legal grey area, and doing it by the books usually involves a lengthy and expensive licensing process. We’ll still be very conscious of keeping our music positive and/or educational, but the medium for our message will probably not be the tunes you hear on the radio. So no, there will be no full-length “Sukkos Style” video, even though we may someday return to making fun and meaningful holiday parodies.

Secondly, we are actually working on some original tunes. Covers are fun and easy, and sometimes interpreting someone else’s work can be very rewarding, but we are very excited for this new challenge. This is a new frontier for us, and we hope that this will be a jump to the next level as artists.

Finally, we will never dance in another video again. Promise.