Rambam shows its talent at Purim chagigah

Rambam’s Annual Purim chaggigah featured tremendous ruach and dancing, a costume contest, talent show, comedy shpiel video, and a surprise guest musician.

With most of the school dressed up in creative costumes, it was difficult narrowing down “The Final Three.” In the end, though, Yoni Szpigiel, dressed as Alexander Hamilton, faced off against Sir Josh Koegel in full armor, and Benji Weiner sporting a homemade “Chrome” costume with an actual working QR Code on the back. Based on the scientifically proven Donny Moskovits applause-o-meter, Yoni Szpigiel won the highly coveted “Best Costume Plaque.”

The talent show highlighted the diverse talents at Rambam Mesivta. It started with a Nate “The Great” Rosenberg Comedy Routine, followed by: Rabbi Noam Singer Jump-Rope and Juggling expedition, Rabbi Avrum Haar Original Song, Jon Welgrin Devil Sticks, Oren Teeter Body Twisting, Yoni Szpigiel and Sam Hofstetter “Hamilton” Medley, Craig Speiser Interpretive Dance, Eli Roth Yo-Yo, Eliyahu Levy Yo-Yo Challenge, Yoni Auerbach on the ukulele, Yaacov Feiner Stand-up Routine (and song!) and Avram Balsam Solo. The talent was awe-inspiring and MC Gavriel Haviv did a wonderful job introducing each act.

One of the highlights of the event was when the crowd chanted for Eli Roth and Eliyahu Levy, originally scheduled for separate yo-yo acts, to return for the stage for a “Yo-Yo Duel”  They obliged and the audience was treated to a back-and-forth exchange that wowed the imagination.  After tallying the votes, Rabbi Haar’s spoof on “Minyan Man” won in the “Best Rebbe Talent Show” category, making Rabbi Haar a two-time talent show champion, and Eliyahu Levy won the “Talent Show Champion Award.”

Natan Alon and the Guitar Club, featuring Yoni Saffra, then turned down the lights and played “One Day” with the whole school joining in before announcing that surprise guest, Yisroel Williger, was there to lead everyone in dancing and song.

The Purim Extravaganza concluded with the annual Purim shpiel video, created this year by Charlie Grill, Gavriel Haviv, Yair Oppenheimer, and Rafi Lowe.