In the fall of 2007, a few students at Yeshiva University came to a startling realization: Jewish collegiate a capella groups had been formed on almost every college campus with a substantial Jewish student community - every campus, that was, except for YU! This realization soon led to the formation of the Maccabeats, YU’s all-male a capella group. At first, the Maccabeats sang mostly in the privacy of their own practice room, developing a repertoire. Soon, though, their music began to spread and be performed all over campus at a plethora of university events and at numerous concerts. The Maccabeats have since performed for thousands all around the country, from New York's Madison Square Garden to Orlando, Florida (and everywhere in between). Strongly committed to the philosophy of Torah u-Madda, the integration of traditional and secular wisdom, the Maccabeats perform an eclectic array of Jewish, American, and Israeli songs. Their breakthrough piece, Lecha Dodi, is the epitome of this synthesis, combining some of the most beloved words of Jewish liturgy with Leonard Cohen's meaningful and melodic Hallelujah. In 2010, the Maccabeats released their first album entitled Voices from the Heights, which is distributed by Sameach Music.
