Cantors

Cantor Yaakov Motzen is a native of Tel Aviv and the fifth generation of a family of Cantors. He attended well known Yeshivot in Israel and studied music and vocal technique with the late Yosef Goland, the principal baritone in the Berlin opera in the late 1920’s.
Yaakov studied liturgy with the renowned Cantor Yitzchak Eshel.
Yaakov served as vice president of the Nachala organization from 1973-1978, which was dedicated to entertaining wounded soldiers. Cantor Motzen held the position of Chief Cantor in Givatayim, Haifa, and Ramat Gan, and sang on Kol Yisrael radio and television. In 1978, Motzen went to Montreal to take the position of Cantor of Congregation Shomrim Laboker-Beth Yehuda-Shaarei Tefillah for nine years, and then became the Cantor of the Adath Israel Poalei Zedek Congregation for the next ten years until July, 1997. From 1997 to 2005 he served as the Cantor of Shaarei Shomayim Congregation in Toronto, Canada.

In November of 1987 and 1988, he joined several other outstanding cantors in a historical tour behind the Iron Curtain, organized by the American Society for the Advancement of Cantorial Arts and the Gila and Haim Wiener Foundation. Yaakov Motzen has performed in concert in many parts of the world, including Australia, South Africa, England, Israel, and many cities in North America. He has released over a dozen recordings of liturgical and Chassidic music.

Cantor Yaakov Motzen is currently serving as the Cantor of The Bal Harbour Synagogue, Florida.

Yaakov is a proud father of six children, and “saba” to eight grandchildren. When not “on the road”, he and his wife Marsha reside in Englewood, NJ.

Avi Chriqui Delevanti hails from generations of Cantors and Paytanim. At the young age of seven he joined his father in performing at weddings and in various synagogues on the Yamim Noraim.  By the age of seventeen, Avi was already performing solo at wedding concerts and events around the world.  Word of his talent spread quickly and he soon thereafter began performing with the greatest Israeli singers such as Kobi Peretz, Yaakov Shwekey, Yaniv Ben Mashiach, Chaim Israel, Benjamin Bouzaglo and more. He performed in concerts throughout Israel accompanied by the Andalusian orchestra bands in Israel.

Avi has developed mastery in many music genres, including Oriental, Arabic & Pop music and his songs are tailored to an International audiences. He has released several singles; among them The Light of Lights, Peace in the World and Mahrozet Arabika. In 2017 Avi and the successful rapper Nissim Black presented a brilliant collaboration in a joint duet that Avi launched in 2019 in a special music video.

We are pleased to have Avi lead our Sephardic Prayers at Royal Passover..

Eli Levin is a singer/guitarist born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Eli is known for His soulful “hartzig” music. He is deeply inspired by the late Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, a prolific songwriter who spread hundreds of tunes and stories to move thousands of Jews to find their connection to their roots. Eli has brought his music and angelic voice to many Simcha’s and events worldwide, adding a special energy that connects and spiritually uplifts his audience. Eli and his nightly kumsitz were undoubtedly the highlight of Pesach in Puerto Rico, now once again Eli is back, this time as a member of the Royal Passover family and he and his melodious voice are coming to Cancun to enhance and lead some of our tefilot and serenade our Royal Passover guests with his guitar and his soul. Follow him on Instagram @elilevinmusic.

Yechiel Nahari is a world-renowned Cantor recognized by most as the greatest Sephardic Cantor in the world. Recognized from his youth as a child prodigy in the field of music and Sephardic liturgy, he began his career over thirty years ago serving as the lead cantor of the most prestigious Sephardic congregations in Jerusalem, London and Brooklyn, New York. Yechiel has performed and served as a Cantor in front of several Chief Rabbis of Israel and Abroad. He has performed at the request of dignitaries, heads of state, and in front of tens of thousands of his fans and long-time friends in the most prestigious concert halls in the United States, Europe, Israel and Latin America. He has written piyuteem and music which have become instant classics and his renditions of famous songs are the foundation for aspiring cantors. Each of Yechiel’s prayer services are unique and no two are the same. He is able to mesh many different genres creating a tapestry of masterful prayer services. Yechiel is currently the lead Cantor at the distinguished Edmund J. Safra Synagogue in Deal, New Jersey.