As Chanukah time approached, it was hard not to anticipate what the Maccabeats would have in store, but fans got more than they expected this year when Stand Four, a new Maccabeats breakaway group, appeared on the scene with their own Chanukah video. Stand Four looked like the Maccabeats, dressed like the Maccabeats, and sounded like the Maccabeats—fans naturally wondered what distinguished this new group, Stand Four.
The confusion is certainly understandable since the four members (David Block, Noey Jacobson, Nachum Joel, and Immanuel Shalev) of the newly formed group Stand Four are all previous members of the Maccabeats. Now that they have graduated from YU, the four have moved on to graduate schools, careers, and three of them are married. These commitments left them with less time for traveling with the Maccabeats, but they weren’t ready to give up on their passion for making fun Jewish music. That is what led to the creation of the individual project, Stand Four.
Although it may seem like some competition is brewing, this never was nor never will be a bitter break-up. Stand Four says they have the utmost respect for the group they started out with and are close friends with the members. They have been sharing the Maccabeats original “Shine” video on their Facebook page as well as the popular hit, “Candlelight.” When asked if there are any differences between the two groups, a member of Stand Four answered that that their missions are very similar- both share a focus on putting out great videos and making a big spiritual impact on as many people as possible.
Stand Four’s first song, called “Eight Nights,” was released on November 27th, just in time to get some hype before the first night of Chanukah. The song is a parody mashup of the songs “Some Nights” by Fun, “Die Young” by Ke$ha, and “Live While We’re Young” by One Direction. It was created as a collaboration between all four members to commemorate the miracle of Chanukah. In true Chanukah spirit, Stand Four is also using their video to support a good cause. They are raising awareness and funds for the Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel Terror Relief Fund – the link on their video sends you directly to the organization’s page.
It’s hard to tell at this point to predict the future of Stand Four. Currently, they have no appearances or performances scheduled. For now the members are enjoying the chance to continue doing what they love. Fans have been very receptive to their new endeavor. In the words of Stand Four, “We always feel that the more meaningful/fun Jewish music, the better off we all are.”