A Music Video for Sukkot: "Sukkah", a Parody by Temple Israel of the Maroon 5 Hit "Sugar"

The Sukkot holiday starts this Friday night, which leaves only a few days for us to share any new Sukkot musical videos that are being released this year.

The clergy and staff of Temple Israel of West Bloomfield, Michigan are starting us off with Sukkah, a joyful parody of the pop hit Sugar by Maroon 5, released about eight years ago.

As Suzanne Chessler wrote in The Detroit Jewish News, 

“We want to spread the joy of Sukkot,” said Cantor Michael Smolash, who developed and participated in the video with Cantor Neil Michaels and Maya Grinboim, director of music production for the temple.

“The whole idea of Sukkot is that it takes place as the most joyous holiday in the Jewish calendar. After getting through Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah and the repentance linked to that, this video is all about joy,” Smolash said.

“This video is taking a very popular song and showing how you can celebrate to have fun, be a little silly, dance and be together in the sukkah.”

The music is from the song “Sugar” by Maroon 5, and the new lyrics are by Smolash, Grinboim and Canadian comedian Simon Rakoff, who polished the final lyrics. Rakoff is known personally to Smolash because the comedian is a cousin of Smolash’s wife.

Part of making the video was to appeal to all ages, and the musicians helping with that included Larry Prentiss on electric bass, Steve Nolton on drums and percussion, and Bryan Pope on electric guitars and synth.

“Little kids will like it,” Smolash said. “Adults will get more of the jokes, and teenagers will dig the Maroon 5 song.”

Enjoy!

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