About Makela

Makela is a DMV-based a cappella group for singers of all ages, faiths, and identities. We sing songs in both Hebrew and English and maintain a wide variety of genres in our repertoire. These days we’re singing pop music (both American and Israeli), R&B, folk, and traditional Jewish liturgy. Knowledge of Hebrew is not a requirement for membership (most of our members don't speak Hebrew).

Performances:

Makela performs throughout the DC community at synagogue events, folk festivals, holiday celebrations, and more. We also hold concerts for our friends and family roughly once a year.

Rehearsals:

Makela rehearses on Wednesday evenings at our members’ homes within and just outside DC. Most locations are accessible via public transit and we’re happy to give rides for those that aren’t.

Group History:

In February 1999, students at George Washington University and a number of young Jewish professionals in downtown Washington DC joined together to revive a defunct Jewish A Cappella group at George Washington University. The group was called Zmirnotes, and attracted members from both the university and the greater DC area.

We worked together for almost two years, developing our mutual talents and skills while performing at Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, college performances, and community events. By March 2001, membership had grown sufficiently for the students to form their own group (now known as Shiluv) and for us, the young professionals, to form our own professional group and seek an ever wider range of performing venues. We named the new group Makela, meaning choir, chorus, or ensemble.

Since 2001, Makela has performed at dozens at embassy events, Bar/Bat Mitzvah receptions, synagogues, folk festivals, community events, birthday parties, Sheva Brachot, benefit concerts, and more, bringing our love and joy of Jewish music to the greater Washington DC area, Baltimore, and occasionally beyond.

Matchmaker, matchmaker… In August 2008, Allison Talansky and Daniel Garcia Pedroza, who met through the group, were married.

We thank our over 30 alumni for their contributions to the group.

Tikkun Olam: In 2002, 2003, and 2006, Makela hosted concerts to benefit different charities in Israel (Magen David Adom, ISEF Foundation, and Jewish National Fund), and has helped to raise over $10,000 for these causes through our concerts. In 2010, Makela collected food, clothing, and monetary donations for So Others Might Eat (SOME), an interfaith non-profit in Washington, DC.

In 2020, Makela raised funds to benefit The Sentencing Project. The Sentencing Project works for a fair and effective U.S. criminal justice system by promoting reforms in sentencing policy, addressing unjust racial disparities and practices, and advocating for alternatives to incarceration.