Cantor Grama always encouraged me to sing which I did. Unfortunately I took a detour prior to studying Hazzanut into the performing side where I did a lot of Theater. It wasn’t until I was 38 and living in Atlanta, GA when I suddenly found myself thinking dearly of Cantor Grama and I spoke with him. He told me about a new program with the Cantors Assembly and got me in touch with Hazzan Myers at JTS. Cantor Grama was my first Mentor. Through his guidance I learned to love and appreciate the Music of Judaism.

I remember that first day in August when I met him. I was this scrawny kid from Bridgeport, CT who loved to sing. I got up and auditioned for Norma Verilli - the choir director - then I heard this huge booming voice on the Bima, and there he was - the man whom I would someday consider my older brother. He wanted to know who the little kid was with the big voice. The rest is history as they say.

Even when I strayed away from Judaism, which I did, he was always there to patiently guide me back. I truly believe that I am the man I am in large part due to Cantor Grama.

He has touched so many lives, not only with his incredible voice, but yes… with his words, his sense of humour, his candy. Words can-not express the incredible nature of this wonderful gift from HaShem… Cantor Grama.

I always loved his voice. During his concerts (I even played piano and sang at a couple of them) he always sang a song called “One G-d”. Whenever I think if him this song comes to mind. Also, when I come up to visit my parents in Connecticut I would go to Rodeph Shalom and many times he would call me up on the bima to sing Adon Olam with him. Sometimes even David Srebnik would be there and we would do three-part harmony.

I miss him dearly - my mentor, friend, and brother of song. I count myself truly blessed to have had our lives cross path and stay connected for so many years.

Z”"L may him memory and song truly be a blessing, for to those who knew him he truly was a blessing.

Cantor Steven Hevenstone

All I see is your smile. All I feel is the warmth of our boyhood friendship. We seemed never to tire and through it all we can say that we came thorough this life as Boro Park Bumpkins. We were all linked to each other - either by being in each others homes, going to school to together, singing together. I know that you would say ‘boy I wish everyone would have had at least one tenth of the
camaraderie that we had’ – just as children. I can see by the comments here today that what you were given by the Almighty, came naturally to you and you gave it to others with no reservations.

The time we spent together was, what I would call, ‘quality time’. I enjoyed carousing with you and having you as my friend and sometime protector. I was a very young Yiddishe-Britishe – new to this country, and you and your brothers befriended my brother Jay and I, right from the beginning. Today Arthur Rubin played, your version of Yosele’s “V’hu Rachum” to me over the telephone from New York as I listened in Tucson, Arizona. You sounded great! We were both on the original Moshe Koussevitsky Memorial Concert given by Der Chazzonim Farband at the Ocean Parkway Jewish Center on March 14th, 1982. . This particular tefilah, a favorite of many Hazzanim, is not a long one, but it needs a lot of neshama to sing it. I heard your neshamah once again after so many years – after so many years of missing you. I, like others, went to look for my fortune a long way away. This morning, yes, this morning, I was reunited with you, listening to you sing “V’Hu Rachum”. Wonderful, I said to myself as I held back the tears. But when I look at your handsome face and I look deep within your eyes and listen to your voice, I know I need not cry because you were a joy to know and to recall in love and unending friendship. I’m so glad you were a blessing to your family and friends and to your congregation. Thank you most of all for bringing honor to our profession and to Hazzanim everywhere.

So Y’shaya, I bid you adieu – until we meet again B‘Ezrat Hashem – I really hope He let’s us hang out together – again. God’s speed on your wonderful journey to Olam Habaah!

You boyhood chum

David

Hazzan David Montefiore
Immediate Past President - Der Chazzonim Farband
Jewish Ministers Cantors Association of America & Canada

Baruch Dayan Ha’emet
Blessed be the true Judge.

Those are the words we said when we got the shocking news that our beloved Cantor Y’shaya Grama suddenly died.

He was loved and adored by not only his wife
And children, but by every one of us assembled here today.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emet
Blessed be the true Judge.

Let’s talk about what is true about our beloved Y’shaya.

Y’shaya Grama gave the majority of the hours and minutes of his life to his Congregation—
Rodeph Shalom.

Y’shaya Grama was an extraordinary person,
the likes of which will never be replicated.

Y’shaya Grama was his own man, he was an awesome talent with a Glorious voice that has
Been tragically silenced…. We are all shocked.

Fortunately however, Cantor Grama’s life has already been transmitted permanently to thousands of B’nai Mitzvah and ten’s of thousands of worshippers throughout the years of his illustrious career.

Y’shaya was a really funnyman, but he was not a joke.

Y’shaya was a formidable force to be reckoned with–
An Institution unto himself.

Oy Va Voy to the one that crossed him and Oy vay voy to the one that would dare to even think of diminishing one iota of his sacred legacy.
You knew not and know not the magnitude of the man for whom we are gathered at this time.

The OPPORTUNITY before us today is the OPPORTUNITY to magnify and glorify the man,
His song and his legacy amongst people.

Y’shay was a Pastoral man—He loved his people
And he looked after them. We shall look after him now.

Because Y’shaya was humble, there are a great many things that you may not know about him.
I will tell you one.

There are a many professional cantors serving
Pulpits throughout the world because of Cantor Y’shaya Grama. They had been his B’nai Mitzvah, Choir members and his congregants and Y’shaya’s bigger then life persona inspired them to become Cantors themselves.

How do I know? They told me!!

They told me when they heard Cantor Grama open up his mouth and let his glorious spirit out through his
Brave booming voice, not only did it reverberate in the
Rafters and walls, it reverberated in their heart
And soul. They described it as an uncanny feeling that Cantor Grama’s voice was singing from within them. And when he stopped, Cantor Grama’s voice continued to be heard as an echo within them.
It’s his voice and the image of him singing with his whole heart that led these young people to the Cantorate.

Those that didn’t know how to admire and celebrate Y’shaya, stumbled and fell into the abyss of their own jealousy.

As for me, like you—I always admired and loved Y’shaya. Whenever his name is mentioned people smile.

Y’shaya lived with passion and he always made himself vulnerable to others because he wore his heart on his sleeve.

Cantor Grama didn’t operate by rote and habit but was always a live wire, wide-awake and ready for life,
Love and joy.

If you want to know what a spiritual giant looks like,
You need not look far— Y’shaya Grama was a spiritual giant.

Everybody that had eyes in their head and a heart in their chest knew that Y’shaya was a treasure and they loved him. And Y’shaya love them right back!

He collected his passion like a hurricane collects its wind and he called out in the name of God upon the rich jet stream of his glorious voice.

Through his Singing, Y’shay brought heaven a little closer to earth and earth a little closer to heaven.
He was your spiritual leader, he was my friend
and we will never forget him.

In an age when the sacred liturgical art of our people was under siege, Cantor Grama like a true maverick innovated ways of keeping the art alive. He was a salesman extrodinaire. He could sell ice to the Eskimos.

Baruch Dayan Ha’emet.
Blessed be the true judge.

Let’s talk about what was blessed about Y’shaya Grama.

He made us all laugh!

And now he’s made us cry.

He had the personality and voice quality to be an Opera Star. Yet, beyond his immediate community,
Many did not know him. This is because he gave all of his time, energy and life to you — his congregation!!

Y’shaya also flew beneath the Radar.

One night I got back very late from work and I stopped into a Bar and Grill to have a drink. It was Kareoke night.

I’m sitting there drinking my beer watching the game and listening to one singer after the next. Then I hear this old Tom Jones song but I am startled because it sounded way better then Tom Jones ever sang it!
I said to myself, “I’ve got to see who the heck this guy is.” And so I jump off the barstool and turn around. I see it’s a bearded fellow about middle aged wearing a Greek sailors hat with the brim turned down obscuring his eyes. As soon as he finishes his song the place goes wild—clapping, hooting and cheering…. I make my way over to him and I am extending my hand and I start in saying, “Wow…man can you sing… did you ever think of…When suddenly he interrupts me saying, “Shaul…. What are you doing here?” and he raises the brim of his Greek Sailors hat, and then in that dim light of the pub, the face of Cantor Y’shaya Grama comes into focus.

“Y’shaya, I say, I heard you were singing Kol Nidre here tonight so I figured I’d come by and hear ya.

With that Mishchivious twinkle in his eye and in his thick Brooklanese accent, Y’shaya asks me,
“What are doing… do you always hang out in bars at mid-night… I thought you were the Rabbi.”
Then he flashes those twinkle eyes again and dismisses me with his trade mark bear hug…
But not before whispering into my ear,
“Rabbi…. Go home.” And so I did.

That’s the last time I saw him
That’s the last time I heard his voice….
His whisper, “Rabbi…. Go home,”
But now Y’shaya, you have gone home.

Y’shaya, It was your night to affirm within yourself all the things you could have been and it was for you to know that you gave it all to your own people, your own family and your own congregation.

Y’shaya—Baruch Dayan Ha’emet.
Blessed be the true judge.

Blessed were you in this world Y’shaya
Blessed are all those that knew you
And Blessed shall you be forever Y’shaya in Heaven
where you shall sing your glorious song forever!

Y’shaya we will always remember you
Y’shaya we will always love you.// Sof Ha’sicha.

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thank you both for writing. my sincerest condolences to you and your whole family. and of course elana, please do post, and you can use my name i’m totally fine with that. i’ll be excited to hear his music again when the site is up.

you know i’m pretty sure i still have tapes he made me for when i was practicing trup for my torah readings. i’ll have to dig those out.

b’shalom
cole