When a surge of antisemitism in Germany deterred a group of Israeli teen jazz musicians from embarking on their annual European tour, Montgomery County philanthropists stepped up.
The seven musicians in the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts’ jazz ensemble were disappointed at first upon hearing the news from the Israeli Ministry of Education. Tom Elgarat, whose son plays the trumpet in the ensemble, knew whom to call: his longtime friend, Potomac philanthropist Robert Burman.
“In October, I got a call and [Elgarat] says, ‘Robert, I need a favor,’” Burman recalled. “Tongue in cheek, he says, ‘Do you know anybody in Washington?’”
Elgarat told Burman that he wanted to send a delegation of musicians and their teacher to Washington, D.C., in place of Europe. Joseph Regev, the head of the Thelma Yellin jazz department, selected seven musicians and singers to spend five days in D.C. and Maryland, sponsored by Burman.
Burman contacted the heads of school at Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School and Berman Hebrew Academy as two venues for the ensemble’s performances.
He worked with friends Josh Stevens, Guy Berliner and Uri Schwartz, the operations manager of Hillel International, to set up an itinerary for the teens including meals, tourist attractions and musical performances at the Jewish day schools.
“We know they’re teenagers, so they don’t want to be playing the entire time,” Stevens said. “We tried to create some light-hearted stuff, let them see D.C. and experience life in the nation’s capital while also trying to hit touch points around the Jewish community.”
The group arrived in New Jersey from Israel on Jan. 19. Regev drove them to visit the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, then to Rockville where the teens stayed. They fit in a practice session at the Bender Jewish Community Center of Greater Washington before dinner.
Two days of the trip were almost entirely dedicated to performing: CESJDS on Jan. 22 and Berman on Jan. 23. The teens played Israeli songs, American hits and jazz.
“I’m not a musician, [but] these were very, very talented individuals,” said Burman, who attended the teens’ practice sessions and performances.
Their day at Berman was more laid-back — preschool students danced to the music and had chances to interact with the teens.
“Performing for the Jewish day school students made us understand there is a big community that is [accept]ing us with open hands,” Yahel Fryd, a vocalist and 12th grader, said.
“It was great meeting the community,” Ilai Bojmel, a vocalist and 12th grader, said. “American Jewish people were so amazing and generous to us.”
The teens connected with students their age; after the performance, the musicians exchanged social media information with some CESJDS students, and Bojmel said he promised to show them around Israel during their upcoming school trip.
Staff members from both CESJDS and Berman have contacted Burman to request this event again in 2026.
“Music is the common love,” Burman said. “Music brings everybody together. To see these kids get out there, not just doing concerts, showing the young kids how to play an instrument, getting 3-year-olds up and dancing and singing … These Jewish children know they have families in this country. They know we have their back.”
Burman and Stevens took the teens sightseeing around D.C.
On Jan. 20, the group had a jam session at Chuck Levin’s Washington Music Center. Then they went bowling in North Bethesda with a group of Jewish teens from Capital Camps, arranged by the camp’s CEO, Havi Goldscher.
Another night, Burman and his wife, Carol, hosted the Israeli teens at their house for a pizza party and introduced the group to his friends, which Bojmel said meant a lot to him.
“[They are] the most incredible and generous people I ever will know,” Bojmel said. “I love them all so, so much. Robert showed us all of Maryland … came to our shows and showed support and made us laugh and made us cry.”
Yoav Elgarat, the trumpet player and an 11th grader, said this trip marked his first time in the U.S. He appreciated visiting the Lincoln Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial, noting the cultural differences between D.C. and his home country.
“We don’t have these things in Israel,” Yoav Elgarat said of the memorials.
“It’s constant war,” Bojmel said.
“So we don’t have time to build them,” Yoav Elgarat said.
Another cultural difference the teens said they noticed was the positive atmosphere in the U.S. Israeli students nearing high school graduation are typically preparing to go off to the military, which Bojmel said causes Israeli teens to have to mature faster.
He enjoyed being in the moment and exchanging pleasantries with community members who he said genuinely seemed to care: “It’s fun to see all their faces and laugh with them.”
Yoav Elgarat, who has a family member who had been held hostage since Oct. 7, 2023, said the trip was a welcome distraction from the pain his family has experienced from the Israel-Hamas war.
“It made us escape the reality because we’re going through a tough reality,” Yoav Elgarat said. “Seeing all these happy people made us know that there’s [happiness] everywhere.”
This trip not only fostered new connections to American Jewish teens but also bonded the Thelma Yellin musicians.
“I didn’t know these guys this well before,” Yoav Elgarat said. “I think the trip made us closer because I didn’t play with all of them [at school]; I played with, I think, three or four of them. The trip made us a group.”
The experience was just as rewarding for Burman and Stevens, who both said the trip was “more fun than work” for them.
“There was a lot of gratitude,” Stevens said of the teens. “Especially at this age — 17, 18 years old — they can appreciate the philanthropy and generosity, that this wasn’t just a school trip.”
Burman said he views the seven teens as his family and that he hopes the trip he sponsored will be the first of many. The teens spoke to an unforgettable experience in D.C. and Maryland, even though the trip hadn’t gone as planned.
“The initial thought of going to Europe was a big thing, but the Washington trip was much, much bigger,” Yoav Elgarat said. “The love that we got there in Washington was much bigger than the love we would’ve gotten in Europe.”
