Review, Radio Centre-Ville, Montreal

Very touching and spiritually elevating. Contemporary Judaism at its highest level...will certainly be playing the music on Jewish Digest

Leslie Lutsky, program director, Jewish Digest

After Artist-in-Residence, Allentown

...It was truly wonderful being with you and your band. Many people have commented on how great the weekend was. I was touched by your lyrics and the warmth you brought to our congregation. I really can't say enough about how special it was for all of us. Erev Shabbat was very spirited-you helped make it extra meaningful. Saturday night was exciting and riveting.

What can I say but Todah Rabah and Yasher Koach!

Joanne had said to me that I would feel a connection to you. She was right. I think we do share a very common vision of the vitality of Jewish life based on ruach, warmth and inclusion...

Hope to see you again soon,

Rob

Rabbi Dr. Robert B. Lennick
Congregation Keneseth Israel

Nothing like hearing from the Sound Guy!

Beth, The show was spectacular. I look forward to working with you in the future.
Jack Koza
www.jkaudionj.com

[from Beth: and so was Jack as a soundman-great ears, Jack!]

Post Artist in Residence Weekend, Beaumont, TX

Thank you so much for inspiring us with your wonderful talents this weekend. Everyone is talking it about still.

I got many beautiful emails from our Congregants thanking me for having your band share this memorable weekend.

I can't thank you enough for coming here this past weekend. Your music has made us all feel so blessed and at this time our congregants really needed a morale boost.

Thank you again for your beautiful talents,

Robin Goebel

After URJ Regional Biennial

Beth Schafer always manages to WOW! a crowd through her music and her generosity of spirit. Fabulous!

~Rabbi Linda Joseph, Regional Director, Southeast Council URJ

Weekend Review - Temple B'nai Shalom, VA

"...Thank you so much for a wonderful weekend. I have gotten lots of calls and emails from congregants who all had a wonderful time and were inspired by you and your music. Sunday's recording session was also fantastic. The entire process was so interesting and every child in the Religious School felt included and important. I can't wait to hear the finished product...Once again, a million thanks from a grateful congregation. 

~Donna Courtney, temple president

Review of "Build That Bridge" -Chicago

"Although it’s not billed as a best-of, that’s what this album is—some of the best work by one of the best Jewish singer-songwriters of her generation. One of Schafer’s songs came in first in the religious-music version of American Idol, and she was the only Jewish performer to place at all. This album is a great place to start exploring the warmth, positivity, and sheer talent of Beth Schafer; after hearing it, you’ll probably want her five earlier albums, too. "

~Paul Wieder, JUF News, Metropolitan Chicago

Concert Review, Bridgeport, CT

Inspiring Music

Linda, Sophie & I attended a wonderful musical concert at our Temple this past Saturday night.

If you've never heard of Beth Schafer, don't feel bad, neither had I. But you should. If you want to be uplifted and listen to a woman sing where you can understand the words, this music is for you. She has a truly beautiful voice, too!

She came to kick off our Temple's 150th anniversary year long celebration. As part of the weekend plans, she spent Sunday morning with all of our Temple choirs (1st-3rd grade, 4th-6th grade, adult choir, teen choir, etc...) recording one of her songs "In This House", which will then be made into a CD that will be sent out to all of the families in our Congregation as a Hanukkah gift. Cool, right?

We got 2 of her CD's at the concert and even Sophie enjoys listening to her while driving in the car! She loved doing the recording on Sunday morning during Sunday school, too.

~Val Bogner

Greg Mikszta - Radio Indy

 We screen thousands of songs by indie artists and name the best artists RadioIndy.com Gold Artist songs. We focus on musicianship, songwriting and recording quality when determining your Gold artist status.

Congratulations - as a top 5 finalist of a SongwriterUniverse or contest, you are a Radioindy Gold Artist!

TAXI A&R, Review of "Good Enough"

Yours was my last review of the day and you really lifted my mood. Great job of blending music with the overall sentiment of the song...you really had me hooked. Keep it up and keep exploring and sending out the good vibes!

Yo Yenta reviews

 "...Schafer isn’t some bima ice queen throwing out rabbinical wisdom; this is a woman who has a deep compassion for what it means to be human and its accompanying challenges..." To read the whole megilla of a review, click the link below.

Read the whole review here

Temple Beth Orr, FL

I wanted to express my gratitude for a beautiful evening of worship. The way the kids gravitated to you immediately and saw the kindness in your soul, told it all.

We are very fortunate that you have a special connection to Temple Beth Orr through mutual friends and hope that the future brings you back to us soon. As your melodies provided comfort and joy to the hearts of our congregation and choirs, so may you continue your work of tikkun olam through music.

~Cantor Susan Weiss 

Joe Eglash, President, Oysongs.com

 Beth Schafer's music is a vivid kaleidoscope of eyes-wide-open spirituality and breathtaking musicianship. Her skill as a songwriter of contemporary Jewish music is unmatched.

Rabbi Rachel Gurevitz - Worship and Concert Review

 No-one is doing Jewish music quite like Beth Schafer. Beth enters the heart of our texts and our prayers and recrafts them into songs that tell the story of the Jewish soul. She is creating a new kind of midrash. Working with Beth in congregational settings is sheer delight. With musicianship and production values of the highest calibre, Beth's music enriches our culture and communities.

Finding Entertainment on the Road

 Inspired.

That’s how I felt as I left the Helen Stairs Theater fresh from two hours of song and music presented by Beth Schafer and her five piece band of contemporary American artists.

Looking around I knew I wasn’t the only one, as Beth had played to a packed house held spellbound by new cuts taken from her fifth CD, The Quest and the Question, along with fan-favorite standards that many knew by heart.

The Helen Stairs Theater proved to be an excellent house for this Release Concert and DVD recording session, expected to yield Beth’s first live concert video. It was warm and offered an intimate environment for her songs which artistically express her message of universal truth that reaches far beyond the Jewish Arts Week celebration sponsoring the concert.

What you come to realize very quickly is that Beth Schafer and her band offer a new tradition in Jewish American music, rich in the words and tones of her faith, sung in a truly unique contemporary style influenced by both Rock and Folk cultures. I was particularly impressed by the exceptional depth provided by this five piece band as it melded guitars and keyboard in a full-bodied musical program. Lead guitarist, Tommy Calton, exercised skills seldom found in spirit-centered bands as he raised emotions sparked from the edge of his strings. John Marsden, keyboard, and ‘Giff’ Gifford on bass rounded out the sound that provided background to vocals by Beth, who delivers on guitar as well, and Amy Gifford who supports with background vocals and percussion. And not to be denied, drummer Charlie Morgan pulls it all together with his world class talents.

A wonderful thing to take away from this music is that it isn’t just for the Jewish Congregations who filled the Helen Stairs. In fact, as I considered the words that Beth sang I recognized that her themes were universal and that my spirit, with its Protestant roots, was moved just as sweetly...just as faithfully...as any in the audience. Interestingly, and maybe most important, each word rang just as true from a secular point of view as it did from a religious one. Beth Schafer has found her path and I am glad that she has. Her music is sophisticated, and her lyrics are intelligent, passionate and full of emotion. Her newest release, ‘The Quest and the Question’, deserves higher acclaim than it may draw from her community and I hope that you will take the time to listen to her song.

You can find Beth and her band on her web page at www.bethshafer.com where she offers downloadable cuts of her music, interviews discussing her path and goals, and details on the band and where they can be found.

Take a look; you’ll be glad you did.

~Scott Bradley

Review, Church Appearance, Ocoee, FL

Our St. Paul's places emphasis on worship; our services are contemporary in style and we strive to sense God's nearness during times of praise. Beth Schafer and her band led us in praise and shared in a concert during a Sunday service. The sense of God's presence, the joy of her faith and the style of her music resulted in such a sweet time of worship that we now use her group on a regular basis.

I can wholeheartedly endorse her for leading worship and celebrating God's love in concert in your church or temple. I know you will together be ushered into God's presence in a profound way.

~Pastor Bryan Stamper, Ph.D.

Review, "Quest"

On The Quest & the Question
[Beth's] voice, writing, and arranging all are relaxed, warm, honest, and confident. The style is sophisticated folk-rock with a touch of country; the overall effect is that of a Jewish Mary Chapin Carpenter. The production values are very high, too, and it looks and sounds like a mainstream CD. Schafer keeps getting better, and this is her best yet.

~Paul Wieder, Chicago Jewish Community Online

Artist in Residence Review, Springfield, IL

Beth Schafer recently served as artist-in-residence for our community--to the joy of all. She was both a musical and personal delight. Her presentations, both professional and personable were of high caliber. More memorable, however, was a certain quality of soul that touches her audience in a way which cannot be gotten through listening to her recorded music alone (though that, too is a pleasure). Her knowledge of sacred texts couples ancient wisdom with fresh and penetrating insights. Her background stories and anecdotes, her poignancy and humor are as lyrical as her music. All of these make Beth remarkably accessible to audiences of all ages, creeds and faith traditions. Her songs give voice to a spiritual message which deserves to be heard by everyone.

~Rabbi Michael Datz

Review, Love your Neighbor

 I cannot say enough good things about this CD. I LOVED IT!! Beth Schafer just keeps getting better and better. It is rare that I find a CD where every single song is one I want to listen to over and over again, but this is one of them. The songs are timely and well written with music and lyrics complimenting one another. As the title suggests, most of the songs deal with Loving Your Neighbor and working to make the world a better place where all people can live in peace....Not only are the songs great, but Beth's voice and instrument playing (she plays guitar, mandolin, and piano) are awesome. I could listen to her all day long. Run, don't walk to get this CD. Beth has created yet another album of music to be savored and enjoyed.

~Judy Caplan Ginsburgh

Review, Love Your Neighbor

 This is what contemporary Jewish music is all about. In Beth Schafer's fourth release, the music is broad in scope and deep in meaning. Accompanied by a chorus of children on the first track, "Working for Shalom," sums up the message for the entire disc; while negative things may be in this world, each person must work toward peace and understanding with sensitivity and bravery. "Love Your Neighbor" shines: ***** 5 stars out of 5

Deep South Jewish Voice