Singer-songwriter Mikey Pauker received death threats and hate messages after October 7, all because he supports Israel and the victims of the Hamas terror attack. The Jewish musician, who has been touring the world performing at concerts and summer camps, had his “Sacred Chanukah Concert” canceled last December by Harbin Hot Springs. The reason? Safety concerns.
This decision followed threats of violence on social media from people who described Pauker as a “Zionist,” a word that some consider taboo without knowing its’ true meaning. For Pauker, this isn’t the first time he has faced such challenges. Since the start of the war in Israel a year ago, he has been canceled multiple times.
“Festivals dropped me from lineups because of my religious views,” Pauker said in an interview with the Journal. “When October 7 happened, it was a big wake-up call. I have a record label, ‘Beautiful Way Records’ and some of the artists on my label came out with very anti-Zionist comments. A lot of the artists I’ve been working with essentially canceled me.”
This, along with being dropped by music festivals, made Pauker re-evaluate his life. He has spent the past 15 years touring and performing worldwide, making a name for himself as a devotional Jewish rock and reggae musician. But it was time for a new chapter.
“I was originally in cantorial school in 2020 and then I got in a car accident; I broke my wrist, tore my pelvis—it was a near-death experience. I basically crossed over and came back,” Pauker said. “And then I had this realization that I couldn’t stay in school because I couldn’t focus.”
So he took time off from studying, continued touring and recording and kept busy—until his life was upended once again. This time, he found himself at the receiving end of a smear campaign simply for being a Jew who loves Israel. It made him decide to continue his studies.
“I decided I don’t just want to be a cantor but a rabbi as well. I found this Academy for Jewish Religion based in Yonkers, New York. It allows me to study online to become both a rabbi and a cantor. I wake up at 5 a.m., study Torah and Jewish theology, go to the synagogue and I still tour and play with different groups.”
He had just completed his first year of studies and has four more to go.
Pauker, who lives in Orange County and is part of the New Age scene, was described by TIME magazine as one of the ‘10 rising stars of New Jewish Music’. His music blends Jewish rock, reggae, folk and hip-hop, featuring lyrics in both English and Hebrew.
“My music is based on scripture, Tehilim [Psalms] and Hasidic texts. I started by playing in Jewish youth movements and in summer camps. A few of my songs were published and some of them like “Hine Ma Tov”, they started singing them in all Jewish camps and synagogues.”
Pauker credits singer-songwriter Craig Taubman with giving him his first break. Taubman used to host Friday Night Live, a musical Shabbat service at Sinai Temple, alongside Rabbi David Wolpe and invited him to play and sing with him.
“He was one of the first people who took me under his wings,” said Pauker. The two haven’t seen each other for years because the young musician left Southern California and kept moving around due to his work. They were reunited when Pauker was invited six months ago to play at a concert with a group of musicians at the Pico Union Project. Taubman founded the cultural center over ten years ago to support local communities and host musical events.
“I was thinking back then what a great venue it is to have a concert in and that one day I would like to host a concert there myself,” he said.
When fires broke out in Pacific Palisades and Altadena in January of this year, he immediately had the idea to organize an Interfaith LA Fire Benefit Concert at the venue to support those affected by the disaster. Some of his friends were among the victims who lost their homes, and as always, Taubman was very supportive.
Pauker reached out to musicians—Muslim, Christian, and Jewish—and received an overwhelmingly positive response. The plan was for all proceeds from the event to go directly toward helping those impacted by the fires.
Unfortunately, due to low ticket sales, he decided to cancel the concert just a few days before its scheduled date.
Recently, the artist released his latest single, Great Spirit: Daniel with the Balance Revibe, a song based on Psalm 118:5, Min Ha’Metzar (Hebrew: “Out of my distress”). The track, produced by the musician known as Daniel With the Balance, features Pauker’s vocals and blends contemporary electronic beats with devotional lyrics.
“The track’s devotional lyrics explore universal themes of love, unity, and spiritual awakening, connecting the listener to the divine,” said Pauker.
