The Barby Club.  Tel-Aviv.  Midnight

I’m usually tucked up in bed by now in pyjamas, not dressed in shorts and purple suede sandals  - my feeble attempt at Rock Mother.  But I couldn’t miss my son and his band Umlala celebrating the release of their first album STANDGOSHOWSHOUT. 

By the looks of this queue at the entrance to the trendy venue, it’s going to be sold out.

I’ve been banned backstage ever since the band got a manager, so I’ve just got to wait with everyone else for the warm up band to finish up. Pity – I’ve always liked it backstage, rubbing shoulders with rock stars like Frank Zappa. It was some party back then, but I’m not looking for any of that now, just my greatest joy, my boy, I think as I elbow my way into the crowded and smoky club, the very same stage where only a year and a half ago, the third time he ever performed on stage, JJ won the national completion to represent Israel at the GBOB -Global Battle of the Bands in London (and came in fifth!).

Waiting for him to come on stage is pure agony. If it wasn’t for the support of Ilan and Daphna, I’d probably pass out from the sheer excitement of it all.  The crowd is getting restless too, clapping and shouting out their mantra of we want Umlala.

And there he is!  Ohmygod he’s so gorgeous! And starting out with my favourite number Big Pressure (click here!) with the help of two back-up singers, violins, a sax and cello, and he’s conducting the entire orchestra with those autistic, jerky hand movements of his.

There’s something about the tune, the niggun of it, that makes me think of my late father. Daddy he’s like you with your talent for capturing an audience, the same charisma singing his nonsense lyrics that you exuded when you delivered your legendary, articulate sermons enabling you single-handedly to raise the consciousness of your London congregation (which I now appreciate was no easy feat and duly deserved a knighthood for services rendered to the British Isles).

Music must be in JJ’s genes but skipped a generation. Or maybe not. Recently I also sang in public at the request of Pastor John Borders III who I met on a Boston TV show while promoting my memoir. At his invitation I brought the entire Morning Star Baptist Church to their feet with my rendition of one of my father’s Sabbath melodies and had them jiving and shaking and crying out Shalom on all Israel. Like my son and my father, I loved being up there up in the limelight, drinking in all that love.

Reporters are clicking away at JJ’s every move. At twenty- three years old, my boy put together the most professional, slick, fun extravaganza. A real night on the town.

I’m sure JJ won’t have time for me so I slip away quietly. But he’s moving past all the groupies with his arms open wide. Forget the fact that his shirt is sopping wet and I’m getting all sweaty too. I couldn’t care less. You know why? Cos it’s that overwhelming naches feeling washing over me again, and there’s nothing in the whole wide world that can come close to it…

Reva Mann