Jackson Mercer
Song leader
URJ Camp Newman, UCLA student
San Rafael, California
Age: 21
Nominated by: Rachel Mercer
Song: “Lech Lecha,” Jackson Mercer
Perhaps it is the ultimate act of a Jewish mother to nominate her own son, but he was song-leading up at Camp Newman with limited Internet access [during this nomination process,] so here goes.
Jewish music saved my son. Truly. Through Jewish music he was able face the dark, scary places deep inside each of us and find HaShem in the nigguns, melodies and words. Jewish music gave him permission to feel deeply and follow his passion. For the last nine years he has been song leading, first at the synagogue on Sunday mornings, then at Camp Newman. He inspires the littlest camper and the surliest teenager through his honesty and love of music. — Rachel Mercer
INFLUENCES: Stevie Ray Vaughan, Damien Rice, Dan Nichols, Alan Goodis, Matisyahu, Macklemore, Hadag Nahash, Gordon Lustig, Dan Bern, David Broza, The Beach Boys.
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news this Passover.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give this Passover is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
