EILEEN WEINSTOCK began dancing in 1982, by joining a weekly class in her synagogue. When her teacher left to pursue other opportunities, she handed Eileen her record collection, her Califone record player and her classes. Instantly Eileen became a dance instructor. In 1985 she met Moshe at the 92nd Street Y where they became steady dance partners. Moshe and Eileen worked together as a team for 30 years bringing Israeli folk dances and that special Moshe fun throughout the United States, France, Germany, Israel, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Venezuela, Mexico, and beyond.

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Eileen’s accomplishments include co-producing Hora Keff and Sababa. She and Moshe also produced and edited many Keff records and CDs. She is a master teacher of Israeli folk dance and, in particular, Eileen teaches Moshe’s material with detail like no other. She is sought after for her enthusiasm, humor, and cheerful smile.  

 

In addition to Moshe’s own children, grandchildren, and other dear friends, Moshe paid tribute to Eileen’s family and their relationship through his gift of dance with choreographies that includes Debka Allon, Liat li Liat (Boom Boom), Debka Ariel, Shalom Lach Yaldonet, Yaldati, Debka Micah, Debka Simon, and Eileen (technically a debka, but named Eileen only). No surprise that Eileen's favorite dance in the whole world is a Moshe dance, Livavtini 🥰.

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Presently, Eileen resides in Cedarhurst, NY with her husband Benny, who was a great help with “back of the house” activities at Hora Keff, where her home is always bustling with activity with family, especially her children and grandchildren, friends, and guests. We are fortunate to have Eileen with us at this special life celebration for Moshe. She will share her memories and untold stories, teach her favorite Moshe dances, and, of course, dance together with us!

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AVNER NAIM met Moshe Eskayo in the early 1980s and first attended one of Moshe Eskayo’s camps, Hora Shalom, in 1988. Avner found the experience inspiring and not long after, Avner also began choreographing dances. His first “hit” dance was Erev Shabbat, which is still popular today. In 1994, Moshe invited Avner to join the staff of Hora Keff, and Avner was invited back 8 more summers for a whopping total of 9 Keffs! 

 

Like Moshe, Avner is from Jerusalem and grew up with Arabic and Oriental music, which became the inspiration for much of his early work. Some of Avner’s popular dances were introduced to the community at Moshe’s camps and continue in today’s repertoire such as Ani Ma’amin, Hakol Patuach, T’filati, Mei Hanechalim, Valentino, El Elohei Shamayim, Eretz Nehederet, Kalla Teimaniyah, Badad, Shuvi Yefeifiya, Teimaniada, and more.

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Avner especially connected with Moshe’s taste in music and choreography and is responsible for bringing many of Moshe’s choreographies to Israel that were introduced at Hora Keff. Avner continues to lead Adom Atik in Jerusalem, a monthly session dedicated to preserving nostalgia and mid-way dances, where many of Moshe’s dances are played. 

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Among Avner’s favorite 'Skayo dances are Debka Keff and Hashir Sheli. Like Moshe, Avner loves a good story and he loves to laugh. Avner is humbled to attend Hora Shalosh in tribute to Moshe and share his memories, passion, and jokes with us.

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TAMIR SCHERZER began dancing at the age of 13 in Palo Alto, CA, following a girl that he liked. By the age of 15, he had fallen in love with dancing and started leading dancing for kids. At 18, Tamir returned to Israel; he completed his army service, earned his master’s degree at the Technion, and began his own startup. 

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Through it all, Tamir kept dancing, attending weekly sessions and joining performing groups. Today, Tamir is known for teaching and playing anything and everything, including some of Moshe’s lesser known dances. He works with Gadi Biton leading the “back-to-back” alternative sessions at Tel Aviv University and recently started a monthly circles only session, “Circles without Borders.” Tamir also hosts the quarterly Hishtalmut workshops in Israel with Shlomo Maman where he curates new dances from invited choreographers to introduce new material to other teachers.

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Tamir is among those who met Moshe’s dances before he met Moshe. Surprise, Tamir met Moshe “at camp” - Hilulim 2016. He enjoys the originality and challenge of Moshe’s dances. Some of Moshe’s dances that stand out most for Tamir include Debka Gid, Bukra, and Machur Al Yevanit.

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Tamir has also contributed his own choreographies, including Bo, Shuvi Lebeitech, and Goca Dunya. Tamir invigorates others with his esoteric repertoire and his ever present smile. With an acute attention to detail, he is admired as a specialist of uniquely choreographed and stylized dances, like Moshe’s. We will do our best to keep up with Tamir on the dance floor.

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YARON CARMEL began dancing when he was 8 years old in Zichron Ya’akov, where he was born and where he lives today. When he was older, Yaron joined folklore performing groups and began dancing regularly at sessions, including those led and taught by Meir Shem-Tov.*

 

Following his army service, Yaron joined larger dance sessions in central Israel, which inspired him to open his own classes with the first one in Karmiel in 1995. Since that time, Yaron has become a premier dance teacher and programmer in Israel and is part of the production leadership for the largest dance events in Israel, including the Karmiel Dance Festival and Camp Bitnua. He hosts popular weekly sessions in Northern Israel, considered among the most exciting, as well as highly successful beginner sessions which Yaron teaches himself, always staying close to his roots. He is an internationally sought teacher, bringing the joy and culture of Israeli Folk Dance to others around the globe with both a precision and enthusiasm that only Yaron has. 

 

Yaron first met Moshe in 2001 at Hilulim in New York. He noticed Moshe sitting, watching the dancing with Eileen at his side. As a young 26-year-old-guy, Yaron was in awe to be in the same dance hall as Moshe, someone he recognized as one of the founders of Israeli Folk Dance as we know it today. As their relationship grew through Moshe’s visits to Israel and Yaron’s to NY, Yaron regarded Moshe as a prolific artist and mentor, as someone he could joke with and with whom he could talk about rikudei am and about life. Moshe’s dances which Yaron has loved since he was a teenager are Hashir Sheli and Bakramim. 

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Yaron is excited to be part of Hora Shalosh and is moved deeply by what it means for so many of us to celebrate Moshe’s life work as a community of dancers. He is an expert of Moshe's dances and we are absolutely thrilled to have him.

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*Meir attended an eye-popping 13 Keffs plus Sababa, so it’s no surprise with that annual exchange of dances and culture between Meir and Moshe that Yaron became one of Moshe’s biggest fans and an expert of dances from this era.