Ben Gundersheimer, M.Ed (MISTER G) is a Latin GRAMMY Award-winning artist, author and educator. Hailed as “a bilingual rock star” by The Washington Post and “irresistible” by People magazine, he was originally dubbed MISTER G by his young students while pursuing a Master of Education degree.
Acclaimed as one of the world’s most widely distributed Jewish artists for children, Ben performs internationally for JCCs, festivals and cultural institutions. His virtual Hanukkah concert was broadcast to all the 170 JCCs in North America in 2021 and 2022.
PJ Library commissioned Ben to write and produce two albums of original music, The Mitzvah Bus (Parents’ Choice Gold winner) and Seeds of Shalom. The albums were sent to tens of thousands of families throughout the world, as was his picture book, Lilah Tov Good Night (Penguin Random House).
Lilah Tov Good Night celebrates the beauty of our world and the spirit of resilience in a refugee family. Illustrated by Israeli artist, Noar Lee Naggan, the book is based on one of Ben’s original songs.
The book has a strong personal resonance: Ben's father was born in Frankfurt and made a harrowing escape from Nazi Germany. Ben grew up very close to his grandparents who instilled a profound sense of Jewish history and cultural identity.
Whether performing at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, a Jewish day school in Mexico City, or a sold out Hanukkah concert in London, Ben’s dynamic, interactive bilingual performances aim to dissolve borders and foster cross-cultural connections.
