613 Seconds

Hi Benny! Great to speak to you! Tell us about yourself

Sure, thanks for having me! I am originally from Twin Cities, Minnesota, and I currently live in Brooklyn. I got into singing at a very early age and music was an integral part of my family and my childhood growing up. You might have heard of my uncle, Avraham Fried, who was a tremendous role model for me and my family, both in music and in how to be a good ehrlich yid. I have always loved music and singing and B”H with the passage of time, I became more active and professional until what brings me to Baltimore today!

What would you say is your favorite topic to sing about?

I love singing about Jews! One of the main ideas of the Lubavitcher Rebbe is Ahavas Yisroel, how great and lofty the love that Hashem has for every single jew, and the love that each jew has for Hashem no matter how buried it may be. I hope my music can increase the love that every Jew has for each other, no matter where they are in the world

Do you have a favorite song?

Among my favorite songs are those that have themes of Ahavas Yisroel, Ahavas Hashem, Simchas Hachaim and

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Benny Friedman

joy in being a jew. Ivri Anochi, and Charasho are good examples of that.

What brings you to Baltimore?

I am so excited to be joining Talmudical Academy of Baltimore for Hadran Aloch: A Celebration of Torah. The entire campaign, with its messaging of Learn It! Love It! Live It! Is something that I find very meaningful, especially after the year that we just had. This concert is not really for the community, but rather for the kids, sending them the message that despite the hardships of this year, they accomplished something incredible with their learning. For the past few days and into next week, the boys have been reviewing what they have learned this year. The learning will culminate with a siyum and concert to celebrate, and that is why I am coming.

That’s really nice! It must be a different kind of show for you since it’s mostly for the kids.

It is. And what TA is doing is incredibly inspirational. Many across the world would say the past year was a big waste, strike it from the record books, we didn’t accomplish anything. But the children and bachurim of TA who sat and learned Torah no matter the situation were given a great gift from Hashem and over the past year they took advantage and accomplished a lot. Yidden are unique in the world that we can look back at this year and say look at what a great year this actually was and it’s a reason for great celebration and recognition!

Your new song “It’s a Rebbe’s Life”, aside from being a smashing success, must really resonate in yeshivas like TA. Tell us more about it.

“It’s a Rebbe’s Life” is actually the sequel to a song I did last year called “My Dear Rebbe”. Both songs were written to raise awareness for an organization that helps rebbeim and to remind Klal Yisroel how precious and valuable our rebbeim are. B”H the first song was well received. “It’s a Rebbe’s Life” is a lighter, more fast-paced version, from the perspective of the rebbe. I have heard from many Rebbeim how they relate to the song, and even from former students, who are now adults, how it gave them fond memories of their rebbe. In fact, when we were filming the music video on Ocean Parkway, a car drove past and the driver yelled and waved out the window at our crew. I am somewhat used to being recognized at this point, but this person wasn’t waving at me, he was waving at his Rebbe who was filming with us! Rebbeim are giants and have tremendous effects on their students, even years later!

What message do you want to share with the TA talmidim and the entire Baltimore community?

You should be very proud of yourselves! Ashreinu! The whole community should be very proud of you! If you can do so much in a year like we just had, imagine what you can do in a regular year when Hashem’s blessings are much more revealed!

One last question, did anybody tell

you about cicadas? I don’t know what that is.

Well you’ll find out! We only see

them once every 17 years! OK then! Well I certainly hope to be in Baltimore more than once every 17 years!

Hadran Aloch: A Celebration of Torah! Support TA on June 9-10 at cmatch.me/celebrationoftorah and celebrate Torah with each and every TA talmid!

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