When he was a kid, Avremel Friedman went public as a child soloist on several albums — but while the light of most child stars dims as their voices change, Avraham Fried’s only became brighter. Ten years later, his 1981 debut album, No Jew Will Be Left Behind, turned into the beginning of a nearly four-decade stretch, as listeners connected to his niggunim of the neshamah. Through hundreds of songs and dozens of albums, we’ve sung and swayed, danced and prayed. And now we’ve asked our readers:

Which one of Avraham Fried’s songs has touched your life?

“Kamah Tov Shenifgashnu” (Kamah Tov Shenifgashnu, 2017)

I moved during my early teens, and after a few years of settling in, left to seminary. I moved to a different country once again when I got married, making my life full of goodbyes. I missed my family and friends, got to know many new friends, and said goodbye again and again, until the next time we met. This song seems to have accompanied me throughout the years of traveling, visiting, and missing all my loved ones. It helps me realize how thankful I should be that I have family and friends to miss and that they are missing me. And it gives me the comfort of knowing that no matter how many goodbyes will be said, we will meet once again.

—D.R.

Avremel’s Take

The inspiration for this song came to me while flying back from Eretz Yisrael. It was after a concert where the crowd was very warm and enthusiastic, and I felt that I wanted to write a thank you song to my listeners who have accompanied me during these 40 years, baruch Hashem. And then the line “kamah tov shenifgashnu” came to mind. This song, which was composed by my musical director Yuval Stupel, has become a huge hit and is used, as you yourself write, as a way to say hello and goodbye — but never forever.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 791)