W

hen 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?

“Tanyeh” (We Are Ready, 1988)

Avraham Fried has inspired me since my childhood. I have found myself at more than 100 Avraham Fried concerts in my life, mostly in Israel. At the time of writing, I’m holding tickets to four upcoming events. A number of years ago, on a Motzaei Shabbos, there was a concert in Tel Aviv to benefit Hadassah Rehab Center. At one point, Avremel asked the crowd to suggest niggunim. People yelled out all different songs. There was a woman in a wheelchair, very weak and old, sitting in the front row. She caught Avremel’s attention and he leaned down to her, quieting the crowd, asking her which song she wanted. “Tanyeh,” she said. Avremel continued getting requests from the crowd, and went on to sing many classics throughout the night. Finally, the concert ended. Everyone had started getting up from their seats and the band started to dismantle their instruments, when suddenly Avremel came charging back on stage waving his arm yelling “Stop, stop!” He walked to the front of the stage, leaned over to the woman, then turned around to the band and asked them to give him a key. He went on to sing the entire song of "Tanyeh". This, while the audience was already standing and many were half out the door. Those who had left promptly returned, and believe me when I say there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Until he finished the final note of that song, everyone stood in place wiping away tears. People perform, people sing, and there are many good voices out there, but how you care for another Jew puts it all in perspective.

—YF, Jerusalem

Avremel’s Take

I can’t remember — why didn’t I didn’t sing "Tanyeh" for her right away? Well, if I had, you wouldn’t have this story to tell. "Tanyeh," Yossi Green’s epic composition, is still my most requested song, so many years later. May Hashem always have rachamim on Klal Yisrael.

(Originally featured in Mishpacha, Issue 791)