Benny Friedman

A Hasidic Jewish singer who fuses traditional messages with a modern sound, Benny Friedman makes music that expresses his pride and respect for his heritage, but does so with a sense of fun, using music that draws on contemporary rock, pop, and electronic styles. Though he occasionally sings in English, the sizable majority of Friedman's repertoire is in Hebrew, and he looks and dresses like the rabbi he is off-stage, while performing with an energy and enthusiasm that speaks of joy and a celebratory mood, especially on 2022's It Sounds Like Purim! Friedman made a striking debut with 2009's Taamu, an eclectic set that made room for rock, pop, and even Latin flavors, while 2020's Whispers of the Heart was a powerful set of a cappella numbers, and 2017's Fill the World with Light introduced his signature song, "Ivri Anochi (I'm a Jew and I'm Proud)."