By COLlive reporter
A recent profile about American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, a major figure in non Jewish music for five decades, included a reference to his on-and-off connection to Chabad.
The article in Time Magazine included a timeline of major events in his life.
In 1989 and 1991, the timeline reads, “Dylan appears on Chabad Lubavitch telethons. So is he back to being Jewish?”
VIDEO: Dylan accompanies son-in-law Peter Himmelman and Harry Dean Stanton in this unorthodox rendition of “Hava Nagila” at the 1989 telethon
Born Shabtai Zisel Zimmerman, Dylan has been known for his conflicted feelings about his Jewish faith, often embracing other religions.
But during his days close to Yiddishkeit Dylan visited Chabad Houses, including for the bar mitzvahs of his sons, and attended Hadar Hatorah Yeshiva in Crown Heights.
At his appearances at the To Life Telethon in Los Angeles, Dylan felt at ease with California Head Shliach Rabbi Shlomo Cunin (the two are pictured in the recent Time Magazine article in a photo from Chabad.org).
In September 1989 and September 1991, Dylan appeared on the Chabad telethon.
“Give plenty of money to Chabad,” Dylan said in 1991.
“It’s my favorite organization in the world. Really, they do nothing but good things with the money. The more you give, the more it will help everybody.”
VIDEO: Dylan’s plea for Chabad
Bob Dylan spent a full Yom Kippur davening at Chabad of Midtown a few yrs. ago. He not only came for shacharis, but we were surprised when he returned after the break for mincha and Neila!
bob dylan is one of the greatists artists of all time with or without being frum
uses his influence for only good things.
He is a powerful man, with a lot of soul.
Hope he uses that power to bring the world to a higher plane.
He still has that spark.
He could do it, if he wants.
A very Good Neshama indeed 🙂
He was very close to Rabbi Shlomo Freifeld zt’l
Dylan once stepped into our shul by Rosh Hashana, sporting a ponytail, leather jacket, cowboy boots, sunglasses, no one knew who he was, except one member from California. He’s a good neshamale.