Fried Brings Crowd to Tears

2000 people packed the Kharkov Opera Theater for an amazing Hakhel-Unity concert with the Jewish music star Avraham Fried.

From all over Ukraine – Summy, Poltava and even as far as Kiev people traveled by car, bus and trains to take part in the evening of unity and song.

The event was the culmination of a grand Hakhel tour in Ukraine and was in honor of 25 years of Jewish revival in Kharkov with the arrival of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s Shluchim a quarter of a century ago.

The concert tour was possible thanks to the generous support of Keren Meroimim and local sponsors.

Rabbi Moshe Moskovitz began the evening speaking about Hakhel and the power of unity. Rabbi Yechiel Shlomo Levitansky (Chief Rabbi of Summy) and Rabbi Yossi Segal (Chief Rabbi of Poltava) said a prayer for peace in Ukraine and Israel. The children of the Or Avner day school danced and sang.

The highlight was two amazing hours with the music and song of Avraham Fried and his band from Israel under Yuval Stuper. From Haveinu Shalom Aleichem to a Yiddishe Mama , from Chazak to Nyet nyet nikavo – the crowd was lifted from their worries and troubles in these difficult times in Ukraine. Together they joined Fried with a song in Hebrew, English and Russian on thanking Hashem – Toda rabba- Spasiba Hashem.

Fried spoke about Jewish chutzpa – and how a Shliach coming to the Soviet Union 25 years ago needed real chutzpa to break the ice and rebuild a whole vibrant community.

He dedicated the song “Nyet nyet Nikavo” – to a ‘man who truly had Jewish chutzpa’.

R’ Nissan Moskovitz A”H ( the father of Rabbi Moskovitz) who arrived in Auschwitz on his Bar Mitzva day – Shavuot 1942 – and survived five concentration camps – staying strong in his faith – building a proud Jewish family.

R’ Nissan Moskovitz was known for his beautiful, strong voice and Fried recalled that at his last concert in Kharkov he sang together with him on the very same stage.

There was not a dry eye in the crowd as Fried sang in his memory and honor, joined by his 8-year-old grandson Yossi Moskovitz in a song of faith in Russian ‘Nyet nyet Nikavo’. A moment that proved the triumph of the Jewish nation again the enemies who tried to destroy us – in body and soul.

And as the crowds left uplifted and inspired from the power and unity in the hall – they felt that much more proud to be Jews and that truly they have what to say thank you for – Spasiba Hashem.