By Yehuda Ceitlin, COLlive editor
Avrohom Fried took a much-needed vacation this past week which turned out to be in perfect timing as an unseasonable snowstorm hit the East Coast.
After a busy summer and Tishrei filled with concerts and shows, Fried enjoyed some serenity in Arizona, visiting the Red Rocks of Sedona and the Grand Canyon.
He couldn’t altogether escape his stardom. While dining in Phoenix with his wife, owners of Imperial Market & Deli needed to chase away a dozen or so fans who got word of the Jewish music superstar’s visit.
Yet the distance from home did seem to have an effect on him, allowing Fried to reflect on his hectic life back in New York and even share news that may shock his fan-base.
While in Tucson, for a simcha at the Laytin family, Fried sat with COLlive.com for a candid conversation. Here are excerpts:
How do you do?
“Besides for Galus, all is fine Baruch Hashem.”
I hear you’re thinking of preempting the Geula to move to Israel.
“Aren’t we waiting to make aliya with Moshiach?”
How realistic is your move?
“If I Be’ezras Hashem purchase a house and make plans – no one will know about it until I’m actually there, seen walking in the street.”
If you move, what city would you choose?
“Yerushalayim would be nice.”
What are your thoughts on the current state of Crown Heights?
“Retzonenu liros es malkeinu.”
What is the neighborhood missing?
“A little Ahavas Yisroel can only help.”
Can you be more specific?
“If I may, I would like to share something that has been bothering me for a while.”
I’m all ears…
“We should start a campaign to leave cellphones out of Shul.”
You are being serious. Right?
“Yes. I know it should be the rabbonim and mashpiim who should be mentioning it, but no one is bringing it up. It’s a serious problem. People come to Shul, put down their Tallis and Tefillin, siddur on the right, cellphone on the left as if it’s one of the tashmishei kedusha (sacred object).”
What do you suggest?
“Don’t bring it in. Leave it in the car or at least turn it off. If you are concerned that you might miss a call or email – it shows a lack in emunah. Hashem is the one providing parnasah so what is there to be afraid of?
“The other week I was davening in a Crown Heights shul and this person answers the phone and has a whole conversation. When he was done, I went over to him and suggested that he takes calls outside the shul – he looked at me like I’m from the Stone Age.
“I told him, ‘the Shul is Hashem’s home. Do you have permission to use it as your office?’ People don’t realize that speaking in Shul is a slap in the face for Hashem. For a snake we are not allowed to move during Shmona Esre. Hashem is blessing you with parnasah, gezunt and nachas and what are you doing? Answering a phone to say, “nu, nu, oahah, ahah.”
I take it that you are not CrackBerry.
“I get a few emails a day and I text. I actually receive many songs through email from composers and other people.”
What are you working on these days?
“I have three new projects. One is a new album coming out after Chanukah. People will enjoy the fast and slow songs. 80% of it is done.
“Another is a Yiddish-English album which I can describe as a light, fun kind of album. And a third is an Israeli album.”
I hear big names in Israel are helping with that.
“Correct. We have 6 songs ready – all in Hebrew and all new. After the success of Ale Katan – the popularity of which is growing stronger and stronger – I thought it was time to make an album in Hebrew. I don’t know what took so long.”
Aren’t the crowds in Israel more receptive at your concerts?
“Yes. That’s a good point. I guess their souls are more sensitive because they are living in Eretz Yisrael. They hear a hartzike song and they are inspired. In America I don’t get that reaction.”
How about another Chabad album?
“I wish there was enough of a market just for niggum so I could only do that…”
These niggunim are sung by all today.
“I’ve gotten many compliments from people who tell me that I brought Chabad niggunim to the ‘world.’ If that’s my credit – I’ll take it.
“I recently had a kumzitz in Boro Park with some 60-70 yungeleit and all they kept asking for is “a gutte Chabad’ske niggun.” It’s a smaller market but it’s one of my greatest satisfactions.”
so many of “non-stop chabad” went and “Yankel Yankel”also.
So many people like avreml’s music, but not all of it is too chasidish(although most of it is-it depends what you listen to)
yom tov erlich’s are the best. they have such yidishe feelling and meaning.
I personally think that anrem’l should do another REAL YIDISHE CHASIDISHE LUBAVITCHER CD!
let me tell u something fried is %100 right with the cell phones in shul its going out of hand imagine if u stand before your boss in work having a meeting would u take out your cell and start texting etc.?. now your going to shul for what ? to daven for god right? so why take out your phone people you gota wake up yes im talking to me too … #2 FRIED iS REALLY A NICE PERSON HE HAS THE BEST VOICE ID EVER HEARED THE ONLY SINGER THAT I COULD HER A WHOLE DAY IS FRIED… Read more »
Reb Avraham, Ahavas Yisroel also includes children being nice to their classmates…..
He’s a private (tzniusdik) person and doesn’t enjoy exposing his personal business.
He expressed his personal opinion and what “irks” him. Such aidel sencitivities!
A gashmakeh chasidishe yid!
do you see what takes to be a TRUE chasidic star & j.music leader, it’s way lot more then just a-day to day job.
Love this guy. A mentsch, a ba’al chesed, and what he does literally brings joy to hundreds of thousands of people. Even his “complaint” is so elegantly stated and without vitriol. Can we elect him to the community council?
let’s all not forget the other and main-root side of the problem which is yes, the ch SHUL PROBLEM. crown heights needs a NEW COMMUNITY SHUL!!!. times have changed, and enough with the ‘new shtiblach’ Fashion, its not solving the problem. 770,(not to mention unfortunately) is one big Chaos, and the community is growing bh, so\and why are we different then any NORMAL jewish community around the world with a PROPER shul to pray in???. so let’s go back to the problem. if you want ppl to act respectful in shul, you also need to provide a PROPER PLACE (yes,… Read more »
I can easily understand a Lubavitcher chosid yearning to live in Eretz Yisrael as well as in Kahn Tzivah Hashem Es Habrochah. People who own condos in vacation areas while also maintaining homes elsewhere do so for gashmiusdikeh reasons.Living in Yerushalayim (or Chevron, for that matter) surely brings powerful ruchniusdikeh satisfaction, so It’s easy to understand wanting to live there while simultaneously maintaining residence in our unique(though not yet perfect) shchunah, the Rebbe’s schunah of C.H. In any case we should all be seriously davening for an end to this Galus when we will no longer use the term “Aliyah”… Read more »
Dear Rabbi Fried, Please don’t say Goodbye Crown Heights, until we call say Goodbye Golus! I echo commenter number 26 (gematria Shem Havayah) from Adelaide. Please don’t leave us behind, stay with us until the time of No Jew Will be Left Behind. Please stay with us until the time when we can all say together: The Time is Now! May Hashem help that you stay and keep steady, until the time we will finally say: We Are Ready! (Sorry, can’t remember the rest of the album titles off hand, but I am seriously calling upon you not to abandon… Read more »
i agree. my not only cell phones, talking in general should be prohibited. every shabbos i go to shul, and i cant hear anything cuase all over people are talking. talking is for the meal after davening!
Some of the comments are……. strange. Proud to live in the same CITY as his brother. Love Ya’!
Avrohom: Thanks for making the (Triple) bar Mitzvah awesome! It wouldn’t have been the same without you!
and i’m not an old geaser… there are enough young ppl like me who want to have yiddish media in their future homes!
(I was reading this during chazoras hashatz…)
nothing like the people in israel!
so much achdus and ahavas yisrael there!
as for the concerts in Israel ..amazing everyone joins in with the singer singing and dancing!
concerts here def. need more simcha coming from the people..you know its permissible to clap while he sings.
I was gona think that the pritzus issue would b a top issue then the cell phones in shul. Maybe he didnt want 2 get in2 it.
hes just looking for attention.
Listening to Avrohom Fried makes me happy. He is a nice person and his sincerity radiates from him wherever he goes.
r’ avremel,
everyone wants another yom tov erlach album! those are the best by far!!
and he,s a” dugma chaya ” .. wt if the nigun cds will b cheaper will that help?
you upset he brought up something you do all the time?
Give it up!
Dear Avremel, Firstly — I commend you for speaking out clearly when needed (e.g. on important issues such as Ahavas Yisroel, Shul decorum, etc.), and for being committed enough to our ideals not to allow them to be ignored or be shoved under the rug (sometimes – incredibly! – in the name of “Lubavitch Kiruv”, but in fact due to a laxness in ideals found in Shulchan Oruch). It unquestionably gives the Rebbe huge Nachas today, when you and others “raise the bar” in his community – helping to make Crown Heights the centrepiece in the Rebbe’s crown. Secondly —… Read more »
Chabad Nigunim
Yiddishe Otzros
you shouldn’t talk to neighbor or on cell phone in shul because there are halachos that state clearer no dvarim betailim, and besides you desturb people. take the call outside.
What has that got to do with anything???
old saying: If u go to shul to talk wher will u go to daven??
AF kol Hakavod! So looking forward to Israeli album!!!
I must be naive, but why are people on their phone in middle of speaking to HKB”H? Reminds me of a woman at the ohel a few months ago, who answered her phone and kept up a whole conversation, eventhough she was asked to please cllose it several times.
I think if you like Avremel, then in his zechus we should listen and follow his one wish to our community and leave our cell phones out of all shuls. Lets be an example to the world.
Thanks a lot Avremel for everything.
Your fan and friend
It’s great living in J’lem. Now we’ll have 2 superstars as well. Why don’t you come join us as well?
Firstly, I want to thank Yudi for the great work you do and constantly keeping us up to date while juggling your life with Shlichus and Journalism. This article is great! Avraham Fried, you did it! You brought us all Chassidishe nigunim together with your expertise of music and powerful yet sweet voice. I enjoy every bit of your music! May Hashem grant you much success and energy to continue the great work you are doing! Thank you and looking forwrd to your Israeli album. Rak Tefilah hit the charts! 😉 Thanks again to all those who use their time… Read more »
just as i was reading this and listening to jewishbroadcast, all of a sudden one of af’s songs came on… 🙂
Goooooooo Arizona!!!!!!
Best place everrrrrrrrrrr
love you avremel!!!!
to #8: talking in shul-also not so right, has you both aware of what’s going on, and unless you’re both machers, the conver sation will be relatively shor and nor loud enough to disturb everyone(well…sometimes maybe). The part at the end of the cell connection has no sense of what’s happening in shul. Personal experience has cell calls far more disturbing, and I’ve got 2 machers talking right behind my table. And they don’t begin their conversations by going rring rring or playing some tune[unless we’ew all rally drunk, and then who cares]. Personally, I turn my mobile off because… Read more »
B”H # 8 maybe you are wrong-one is not allowed to talk of mundane matters in Shul, try looking in that book called Shulchin Aruch and see what it says on the matter,especially when in Tallis and Teffilin and especially while dovening as in the example he set forth.
no one sings them better
its soo true it is litirally the avodah zora of our generation today avremel is right our kids see this and what do we expect from them?its time to make a shturem about this
no joke- why not write a song chiding the use of cell phones in shul. If done with humor, it might have a great good effect
Your concert in Tzfat was AWESOME when u sang rak tefilla with geshem instead of shemesh…. 🙂 and i think its great when popular respected figures in the Jewish community give hashkafos that people wont accept from other figures. That’s the difference btwn a Jewish star and a celebrity-that’s how it should be. Keep it up!!!!
There is absolutely nothing wring with a cell phone in Shul.
If you are allowed to talk to your neighbor in Shul – then you are allowed to talk to the cell phone in your and as well.
I you are NOT allowed to talk to your neighbor in Shul – then you are also not allowed to talk on the cell.
It ha NOTHING to do with CELL Phones. It is to do with TALKING – cell phones or not
So whats the point with CELL PHONES here?!
i love you avroham freid
more of yom tov earlich stuff in yiddish would be great. to keep yiddish alive.. my kids love that stuff and sing parts of it…
At first, it was MBD’s singing style that he emulated.
Now he’s hinting that he’s making aliyah, just like MBD.
What could be next, a ‘spudik’?
go az!!!
I love to hear what needs to be fixed from “simple” people, I think I will really listen!
I wish he would make some albums of only chabad niggunim. it would be fantastic. He does such a great job!!
He is right… shulls need cell phone jammers