Debbie Friedman
Encyclopedia
Deborah Lynn "Debbie" Friedman (February 23, 1951 – January 9, 2011) was an American
composer and singer of songs with Jewish
religious content. She was born in Utica, New York
but moved with her family to Minnesota
at age 5. She is best known for her setting of “Mi Shebeirach
”, the prayer for healing, which is used by hundreds of congregations across America. Her songs were used by some Orthodox Jewish congregations, as well as non-Orthodox Jewish congregations. Ms. Friedman was a feminist, and Orthodox Jewish feminist Blu Greenberg
noted that while Ms. Friedman’s music impacted most on Reform and Conservative liturgy, "she had a large impact [in] Modern Orthodox shuls, women’s tefillah [prayer], the Orthodox feminist circles. … She was a religious bard and angel for the entire community."
She wrote many of her early songs as a song leader at the overnight camp Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
in the early 1970s. Between 1971 and 2010 she recorded 22 albums. Her work was inspired by such diverse sources as Joan Baez
, Peter, Paul and Mary
, and a number of other folk music
artists. Friedman employed both English
and Hebrew
lyrics and wrote for all ages. Some of her songs include "The Aleph Bet Song", "Miriam's Song", and the Hanukkah songs "Not By Might" and "I am a Latke". She also performed in synagogue
s and concert halls.
Friedman had suffered since the 1990s from a neurological condition, with effects apparently similar to multiple sclerosis
. The story of her music, as well as the challenges she faced in living with illness, were featured in a 2004 documentary film
about Friedman called A Journey of Spirit, produced by Ann Coppel, which followed her from 1997 to 2002.
In 2007, Friedman accepted an appointment to the faculty of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's School of Sacred Music in New York where she instructed both rabbi
nic and cantorial
students.
In 2010, she was named to the Forward 50 after the release of her 22nd album As You Go On Your Way: Shacharit – The Morning Prayers.
She was openly lesbian.
.
Rabbi David Ellenson, President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, announced on January 27, 2011 that The School of Sacred Music will henceforth be called The Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
composer and singer of songs with Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
religious content. She was born in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
but moved with her family to Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
at age 5. She is best known for her setting of “Mi Shebeirach
Yishtabach
Yishtabach is a prayer in the final portion of the Pesukei Dezimra morning prayers of Judaism known as shacharit, recited before the second kaddish leading to the Shema prayers....
”, the prayer for healing, which is used by hundreds of congregations across America. Her songs were used by some Orthodox Jewish congregations, as well as non-Orthodox Jewish congregations. Ms. Friedman was a feminist, and Orthodox Jewish feminist Blu Greenberg
Blu Greenberg
Blu Greenberg is an American writer specializing in Modern Judaism and women's issues. She is the author of On Women and Judaism: A View from Tradition and Black Bread: Poems, After the Holocaust ....
noted that while Ms. Friedman’s music impacted most on Reform and Conservative liturgy, "she had a large impact [in] Modern Orthodox shuls, women’s tefillah [prayer], the Orthodox feminist circles. … She was a religious bard and angel for the entire community."
Biography
Debbie was the daughter of Freda and Gabriel Friedman.She wrote many of her early songs as a song leader at the overnight camp Olin-Sang-Ruby Union Institute in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Oconomowoc is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. The name was derived from Coo-no-mo-wauk, the Potawatomi term for "waterfall." The population was 12,382 at the 2000 census. The city is partially adjacent to the Town of Oconomowoc and near the Village of Oconomowoc...
in the early 1970s. Between 1971 and 2010 she recorded 22 albums. Her work was inspired by such diverse sources as Joan Baez
Joan Baez
Joan Chandos Baez is an American folk singer, songwriter, musician and a prominent activist in the fields of human rights, peace and environmental justice....
, Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary
Peter, Paul and Mary were an American folk-singing trio whose nearly 50-year career began with their rise to become a paradigm for 1960s folk music. The trio was composed of Peter Yarrow, Paul Stookey and Mary Travers...
, and a number of other folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
artists. Friedman employed both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
lyrics and wrote for all ages. Some of her songs include "The Aleph Bet Song", "Miriam's Song", and the Hanukkah songs "Not By Might" and "I am a Latke". She also performed in synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s and concert halls.
Friedman had suffered since the 1990s from a neurological condition, with effects apparently similar to multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
. The story of her music, as well as the challenges she faced in living with illness, were featured in a 2004 documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about Friedman called A Journey of Spirit, produced by Ann Coppel, which followed her from 1997 to 2002.
In 2007, Friedman accepted an appointment to the faculty of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's School of Sacred Music in New York where she instructed both rabbi
Rabbi
In Judaism, a rabbi is a teacher of Torah. This title derives from the Hebrew word רבי , meaning "My Master" , which is the way a student would address a master of Torah...
nic and cantorial
Hazzan
A hazzan or chazzan is a Jewish cantor, a musician trained in the vocal arts who helps lead the congregation in songful prayer.There are many rules relating to how a cantor should lead services, but the idea of a cantor as a paid professional does not exist in classical rabbinic sources...
students.
In 2010, she was named to the Forward 50 after the release of her 22nd album As You Go On Your Way: Shacharit – The Morning Prayers.
She was openly lesbian.
Death and legacy
She was admitted to an Orange County Hospital in January 2011, where she died January 9, 2011, from pneumoniaPneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
.
Rabbi David Ellenson, President of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, announced on January 27, 2011 that The School of Sacred Music will henceforth be called The Debbie Friedman School of Sacred Music.
Discography
- Songs of the Spirit- The Debbie Friedman Anthology
- Light These Lights
- Debbie Friedman Live at the Del
- The Water in the Well
- The Alef Bet
- Debbie Friedman at Carnegie HallCarnegie HallCarnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
- The World of Your Dreams
- And You Shall Be a Blessing
- Ani Ma-Amin
- Not by Might Not by Power
- Sing Unto God
- One People
- As You Go On Your Way: Shacharit - The Morning Prayers
- It's You
- Shalom Aleichem
Affiliations
- Friedman was a 1969 alumna of Highland Park High SchoolHighland Park High School (Minnesota)Highland Park Senior High School is a public secondary school in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States serving grades 9 through 12. It is located in the Highland Park neighborhood....
in Saint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul, MinnesotaSaint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
. She was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 1999. She was also an honorary member of the American Conference of Cantors.
External links
- Debbie Friedman website
- Jewish Women and the Feminist Revolution from the Jewish Women's Archive
- Judaism Wikia's article on Debbie Friedman
- A Journey of Spirit