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Sad farewell to Limmud singer Debbie Friedman

January 13, 2011 12:53
Debbie Friedman in what was her last concert, at Limmud two weeks ago

By

Simon Rocker,

Simon Rocker

1 min read

Tributes have been paid to Debbie Friedman, the influential American Jewish songwriter who died suddenly on Sunday.

Aged 59, she had been admitted to hospital in California just a few days after returning from her last appearances at the Limmud conference in Coventry.

Her melodies, setting traditional Jewish liturgy to folk tunes, left their mark on synagogue music, particulary among Progressive communities, in the course of a career covering 35 years and more than 20 albums.

Cantor Zoe Jacobs, from Finchley Reform Synagogue in London, said: "Jewish musicians can be considered renowned when their melodies are no longer attributed to their name, but are considered the 'traditional melody'. Debbie's niggun (melody) for the havdalah brachot, among other melodies, have achieved this level of renown, even cross-denominationally."

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