Who is guitarist Avi Singolda, and why is this important?
I will explain.
Avi Singolda was introduced to the Jewish music industry around 25 years ago by arranger and producer Mona Rosenblum. Since then, Singolda, who is an incredibly talented studio musician, has played on nearly every single jewish music album. He has made MILLIONS of dollars off the Jewish music industry, playing on thousands of albums. Every day he is in a studio playing guitar for Chareidi Jews.
So where am I going with this?
Well, Avi Singolda decided to spit in the face of every single Chareidi Jew that has literally supported him for 25 years.
How?
As many of you are aware (YWN published an article about this earlier today), there is an organization in Israel called Ezra LeMarpe. This organization, headed by the Tazdik Rav Elimelech Firer, provides free medical support to Israelis. In fact more than ONE MILLION Israelis have benefited from this incredible organization. To raise much needed funds for Ezra LeMarpe, a performance was planned, which was to have been a tribute concert for famous Israeli singer Shlomo Artzi. Rav Firer, who was to attend the event, had one request from the organizers of the event – that no female singers perform at the event due to the issar of kol isha.
However, the request raised a storm of criticism and various performers announced that they wouldn’t play at the concert due to the exclusion of women. Artzi, a secular singer, was attacked for agreeing to Rav Firer’s stipulation.
Artzi himself withstood the criticism, and did not back down. But others caved, Jpost reports, including one person named Avi Singolda, and he is the lead guitarist for Shlomo Artzi. In fact, he was one of the dominos that caused the entire show to collapse, leaving Rav Firer to cancel the entire event.
The same individual who Chareidim supported with millions of dollars in business over the years, decided he does not like Charedim any longer.
Interestingly enough, Singolda many times over the years refused to play guitar at concerts starring Chareidi singers. Apparently, he feels that it would be bad for his image if he was seen with black hats on stage.
Who will be the “Nachson ben Aminadav” and come out and say NO MORE SINGOLDA? Will it be Mordechai Ben David (MBD)? Avraham Fried? Yaakov Shwekey? Benny Friedman? Mona Rosenblum? Simcha Leiner? Ruvi Banet? Yochi Briskman? Shmuli Unger? Motty Steinmetz? Sruly Werdyger? Mordechai Shapiro? Ari Goldwag? Yeedle? Lipa Schmeltzer?
Who will it be the first one?
Why must our Chareidi singers support a blatantly anti-Chareidi person? Let him stick to his secular performances, and take a stand for Rav Firer!
Name withheld upon request
NOTE: The views expressed here are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of YWN.
DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE POSTED ON YWN? SEND IT TO US FOR REVIEW.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
40 Responses
Why does “name withheld” make me think that this person will profit from not using Singolda?
Can we just stop the silly boycotts already?
How about let people hire who they want. Charedi cancel culture makes us look worse.
Ewww seriously so so so low of u to post this slander. Not Jewish way!
Free market capitalism, democracy, freedom of choice. You may not like his decisions, and he may certainly have been dishonest and disloyal in his actions and choices, but that’s the way the world works. He is not contractually bound to perform only at the events which you choose.
I give very little weight to anonymous letters. If you don’t feel strongly enough about your opinion that you hide behind anonymity, I don’t care much for it either.
This entire article is PURE LASHON HORA. Period.
Maybe the author should have spoken privately with those in three music industry.
It is up to us to boycott those artists if they use the talents of a person who hates his clientele.
Lashon hara.
LASHON HARA
actually, it’s MOTZI SHEM RA
Anonymous letter writer attacking another Jew in a public forum
Something is rotten in boro park
All you have proven is that Avi Singolda is an opportunist seeking the best public face for himself, not that he’s anti-Chareidi. He’s probably just another Tinok shenishba who didn’t want to be dragged into this mess. I wonder what kind of songs these secular singers were planning on singing & what kind of crowd would be there. I don’t know if it’s our job to take Nekoma on him for acting this way. It’s possible this entire event was kineged Halachah.
Totally agree
It’s time we stand up for Kovod Hatorah and K’vod shomayim
So true
it is neither lashon hara nor motzi shem ra since it is PUBLIC knowledge…..
poople should learn halacha a bit before they spit
out words…..
The person who wrote this is clearly unhinged. Equating not wanting to play in a show which doesn’t allow female singers to not liking charedim anymore. Is this your logic day to day? I’m sure that when you don’t get late check out the hotel is anti-semetic or when a traffic cop tickets you for running into Glatt mart he’s a nazi. So sad…
> Haimy
> “All you have proven is that Avi Singolda is an opportunist seeking the best public face for himself, not that he’s anti-Chareidi.”
Here in Canada I know nothing about any of these guys. But the article makes an explicit claim: that, if true “as stated”, most certainly means he is anti-Chareidi (though perhaps he gave other excuses for the reason he refused to play in those venues):
> Singolda many times over the years refused to play guitar at concerts starring Chareidi singers
I have to wonder why all of these people who refused to perform at this event for the stated reason have no problem performing at events where Putin was not invited to perform.
The writer of this letter is acting in direct contrast to the way that Rav Firer has demonstrated for 40 years, caring for all people, regardless of race, religion or gender. The message of the crowd funding campaign is to return the love. Please don’t spread more sinat chinam. Better still, support the campaign so that Rav Firer can continue his holy work. Click on the link to donate: https://bit.ly/2Nie9Ze
very cute how right after a letter requesting people boycott this guitarist that I never heard of and probably never would’ve, there are two videos of him to show who he is
BDS= Boycott and Disconnect Singolda
A new cause for yidden to get behind and promote as an alternative to the other BDS……or maybe we should simply consider the foolishness of all these “boycotts” and acknowledge that in a free society, we can all exercise our own judgement.
Why is it anti-haredi to have different values and not wish to compromise them?
Is it so hard to understand why excluding women would be offensive to a secular person in 2019 and why, as a matter of principle, he would want no part of it?
Who’s gonna replace him is the question?
Avi Singolda has played guitar on ten albums of mine since I made Aliyah. He is a sweet guy and is certainly not Anti-Chareidi. So I for one will not boycott him as he is a fantastic musician and guitarist and turns songs into symphonies with his talented guitar playing!!! Lenny Solomon – Shlock Rock
I highly doubt he made “millions” in the charedi music market.
Maybe if more of us would invite Avi for a Shabbos meal, this would not happen! Avi, we love you because your neshama is beautiful. Hashem loves you too!! lets spread the love!
Riddle: which yeshiva encourages and promotes lashon hara?
A: YWN
“Who’s gonna replace him is the question…”
I have a nephew who plays the accordion at bar mitzvahs
I honestly don’t get it… Why in the world would people continue to post slanderous and misleading accusations and theories on a subject that they have no knowledge about? Did you miss the first time, and second time, and third, that this article was pointed out to be pure Loshen Hora? Does maybe the whole concept of to abstain from gossip that may damage another one of Klal Yisroel not occur to you to be true? When I saw the headline I knew right away that nothing of positive light would be contained in this article. Alas, the Yetzer Hara has his methods and I fell to temptation. For me to fall is my own problem, but for the creators of this article and to the website that posted it, I must ask a question. How can you claim to be a news site of religious information when on a constant basis you violate Jewish law and seek to profit from the disgrace of other Jews. Obviously petty mitzvos like loving your fellow Jew and to not tell loshen hara don’t apply to people like you. Do you realize that one who callously disregards a SINGLE mitzvah it is regarded as if he denied all 613 mitzvos! As of today, I am disconnecting my account and severing any connection with Yeshiva World News. I will never more be a part in rampart violation of the avaira of Loshen Hara.
It’s the same, unadulterated Lashon Hara that we saw recently in the article about Ezras nashim. It takes many,many conditions to give a heter to publicly slander another Jew, REGARDLESS OF HIS ACTIONS.
@lukshunkugel: it actually does not make it not Lashon Hara just because it’s public knowledge.
BTW for all those who scream lashon harah-learn halacha!
“Apparently, he feels that it would be bad for his image if he was seen with black hats on stage.”
Who actually heard him say this?
It is better to be to be don lekav zechus (judge him meritoursly), and assume he does not perform in public with Chareidim because he is embarrassed to. It may give the wrong impression to the audience that he feels happy to flaunt not being frum.
If he felt so strongly anti chariedim he would not perform at all for them even in the studio.
As Rebbe Nachman says – find a little good point in someone and you can actually lift them to a higher position!
The Isur of lashon hara doesn’t apply for APIKORSIM . Jewish music producers only care about the money, they will still use him. SAD
> Shlomo 2
“different values”? But what, exactly, are those “different values”? Are you saying his values are that he will only perform where women performers are present? So he has never performed anyplace where women performers were absent? More or less, that would mean he can never have a “one man show” (himself)?
Media needs to be held accountable for false and fake news.
Avi was called for comment and he vehemently denied the accusation. He has played at many charedi all male events and has very close friendships and relationships with the Charedi world.
There was a gig that was cancelled BUT not by him or Sholom Artzi. It was actually the Israeli philharmonic that pulled out of the gig NOT AVI.
Shame on this anonymous poster. But bigger shame in theyeshivaworld for allowing anonymous fake news like this without any fact checking or due diligence.
This is worse than lashon hara. The chase by the media for “headline news” regardless of facts and proper due diligence continues to lead to divide in the jewish community and divide beyond us and on a national level as well.
@Mac331 –
“Avi was called for comment and he vehemently denied the accusation”
To Eli Schwebel — AFTER Singolda was exposed!!!
“But bigger shame in theyeshivaworld for allowing anonymous fake news like this without any fact checking or due diligence.”
What about the Jerusalem Post and Times Of Israel?
Here are their quotes:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/haredi-medical-charity-raises-nis-1m-after-concert-nixed-over-female-singer-ban/
“The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, a centerpiece of the concert, said it would not perform at an event that “excludes women.” So did Artzi’s guitarist, Avi Singolda, and Orly Vilnai, a journalist who was to serve as host, as well as many more singers. Others voiced support for Firer’s event and even said they were willing to volunteer to perform at the event.”
https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Culture/Health-charity-concert-canceled-after-refusing-to-include-female-artists-606872
” the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra announced it would not perform at the concert, as did Avi Singolda, Artzi’s lead accompanying guitarist, and the woman slated to host the event, Orly Vilnai.”
Singolda has so far refused to state the following on his Facebook page (and has been asked to by many people the past few days: “I Avi Singolda never cancelled, and I will gladly play at separate seating events and gladly play at men only events”.
Know why he will never write this?
BECAUSE HE CANCELLED – AND HE WILL NEVER PLAY FOR A MALE-ONLY CHAREIDI EVENT
why doesnt singolda sure the times of israel or the jerusalem post? why doesnt he publicly state that this is fake news? know why? becaus eit’s 100% true news.
and the suckers here are the eli scwebeles of society
“This is worse than lashon hara. ”
Hey @@Mac331, maybe learn some Shmiras halashon. There is no shaila about this at all. In fact, YWN should be commended for publishing this article.
can’t wait for eli schwebel to make a video soon hugging and kissing avi singolda and saying what a tzadik he is. just like schwebel supported a toeiva event.
oh, wait. is that also lashon hara?