Saying Farewell to Debbie Friedman

Like many Jews, the foundation of my own Jewish experience stems from my time at Jewish summer camp. The weeks I spent surrounded by my Jewish peers living Judaism at ” title=”Debbie Friedman” target=”_blank”>Debbie Friedman, the musician who brought Judaism to life for so many, had died. I was fortunate enough to have seen Debbie Friedman perform while I was teaching at a reform congregation in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her spirit and strength were truly inspiring.

I was surprised to see a mention of Debbie being a lesbian in the ” title=”Keshet ” target=”_blank”>Keshet about Debbie, her life, and her death.

Keshet joins the many thousands all over the world who mourn the loss of Debbie Friedman, zichrona l’bracha. There are no words to capture the transformative impact she had on contemporary Jewish life. Her open, accessible, and expansive approach to liturgy and Jewish music invited so many of us to connect with prayer and a sense of the divine. Debbie challenged us to be our holiest selves. She revolutionized the way we relate to ritual melody and ritual healing, and offered inclusive expression for everyone, LGBT and straight alike. As