Ari Frazer Releases Dance Club Version of Kaddish Prayer

Singer and songwriter Ari Frazer has released a unique new single titled 'Kaddish,' a rendition of the traditional Jewish prayer set to a contemporary dance club beat. The project, a collaboration with musical producer Hagai Mizrahi, aims to make the prayer more accessible to a wider audience.

The inspiration for the song originated from an ancient Bucharian melody that was favored by Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the last Lubavitcher Rebbe. Frazer adapted this melody to the words of the Kaddish prayer, and it became popular within a small Jewish community in the United States where Frazer served as a cantor. This community grew from a handful of attendees to around 200 people each Shabbat.

The impetus for recording the song came from a young, non-observant Israeli who had recently lost a parent. He expressed that many in his generation do not know how to recite Kaddish and suggested that a catchy, modern tune could help them connect with and say the prayer for their parents. Frazer's father, who is alive, encouraged the project, stating it was important for people to become familiar with the prayer.

Instead of a somber ballad, Frazer and Mizrahi opted for an energetic electronic production, drawing inspiration from the international success of Frazer's previous song 'Shema Yisrael,' which garnered over 150,000 downloads globally, particularly in Europe, China, and Japan, due to its rhythmic style. Frazer believes that spirituality can be found in unexpected places and that Kaddish is a prayer everyone will likely encounter in their lives. The goal of the new single is to embed the prayer in people's minds, demystify it, reveal its more pleasant aspects, and spark curiosity to learn it.

The release of 'Kaddish' follows a recent surge of new music in the Jewish music world, with other artists like Yidel and Nemuell releasing duets and Meir Shtrit releasing new songs.