Avraham Fried’s Ingenuity Saves the Day at Huge Event

By Sivan Rahav-Meir & COLlive reporter

Suddenly, the electricity went out.

In the midst of a massive Yud Alef Nissan event organized in Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium to mark the 120th birthday of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, there was a major technical breakdown: the electricity went and out, and with it the video screens, amplifiers, and orchestra.

What could be done?

Jewish music star Avraham Fried found a single microphone that barely worked, took it in his hand, and went down from the stage to the grass in front of it.

Without any musicians to accompany him, he began to sing familiar Chabad nigunim while asking the crowd to join him. A solitary projector illuminated him when he began to dance around. Tens of thousands were soon dancing with him as they lit up the darkness with their cell phones until the electrical problem was fixed.

There were, of course, many more performances as well speeches and videos that evening, but when the crowd dispersed, people spoke mainly about the technical breakdown. And it was the performance of Avraham Fried that they would never forget.

“I’ll admit,” one of the participants told COLlive.com. “Before the event, I was more excited about Mordechai Ben David, who was also scheduled to perform. After this event, when I hear the voice of Avraham Fried it will sound different. I won’t only hear a great singer, but a great person and chossid. You saw him giving his all and overcoming any and all obstacles, to bring honor to the Rebbe.”

One of the major messages of the Rebbe was to utilize every situation in which we find ourselves for good. Once, a group of Chabad women called the Rebbe’s office from the airport on Friday afternoon when their flight home had been delayed.

“Shabbos will soon arrive and we are stuck at the airport,” they said.

The Rebbe answered: “What is the meaning of the word ‘stuck?’ A Jew is never stuck. There is always something that can be done.” So the women started looking for other Jewish women at the airport in order to pass out Shabbos candles to them until their delayed flight took off.

When an unexpected challenge arrives, it’s not only a matter of overcoming it, but of finding a way to create something out of it that is unique, inspiring, and good. Like what happened last week at Teddy Stadium.

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