Longtime Chazan at 770 Releases 3 Albums of His Davening

By Libby Herz – COLlive

Rabbi Shloma Leib Abramowitz, renowned for his heartfelt davening in the main shul of 770 Eastern Parkway in Crown Heights, is now sharing three albums of his nusach.

These albums capture the authentic nusach that defined his service as a baal tefillah from the 1970s through the 1990s and 2000s, offering a taste of the nusach that moved a generation.

For decades, Rabbi Abramowitz served as chazan before the Rebbe. On Chanukah 5751 (1990), Rabbi Abramowitz was given by the 770 gabboim a $100 bill from Rebbe as Chanukah Gelt. It was accompanied by an appreciation signed by Gaboim Rabbi Yehoshua Pinson OBM and Rabbi Zev Katz.

His clear, resonant voice filled the large shul, making the tefilos accessible to all. The wives of the gabboim frequently requested that Rabbi Abramowitz lead the tefillos on behalf of the ezras nashim, because his voice reached the women’s section, making it easy and enjoyable to follow along with his davening.

Rabbi Yossi Levertov, Director of Chabad of Scottsdale in Arizona, recalls the days when Rabbi Abramowitz regularly davened for the amud. “He was one of the only chazanim whose voice carried all the way to the back of the shul,” he says. “His voice was beautiful and loud. Everybody would enjoy his iconic davening.”

After many requests, Rabbi Abramowitz has finally compiled three albums to preserve the nusach that reverberated through 770. His recordings offer more than nostalgia; they serve as educational tools for aspiring baalei tefillah and anyone eager to connect with the soulful melodies of Lubavitch nusach.

The first of these new albums focuses on the nusach for Shabbos, closely mirroring the melodies Rabbi Abramowitz used in 770 for decades. Some additions have been made for those leading services in a typical Chabad House, yet the essence of the tefillos remains unchanged.

The second album covers the nusach for Shalosh Regalim with additional personal touches to the traditional melodies Rabbi Abramowitz learned and sang over the years.

The third and final release is a double album dedicated to Rosh Hashanah. While Rabbi Abramowitz often led services outside of 770 on Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, the album offers a comprehensive experience of Rosh Hashanah prayers, featuring the nusach that shaped his tefillos throughout the years.

A Lifelong Dedication to Tefillah

Rabbi Abramowitz hails from a long line of chazanim and baalei tefillah, inheriting a deep love and talent for Jewish prayer from both sides of his family. He began davening at the amud at the tender age of thirteen. His loud, pleasant melodies earned him widespread recognition, as he davened before the Rebbe for many years.

His unique style—characterized by clarity, precision, and a pleasant yet powerful voice—became widely recognized. Rabbi Abramowitz introduced elements that are now standard in Lubavitch shuls, such as singing Lecha Dodi and Kel Adon, which had previously been recited without melody. The Rebbe both encouraged and appreciated these innovations and today these tefillos are sung in Chabad shuls worldwide.

Rabbi Abramowitz also lit the Chanuka menorah numerous times in the presence of the Rebbe, reciting the brachos in his special style. ”There’s a feeling of nostalgia when singing the songs that Rabbi Abramowitz introduced,” says Rabbi Levertov, “When we sing his kedusha, the whole place comes alive.”

Through his albums, Rabbi Abramowitz offers the public not just a collection of melodies but a piece of Jewish history. Whether for personal enjoyment, education, or spiritual connection, these recordings serve as a bridge to the past and a tool for the future.

After so many years, people want to hear the davening as it was in 770 with the Rebbe, and now they can bring this nusach into their homes, shuls and Chabad Houses. The albums are available online, offering a pure, authentic experience of tefillah.

Access the albums on YouTube: Shloma Leib Abramowitz – Topic – YouTube

Spotify: Shloma Leib Abramowitz | Spotify