Benny Friedman (singer)

Benny Friedman
Benny Friedman in 2010
Background information
Born	1985 (age 31–32) St. Paul, Minnesota
Genres	Contemporary Jewish religious music
Years active	1998–present
Website	bennysmusic.com

Benzion Hakohen "Benny" Friedman (Hebrew: בנציון הכהן פרידמן‎‎; born 1985) is an American Hasidic Jewish singer. Professionally trained in voice, he rose to prominence on the contemporary Jewish religious music scene with his first album in 2009. His biggest hit to date is the song "Yesh Tikvah" (There is Hope), which has been covered by numerous Jewish musical artists. Singing mainly in Hebrew, Friedman tours extensively and also appears in music videos. He views his music as a kiruv (outreach) tool, with the goal of drawing Jews closer to Judaism.

Benny Friedman was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, where his father, Rabbi Manis Friedman, was a Chabad shaliach. He is the eleventh of fourteen children and one of ten brothers. His uncle (his father's brother) is Orthodox Jewish singing superstar Avraham Fried; Benny is also the first-cousin of Shmuel and Bentzi Marcus (sons of his father's sister Ita) of the band 8th Day.

At the age of twelve Benny was sent to learn at the Lubavitcher yeshiva in Postville, Iowa, where he boarded in the home of Rabbi Sholom Rubashkin. At age 15 he traveled to Israel to study in the Lubavitcher yeshiva in Sefad. He earned rabbinic ordination and worked as a Chabad shaliach in Tucson, Arizona for several years.

He married in 2009 and resides in Brooklyn.