David Refael ben Ami

David Refael ben-Ami (8 October 1950 – 9 October 2020) was an Israeli singer. In 1970, he recorded the song "Desdemona," which was composed for him by Mati Caspi and written by Gad Kaynar. In 1971, Desdemona reached the top of the Israeli Hit Parade.

David Refael ben-Ami singing at a gathering with Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh

Early life and military

David ben Ami (nicknamed "Dadi" from an early age) was born to one of the founding families of the Nahalal moshav. In his youth, he studied drama with the theater director and acting teacher Nola Chilton. He served in the IDF in the Southern Command Band and in the Northern Command Band. After his release from the army he studied theater studies at Tel-Aviv University and worked as an actor in the Cameri Theater.

A short time later, he began his return to Jewish religious practice under the direction of Rabbi Israel Meir Lau and Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh. Influenced by friends from the Chabad Chassidic school of thought, he travelled to New York to spend an entire year in the court of the Lubavitcher Rebbe Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson. Eventually, he returned to Jerusalem and chose to follow the directives of Breslov Chassidism. As part of his becoming a ba'al teshuva, he began to use his full name of "David Refael" and his original family name of "Feinshil" which was used by his ancestors in the Diaspora. His grandfather, who immigrated to Israel during the second aliya, had Hebraicised it to "Ben-Ami".

For many years, he abandoned his musical career and focused on anthologizing ancient Chassidic melodies from the elderly people of the Meah Shearim neighborhood in Jerusalem, which he performed in his albums from 1988 onwards. He stated, "My mission is to endow the songs and to perpetuate the melodies." In his appearances he performed Israeli songs, and in one of his later albums he sings Israeli songs and tunes that were inspired prior to the establishment of the State of Israel.[1]

Death

David ben Ami contracted COVID-19 during the pandemic in Israel. He was hospitalized on October 7, 2020, when his health conditions worsened. He died on October 9, 2020, at the age of 70.[2] [3]

Discography
  • Melodies of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov and his students, 3 discs.
  • We are for God and our eyes are to God - 2006.

References
  1. "כשברסלבר חוזר לנהלל". Arutz Sheva (in Hebrew). Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  2. https://www.maariv.co.il/amp/culture/music/Article-794731
  3. ברוך דיין האמת: הזמר המיתולוגי החסיד ברסלב ר’ דוד רפאל פיינשיל (בן עמי) ז”ל (in Hebrew)
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