Baruch Dayan Ha'amat: Cantor Rabbi David Werdiger passes away at age 94

April 2, 2014   

Renowned poet and cantor Rabbi David Werdiger, one of the greatest musicians in the Hasidic world, died today in New York at the age of 94. Rabbi David left behind an extended family: four children, including singers Mordechai Ben-David and his brother Mandy Werdiger, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Rabbi David began his musical career as a singer in the Gur Hasidic court, and later broke into the general Hasidic community. He was the first to produce music albums in the world of cantorship. "Rabbi David was not just a cantor," says one of the family members, "He was a cantor with a message. Every piece of David's work had an inner and deep meaning." His funeral will take place today at 1:00 p.m. (New York time) from the Shomerei Shabbat funeral home in the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. May his memory be blessed.