New York – A Lifetime Of Music: Chazan Shimon Kugel OB’M

New York – Three days after his sudden passing, friends and relatives remember Shimon Kugel, a gifted chazan who used his musical abilities to bring people closer to yiddishkeit. The levaya for Kugel, who passed away Thursday night, took place on Friday afternoon in Borough Park, with kevura taking place today in Israel.

Known both for his warmth and his sweet personality, Kugel was close with Shlomo Carlebach and his music, including his original compositions, reflected Carlebach’s distinctive style.

“He became an important supplement to the work of Shlomo Carlebach,” Jewish music personality Nachum Segal told VIN News. “Even in his lifetime, Reb Shlomo couldn’t be everywhere and Shimon Kugel would transmit his musical message to the masses. After Carlebach passed away 20 years ago, he carried on that mantle. His voice, his demeanor and even his looks were very much like Carlebach and he had a strong perspective on what people who were searching were looking for.”

“I always looked up to his hartzidige music,” added singer Srully Williger. “Reb Shlomo said quite a few times in his life that Shimon had a beautiful voice.”

Born in South Africa, Kugel spent time in England and Israel before making his way eventually to the United States, where he established himself as both a singer and a chazan. Kugel proved early on in his career that while music was his passion, yiddishkeit was his life, turning down a shot at stardom offered by Brian Epstein, manager of The Beatles, who hoped to launch Kugel’s career on a similar trajectory in the 1960’s.

“He said, “You are going to be the next big thing in England and in the world,’” recalled Kugel’s son Shlomo at the levaya.

Epstein arranged for Kugel to represent England in Eurovision, a prestigious annual European song competition. The two collaborated on a single to be performed at the annual event, but when Kugel realized that the main rehearsal was to be held on Shabbos, he told Epstein that he couldn’t take part in the competition. The moment proved to be a turning point in his life and his own observance of Yiddishkeit.

“Right after that he decided to commit his life to only to Jewish music, only to sing Chasidishe music, to be mikarev the oylam in Yiddishkeit and he succeeded in that,” said Shlomo Kugel.

The song that Kugel had recorded for Eurovision was re-recorded by another artist who went on to win the competition and a successful music career.

“My father became even bigger because he chose the right way,” observed Shimon Kugel. “He chose Yiddishkeit. He chose Torah. He chose to bring up a family with the right values of Torah and Yiddishkeit.”

Binyomin Kugel recalled that his father never compromised on the standards he had set for himself.

“Even when times were tough, he would never give up his frumkeit, would never sell his soul for money.”

Chazan Benny Rogosnitzky remembered Kugel as a welcoming presence during his early days in New York.

“When I first came to America and became a chazan on the West Side, he was the first chazan to befriend me,” said Rogosnitzky. “He came over and he sat next to me. He had a great soul that was colored with a beautiful voice. He really lit up a room when he walked in and he was a singer, not just in music but in life as well.”

Rogosnitzky recalled the last time he saw Kugel perform at a concert in honor of Shlomo Carlebach’s 20th yahrtzeit which took place last November at the Young Israel of Bethel.

“I was standing in the back and you almost felt like Shlomo came back,” observed Rogosnitzky. “There were people in the audience that he knew and he made a point to mention them, to make them feel good. He was just a very humble man in his life and in his music. It really spoke of neshama, soul. He was a great man and this is a great loss.”

“I knew Shimon personally and his sweetness went beyond his voice,” added radio talk show host Zev Brenner. “It was his essence and it permeated his soul.”

Alluding to Dovid Hamelech, Brenner described Kugel as “A sweet singer of Israel.”

“He sang from his heart and his unique voice will be missed by all,” said Brenner.

“I remember Shimon Kugel from my childhood days when he and my father were chazanus buddies,” added Jodie Lochak of Hillside, New Jersey. “A very warm, good humored man. Yet another sad loss.”

A Facebook post, dated January 6, 2015, featured an advertisement for an upcoming Pesach program in Florida, where Kugel was scheduled to perform. It was Kugel’s last post on Facebook and it bore the words, “Looking forward to seeing you in Miami.”

Kugel who davened at K’hal Ateres Tzvi M’Liska, was known to spend hours putting tefillin on Russian men in shul, asking them to come back the next day so that they could perform the mitzvah again. Rav Tzvi Hersh Friedlander, the Liska Rebbe, eulogized Kugel for his love of Torah and his tremendous yiras shomayim saying, “He never forgot his purpose in this world.”

Having traveled around the world, Kugel came into contact with people from all walks of life in a wide variety of locations.

“He always left them with a renewed appreciation of our heritage,” noted Ezra Friedlander, CEO of the Friedlander Group. “Chazan Kugel was a dear friend. He was beloved by my father who was very appreciative of Reb Shimon’s insight into world affairs which he used to express love and concern about our brethren in Eretz Yisroel at Kiddush after davening. It was very clear that he possessed a keen grasp of how international affairs may impact our community and was not afraid to express it regardless of the implications.

“On a more poignant and personal note, ‎I knew exactly which whiskey he liked to drink at kiddush after davening on Shabbos and I only brought it out to him which never failed to result in a warm smile. It’s sad that bottle is only half empty and he’s no longer with us.”

Video below of the funeral: