Bergenfield—Congregation Beth Abraham recently welcomed Rabbi and musician Avraham Willig, who lives in Israel and teaches at Aish HaTorah. He has gained recent fame from his musical album release, ‘Lev Avos: The Willig Family Sings,’ which features his original compositions and the voices of the Willig family. Rabbi Willig led Kabbolas Shabbos and Shabbos morning davening, and on Motzei Shabbos, he was joined by male family members for a kumsitz/performance and melave malka.

Willig shared that Lev Avos was originally just a family affair. “The album was done as a family project and wasn’t originally created for the public, and I did nothing to impress anyone. It’s pure heart and soul. That’s it. A snapshot of my heart,” he said.

“I never dreamed that it would become so public. I think people appreciate that it’s something real, and genuine,” Willig said. The rabbi reported that close to 800 of the 1,000 copies made have already been sold.

“At the Motzei Shabbos kumsitz, almost 100 people were in attendance, including Rabbis Neuberger, Tanchum Cohen, Taubes and Sobolofsky,” said Daniel Kaminetsky, one of the event’s organizers. “Performing with Rabbi Willig was his father, YU Rosh Yeshiva Rabbi Mordechai Willig, his brothers Rabbi Yehuda Willig and Rabbi Akiva Willig, his brother-in-law Rabbi Eliyahu Wolf and Nochi Kron on the keyboard.” said Kaminetsky.

“We also had a surprise guest appearance by well-known musician Eitan Katz who played along with the Willig family. Willig sang some well-known Carelebach niggunim as well as his own compositions,” he said.

Lev Avos: The Willig Family Sings is available for download on iTunes. While the album is expected to sell out of physical copies, more are being produced and will soon be available in local Jewish stores.

By Elizabeth Kratz