R’ Avi Piamenta OBM – Through The Lens Of JEM

This past Friday, R’ Avi Piamenta passed away.

A virtuoso flutist and singer, he formed the renowned Piamenta Band with his brother Yosi, blending rock, jazz, and Jewish music into a transformative sound that uplifted generations.

Through JEM’s *Here’s My Story* project, we were privileged to record an in-depth interview with R’ Avi, preserving his powerful recollections of how music became a vehicle for his teshuvah and lifelong mission. He shared how, after becoming Torah-observant, he wrote to the Rebbe about using his music to inspire Jewish identity. The Rebbe encouraged him warmly, advising him to “know Him \[G-d] in all your ways” and to use all his talents for holy purposes, while cautioning that “lives are literally at stake” in the world of music and that great challenges awaited.

R’ Avi took that charge to heart, dedicating decades to infusing concerts and recordings with the light of Torah and Chassidus. From Simchas Beis Hashoeva in Crown Heights to festivals around the globe, he became a beloved figure whose music and kindness touched countless lives.

יהי זכרו ברוך — May his memory be a blessing.

Read his story: https://videos.jem.tv/documents/1362