Reb Dovid Werdyger, Father of MBD, Passes Away

The Orthodox Jewish community and Jewish music fans in particular are mourning the death of Reb Dovid Werdyger, OBM, talented singer, pioneer in the recording of Jewish music and father of the ‘King of Jewish Music’ Mordechai Ben David.

The Werdygers originally settled in Crown Heights after arriving in the United States from Poland, living for many years in a home on Rutland Rd. They later moved to Borough Park.

From VIN News:

Dovid Werdyger, a Jewish music icon who considered to be the pioneer of Jewish music as we know it today was niftar this morning at age 94.

Born in Poland in 1919, Werdyger was a Holocaust survivor who was in several concentration camps during the war and worked in the factory run by Oskar Schindler. Werdyger, who moved to Brooklyn after the war and founded Werdyger Travel, threw himself into preserving Chasidic music, recording over 50 albums of the music of various chasidic dynasties.

A legendary chazan and singer and the founder of the Aderet music label, Werdyger was the scion of one of today’s most prolific music families and was the father of superstar Mordechai ben David and grandfather of singers Yeedle and Yisroel Werdyger.

Yisroel Werdyger recalls his grandfather, a Gerrer chasid, as a role model par excellence.

“My grandfather’s devotion to yiddishkeit always challenged us to emulate his ways,” Yisroel Werdyger told VIN News. “Knowing his history and what he went through during the Holocaust and seeing him live a Torah’dig life was an inspiration.”

Yisroel Werdyger recalled his grandfather as a man who always put his principles and his family first.

“In his early years he declined very prestigious chazanus positions in out of town areas, despite the huge financial benefit, because of the chinuch of his children. He was also among the first to challenge secular music with chasidic music from many courts.”

Producer Sheya Mendlowitz described Werdyger as an inspiration on many levels.

“After the Nazis took everything, he came to America with nothing and built a beautiful, royal family with a rich musical heritage,” said Mendlowitz. “He made sure to set up each of his four sons in the music business and in the travel business and he started it all with zero.”

Werdyger’s strong Chasidic ties were a crucial part of his music, according to Mendlowitz.

“He was close with the various rebbes and he represented the many different Chasidic dynasties in his records. He was a legend in Jewish Chasidic music.”

The levaya will take place today at 1 PM at Shomrei Hadas Chapels at 14th Avenue and 39th Streets in Borough Park.

The family will be sitting shiva at the home of Yisroel Werdyger at 1447 48th Street.

yossi zuker/sea gate

I had the zchus of being both being dear friend and next door neighbor of mordche as he was known ,where Reb Dovid obm was a frequent visitor which provided me the opportunity to know the Reb Dovid few knew .
Most certainly a unique gifted individual who bought the memories to the few survivors of the Nazi atrocities ,the heart rendering tefilos one would recall hearing in the ”shtiblah throughout Poland, bringing to them memories of their childhood when they accompanied their parents and grandparents ,a generation that was lost ,yet the sounds of ‘his famous ”loi savoishi vloi sikolmi[ asking hakodesh borech hu yerusholaim be rebuilt ,
, commentaries explain that this is being addressed to yerusholaim with a question MA TISTOCHACHI UMA TEHEMI why are you forsaken why do you cry ,you are aware that in the very near future BOCH YECHESU ANIYEI AMI poor survivors among us will find shelter within your boundaries VENIVNESO HOIR AL TILO And you will be rebuilt as in the previous years…..and continues those who trampled you will be trampled those who attempted to devour you will be cast where no longer will have access to you
This was part of the message that Reb Dovid used his voice which there is no comparison to its beauty to the unforgettable melodious sound which mesmerized those fortunate to hear ,which became a flagship of our tefilos throughout the world.
I am obliged to perhaps enlighten the readers ,these melodies were not only meant for our generation , more so it was a message to the millions of ”neshamos ” of those that perished ,and there is no doubt that they as well accompany
us ….were we to listen ,,we would hear .
Reb Dovid always with a contagious smile continuously illuminating his surrounding with rare joy was no ordinary person .
He carried with him memories ,only individuals of divine strength were able ,
yet at first glance one would never know .
Its no feat to be raised in suburbia , and display ones gds given talents for the enjoyment of others ,
its talent
Reb duvid was way above talent he had what we are not privy to understand ,
His chazonus didn’t only reach ones heart it went deep into ones soul.
I add all his children inherited this quality ,
Like father like son how many thousands did my dear friend mordche bring to heights which they never experienced before[I ask forgiveness from the rest of the werdiger family as I didn’t have the opportunity to spend time with them as I had with mordche.
many years on many continents hasgocha pratis made it that I accompany him , I could write forever of how it personally effected me and my family and the numerous house guests in a most favorable way ..
to summarize REB DUVID avoided talking about himself ,yet I managed to hear certain incidents which he experienced during the Nazi yemach shemom era,
He was part of a group who were students at the gerer yeshivah prior to being herded in cattle cars
and bought to the place where ”hell ” took residence on earth ”aushwitz’
The students among themselves had planned ,that when asked although their only occupation was that of a yeshivah student each had suddenly acquired a profession , plumber ,baker builder ,electrician ,whatever came to mind .
Reb Dovid was to be a electrician ,[I doubt if he had ever exchanged a light bulb ]
The infamous monster in the guise of what may call human ”MENGELE” YIMACH SHMO ” Who conducted the selection s R”L methodically questioned this group of yeshivah students ,he determined how little truth existed in the said professions of the students .
When Reb Dovid approached him instead of saying he was a electrician ,he said ”ich bin a zinger” [I sing]
Mengele found that amusing ,
and responded .
if your are a singer
”zingt das jusishen tot gezang ” [jewish death song ,
keil molei rachamim”
one must envision the surroundings to perhaps get a glimpse of this scene.
The weather was cold , and grey ,about 3 to 400 students standing ,shivering , not knowing what the next moment would bring .
Out of silence emerged the tune of ”keil molei ”
everything changed ,,the world changed
birds stopped flying ,chimneys didn’t smoke, trains came to a halt and there was a unique stillness ,
which one never experienced before .
in this hell one heard reb duvids keil molei ,
I was told ,
since the world was created till moshiach will come this melody the way it was sang will be heard as then .
as it came to the end ‘venomar omein” one heard voices that were never heard together answering softly
omein.
MENGELE whose face that a monster for a split second some imagined a human expression .
starred at reb duvid n sent him to the line of the living ..
I heard this from one that was witnesses to this .
I send my heartfelt condolence to the entire werdiger family ,
Klall yisroel lost a giant of a man who im sure will be mispallel for us that we merit to the geuleh shleimah ”now”

yosie zuker
and family

9 Comments

Former Lower East Sider

In the early to late fifties, the Werdygers lived on the Lower East Side (in Manhattan). We davened with them at the Gerrer Shtiebel of the Lower East Side.

April 2, 2014 2:57pm
B.H.G

BD”H i guess not many people know this but he also wrote a book of his experiences during wwII it is a part of “the holocaust diary’s” series. it is an amazing book. he lived an amazing life. i’m so sorry to hear the news…. Hashem should help……

April 2, 2014 4:25pm
bdh!

so sad!

April 2, 2014 5:04pm
Yehuda

He does not appear on the lists of Schindler Juden!

April 2, 2014 5:13pm
to Yehuda

Please see this link. He is in fact on this list.

http://kehilalinks.jewishgen.org/Krakow/kra_schindler2.htm

April 2, 2014 8:32pm
Anonymous

so sad

April 2, 2014 10:40pm
yossi zuker/sea gate

I had the zchus of being both being dear friend and next door neighbor of mordche as he was known ,where Reb Dovid obm was a frequent visitor which provided me the opportunity to know the Reb Dovid few knew .
Most certainly a unique gifted individual who bought the memories to the few survivors of the Nazi atrocities ,the heart rendering tefilos one would recall hearing in the ”shtiblah throughout Poland, bringing to them memories of their childhood when they accompanied their parents and grandparents ,a generation that was lost ,yet the sounds of ‘his famous ”loi savoishi vloi sikolmi[ asking hakodesh borech hu yerusholaim be rebuilt ,
, commentaries explain that this is being addressed to yerusholaim with a question MA TISTOCHACHI UMA TEHEMI why are you forsaken why do you cry ,you are aware that in the very near future BOCH YECHESU ANIYEI AMI poor survivors among us will find shelter within your boundaries VENIVNESO HOIR AL TILO And you will be rebuilt as in the previous years…..and continues those who trampled you will be trampled those who attempted to devour you will be cast where no longer will have access to you
This was part of the message that Reb Dovid used his voice which there is no comparison to its beauty to the unforgettable melodious sound which mesmerized those fortunate to hear ,which became a flagship of our tefilos throughout the world.
I am obliged to perhaps enlighten the readers ,these melodies were not only meant for our generation , more so it was a message to the millions of ”neshamos ” of those that perished ,and there is no doubt that they as well accompany
us ….were we to listen ,,we would hear .
Reb Dovid always with a contagious smile continuously illuminating his surrounding with rare joy was no ordinary person .
He carried with him memories ,only individuals of divine strength were able ,
yet at first glance one would never know .
Its no feat to be raised in suburbia , and display ones gds given talents for the enjoyment of others ,
its talent
Reb duvid was way above talent he had what we are not privy to understand ,
His chazonus didn’t only reach ones heart it went deep into ones soul.
I add all his children inherited this quality ,
Like father like son how many thousands did my dear friend mordche bring to heights which they never experienced before[I ask forgiveness from the rest of the werdiger family as I didn’t have the opportunity to spend time with them as I had with mordche.
many years on many continents hasgocha pratis made it that I accompany him , I could write forever of how it personally effected me and my family and the numerous house guests in a most favorable way ..
to summarize REB DUVID avoided talking about himself ,yet I managed to hear certain incidents which he experienced during the Nazi yemach shemom era,
He was part of a group who were students at the gerer yeshivah prior to being herded in cattle cars
and bought to the place where ”hell ” took residence on earth ”aushwitz’
The students among themselves had planned ,that when asked although their only occupation was that of a yeshivah student each had suddenly acquired a profession , plumber ,baker builder ,electrician ,whatever came to mind .
Reb Dovid was to be a electrician ,[I doubt if he had ever exchanged a light bulb ]
The infamous monster in the guise of what may call human ”MENGELE” YIMACH SHMO ” Who conducted the selection s R”L methodically questioned this group of yeshivah students ,he determined how little truth existed in the said professions of the students .
When Reb Dovid approached him instead of saying he was a electrician ,he said ”ich bin a zinger” [I sing]
Mengele found that amusing ,
and responded .
if your are a singer
”zingt das jusishen tot gezang ” [jewish death song ,
keil molei rachamim”
one must envision the surroundings to perhaps get a glimpse of this scene.
The weather was cold , and grey ,about 3 to 400 students standing ,shivering , not knowing what the next moment would bring .
Out of silence emerged the tune of ”keil molei ”
everything changed ,,the world changed
birds stopped flying ,chimneys didn’t smoke, trains came to a halt and there was a unique stillness ,
which one never experienced before .
in this hell one heard reb duvids keil molei ,
I was told ,
since the world was created till moshiach will come this melody the way it was sang will be heard as then .
as it came to the end ‘venomar omein” one heard voices that were never heard together answering softly
omein.
MENGELE whose face that a monster for a split second some imagined a human expression .
starred at reb duvid n sent him to the line of the living ..
I heard this from one that was witnesses to this .
I send my heartfelt condolence to the entire werdiger family ,
Klall yisroel lost a giant of a man who im sure will be mispallel for us that we merit to the geuleh shleimah ”now”

yosie zuker
and family

April 3, 2014 6:22am
with the old breed

I beleve that He used to be the Chazan by the old Chason Sofer shul on the lower east side.

April 3, 2014 12:12pm
Eli

As a young child he merited to be part of the Kapelye for the holy Imrei Emes of Ger, ZT”L.

April 3, 2014 2:57pm

Comments are closed.