Both Daily News & Post Feature Lipa’s Song for Leiby
Both of New Yorks leading daily newspapers featured the story of Lipa Schmeltzers tribute song to Leiby Kletzky on their front page’s ‘top three’ stories.
Famed Hasidic singer Lipa Schmeltzer writing song to honor slain Brooklyn boy Leiby Kletzky
Lipa Schmeltzer, a Hasidic pop star, visited the family of Leiby Kletzky and said he was writing a song about the tragedy called ‘The Story of Leiby.’
A famed Hasidic singer beloved by little Leiby Kletzky paid a visit to the slain’s boy’s relatives Sunday and said he was hard at work writing a song about the tragedy.
Lipa Schmeltzer, 33 – revered by many as the “Jewish Elvis” – said he was moved to tears by the boy’s death and was writing a song about him for an upcoming album.
“I wanted to write a song about this little boy,” Schmeltzer said. “This was a special holy boy.”
Schmeltzer said he would call the song “The Story of Leiby.”
“So pure this little sheep. A poor soul. This little bird. he went home from school to the school which is in heaven,” Schmeltzer sang for reporters outside the Kletzky family home in Borough Park after paying a shiva call.
“They invited me,” he said. “Their son liked my songs very much.”
Inside, Schmeltzer said he had recited the lyrics to Leiby’s favorite song “As Long As You Are Alive” – a song about not stressing over small problems in life – after being asked by one of Leiby’s sisters.
He spoke the lyrics, rather than sang them, as singing is barred during the mourning period.
“His story came to an end because of this black day that we had,” he said. “Future generations of Leiby have vanished.”
He said he had poured glasses of orange juice for the family and brought them cookies because they hadn’t eaten all morning.
“The father is very broken from this, but he is keeping very strong,” he said. “He said he had the honor to have this soul for nine years.”
“There are no words I can tell him,” he added.
Schmeltzer said he first heard about Leiby upon returning from a European tour on Tuesday and received word the boy was missing.
Instead of heading home to Monsey, N.Y., he said he immediately joined the search.
“I went straight from the airport and went to search for the child,” he said.
When his wife asked him why, he said he told her, “This kid didn’t come home yet.”
“Our kids are home. We can kiss them tomorrow.”
Leiby, 8, was found found dead early the next morning – allegedly smothered to death and dismembered by Levi Aron, a 35-year-old hardware store clerk from Borough Park.
Scores of other neighbors also visited the Kletzky family Sunday to pay their respects.
“This is all of our tragedy,” said Leib Glanz, 54. “This is not just a loss for the parents, this is a loss for the entire Jewish community.”
A source familiar with the police investigation said detectives had found no sign that Aron had molested Leiby or any other children.
The source said cops don’t think Aron is crazy although he seems to have “slightly diminished” mental capacity.
Hasidic star writing song for slain boy
He’s writing Leiby’s song.
Lipa Schmeltzer, a popular and high-profile singer in the Hasidic community, visited the grieving family of slain 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky yesterday — and even chanted a Yiddish song to the boy’s younger sister to comfort her.
The popular performer — little Leiby’s favorite — didn’t sing the piece because mourners are not supposed to hear music for a year after a death.
But Schmeltzer said that after Leiby’s dad told him a story about his only son, Schmeltzer formulated a story and called it: “As Long as You’re Alive.” And then he chanted the story to Leiby’s sister, Nechama.
Singer Lipa Schmeltzer after speaking to family of Leiby Kletzky
“One day he tripped and fell down on the way to school and his father was sympathetic and Leiby looked at the father and said, ‘Remember the words As Long as You’re Alive.’ He was three years old,” Schmeltzer said.
Schmeltzer also said he was moved by the numbers of people who were gathering to offer solace to the Keitzky family at their Borough Park home.
“There were lines and lines. I never saw anything like it,” he said. “The people are very shattered and broken.”
The performer noted that Leiby’s father, Nachman, was devastated by his only son’s grisly death and dismemberment, allegedly at the hands of Levi Aron.
“He is very broken but he’s keeping very strong,” Schmeltzer said. “He said he had the honor to have the soul for nine years.”
Schmeltzer said he’s now working on a song called “The Story of Leiby,” based on what he believes the child — described as devout beyond his years — would have been like if he’d grown to be a grandfather.
“Everything came to an end because of that black day that we had,” the performer said. “All the goodness that came from Leiby is now vanished.”
He also said he’s been amazed by the comments from others who knew the remarkable youngster.
“The stories we heard are unbelievable,” he said. “One story is that they were playing a game in class. At the last minute, Leiby switched teams. Why did he switch? He said, ‘Because my team keeps winning and they keep losing, and I want to help them win.’
”He was a very smart boy.”
nishtformir
i wish he would wait, i know its not the case but it just stinks of self promotion in the worst way. I doubt anyone wants nto be famous off of someone elses tragedy
Not impressed...
Its disgusting how he is pushing his own agenda through other peoples tzoros. Lipa is cracked…
Lin
The tribute is truly beautiful,and it is such a shame,that a young boys life will never come to fruition…My condolences to his family and his community…
ad mosai
Hashem determines when a person should die. For reasons unknown, He decided to take back Leiby’s holy neshama when He did. Thinking about this, could give the family a little comfort. Thinking about what could have been had he grown to be a zaidy would only fill them with sadness and guilt. He should sing instead about how looking for him brought achdus and about how Leiby went to a losing team when his was winning.
Lipa, spare them
Sorry, Lipa, it’s a tease. It’s torture to think about what Leiby could have been, it’s all the parents will think about every day of their lives, to spell it out in a song is just plain torture. The second half of your video was very good.
ch mom
lipa is an emes’er mentsch. he goes out of his way to help others in need. why can’t you guys (#1 and #2) see it as such?
totaly off lipa
agree with 1 and 2 but all he is doing making a fool out of himself….
Stop the baloney
It’s unbelievable how ppl such as 1&2 keep on saying that he’s pushing his agenda! What’s wrong with you ppl!? Lipa, like everyone else is shattered by this tragedy, and as an artist, he is trying to make the biggest tribute he can possibly do.
So enough of this “ self promotion” accusations, and see it the way it is: a regular guy giving all he’s got to do something in memory of leiby.
Enough said
Pleeeeease
Come on 1 and 2 ! What do you think it is when Avraham fried and lipa go around to sick kids in hospitals and sing to them there…. Probably also self promotion, right?
Strange?
At the very end, Lipa thanks all the groups and volunteers who helped search for the missing boy. I find it interesting that he mentions all groups and neighborhoods EXCEPT Crown Heights. OUR Shomrim, and MANY CROWN HEIGHTS individuals who had never met Leiby’s A”H family went be’achdus to help. They too, deserve recognition!
Lol!
LOl! I think #3 & #6 were written by Lipa himself!
agree and disagree
I think Lipa did it lishmah, to try and ease the pain of the family. He did NOT do it to promote himself, he is not that kind of person. However I think the video is in poor judgement. Why make the parents see what they can never have.
not right
It is weird and distasteful for Lipa to be singing about what ‘could have been.’
Inappropriate for him to come out with a song so soon after the tragedy.
He should probably take a course in english also.
AB
By needlessly criticizing another jew for trying to help a family that is in deep pain, all you are doing is making sure this angels death was in vain. The only good thing to come of this unthinkable tragedy is the achdus that was evident in the days after Leibys death. Lets save the judgements for the true judge!
Moshiach now!
Crown Heights
What about crown heights??? they were helping as well…
Peace please
I just can’t believe my eyes. How dare you still comment so negatively on a jew? Is it the fact that Lipa is a “STAR” that gives you permission to talk L”H on him? Same Halacha applies here, Lipa is a part of Am Yisroel!! For Leiby’s Neshoma, lets all stop judging people negatively. Look at the bright side of every person. #1 and #2, to you dear commentors, Lipa is famous enough, he doesn’t need to promote himself any more. He was what he is before this terrible tragedy happened. #7, I’m still trying to figure out which one of you the fool is….
DTorres
I think Mr. Lipa Shmeltzer has made a beautiful video,
to honor Leiby’s sacred memory.
I especially like the part, when Mr. Schmeltzer says
“Just like everyone came out of their comfortable homes,
Business people, plumbers, doctors, bakers”.
Leiby’s death was very terrible, very painful for everyone.
But in death Leiby did a wonderful thing, he united
rich and poor, young and old, like Mr. Schmelter says,
everyone came together.
I think the video is beautiful.
ch mom
to #11 – I am a ch mom, as my name says. I prefer to remain anonymous, otherwise I would have signed my name.
to #15 – nobody gave crown heights shomrim credit, eventhough we all know they were there from the start. they don’t need any thank you from a bosor v’dom. l’maaleh it is known what they did, and that is all that counts.
Someone
The one thing I’ve learned from Leiby’s story is that we should try our best to have unconditional ahavas yisroel so that Moshiach will come and bring this precious boy back to his parents arms.
Lets not continue speaking negative about others, including Lipa.