Thank you to Jonathan Mark for his beautiful article about Debbie Friedman (“The Healing Of Debbie Friedman,” Jan. 14). She was a blessing to many of us.
I would like to correct one piece of information about the healing services on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I attended most of them at Ansche Chesed and also for many years at the JCC. The monthly healing services at Ansche Chesed were co-led by Friedman and Rabbi Michael Strassfeld, the rabbi there at that time. They shared in both the singing and the inspirational words and created together a holy and safe space to comfort those in need of healing. Later, when Rabbi Strassfeld left Ansche Chesed, the healing service moved to the JCC, still co-led by both of them for several years. The last few years they were co-led by Friedman and Rabbi Joy Levitt, executive director of the JCC.
Friedman’s words and music will continue to be a comfort to us in times of healing and in times of joy.
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