Michoel Schnitzler
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Short description|American Hasidic singer}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = מיכאל שניצלר.jpg
| caption = Schnitzler in 2023
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1961|08|07}}
| birth_place = Berkeley, California, US
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|04|14|1961|08|07}}
| death_place = Monsey, New York, US
| website = {{URL|michoelschnitzler.com}}
}}
Michoel Schnitzler (August 7, 1961 – April 14, 2023) was an American Hasidic singer and composer. He released over 150 mostly Yiddish-language songs.
Early life
Schnitzler was born on August 7, 1961, into a rabbinic family in Berkeley, California.{{Cite web |last=Labin |first=Meyer |date=2023-04-18 |title='So many broken hearts': Remembering Michoel Schnitzler, father of Hasidic pop |url=https://forward.com/opinion/543550/remembering-michoel-schnitzler-father-of-hasidic-pop/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=The Forward |language=en}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-04-16 |title=Michoel Schnitzler, 62, OBM |url=https://collive.com/michoel-schnitzler-62-obm/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=COLlive |language=en-US}} After his father died when Michoel was 15 years old,{{Cite web |last= |date=2023-04-14 |title=Shocking Petirah of Beloved Singer Reb Michoel Schnitzler z”l |url=https://matzav.com/shocking-petirah-of-beloved-singer-reb-michoel-schnitzler-zl/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Matzav.com |language=en-US}} he studied at the Tosh yeshiva in Quebec, Canada.
Career
Schnitzler started singing in the 1980s after he was married and had two children, when he was at the Satmar Rebbe's tish on Succos and he was asked to sing. Initially embarrassed, he sang will turned to the wall, and was encouraged after he received a warm reception. He was then hired to sing at a wedding, which was followed by more weddings, despite it being unusual to have a singer at Jewish weddings in those times.{{Cite web |last= |date=2009-10-01 |title=Sea Gate, NY - Trendsetting Chasidic Singer Michoel Schnitzler in First-Ever Video Interview |url=https://vinnews.com/2009/10/01/sea-gate-ny-trendsetting-chasidic-singer-michoel-schnitzler-in-first-ever-video-interview%E2%80%8F/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=VIN News |language=en-US}}
He released his first album in 2000. He has since released 15 albums including over 150 songs.{{Cite web |date=April 16, 2023 |title=Leading hassidic musician Michoel Schnitzler dead at 62 |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/370028 |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Israel National News}} He also composed songs for other singers, including Lipa Schmeltzer, Pinky Weber, and Motti Ilowitz.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-16 |title=Reb Michoel Schnitzler, 62, OBM |url=https://chabadinfo.com/bdh/reb-michoel-schnitzler-62-obm/ |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=chabadinfo.com |language=en-US}} He sung at over 4,200 weddings.
Schnitzler sang Yiddish comedic tunes and classical tunes and added his own style to them. He sung with a booming voice and interacted with the audience when singing at events. His albums were mostly soulful Yiddish melodies, as well as upbeat songs. Some Hasidic rabbis disapproved of his style, which led to him moving out of the Hasidic enclave of Kiryas Joel.
Personal life
Schnitzler was divorced and lived in poverty for part of his life. He suffered from a heart condition and was hospitalized several times, which once in February 2017 led to rumors that he had died, after which he released a recording joking that he had not yet died.{{Cite web |last=Weisberg |first=Moshe |last2=Har Zvi |first2=Kobi |date=2017-02-20 |title="מיכאל שניצלר: "השמועות אינן נכונות, אני חי |trans-title=Michoel Schnitzler: The Rumors Are Not True, I'm Alive |url=https://www.bhol.co.il/news/223111 |access-date=2025-04-06 |website=Behadrey Haredim |language=he}}
Schnitzler died on April 14, 2023 from a heart attack in Monsey, New York. He was eulogized by his sons, Rabbi Yosef Yechiel Mechel Lebovits, and singer Lipa Schmeltzer.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schnitzler, Michoel}}
Category:American Orthodox Jews