User:PardesHana1/אברהם זיגמן

Avraham Zigman (Hebrew: אברהם זיגמן) (10 April 1949 - 31 January 2022), was an Israeli musician, author, composer, songwriter, poet, writer and a musical editor at Kol Yisrael radio.

Biography
Avraham Zigman was born in Haifa, Israel, on 10 April 1949. His parents Menachem Mendel and Zelda Zigman were both Holocaust survivors who settled in Israel after the war. During his youth, he began composing songs for programs in his youth movement  "Hashomer Hatzair". Before his recruitment to the army, he joined Kibbutz Nachshon. In 1968 he did his military service in the army entertainment troupe. In 1970 he met the actor Shaike Ophir who told him that his son Elad served in the army near the Jorden. Following the meeting, he wrote his famous song "Elad yard el HaYarden". Besides this song, Zigman composed many well-known Israeli songs such as MeDarom Tiftach HaTeshuva, Geshem Rishon, Shtei Ahayot, Hora Bik'a, HaYona, and many more.

Since 1970 he was working for the radio station Kol Israel, editing and broadcasting music and documentary programs. Around that time he got to know and befriend R’ Reuven Donin who had a deep influence on him. His close relationship with Donin led him to the process of returning to Torah observance. After nine years on the job at Kol Yisrael radio, he decided to quit and join a Yeshiva to make up for all the knowledge he thought he lacked. When the occasion arose in September of 1979 to travel to New York and meet the Lubavitcher Rebbe, he decided to seek the Rebbe’s advice on this issue. The Rebbe’s told him to continue working at the radio station as he is positively affecting his surroundings and his influence is greater than if he were to withdraw from the secular world and seclude himself in yeshiva.

Besides his work as a musical editor, he created documentary radio programs. His program on the flamenco dancer Juan De Dios represented Israel at an international radio contest in Spain. In 1980 he suggested to the director of Kol Israel radio that they begin to broadcast a class on the Tanya. He then turned to Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz), who began to deliver a Tanya lesson. These classes later served as the basis for Rabbi Steinsaltz’s popular ‘Biur Hatanya’ series.

In 2009 he published his first book "Midrash Naomi"  on the Jewish sources in Naomi Shemer songs.

Personal life
Zigman and his wife Miriam (nee Sonnenfeld) lived in Jerusalem until his sudden death. They had nine children and many grandchildren.