Naftali Kempeh sings the language of simplicity and soul
That’s because Leah Kempeh has never even seen Naftali perform in public.
And that’s perfectly fine with both of them. Leah is happy that her husband of seven years doesn’t sing in front of women, and Naftali appreciates the separation between his professional music side and his private family life. With three successful albums in just four years and a fully-booked calendar of concerts and events, Naftali is grateful for the advice he got from Rav Yaakov Friedman of Tifrach, the southern Israeli yeshivah town where Naftali grew up.
“When I saw that my star was rising, I went to Rav Friedman and asked, ‘How can I keep myself centered in this field?’ He told me, ‘Make sure that what you have at home is most important, make sure your home is your priority, and as long as you remember that, everything will be fine.’ He’s so right — I feel it every day. In this industry, sometimes you’re up, sometimes you’re down, but my wife and family are always my anchor.”
That’s not to say that Leah doesn’t ever get to hear her husband interface with a listening public drawn to his sincere, unpretentious style and musical talent. He’s the Friday morning presenter on Radio Kol Chai’s Erev Shabbos music program, his broadcast coming from a little studio off the living room in their French Hill apartment.
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