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I had a shot and rock ’n’ roll fame — I chose a lifetime of Shabbat instead

JL;DR SUMMARY Peter Himmelman reflects on his life-changing decision to prioritize Shabbat observance over potential rock and roll fame in 1986. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Tags

ShabbatLubavitcher RebbeMusic CareerSpiritual FulfillmentFaith And FamilyObservant JudaismIsland RecordsPeter HimmelmanRabbi Simon Jacobson

Places mentioned

New York City, New York, United States
"Then came Shabbat observance in my dumpy railroad apartment on 47th and Eighth Avenue in Hells Kitchen."
Far Rockaway, New York, United States
"I think he was 40 got tired and left for his home in Far Rockaway."
Cleveland, Ohio, United States
"When it would have been only logical for us to play cities like Cleveland and Chicago in support of one of my recordings."
Chicago, Illinois, United States
"When it would have been only logical for us to play cities like Cleveland and Chicago in support of one of my recordings."
Crown Heights, New York, United States
"We arrived at an apartment in Crown Heights where Rabbi Simon Jacobson greeted us."
Brooklyn, New York, United States
"But tonight, Im gonna take you to my main connection, a religious Jew in Brooklyn."
Russian Federation
"Lou even helped finance my tour of the Caucasus in what was then the USSR."

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Cairo Item ID 77580
Cairo Source ID 35
Retrieved 2026-03-13 05:30:35 UTC
Curated 2026-03-13 08:32:29 UTC