04 Feb BEHIND THE MIC: YONI Z’S JOURNEY OF MUSIC, EMUNAH, AND FINDING HIS KALLAH

Yonatan Zigelboum, known by his stage name Yoni Z, is a singer, composer, producer, and dancer whose prodigious talent has firmly established him as a maestro and performer in
the realm of contemporary Jewish music.
Outside of his music career, Yoni has an incredible personal story, including a major motorbike accident in Italy two years ago and a very special Bar Mitzvah performance in
London.
Yoni recently became engaged to Ashley Eden of Mexico City.
This past Friday, Yoni sat down with Ari Hirsch of The Jewish Vues to discuss the journey he’s been on over the last couple of years.

FAST FACTS
Name: Yonatan Zigelboum
Age: 33
Height: 5’8”
Grew up in: Crown Heights (Yes, we are Lubavitch!)
Currently resides in: The Upper East Side
Ashkenazi or Sephardi? I’m half-and-half. My mother’s parents are Persian, and my father’s family is Polish, German, and Czechoslovakian.
Yeshivas growing up: United Lubavitch Yeshiva of Crown Heights, then I attended Yeshiva of Lubavitch in Monsey for Yeshiva Ketana, where I lived in a dormitory setting.
Most popular song: Baruch Hashem, I have a handful of songs that people request a lot, but I’d say the one I get the most feedback on is probably “Crown.”
Albums: Two: Yoni Z and Ahava. Independent of those, I’ve released enough singles that it might seem like a third album. However, my actual third album is in the works. I’m also working on a Chanukah album, which will feature original Chanukah songs.

Mazal Tov on your recent engagement! Please tell Jewish Vues readers a little bit about your kallah and how you met her.
My kallah’s name is Ashley Eden. She’s originally from Mexico City, and we met through a WhatsApp group for shadchanim. A shadchan named Yehudis Orloff from Los Angeles posted her profile, and a shadchan I worked with, Rayli Horowitz, thought we’d be a good match. It’s funny how the shidduch system works, but it worked for us!

Is this your first engagement?
Yes, it is.

In your social circles, is that considered to be on the older side?
Yeah, most of my friends were married by 22 or 23. In Chabad, that’s typically when it happens, so 33 is definitely a decade above the norm.

Could you elaborate a little on the shidduch process? How many ladies did you go out with before you found your kallah?
It was definitely in the three digits. I lost count a long time ago. I’d say well over 100, probably closer to a few hundred, really.

Was that because you were very picky?
No, not picky, but I knew I needed someone who would be supportive of my lifestyle and my shlichus in the world. Ashley is like the female version of me, and when people meet her, they say it’s just me in girl form. The outpouring of simcha from everyone has been so heartwarming for both of us.

What does Ashley do?
Ashley works in FinTech and has a master’s degree in hospitality and tourism, which she hopes to return to in the future.

What advice and chizuk would you offer to men and women still looking for their shidduch, especially after going on many dates without success?
Number one: Never give up. Never give up on yourself, and never give up on Hashem. “Ein Shum Ye’ush Baolam Klal.” Ashley and I are both 33, and both have been dating since we were 18. When Hashem said the time had come for the other shoe to drop, that’s when we met. We didn’t date for long—just under three months—and then we got engaged. Number two: Stay open-minded. Don’t focus on the little things; focus on the big picture. Think about how that person makes you feel, not only what they look like, where they come from, or how much yichus or money their family has. How does that individual make you feel? That’s the only thing you should routinely ask yourself. Number three: Trust your gut, but b careful not to confuse it with fight-or-
flight instincts.

When are you getting married, and where?
We’re getting married on April 27th, the Sunday after Pesach, the eve of Rosh Chodesh Iyar, in Brooklyn. It was the only date that worked for me with all the events around Pesach.

Who will be singing as you walk down the aisle to the chuppah?

I hope to have Avraham Fried and Yitzy Waldner. It’s very important to me that ehrliche Yidden are the ones to sing us down the aisle.

Three years ago, you were in an accident in Rome. Can you tell Jewish Vues readers a little about that?
I was on my way to Israel after releasing my second album just two days earlier. It had been a full year of being holed up in the studio with Shloimy Zaltzman, working every single day, and then I was on my way to Israel…

Before I left, I went to the Ohel to ask for hatzlacha on my trip because I had TV appearances, radio interviews, and a concert lined up. When I wrote my kvittel to the Lubavitcher Rebbe, I accidentally asked for hatzlacha for my trip to Rome. So I added, “and Israel, B’ezras Hashem.”

In the end, I never made it to Israel. I needed all the hatzlacha in the world in Rome because I almost lost my life that day.

I was riding a Vespa motorbike at maximum speed down a steep hill near the Coliseum when the front wheel got caught in a pothole I couldn’t see. The impact sent me flying 15 feet in the air, and I broke bones in seven different places. I was rushed to the general hospital, but they weren’t taking proper care of me at all—I was bleeding out. It was a mess.

Then, Rabbi Menachem Lazar, the brother of Rabbi Berel Lazar (the Chief Rabbi of Russia), came to my rescue. Rabbi Menachem Lazar still lives in Rome. He took me out of the general hospital and brought me to a private clinic, which ultimately saved my life.

How long were you in Italy for?
I was there for 10 days, flat on my back, and then Medevac’d back to the U.S. I made it back just in time for Shavuos.

How long did the recuperation take?
I couldn’t walk for two months, and the full healing process took over a year of daily physical therapy. I had to cancel all my appearances at concerts, interviews, and weddings, focusing only on my recovery.

You recently came back from London, and I read that you performed at a special Bar Mitzvah. Can you tell Jewish Vues readers a little about that?
I typically go to London for concerts, an last year I met a wonderful couple named Itzik and Michal Rubin. This year, they were involved in a terrible car accident, and one of their sons, Daniel, tragically passed away. Despite the grief, the family still held the Bar Mitzvah for Daniel’s twin brother, Netanel. I surprised Netanel at the Bar Mitzvah, and it was an incredibly inspiring experience for all of us.

Have you performed in Israel since the war began?
Yes, I performed on army bases and in hospitals for wounded soldiers and their families. I also performed at a memorial for a soldier who was killed at 21. It was heart-wrenching, but I’m grateful for the opportunity to bring some joy in such difficult times.

How did you get into the Jewish music industry?
At 151⁄2, my Rosh Yeshiva, Rabbi Polter, told me that yeshiva wasn’t the right fit for me. He said, “You need to create your own box.” Shortly after, I sang my first gig.

Were you ever a part of any choirs?
No, I was too shy as a child, and I was offered a spot by Eli Gerstner in the Chevra as a teenager, but I wanted to focus on creating my own solo career.

Is music your full-time parnasa?

Yes, for many years it was. I then diversified and invested in real estate (development) and am now involved in military-grade drones and defense, working closely with partners in Israel.

What are you currently working on musically?
I’m working on a few singles that will redefine my sound. My music is evolving, and I want to appeal to a more mature audience, similar to artists like Fried and Hanan Ben Ari. Additionally, I’m working on a Chanukah album, which will be more family-friendly. If you look back at the ‘80s and ‘90s, artists like Carlebach and Mordechai Ben David created music that was for adults, and then kids automatically loved it too. Songs like “Tanya” or “Someday” weren’t necessarily for children, but the parents listened to it in the car, and we grew up listening to it. I think there needs to be a shift in Jewish music, refocusing it not just to be super child-friendly. There’s definitely room for that, but I see the future of my music becoming more mature. As for the singles and the album, the Chanukah album will be more child-friendly and family-oriented, B’ezras Hashem, to be released for Chanukah2025.

FUN QUESTIONS WITH Yoni Z

1. What’s your favorite song to sing at the Shabbos table?
We love singing Yibaneh Hamikdash. Our table has a heimish vibe, as my Zeidy was a Gerer Chassid who later became Lubavitch.
2. Most memorable concert you’ve ever been to?
Baruch Hashem, I’ve had a lot of wonderful memories. The debut show I did in New York last April, right before Pesach, sold out in just two weeks. It was a testament to the connection I have with my fans. We put the whole thing together in just two weeks—from the announcement to the show—and sold out. A lot of times, Jewish music relies on producers and organizations to put on the shows and draw the crowd, but this one was entirely driven by my own following. I definitely plan on doing that show again, just not before Pesach, since we are so busy planning our wedding. Maybe we’ll have another Yoni Z show in the early summer once we release the new material.
3. Who were your favorite Jewish singers growing up?
Mordechai Ben David and Avraham Fried.
4. Favorite R’ Shlomo Carlebach song?
It’s between Niggun Krakow and Mimkomcha.
5. Favorite Purim song?
The classic Mishenichnas Adar. Every time you start singing it, you just feel the Purim spirit! I encourage everyone to listen to the
PURIM song by Yoni Z. 🙂
6. Favorite Pesach song?
Vehi Sheomdoh by Yaakov Shwekey, definitely.
7. Favorite Avraham Fried song?
Forever One.
8. Favorite MBD song?
That’s so hard! I’d say This Time from the English collection. It’s a unique choice, but it represents a really powerful era in his amazing career.

9. Favorite Ishay Ribo song?
Keter Melucha. There’s so much to unpack in that one.
10. Favorite Abie Rotenberg song?
Tough call, but Memories.
11. Favorite Hanan Ben Ari song?
Mimcha Ad Elai. A must-listen for music aficionados.
12. What’s your favorite Yoni Z song?

I once asked Avraham Fried that, and he said it’s like asking some- one to choose their favorite child. Right now, one of my favorites is Boee, especially since I wrote it for my Kallah.
13. Someone alive that you’d like to work with but never have?
Lipa Schmeltzer. If it’s still possible, I’d love to collaborate with him on an English song I’ve written.
14. Name someone alive that you’ve never met but would like to
meet.
I’d love to meet the Yanuka, who is considered a Torah genius.
15. If you were to write a book, what would it be about?
It would explore the idea that nothing in life is black and white, and how we can implement Ahavas Yisrael in a meaningful, day- to-day way.

16. What’s one bracha you really try to have intense kavanah on?
When I say V’taher Levainu L’avdecha V’emes during Magen Avos on Friday night.
17. Who do you predict will win the Super Bowl this year?
The Kansas City Chiefs.
18. What’s your favorite food at a Super Bowl party?
Hot Buffalo wings.
19. Who’s your favorite cop?
Easy. Of course, Deputy Chief Richie Taylor.
20. If you could have three dinner guests from the beginning of time for Friday night dinner, who would you invite?
Yosef HaTzaddik, Elie Wiesel, and Bibi Netanyahu.