Beloved Musician Avi Piamenta Passes Away at 69

Avi Piamenta, a beloeved presence in Jewish music and an acclaimed flutist, passed away on Friday night at the age of 69.

Avi died suddenly while visiting New York, where he had come to participate in the annual commemoration of the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s yahrtzeit.

Born in 1956 in Yerushalayim, Avi was raised in a secular environment. From an early age, he immersed himself in music, studying piano and then discovering the flute, an instrument that would ultimately define his musical identity. At 17, he joined forces with his older brother Yossi, a trailblazing guitarist, and the two began performing together onstage.

Following the Yom Kippur War, the Piamenta brothers launched what became the renowned “Piamenta Band.” Their group played a major role in reshaping the sound of Jewish music, fusing it with modern influences and reaching diverse audiences around the world.

As time went on, Avi grew increasingly connected to the Chabad movement, a path his brother Yossi also embraced. The family eventually relocated to the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. He became a familiar figure at Chabad events.

During the early 1990s, Yossi Piamenta moved back to Israel, and Avi soon did the same. He took up residence in Kfar Chabad, where he remained active on the simcha scene, playing at weddings and functions, and continuing to inspire audiences with his signature sound.

Avi leaves behind his wife, Yudit (nee Levy); his children, Yehuda Piamenta (Crown Heights), Genya Suwed (Mexico City, Mexico), Rivka Eichler (New Haven, CT), Mushka Piamenta (Monsey, NY), Chana Atar (Nicaragua), Mendy Piamenta (New Haven, CT), Dovy Piamenta (New Haven, CT), and Yossi Piamenta (Crown Heights), and grandchildren. He is also survived by his siblings, Mrs. Chaya Meer (Morristown, NJ), and Mrs. Chana Lorber (Kfar Chabad, Israel). He was predeceased by his brother, Yossi.

Yehi zichro boruch.

{Matzav.com}