The Jewish Johnny Cash

Embracing My Musical Identity and Connecting with Inmates
As I stood in front of a room full of inmates, guitar in hand, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of their expectations. Here I was, an Orthodox Jew, about to perform folk-rock music in a prison library. To say that I looked a bit out of place might be an understatement. But as soon as I strummed the first chord and began to sing, something magical happened. The tension in the room melted away, and I felt a connection with the audience that transcended our different worlds.

A Unique Musical Journey
After the show, as I packed up my guitar, I overheard a debate among some of the inmates. They were arguing about whether I was more like Paul Simon or Bob Dylan. Then someone chimed in, “He’s the Jewish Johnny Cash!” I couldn’t help but smile at that comparison. It wasn’t the first time I had heard it, and it probably won’t be the last. But what does it really mean to be the “Jewish Johnny Cash,” and how did I get here, performing folk-rock music for incarcerated individuals across the United States?

My musical journey began long before I ever set foot in a prison. Growing up, music was always a part of my life. It was how I expressed myself, how I connected with the world. As I got older, I realized that music was more than just a passion—it was my calling. I became a folk singer, blending the sounds of American roots music with lyrics that reflected my own spiritual journey. The music I create is deeply personal, yet intentionally universal. While my identity is central to who I am, my songs are meant to resonate with people from all walks of life.

A Mission of Hope: A New Song USA
When I launched my nonprofit organization, A New Song USA, I did so with the belief that music has the power to heal and transform. I wanted to bring my message of hope and redemption to those who need it most—those who are often forgotten by society. That’s why I started performing in prisons. It’s a challenging environment, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. There’s something uniquely powerful about connecting with people who are in such a difficult place in their lives.

The Power of Connection in Unlikely Places
One of the things I love most about performing for inmates is the raw honesty of their reactions. There’s no pretense, no polite applause just for the sake of it. If they’re into the music, you know it. And if they’re not, well, you know that too. Over the years, I’ve learned to embrace this honesty and use it to fuel my performances. When the audience starts to smile, tap their feet, or sing along, I feel a deep sense of connection. In those moments, it doesn’t matter who I am or that they’re inmates. We’re just people, sharing a moment of music together.

Embracing the ‘Jewish Johnny Cash’ Label
The comparison to Johnny Cash is flattering, but it’s also a reminder of the impact music can have. Cash’s prison performances are legendary because he brought a sense of humanity to those who were often dehumanized by society. In my own way, I strive to do the same. I’m not here to preach or judge; I’m here to share my music and, hopefully, bring a little bit of light into a dark place.
Being called the “Jewish Johnny Cash” also speaks to the way music transcends boundaries. It’s a reminder that, despite our differences, we’re all connected by the same basic emotions—joy, pain, hope, and love. When I perform in prisons, I see that connection in real-time. It’s in the way the inmates respond to the music, the way their eyes light up when they hear a familiar sound, or the way they open up during the stories and Q&A sessions between songs.

Carrying the Lessons Forward
In the end, I’m not trying to be Johnny Cash. I’m just being myself—a Jewish folk singer, a man on a mission to bring hope to those who need it most. If being the “Jewish Johnny Cash” helps me connect with my audience and spread that message of hope, then I’ll embrace it wholeheartedly.

So, here’s to the music, to the connections it creates, and to the hope it brings. Whether you’re an inmate or a free man, a rabbi or a rock star, we all have the ability to touch each other’s lives. And as long as there’s a song to sing, I’ll keep doing just that—one prison at a time.

Only good things!