A Documentary Film about the Life and Legacy of Debbie Friedman​

Synopsis:
Mi Shebeirach: A Story of Healing tells the poignant story of Debbie Friedman, a groundbreaking Jewish musician whose version of the, Mi Shebeirach prayer, a petitionary prayer that asks for healing,  has become foundational in contemporary Jewish worship, especially in times of illness and crisis. Written in 1987 for a close friend facing hardship, this simple yet profound prayer quickly resonated with communities worldwide. But behind the prayer is the extraordinary life of the woman who wrote it—her struggles, her courage, and the transformative role music played in her own healing.
 

Debbie Friedman began playing music at Jewish summer camps in the late 1960s, sitting around the campfire with her guitar in hand, leading young people in song. When she began writing her own music, blending English and Hebrew, inviting participation, and bringing joy to Jewish worship, her work was seen as threatening by the ‘old guard.’ Some even saw her efforts as heretical, yet, Debbie was relentless in her mission.
 

Debbie willed a world into being where a person can be Jewish and live their own truth at the same time. She created a space in Jewish religious practice that wasn’t just based on tradition or what was commanded, but where people could connect to their unique spiritual journey through prayer and song. In her work, she insisted that all people should be included. In particular, she championed the inclusion of women’s voices in Jewish tradition, shining a light on women in the Torah, such as Sarah, Miriam, and Deborah. 
 

This documentary traces the arc of Debbie Friedman's life, beginning with her childhood, marked by family challenges and the complex journey of being a queer woman living "in the closet" in an era of societal silence around LGBTQ+ issues. As a woman navigating the intersection of identity, faith, and illness, Friedman faced numerous battles—both external and internal—that shaped her music and her worldview.
 

Amidst personal struggles, including a chronic health condition that she bravely fought for years, Friedman found her voice through music, channeling her pain and vulnerability into songs that resonated deeply with the Jewish community and beyond. Through her innovative approach, Friedman demonstrated how music can be a profound source of personal and collective transformation—healing wounds, building bridges, and creating spaces for people to feel connected, seen, and uplifted. 
 

Using interviews with friends, family, and colleagues, along with archival footage of Friedman’s life and performances, this film offers a deeply personal portrait of an artist whose work transcended her own life to have a profound and lasting impact on Jewish liturgy and practice.  Friedman’s music, particularly her iconic Mi Shebeirach prayer for healing, has had a profound and lasting impact, making her one of the most influential Jewish figures of the 20th and 21st centuries.

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By supporting this project, you’re not just investing in a film—you’re helping to bring forward the profound legacy of Debbie’s story, one of healing, love, and resilience in a world that needs these qualities now more than ever.

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Creative Team​
 

Maranda Kosten, Producer/Director

Maranda is a producer, director, and actor with over 25 years of experience in storytelling for both stage and screen. As a producer and director, she has an extensive portfolio of films and videos, including Healing City Baltimore: Moving Forward Together, Bird Game: The Creation of a Video Game to Teach Accurate Medical Diagnosis, and I Never Said Goodbye. Maranda holds an MFA in acting from The Actors Studio Drama School at the New School, and, over the years, has cultivated a way of working that incorporates her producer’s mind, director’s sensibility, and actor’s heart. 
 

Yevgeniy K’banchik, Director of Photography

Yevgeniy is a Ukrainian-born filmmaker based in Baltimore. A graduate of the Moscow Film School, Yev has diverse experience in film production, with a focus on cinematography and directing. For over two decades, K’banchick has been working as an independent filmmaker, producing a range of experimental films and documentaries. K’banchik’s films have received numerous recognitions and awards: his recent film Brood X has won multiple nominations at film festivals, including Best Experimental Film in Tokyo Shorts award, semifinalist of ARFF Berlin Film Festival, and Best Experimental in New York Independent Cinema Awards. His most recent film, I Never Said Goodbye, is set to begin screenings in Spring 2025
 

Phillip Guttmann, Producer

Phillip is a writer, producer, and licensed therapist. He has written several plays that have received staged productions and readings in New York. Winner of the Iris Prize in 2019, his films including, D.Asian (2015), Black Hat (2019), and Tender Touches: 'Maniac' (2018) have been screened in film festivals nationally and internationally. Phillip is working on several new projects for film and television and continues to practice as a therapist and social worker part-time. He is a proud alumnus of New York University and The New School for Drama. 
 

Rabbi Jessy Dressin, Consultant Producer
Named one of The Forward’s Most Influential Rabbis, Jessy was ordained at the Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion in Los Angeles in 2012 where she had the privilege of studying with Debbie Friedman, whose influence continues to shape her work. Jessy has been working as a community rabbi for the last thirteen years and most recently worked as the Senior Director of Jewish Education for Repair the World after building a nationally recognized model for young adult engagement, Charm City Tribe, out of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore. She is currently the Founder and Executive Director of Third Space at Shaarei Tfiloh, a place for meaningful local and Jewish community building that serves as a container for creativity, collaboration, exploration, and discovery. 

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Fiscal Sponsor

Mi Shebeirach: A Story of Healing is being fiscally sponsored by Sing Unto God (SUG), a non-profit 501c3, that works to elevate the practice of communal singing and meaningful worship.

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