Building Bridges Through Music, Outreach and Advocacy
AVRAHAM FROHLICH ’25 Yeshiva College
H aving just visited Auschwitz on the 80th anniversary of the camp’s liberation, an Ausch- witz Jewish Center Founda- tion (AJCF) delegation of Jews and African Americans linked arms and began to sing. Yeshiva University student Avraham Frohlich ’25YC, an English and music dou- ble major, sang “Lean on Me” with depth and feeling, harmonizing with gospel sing- er Victory Boyd on the streets of Warsaw. Other prominent African Americans in the group included Van Jones, John Hope Bryant and Raymond Roker. As the song reached its crescendo, it underscored Frohlich’s deep commitment to recogniz- ing the shared humanity that unites us all. “Those are moments that just stay with you for the rest of your life,” said Frohlich, whose AJCF group visited Auschwitz and other Holocaust sites in Poland to strength- en Black-Jewish relations. “It was a power- ful experience to share. Even though we may come from other communities or cultures, we can still find ways to recognize our common humanity. If we don’t, every- thing just falls apart.” Frohlich has taken this lesson to heart, working on philanthropic initiatives that started at YU and now span the globe. He credits a YU humanitarian trip to El Salva- dor and Guatemala with inspiring his com- mitment to cross-cultural partnerships. During the trip, he delivered supplies to support community-building eorts. “When I traveled to Central America, I brought my guitar,” Frohlich said. “I don’t speak much Spanish, and many of them didn’t speak English, but we bonded through music. I remember sitting in a school garden in a Guatemalan village, surrounded by kids, playing ‘Baby Shark’ on my guitar. It was the one song we all knew, and in that moment, we connected.” Through his Jewish identity and music,
to elementary school children in Washing- ton Heights. He is equally committed to mental health advocacy and leads YU’s Active Minds club. For the last two years he coordinated Stomp Out the Stigma. One of the university’s most popular annual events, it raises awareness and encourages open conversations about mental health challenges. Frohlich knows the challenges the world faces are profound and complex with no simple solutions. Still, he remains com- mitted to bridging divides in whatever ways he can. “I believe connection is how we solve problems,” he said. “We have to recognize each other’s shared humanity.” Through his studies and his music (he is releasing an album of original music this summer), Frohlich continues to embrace tradition and connection. This spring, he will return to Central America—his guitar, as always, in hand.
Frohlich has a twofold perspective: one rooted in heritage, the other in forging con- nections beyond it. He is part of Yeshiva University’s tight-knit community, strength- ening a 3,000-year-old tradition, yet he also seeks to build bridges with other communi- ties. While study and academics are essen- tial, the immediacy of shared experience also has a profound impact—one reason music is so powerful. As Frohlich put it, music is “the universal language of human- ity” and, more than that, “a way of bringing people together.” After his trip to Central America, Frohlich became dedicated to making a dif- ference on and o campus. As a coordina- tor with Yachad, an international organiza- tion promoting inclusion for individuals with developmental disabilities, he helps run weekend retreats and skills training programs. His eorts also extend to education. As a student instructor in YU’s START Science! program, he brings the wonders of science
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YU Today | Leadership with Purpose
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