| Moshe Hecht | |
| Birth Date: | 1985 |
| Birth Place: | Queens, New York |
| Origin: | Brooklyn, New York |
| Genre: | Jewish music Folk rock Reggae rock |
| Occupation: | Singer-songwriter, tech entrepreneur |
| Years Active: | 2008–present |
| Label: | Aderet |
| Associated Acts: | Moshe Hecht Band |
Moshe Hecht (born 1985 in Queens, New York) is an American Hasidic singer-songwriter and rabbi, best known as the eponymous lead singer of the folk rock group Moshe Hecht Band.
Hecht was born in Queens, New York in 1985 to a Hasidic Jewish family, one among 14 children.[1] He is the grandson of prominent Chabad rabbi Chaim Gutnick.[2] He displayed interest in music at an early age, singing in school choirs and even writing a musical for Hanukkah when he was 18. He also began listening to secular musicians like Bob Marley, Simon & Garfunkel, and Bob Dylan, but was often forced to hide their records from his devout friends and family.
After high school, Hecht spent a year in Ukraine doing community service, then 18 months in Melbourne completing his rabbinic ordination.
See main article: Moshe Hecht Band.
Hecht gained a strong community following in 2008 with the release of his song "Lamplighters", a tribute to the Chabad emissaries killed in the 2008 Mumbai attacks.[3] Building a community following from this and other singles, he formed the Moshe Hecht Band in 2010 with a group of local musicians. The band's debut album, Heart is Alive, was released by Aderet Music on October 18, 2011.