Israeli singer Amir Fryszer-Guttman dies rescuing niece from drowning
Former lead singer of the popular Israeli boy band Hi Five passes away after attempting to save his five-year-old cousin
Amir Fryszer-Guttman, former lead singer of the popular Israeli boy band Hi Five, has died after rescuing his 5-year-old niece and a family friend who were overcome by a wave at a beach south of Haifa.
Fryszer-Guttman, 41, was taken to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Centre in serious condition following the incident on Saturday. He was pronounced dead the next day.
“After he managed to get her to safety, he nearly drowned and was treated at the scene by paramedics and rushed to an area hospital in serious condition,” police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told The Jerusalem Post.
Fryszer-Guttman was a celebrity in Israel for leading Hi Five in the late 1990s. After the band dissolved in 2000, he went on to release solo albums and act in Israeli musicals. In 2007, he came out publicly as gay and became a prominent LGBTQ rights advocate.
He was recently outspoken against the Israeli government’s policy outlawing same-sex adoptions. A petitioncalling for a law legalising same-sex adoption to be named after him has garnered 80,000 signatures.
In March 2016, Fryszer-Guttman was wrongly diagnosed with lymphoma. He underwent months of chemotherapy before learning in July of the same year that he had an inflammatory disease similar to lymphoma. In a sick and ironic twist, the beach party he held Saturday was celebrating the one-year anniversary of his fortunate discovery.
Fryszer-Guttman is survived by a husband and a son.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
