# Shmueli Ungar

Shmuel Dovid "Shmueli" Ungar (/ˈʃmɪliː/) is an American Hasidic singer, songwriter and entertainer in the contemporary Jewish religious music industry. He has released four albums, three of which charted on the Billboard World Music category.
He also hosts a Yiddish-language podcast titled ShmueliCast, in which he hosts various Hasidic guests. Its YouTube channel has over 7,000 subscribers.

## Biography

Ungar was born in 1990 in Kiryas Joel, New York, where he studied in the Satmar yeshiva. He continued to study at the Hitchin Yeshiva in London followed by a yeshiva in Monsey. He was orphaned from his father at age 14.

## Musical career

Ungar began his career at the wedding of his sister, at the request of his grandfather, after which he continued to perform at weddings in Williamsburg. He was originally part of Zemiros Choir, after which he switched to Shira Choir, but eventually left the group to progress his career as a solo artist. In 2016, he released his debut album, Shmueli 2. The album was produced by Naftali Schnitzler and features compositions by Moshe Laufer, Pinky Weber, Naftali Schnitzler and Yitzy Waldner, and arrangements by Moshe Laufer and Yoeli Dickman.
In August 2017, he released the first single from the album, Mach A Bracha. As of November 2024, the music video has more than 10 million views on YouTube. In 2018, he released his album Mach a Bracha. The album was produced by Naftali Schnitzler and features compositions by Pinky Weber, Beri Weber, Naftali Schnitzler and Hershy Weinberger. In 2019, he released an album called On Stage, produced by Naftali Schnitzler, with the Menagnim Orchestra and Moishe Roth. The album includes over 50 wedding songs and encompasses almost an entire wedding.
Following the success of On Stage, he released a second album in the series in 2022 called Back Stage. The album includes 50 tracks. The album was produced by Naftali Schnitzler together with composer Hershy Weinberger, with musical arrangement by Shea Kaller. In February 2024, he released an album titled Shulem Aleichem, which was later voted Album of the Year 2024 by streaming app 24Six. He also released a music video, titled Fire, one of the songs from the album. In December 2024, he released an album of popular Hanukkah songs, titled L'chaim Shmueli, with producer Yosef Moshe Kahana, with arrangements by Moshe Laufer and Yehuda Galili.

## Personal life

Ungar is a member of the Satmar community and is married with two children. He lives in Monroe, New York.

## Discography

* Shmueli 2 (2016)
* Mach a Bracha (2018)
* On Stage (2019)
* Madraigos (2020)
* Back Stage (2022)
* Shulem Aleichem (2024)
* L'chaim Shmueli (2024)

### Singles

* Yishoma (2016), debut single
* Rachamana (2016)
* Mach a Bracha (2018), music video/opening song to Mach a Bracha album
* The Dreidel Song (2019)
* Kol Hamelamed (2020), produced by Chasdei Lev
* Halailah Hazeh (2020), featuring Hershy Weinberger
* Tata Mama (2022)
* D'Tzach (2022), featuring Hershy Weinberger
* Chasdei Hasem (2022)
* Tischadesh (2022), featuring Hershel Rosenberg
* Unspoken Words (2023)
* Vekarev Pezurainu (2023)
* Ready to Dance! (2024, live performance with musician Elchonon Gartenhaus)
* Hashem Needs Every Yid (2024), Oorah

### Collaborations and appearances

* Mulei Simcha (2017), album produced by Naftali Schnitzler featuring seven vocalists including Ungar
* Bracha and Nachas (2018), together with Yiddish Nachas (produced by Moshy Kraus)
* Kilunee (2019), appearance on Fingerprints (album by Sruly Bodansky/Naftali Schnitzler)
* Simi Lev (2019), appearance on Lev el Haneshama (album by R' Chezkie Weisz/Naftali Schnitzler)
* The Plus Factor (2019) and The Plus Factor, Episode 2 (2020), music videos by Yeedle Kahan, featuring Ungar and other singers
* Bitchu Bashem (2020), with Sababa Band
* Bar Ilu (2020), single, with Ohad Moskowitz
* Halev Sheli (2021), with Sababa Band
* Lchaim and Nachas (2021), with Yaakov Shwekey
* D'Tzach (2022), with Hershy Weinberger, featuring Yoeli Klein, Shaya Gross and Naftali Schnitzler
* Va'ani Evtach Bach (2023), with Matt Dubb, featuring Beri Weber
* B'karov Mamesh (2023), with Mendy Hershkowitz Band and Lev Choir
* Zeh Hakatan (2023) appearance on Lev Chodosh (album by Baruch Levine)
* Yidden In America (live performance by the Freilach Band)