January 7, 2011 | 3:52 pm

Debbie Friedman in an induced coma, online healing service to be held Sunday night [UPDATE]

Posted by JewishJournal.com

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UPDATE: Twitter, Wikipedia report that Singer Debbie Friedman has died [DEVELOPING STORY]

Jewish folksinger/songwriter Debbie Friedman is in critical condition and is being held on a respirator in a medically-induced coma in an Orange County, California hospital.  According to the Forward, her sister, Sheryl Friedman has said that as of January 7, the doctors’ efforts to open up her lungs have yet to succeed. Friedman has lived in Los Angeles for the past 15 years and is a faculty member of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion.

The Forward has the story:

A worldwide effort is underway to bring about healing for one of American Judaism’s most beloved composers of healing and other Jewish liturgy.

Debbie Friedman is the widely-known composer of Jewish songs, including “Mishebeirach,” “Sing Unto God” and “Lechi Lach,” which have become standard parts of synagogue and camp life in Judaism’s liberal denominations. Friedman, who has long suffered with ill health but been private about the underlying cause, has developed pneumonia and is on a respirator, in a medically-induced coma in an Orange County, California hospital. Her sister Sheryl Friedman reports that as of January 7, the doctors’ measures have not yet succeeded in opening up her lungs.

Close friends and colleagues are asking people worldwide to pray for her complete healing. In Manhattan, where Friedman lived for about 15 years until she moved to Los Angeles last spring, there will be a healing service at the JCC of Manhattan on Sunday at 8p.m. Those unable to attend can view it on-line here.

Read more: http://www.forward.com/articles/134540/#ixzz1AOBJglgb

Information on a national prayer for healing for Debbie Friedman.

Debbie Friedman Performs ‘Mishebayrach’ Live at LimmudLA ‘08.

Watch a video tribute to Debbie Friedman below.