Famous pop singer Aviv Geffen spoke a few words at an event held on Monday, Yud-Tet Kislev (“Chag Hageulah”) the anniversary of the day on which the founder of the Chabad-Lubavitch hasidic dynasty was released from prison during the times of the Russian Czar.

Geffen spoke at an event held in Ramat Aviv in Tel Aviv, and described himself as a “Chabadnik.”

“I feel and believe that some form of message originated here for mankind,” Geffen said. “A message for everyone, whether secular or religious – that it’s possible for us to get along. There are ways of achieving that. The way I see it, it’s something that’s on a higher plane.”

“Chabad is chochmah, binah, and da’at,” he continued, referring to different types of wisdom. “The way those terms are understood changes all the time, and to me, it means that I, too, in my own way, am a Chabadnik. Because I am always reinterpreting the way I understand things; I’m always changing. I’m not the same Aviv I once was – I feel that I’ve made changes for the better.”

Indeed, over the past few years, the hugely successful pop singer has undergone a transformation of sorts, coming closer to tradition and with more sympathy for religious observance, and trying to disseminate messages calling for unity between the various sectors. In one notable performance together with well-known musician Avraham Fried around five months ago, he used his opportunity on stage to ask for forgiveness for things he had said in the past which increased divisiveness.

“A person has to admit when he’s made a mistake,” Geffen said at the time. “In my distant past, I wrote several things out of stupidity and lack of knowledge and understanding, and I hurt a lot of people. I was taught to apologize so that’s what I want to do today, from the stage – I want to ask your forgiveness if I hurt anyone.”