Shlomo Carlebach | |
---|---|
Born |
Berlin, Germany |
January 14, 1925
Died | October 21, 1994 en route by air to Canada |
(aged 69)
Cause of death | Heart failure |
Resting place |
Har HaMenuchot, Jerusalem, Israel 31°47′52″N 35°10′44″E / 31.7979°N 35.179°E |
Nationality | American, Israeli Jewish |
Known for | Religious teacher, composer, singer, musician |
Spouse(s) | Elaine Neila Glick |
Children | daughters Nedara, Neshama, |
Parent(s) | Hartwig Naftali Carlebach |
Shlomo Carlebach (Hebrew: שלמה קרליבך), known as Reb Shlomo to his followers (14 January 1925 – 20 October 1994), was a Jewish rabbi, religious teacher, composer, and singer who was known as "The Singing Rabbi" during his lifetime. Although his roots lay in traditional Orthodox yeshivot, he branched out to create his own style combining Hasidic Judaism, warmth and personal interaction, public concerts, and song-filled synagogue services. At various times he lived in Manhattan, San Francisco, Toronto and a Moshav he founded, Mevo Modi'im, Israel.
Carlebach is considered by many to be the foremost Jewish religious songwriter of the 20th century. In a career that spanned 40 years, he composed thousands of melodies and recorded more than 25 albums that continue to have widespread popularity and appeal. His influence also continues to this day in "Carlebach minyanim" and Jewish religious gatherings in many cities and remote pristine areas around the globe.
Carlebach was also considered a pioneer of the Baal teshuva movement ("returnees to Judaism"), encouraging disenchanted Jewish youth to re-embrace their heritage, using his special style of enlightened teaching, and his melodies, songs, and highly inspiring story telling.
Shlomo Carlebach was descended from old rabbinical dynasties in pre-Holocaust Germany. The Carlebach family is a notable Jewish family originally from Germany that now lives all over the world. He was born in 1925 in Berlin, where his father, Rabbi Hartwig Naftali Carlebach (1889–1967), was an Orthodox rabbi. He had a twin brother, Rabbi Eli Chaim Carlebach. His family left Germany in 1931 and lived in Baden bei Wien, Austria and by 1933 in Switzerland.